Remember the good ol’ days when we gathered all of our daily news from printed newspapers? In the digital age we live in today, media is constantly reforming, improving, and innovating into more exciting and effective ways of reaching consumers. Specifically, video platforms have become the new hottest means of reaching consumers as new platforms are introduced and integrated into our daily lives. Videos come in all shapes and forms, from social media-based platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat to video streaming websites like YouTube, YouNow, and Periscope. Videos provide much more than merely entertainment purposes; they are able to market products in a personalized and interactive way.
Cisco predicts that in 2017, online video will account for 74 percent of all internet traffic. Already 55 percent of people watch videos online every day (500 million of those on are Facebook, and 150 million people are watching Instagram Stories daily).
If the idea that nearly three-quarters of all internet traffic will be video-based, here are three more reasons you need to add a video creation strategy to your promotional efforts – stat!
Let’s be honest, our media consumption habits have changed. Your average consumer is not going to read article after article, or view ad after sponsored post, instead she is scrolling and searching for content to capture her interest. Unlike a commercial, a visually appealing, creative and entertaining or educational video is easily consumable and requires very little effort. With the rise of fake news and sponsored testimonials, consumers are more likely to question integrity and honesty of reviews. Brands can get ahead of this issue by developing rapport and loyalty through a video host or spokesperson, or simply by demonstrating values like transparency and honesty through the content itself.
Now, you’ve got about 3-seconds to capture interest and keep your viewer watching, so the faster you can communicate the value the better – from eye-catching visuals to an enticing headline. When developing videos for social media platforms, keep in mind how and when your target might be viewing your content. Including closed captions and subtitles on video improves engagement and SEO so consider the value on ensuring your video’s message is communicated during silent auto-play.
A company newsletter risks being mis-categorized as spam, or simply glossed over after the first few land in a consumer’s inbox. However, you can increase those open rates (which will help with deliverability) by inserting a lively video in anything from a product confirmation email to a shopping cart abandonment notice. Now, video embedding is not supported across major email clients, such as Gmail and Yahoo, but you can insert a screenshot image of your video and link to a landing page or YouTube page.
One of the best features of social media is its immediacy. Especially with the introduction of live streaming through Facebook Live for example, businesses, media and influencers are able to directly interact with their audiences, forming more intimate relationships that ultimately translate into trust. The good news is that once you get started, you can take advantage of a single video shoot and utilize it for a multitude of platforms, resulting in a highly efficient content batching strategy.
Videos can be in a variety of different forms including the following:
Videos are much more effective than traditional media because of the interactivity of the medium fosters a high level of engagement that can make brands more relatable and products in high demand while giving overall credibility a boost. Start investigating the role of video content in your overall marketing mix now to reap the rewards.
