Do you need to be incorporating video into your marketing strategy?
Do you need to be incorporating video into your marketing strategy? Yes. From the largest brands to the smallest, video forms an integral part of digital marketing strategies. But if you’re going to make video work for your business, or are looking to invest (more) in this area, you need to know what’s happening that will define effective video marketing efforts. Read on to discover the video marketing trends you need to know.
We know that taking the step into video marketing can seem daunting. So, before we delve into the video marketing trends you need to know this year, we’re going to provide you with the facts and figures you need to make the case for video marketing in your business.
Gone are the days when text and images would be enough to drive organic engagement (whether on your website or your social media channels). Today, consumers expect to see video, not just from entertainment and media providers, but from brands too. When surveyed by Hubspot, 54% of consumers said they want to see more video content from a brand or business they support. If marketing is all about meeting the needs of your customers, then video should be at the top of your digital strategy.
If you’re tasked with generating more MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads) for your business, then video is one of the most effective ways of achieving tangible returns. Research last year from Optinmonster revealed that video marketing generates 66% more qualified leads per year than other forms of digital marketing. It’s hard to argue with facts like that!
When it comes to generating awareness of your brand, videos are unparalleled. Optinmonster’s research concluded that an impressive 54% of video marketing efforts result in a notable increase in brand awareness. Compare that to an average open rate of email marketing awareness campaigns of 21.33% (according to Mailchimp) and the power of video quickly becomes apparent.
Video makes a perfect storytelling format. The pervasive success of television and movies as forms of entertainment makes this clear. You should be harnessing video to tell your brand story. If, like many service-based companies, you are operating in a highly commodified marketplace then it’s vital for you to stand out from your competitors. A brand story video will ensure you do just that.
If your competitors are successfully using a marketing format, then you should be too (but doing it better!). A survey by Wyzowl in late 2019 found that 87% of marketing professionals are using video marketing. If you’re not using video, then you risk suffering from Fear of Missing Out!
There are over 2 billion people on Facebook. Over a billion on Instagram. There are several hundred million on Twitter. That’s good news if you’re intending to use social media to reach your target customers. But it also means it’s harder than ever to gain and hold their attention. Video provides the answer. Research from Animoto has found that 93% of marketers have landed a new customer thanks to a video on social media.
It’s vital that you draw people to your website. With social media algorithms continually changing, it means you’re playing by someone else’s rules on these platforms. On your website you can cultivate an audience of prospective customers on your terms. Research from Forbes found that the average user will spend 88% more time on a website which incorporates video content.
SEO remains an integral part of every solid digital marketing strategy. But if you’re not uploading content to the world’s second largest search engine – YouTube – can you really claim you’re covering all of your SEO requirements? At the time of writing, YouTube has 2 billion logged-in monthly users. This presents you with an enormous opportunity to engage with your target customers. But as with social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, this also means you’ll be facing a huge amount of competition to capture consumer attention. It’s the highest quality video content that will win out in the battle for attention.
Video marketing can involve more time and complexity than other forms of digital marketing. But it can pay off in an impressive way. 88% of marketers surveyed by Animoto said that they had achieved positive ROI (Return on Investment) from their video marketing efforts.
As the facts and figures above amply demonstrate, the case for video marketing is clear. If you’re not using video, you’ll be missing out on potential customers, opportunities to build your brand profile, falling behind your competitors and more.
With that said, let’s take a look at the video marketing trends that you need to know so that you can make your video marketing as effective as possible.
“In that case I need to be making videos”, you say to yourself as you contemplate your marketing strategy for the next 12 months. But before you put pen to paper, familiarise yourself with the trends below which will help you shape a successful strategy for the small screen.
