Step 1 - The Content Audit

Video has become a vital tool in the high-tech marketing toolkit. Its ability to simplify complex ideas, capture attention, and convey messages in seconds makes it a key player in reaching today’s decision-makers. But figuring out how to seamlessly integrate video into your existing marketing efforts can feel overwhelming.

That’s where this guide comes in. This is the first post in our series, "How to Integrate Video into Your Marketing Strategy." We'll break down the process into actionable steps designed to help you get started, optimize results, and ensure every video you create drives measurable value.

To kick off the series, we’re starting with the foundation of any successful video integration strategy: Auditing Your Current Content Strategy. Before creating new videos, it’s essential to take stock of your current content, identify opportunities, and ensure every video serves a clear, strategic purpose. Here’s how to do it.

Why Start with a Content Audit?

Auditing your content provides a clear overview of what is working and what is not, and where video can make the greatest difference. Revealing gaps or underperforming assets lets you optimize your videos and maximize user experience across all your marketing channels. An audit also aligns your video strategy with your overall marketing objectives, keeping your eyes on results.

The Benefits of an Audit

• Pinpoint Engagement Gaps: Identify where your audience isn’t engaging, and consider how video could bridge that disconnect.
• Prioritize High-Impact Changes: Focus resources on the content and channels that will deliver the greatest returns.
• Streamline Integration: Knowing what you already have helps you avoid redundancy and create a cohesive content ecosystem.

Now, let’s break the process into manageable steps.

Step 1: Evaluate Your Current Content Formats

Assess Content Types and Formats

Begin by inventorying your current content. Sort it by type (for example, blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, email newsletters) and where it belongs in the buyer's journey (awareness, consideration, or decision phases). Your inventory will provide a sense of the overall picture.

For example:

• Blogs might be attracting awareness, but lack engagement.
• Your case studies might offer great insights but fail to resonate because they’re too text-heavy.

Analyze Content Performance

Use metrics to identify which assets are performing effectively. Tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, or your email marketing software can provide insights into:

• Bounce rates
• Time spent on the page
• Conversion rates
• Engagement rates (e.g., shares, likes, and comments)

Assets with low performance are prime candidates for a video makeover.

Consider Complexity Levels

Is your content overly technical, abstract, or data-heavy? If your audience struggles to understand your message, video can simplify it. For instance, an explainer video can condense a 2,000-word whitepaper into a 90-second visual story.

Pro Tip: Keep an eye on usability. Complex topics are perfect for explainer videos, while static case studies benefit from the engaging authenticity of customer testimonials.

Step 2: Identify Underperforming Assets

Not every piece of content needs a video. Focus on high-potential areas where video can significantly improve outcomes, such as:

• Text-heavy formats: Case studies or research reports can be transformed into vivid storytelling with customer testimonials or animated data visualizations.
• Static assets: Infographics or PDFs that feel static — can be converted into dynamic, visually engaging video summaries.

Prioritize Based on Strategic Value

Ask yourself:

• Will a video make this content more accessible or engaging?
• Is this content tied to a core business objective (e.g., increasing leads, boosting brand awareness)?
• How likely is this content to deliver value after being updated with a video?

For example, a product demo that lives on a landing page might lead to higher conversions when replaced with an engaging video walkthrough.

Pro Tip: Evaluate content for immediacy and long-term value. Start with assets that deliver immediate ROI, such as explainer videos for your highest-converting landing pages.

Step 3: Use Video to Address Gaps

Match Video Type to Content Gaps

1. Customer Testimonials: Replace dry case studies with customer testimonials that build trust and provide relatable proof points.
2. Explainer Videos: Simplify technical or complex topics into digestible stories with professional animation or live-action demos.
3. Thought Leadership Clips: Put your C-suite to work with short, insightful videos on industry trends to position your brand as an authority.

For example, if your website’s FAQ page isn’t performing, turn it into a series of short explainer videos to guide potential customers through common questions.

Examples to Work With

• Transform static PowerPoint presentations into videos for use in sales meetings or client pitches.
• Replace long onboarding documents with a series of step-by-step tutorials to guide new customers seamlessly.

Avoid Common Pitfalls

• Don’t overproduce. Start with smaller, high-priority projects to stay on schedule and budget.
• Stay authentic. Keep testimonials and case studies natural to build genuine trust among viewers.

Pro Tip:  Focus on strategic placement and purpose. Start with one or two video types that address clear content gaps, such as testimonial videos to build trust or explainers to simplify complex topics, and then expand based on performance.

Step 4: Organize for Success

Tools to Streamline the Process

• Use a spreadsheet or content auditing software to inventory assets, assign performance scores, and map video potential to each.
• Collaborate with sales, customer success, and product teams to identify which gaps are most pressing and relevant.

Plan for Next Steps

• Assign team members or external partners to focus on video production.
• Use analytics tools to track and measure the performance of updated video assets.

Pro Tip: Consider outsourcing high-skill projects (e.g., animated explainers) to specialized video production agencies while training your internal team to handle simpler edits or updates.

What Comes Next?

Having now audited your existing content strategy, you've established a vital foundation for seamlessly incorporating video into your marketing mix. You already understand where your weak points are and can start to prioritize the creation of video for maximum effect. But what's next?

Watch for our next post when we guide you through Step 2: "Define Clear Objectives for Video Content." We'll show you how to establish measurable objectives, connect them to your marketing strategy, and make each video work to produce the results you want.

In the meantime, begin your audit and uncover the possibilities. With a well-defined strategy in place, video can transform your marketing plan into a results-driven powerhouse. Let's do it.