10 Video Marketers to Learn from to Grow Your Startup’s Followers on TikTok, YouTube & Facebook

If you’re in the business of startups, you are going to want to take advantage of all of the resources that you can to set yourself up for success. Starting a business is no easy feat, but you’re not alone. Today, one of the best resources that you can use is video marketing. 

The good news is that you’re also not alone in doing this. Today, there are marketing experts and experienced startup owners that offer their insights and tips on how to grow your following on social media and sites like YouTube or TikTok. Can your startup benefit from sites like these? Absolutely. 

It’s all about using them correctly. After all, today’s audience appreciates being met where they are, and they’re all on social media. People spend almost seven hours a week online watching viral videos, on average, and that’s only going to continue to grow. Plus, it’s estimated that by 2022, as much as 82% of Internet traffic will come from streaming or downloaded videos. 

There are plenty of ways that you can get creative with video marketing, too. It's not just for straight-up advertising. It does work well there, of course, but there’s so much more that you can do, too. For example, you could make how-to videos or tutorials that are relevant to your business. You could create a business profile to showcase your brand to your audience. 

Perhaps you’ll want to use video marketing to talk about industry news or help people with relevant topics if you’re in the business of customer service (and really, who isn’t?). There’s no limit to what you can do. Part of the creativity will come from you, but you can certainly get a lot of inspiration by taking notes from those who have already found success with video marketing. 

Before we get into that list, though, let’s talk a little more about the benefits of using video to grow your startup following. 

Video marketing perks and more 

Today, video is more popular than ever. People would rather watch a video than read an article or view another type of content. They'd also rather watch videos about the things that they’re interested in than to listen to a traditional sales pitch or try to deal with someone one-on-one. You’re essentially giving your audience exactly what they want, which is already helping you set your brand up for better success. 

Then, you can consider things like:

• Return on Investment: When you market with videos, you don’t have to produce expensive, high-end videos that take weeks and a lot of energy in production and editing. Some of the best video marketers, and several on the list below, are notorious for their selfie-style videos, which cost almost nothing to make and take just minutes. You can get a lot for your money with video marketing, thanks to all the great ways you can use it. 

• Brand Visibility: You’re also giving your brand another place to become visible and get the attention that you want from your audience. It's totally unique in the ways that you can use it, whether you’re offering educational resources or just traditional marketing videos. Either way, it will give you a chance to build your brand image in several ways. 

• Ease of Access: It’s not hard to make videos. As mentioned, some even make selfie videos with their phones, giving you the chance to create without spending anything more than a little of your time on the task. Anyone can use video marketing. It doesn’t require a huge investment, and even if you think you “can’t afford it”, you’ll find that you can do more than you anticipated. 

• Increased Revenue: Of course, if all of this goes well, you’ll be able to benefit from increased revenues and a better bottom line. There are several ways that video marketing can increase your sales, from bringing in traffic to helping you promote certain items or services that people may not be familiar with. Either way, your profits, and revenues will increase, and your success will continue to grow. 

• Increased Traffic and Conversions: When you are getting people’s attention in better and new ways, you’re going to get more traffic, which of course is the goal. Not just that, though. You'll have more people coming to your website, but you’ll also have more people converting, which is the ultimate goal. When you do it right, video marketing will do you well. 

These are just a few of the biggest perks that should be on your list when you’re looking to get into video marketing for your startup. Now, let’s talk about who you can learn from along the way. 

The 10 video marketers your startup can learn from 

1. Gary Vaynerchuk

Gary Vaynerchuk is a business and sales whiz. He’s been around for years, and his friendly, comfortable style is what draws people in and makes him such a force to be reckoned with. Currently, he’s the CEO and owner of the VarnerMedia group and has been in business pretty much since the day he was born. In regard to video marketing, you’ll enjoy his vlogs and video showcases that show the highlights of his career, including things like interviews on various shows and more. 

He also offers powerful tips and insight for marketing your business, including things beyond video, and he’s a great teacher. He’s one of the best to learn from because while he produces high-quality videos and even has a podcast, he’s also constantly sharing homemade videos from his phone that prove that he’s passionate, connected, and committed to his audience. That's the kind of example you need. 

2. Laura Clery

Laura Clery is famous because she’s built a brand out of viral video and Facebook marketing. She created her brand persona and has used various social networks and video resources over the years to attract people to that brand and build a following. After all, she’s got 14 million of her own on Facebook alone and counting. She uses her sense of humor and “alter ego” to create witty videos that are inspirational and entertaining. She’s also got the tips and insight you need to find your audience in the first place and might help you consider concepts of video marketing you had never thought about previously. 

Laura Clery has a unique way of presenting and marketing her own videos and you can learn a lot just from watching what she’s done herself. 