Instagram’s IGTV. Snapchat. TikTok. Byte. These platforms and many others have ushered in an era of video-first social media. Expect them to grow in importance throughout this year as video remains the most engaging form of social media post. Whether these various platforms are right for your business depends on the type of audience you’re seeking to engage with. If you decide to take the plunge and begin using one of these platforms, then remember that quality is key. The competition for eyeballs is tough (and getting tougher) and only the highest quality content will win. Video content for these social platforms needs to consider very specific requirements, which leads us onto our next video marketing trend…
No two video-first platforms are the same. If you’re not optimising your video content to fit the specific requirements of each video platform (such as Instagram’s IGTV, Snapchat etc) then your video efforts will be wasted. Creating platform-specific content such as square videos for Facebook or vertical videos for Instagram will enhance the viewer experience, stand out more effectively in feeds, make your brand look professional and ultimately improve impressions and engagement numbers.
It comes with a risk (it’s live!), but live streaming can be one of the easiest ways of getting video content out into the world. Not having to edit or post-produce means that live streaming is expected to become a major video marketing trend. So long as you are sufficiently prepared, live streaming can be an excellent way to promote new products, make announcements, conduct webinars, host question and answer sessions or product FAQs and more. Live streaming also still retains an air of novelty. The mere fact that you are ‘live’ encourages audience engagement. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have introduced and continue to provide live streaming functionality. Expect more to follow suit this year!
Live streaming-first social media platforms will soon hit the big time. Early entrants into the field such as Periscope have been acquired by major platforms such as Twitter. Whilst newer entrants such as Twitch, and dlive, are becoming major platforms in their own right. Whether or not these platforms will work for your business is very much dependent upon the audience you are targeting. But regardless, make sure you’re keeping an eye on the development of these platforms when you’re thinking about your video strategy for the next couple of years.
2019 saw increased chatter about immersive video content and its uses. 2020 should see that chatter become a full-blown conversation about the virtues of immersive content and the benefits it can bring to your business. 360-degree videos enable you to make video content like no other, plunging the viewer into an alternative world. Incorporating 360-degree footage into your video content can really make it stand out and provide an unusual and compelling viewing experience. In a world in which everyone is trying to grab your customer’s attention, it will pay to take the 360-degree view.
This year will be the one in which more and more companies will need to (at least partially) view themselves as media personalities. Using video formats such as vlogging (video blogs), companies can cost-effectively build a dedicated audience of followers. We’ve seen this trend develop over the past few years here at Kenyons, with companies developing video series to great effect. Vlogging helps to humanise your brand and gives your customers a peek behind the scenes, to see how you operate on a day-to-day basis and provides a sense of transparency which will build customer trust and loyalty.
When you’re speaking to a potential customer, the most powerful word you can say is their name. With 72% of consumers saying they are more likely to engage with marketing messages which are personalised, 2020 and beyond will see this trend take off within video marketing. It’s a trend which already has a solid evidence base behind it too. When Cadbury’s chose to create a personalised video, which matched a Dairy Milk flavour to viewers based on data from their Facebook profile, it resulted in seriously impressive engagement stats. The campaign resulted in a 65% click-through rate and 33.6% conversation rate. The evidence suggests you should think about getting personal with your customers with your video marketing efforts.
Watch then shop! In 2019 it was estimated that there were 1.92 billion digital buyers, with eCommerce sales accounting for 14.1% of all retail purchases worldwide. 2020 will undoubtedly see these numbers growing even larger. So, there’s a major incentive for retailers to optimise their online sales processes. One way we’re seeing this optimisation occur is through the increased use of video – to promote and explain products – but also as part of the sales funnel, generating interest and awareness and redirecting viewers towards product pages.
Finally, not so much a ‘new’ trend, but rather one that is reaching maturation; the integration of video across the marketing mix. At every touchpoint the consumer is coming to expect video content which explains, instructs and generally adds value to their purchasing experience. Getting that right involves well thought out strategy, high-production values and incorporation of many of the elements we’ve listed above.
Use video to bring your business to life. At Kenyons we build moving stories; stories which communicate key messages and move people to take action.
We love our work and appreciate the opportunity to work with a range of clients in a number of sectors. You can view our award-winning work here and if you have anything that you’d like us to have a think about, get in touch, we’d love to explore the possibilities with you.
rosie@kenyons.co.uk
0151 706 9966
