In the fast-paced world of today, where social media is constantly growing and an abundance of information can be found at the click of a button, it is no wonder video is so popular.
For one thing, video is an easy-to-digest format that gives our eyes a rest from the oversaturation of textual information online.
According to the Digital Marketing Institute, the world reportedly watches 1 billion hours of YouTube social videos per day. These numbers may be surprising, but when you think about the evolution of social media images and videos, and how they have become the norm in not only day-to-day life, but in many marketing strategies as well, it is no wonder video content is so prevalent in our lives.
Videos are convenient, easy to consume and they can appeal to the most dismissive buyers (those who don’t want to read text), leaving a company’s product or service ingrained in their customers mind. In order to remain competitive in this day and age there needs to be a general understanding of the power of video as a marketing tool.
Why should you use video content?
Video is a versatile and engaging content format that can not only be easily shared across many platforms, but also gives us a real-life image of a company’s brand. Consumers are more likely to prefer video over text because it is easy to consume on the go, and it’s entertaining and engaging.
Marketers prefer video because it allows them to see return on investment through a variety of channels. Video is also accessible to anyone with internet access, both to watch and to produce.
While there is certainly a trend towards higher quality video on a professional level, anyone can go onto their laptop and create their own video in a short amount of time.
There is a constant increase in importance that consumers and marketers are putting on video content. According to Forbes, YouTube is second to only Facebook with its number of monthly active users, meaning opportunities to engage consumers through captivating video content have never been this accessible.
This is the time for companies to take full advantage of the technology our world has to offer and create high-impact videos that give their brand life and meaning.
Statistics that prove marketers need video content
Videos are not just used for entertainment purposes. They can be used to inform and educate as well.
According to Hubspot, 97% of marketers claim that videos help consumers understand products. In order for a consumer to purchase a product or feel confident in a company, they must first feel they can trust the company. Videos can provide information on a more personal level than text can.
Videos are also seen as high-quality content, especially if they include keywords and a strong title pertaining to the company, which eventually means that videos will also improve a company’s SEO.
Beyond pre-recorded video content, live video is taking over the social media world as well. According to Cisco, live video will account for 13% of traffic by 2021. When we say live video, what we mean is Instagram, Snapchat stories and other platforms that will be developed in coming years.
These are a great way to offer people intimate glimpses or short, behind the scenes glances of what you’re up to. The interesting thing about these videos is that they’re only live for 24-hours, so that creates a real-time feel as well as giving marketers the opportunity to promote time-sensitive offers or promotions.
Additional staggering statistics state that around 75 million people in the U.S. watch online videos everyday. Nearly 50% of these videos are watched on a mobile device and are up to 2 minutes long in order to get the most engagement. Merely mentioning the word 'video' in an email subject line increases the click-through rate by 13%.
During 2019, it is estimated that internet video traffic will account for 80% of all consumer Internet traffic. These stats alone prove how important video content is to our digital world, and indicate that unless we adapt to the shift from text to video, we will be left behind.
Building trust through videos
Trust is the key to building long-lasting relationships with consumers, which is why it is important that a company’s videos are not only emotional and engaging, but also shareable.
Today, consumers are overloaded with stagnant content from brands. Through customizing voices, facial expressions and music, marketers are able to produce video content that resonates with the consumer in a way that text will not. In fact, HubSpot found that 54% of customers prefer to see videos, over other marketing tactics, from the brands they support.
When it comes to making shareable video content, it is important that consumers view your videos with the idea in mind that someone they trust has already viewed and shared it, and therefore they are likely to share it also.
The time spent watching your brand’s video content results in a longer period a consumer spends on your website, ultimately signaling to search engines that your site is full of great content. This helps increase overall SEO and means your business will show up higher in Google search results for future consumers who are researching your particular product or service.
Video is, and will remain, one of the most versatile forms of content you can use in a marketing strategy. It is a way to engage with consumers and build on relationships in a somewhat impersonal digital world.
We, as humans, are constantly craving connection and personality, meaning that we want to see and hear people in a real-life context. Video creates connections that break through the stiff mold of textual marketing, and instead uses emotion and engagement to grab the consumers attention.
As video content becomes increasingly more affordable and accessible, it’s critical for brands to create emotionally charged videos to accompany their other marketing initiatives.
