When it comes to successfully growing a business in the age of the internet, few tools are more powerful than video. It can be used in dozens of different ways and is exponentially more compelling than any other form of marketing or branding.

Unfortunately, with so many different possible strategies, brands often get confused by which ones to implement for best results. In order to point you in the right direction, we’ve uncovered some of the top-returning strategies for 2016 and beyond.

1. Develop a Robust YouTube Channel

YouTube is the place to begin. Despite the fact that there are 4 billion video views per day, only 9 percent of small businesses leverage the platform. What’s up with that? YouTube is the largest video hosting provider in the world – and second place isn’t even close – yet only one out of ten small businesses has a channel. This represents a huge opportunity for you to thrive.

Create a channel and start publishing high quality content on a regular basis. Here’s a fantastic example of how one small brand successfully uses YouTube to connect with users. Study their content strategy and apply the takeaways to your own channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VwrdCSRHbY

2. Integrate Video into Web Design

Web design is changing and more and more businesses are finding that boring static web pages no longer do an effective job of wowing users and pushing them through the conversion funnel. As a result, these same businesses are investing in modern web design tactics that convert. Video is just one of these tactics.

The power of video is that it conveys exponentially more value than written text – or even pictures. One of the most popular strategies right now is the use of homepage video backgrounds. Here’s a great example from a law firm that’s successfully using video to engage visitors. Notice how subtle, yet effective this design technique is.

3. Start Using Periscope

Every business understands the value of social media, yet most are far behind the curve. The thing about social media is that you always have to be on the cutting edge in order to be profitable. While platforms like Facebook and Twitter certainly have lots of value, forward thinking small businesses need to engage users on evolving platforms like Periscope.

Periscope offers businesses a way to fully leverage the power of video by connecting with followers in real time. This reduces friction and increases trust – both of which are critically important when it comes to growing sales. Here’s a list of 25 different ways brands are using periscope to thrive.

4. Produce Customer Testimonials

As every business knows, social proof is a key factor in increasing sales. With this being said, another effective way to use video in web design is by recording customer testimonials and showcasing them on product pages. You can find some great inspiration for these videos by checking out what other small businesses are doing.

5. Include Video in Proposals

Finally, video can be used to supplement proposals in certain industries. If you’re pitching highly-technical products or services to clients, video can help explain the concept and bring life to an otherwise stale proposal.

Video is extremely flexible and can be used on the cover page, inside case studies, or even to provide a comprehensive product walkthrough. Hone in on how it can best help your business increase proposal success rates and implement these new techniques moving forward.

Make Video a Priority

As you can see, video is a versatile tool that can be used to enhance everything from web design to sales. Keep these five techniques in mind and make video a priority for your business in 2016 and beyond.