3. Scott Stratten, UnMarketing.com

Scott Stratten founded UnMarketing.com as a way to offer marketing alternatives for people who think that marketing has to be some standard procedure. He and his wife have mastered the art of viral video and they have a slew of other video marketing tactics under their belts, as well. They have books available, and they have been featured at many major speaking events throughout their career. They have even spoken for brands like Microsoft and IBM and offer a lot of valuable insight and a unique approach to video marketing that you won’t get from most traditional marketing agencies. 

4. Neil Patel

Neil Patel is an SEO guru and an Internet marketing genius. He started as an entrepreneur himself, building his brand one day and one strategy at a time, and today he is one of the most revered names available on the market. He’s created tons of helpful resources online, including an impressive collection of videos that help people with all kinds of topics. If there’s one thing he has, it’s passion. He approaches business from a unique perspective, and he knows how to get noticed with marketing. he’s been recognized by Forbes and even the former President Obama and is a mastermind not just with marketing, but with making that critical personal connection that sets video marketing apart from the rest. He also has an impressive publication rate for videos and written content, which creates near-perpetual sharing opportunities. 

5. David Murdico

David Murdico of Supercool Creative Agency is a big name in video marketing. He offers plenty of insight, tips, and assistance across all channels and social platforms, including Twitter, and he has lots of videos and tips that can help you build your brand while seeing how he has built his own. His unique approach allows him to offer a different perspective than most marketing professionals. You can follow him to learn all about how to get creative with video marketing and he even offers one-on-one consulting and assistance for those who need it. 

6. Supercar Blondie

Also known as Alex Hirschi, Supercar Blondie is a car enthusiast and online sensation. Her 36 million followers give you enough reason to check her out, even if you think that a car guru isn’t the best choice for your brand. Your startup can learn from anyone, and if she’s this good at getting followers, it doesn’t matter what she’s marketing. She also has millions of views on all of her videos, and she knows how to drive traffic and engagement through video. In fact, in 2020, YouTube awarded her the Breakout YouTuber of the Year award. This former TV journalist-turned video marketing sensation is showing people how to take your passion and run with it. 

7. Joel Comm

Joel is a cryptocurrency expert, but he’s also an expert in startup marketing and getting loyalty by building an audience. He's got impressive experience with live video, too, which can help you learn how to use those in your strategy to expand your audience. Joel Comm has plenty of valuable insights and information in his videos, and he can educate people on all kinds of topics related to branding and video marketing, in addition to his expertise in cryptocurrency. There are tons of videos on his YouTube, and you’ll even find his social pages to offer plenty of resources to assist you along the way. 

8. Mark Robertson

Mark Robertson is a great resource to learn all about video marketing with a startup or small business. He’s an expert in video marketing and he can help with other types of marketing, too, thanks to his experience over the years. He has a Twitter feed and Facebook page that are pretty impressive, and he stars in tons of videos that he creates offering information and insights on everything from the industry itself to trends and algorithms and more. He's also the head of marketing for vidIQ. 

9. George B. Thomas 

George B. Thomas is a marketing guru that can be found at Impulse Creative. He’s spent years working with creative marketing solutions and branding opportunities that help him change the game for other companies. He’s certified in tons of different training areas and specializes in inbound content and video marketing. He's also a speaker and offers plenty of resources for startups that are looking to get out there with their video marketing, no matter what they’re currently working with. 

10. Tara Robertson

A self-proclaimed marketing geek, Tara Robertson speaks at several events and engagements around the world on the value of video marketing and customer retention using optimization. She heads up marketing over at Sprout Social currently and has a lot of experience in her background to help her offer insight and tips for others. She is all about leading with empathy and focuses on the strengths of your team, not getting too caught up in the obstacles because she believes that when you highlight strengths, those will be overcome naturally. 

Tara offers a presence when she hits the stage or the screen and her passion shines through in all that she does, making her a great resource to learn from when you’re trying to build your startup through video marketing. 

Speaking of building, why not partner with Smith.ai to build a better communication strategy?

While you’re busy building a business, we can help you with whatever you need. The virtual receptionists from Smith.ai are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to act as the face of your brand and ensure that you get all of the support and solutions that you need. We can handle everything from after-hours phone answering and live website chat support to appointment scheduling and intake, payment collection, and so much more. 

What's more is that we’ll even help you craft the perfect strategy for dealing with all of it, no matter what you need or have in mind. Let us help you tackle your admin and customer service tasks head-on so that you can focus on marketing and building your startup. And if there’s anything else we can do, just let us know. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation to discuss our 24/7 virtual receptionist services, including live chat, phone answering, and more. You can also reach us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.