Landscaping is an incredibly visual service. Whether you’re installing plant beds with colorful flowers, helping care for lush green lawns, or maybe creating entire outdoor living areas, you want to be able to show off your work in an effective way. That makes photographs on your website and social media channels incredibly important. But today’s customers are looking for even more.
As video becomes increasingly popular, you have more opportunities than ever to incorporate video not only into your website but on social media, as well.
Jackson Deaver, a Chicago-based filmmaker, photographer, and founder of Embrace Visual, LLC, who works with many lawn and landscaping clients, says that video presents a unique opportunity to connect and engage with people. Instead of just showing off a before and after photo, you can take clients through the entire journey of a project from start to finish.
“With landscaping, video is one of the best ways to show off what you can do,” Deaver says. “Sometimes it’s hard for people to visualize how you’ll be able to transform a space. Photos can do a good job of that—but video goes even further. You can really help show potential clients the entire process.”
Video also goes a long way in creating and continuing to shape your brand. It leaves customers with a sense that they’ve gotten to know you and your company before you’ve even stepped foot on their property.
"Seeing the faces of crew members wearing uniforms, smiling, and interacting with other customers goes a really long way for people,” Deaver says. “It creates a feeling of reassurance and it helps them to put ‘faces’ to who they’re hiring. Even if you don’t have video on your website, you want to make sure that you incorporate photos of the people who work for you.”
A great communication tool
Video can also be a great way to communicate with clients. For instance, if you want to give your prospective customers some tips on how to prepare for their landscape consultation—or maybe you want to share some “how-to advice” on caring for a new landscape—then video can be a really effective communication tool.
The video that Deaver made for KD Landscape above is a great example. Deaver was working with KD Landscape's marketing agency, Landscape Leadership to produce this video. It gives prospective clients a very good idea of what they can expect if they were to work with the company.
“For many, video is an easier way to digest information,” Deaver explains. “A lot of times, it’s easier for people to watch a video with that advice than it is for them to read an article. As video becomes an increasingly preferred way for people to ‘get information,’ you might be more effective at reaching your audience.”
Deaver likens it to a recipe. For a lot of people, watching a quick video on how to combine the ingredients is easier than reading the recipe. While everyone is different, more and more people are inclined to learn something visually—and a video is a great tool in that regard.
Using video to add to your team
Video can also be a highly effective tool for recruiting new team members. With so many landscaping companies struggling to find workers right now, anything that you can do to differentiate your company is important. Video can be a great way to show off your company and what makes it a great place to work.
"I have some landscaping clients right now who are using video to connect with prospective hires and tell the story of their company,” Deaver adds. “Many of these companies are actively looking to recruit more crew members, so they’re creating ‘A day in the life of a crew member” type of videos. For many, it’s so much more appealing than a written job description.”
Deaver says that the whole medium of video is so much more immersive and engaging than other formats. Potential hires can get a real sense of what it would be like to come work for your company. They can see the people that they’d be working with and the types of duties they’d be expected to perform—in action. Video can also be a great way for your team members to share testimonials about why they love working with you.
Where to post videos
In terms of where to incorporate video, Deaver says that embedding it within the website itself is a great place to ensure it gets viewed by prospective customers and team members who are looking on your website for more information. But he also says to take advantage of social media channels and YouTube. Deaver sees YouTube as more of a “hub” for the full collection of all of your videos. But he says to use social media channels like Facebook or Instagram to actually engage with clients.
"Think of YouTube like an OnDemand content platform such as Netflix or Hulu," Deaver explains. "It provides a great user experience for people who already know who you are and want to learn more. Finding new customers is where social media like Facebook and Instagram can be effective. Getting attention on these platforms is all about good visual content and if you pay attention to the analytics, you'll start to realize what works and what doesn't."
Deaver also says that social media can help give you a strong sense of how the videos are working. Take the time to read any comments that people make and see how those videos are working for you.
"As you see more feedback and engagement, pay attention to which videos customers and potential hires connect with most,” Deaver sums up. “Social media is the perfect way to identify what type of video works best.”
