It goes without saying that the foundation of a successful video subscription offering is high value content. Your video content is your product. For you to stand out and earn subscribers, you have to provide value to your audience. (Read the first post in this blog series here.)
Of the four components of a video subscription offering, this is the one where technology can help you the least. Your success depends on your ability to understand your audience’s needs and desires and deliver the best content possible.
Remember you’re up against a lot of freely available video content, so before you invest in building a video experience ask yourself if your videos provide:
- real learnings,
- new information, and
- remarkable content.
Common Classes of Video Subscriptions
When we look at the most successful video subscription offerings, there are some commonalities that jump out—especially in terms of the classes of offerings. These are a few models we’ve seen work well.
Certification
Provide video courses that lead towards a formal certification. This works well if you are training resellers or partners, providing continuing education and equipping people with new marketable skills.
DVD to On-Demand
Businesses that have succeeded with DVDs can make the switch to an on-demand model with online video becoming more affordable and desirable.
Paid Training
Take your standard customer support or training, turbocharge it and provide a paid version. As more business invest in producing training and education material, there is room to create paid versions.
Premium Content
For media-focused companies, video subscriptions are an excellent way to expand your offerings. Use your free assets to upsell premium content. This works best when you consistently produce new videos.
Types of Video Formats that do Well
Creativity is certainly an asset, so don’t take this list as the end all be all. With that in mind, there are patterns in the types of videos that sell well. Use these types of formats to get inspired.
Whiteboard Talks
For complex topics that are best illustrated, whiteboard talks are a great way to convey information. Get your subject matter experts in front of a whiteboard and have them walk through one specific subject, using the board to draw as they go.
Subject Matter Expert + Slides
Another way to teach procedures and concepts with video is to combine footage of an expert speaking with slides. This format is more dynamic that just having slides and creates a personal connection by showing the speaker in front of the camera.
Procedure & Process Demos
The focus here is on getting something done. By the end of the video your viewer should know how accomplish a desired task have information required themselves.
Click here for the next post in the video subscription blog series.
