Video Isn’t Just Popular, It’s Crucial

“We have so much time and so little to see. Wait a minute! Strike that, reverse it. Thank you.” - Willy Wonka

It’s 2018 and we have so little time and so much to see. We can spend a whole weekend watching videos on YouTube and not even knock a tiny dent in the sheer number available for viewing. News sites feature video heavily, and your Facebook feed entices you with video clips galore. It’s not just white noise or a marketing fad, though. People are consuming video content. If your business is hammering out a marketing strategy, don’t make the mistake of thinking that video is not a viable way of reaching your audience.

Video: It's Not Going Anywhere

Believe it or not, there was a time when video was not at the forefront of every organization’s marketing strategy. “No one has their computer’s sound on at work - they won’t watch video,” people said. Well, the tide has certainly shifted. Blame it on our ever-shortening attention spans if you’d like, but video has only grown in importance. And by the way, 85 percent of Facebook video is watched without sound and captioning is commonly used to highlight the video's content, so there's really no excuse for ignoring the potential of video. Let's take a look at a few video marketing trends and statistics. 

There are many ways for companies to connect with potential customers, but we know that 54 percent of consumers want to see video from brands they like. We also know that Millennials are very comfortable with video. The good news is that Google likes it, too. Studies show that sites with video content have a higher chance of appearing on the first page of a Google search. 

Sharing, Caring, and Conversions

Videos are shared more frequently than other types of content. Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms have made it incredibly easy to share video content. Some folks may not love Facebook’s auto-play feature but it does lead to a greater likelihood of catching someone's eye and enticing them to watch the full video. Video is also easy to track and analyze. We use tools like Wistia to access analytics for videos. We can then optimize videos per the user's engagement. If users fall off at a certain point, we can change that part of the video to keep them watching. Videos under two minutes seem to fare best with viewers. 

Wondering about the effectiveness of video in email marketing?  Video in email tends to increase the click-through rate of that email - sometimes double the rate of marketing emails without video.  

It Won't Kill Your Budget

Another benefit of producing video content? Lower-than-ever production costs. There are countless low-cost (or even free) tools available for video editing. Consumers are generally open to viewing video content of all kinds - it doesn’t have to come with Oscar-worthy production values. You might even consider live video as part of your marketing plan. Live feeds have been trending upwards for the past year or two. 

A few tools you might want to check out:

• Soapbox
• Animoto
• Magisto
• Flixel

You'll Laugh, You'll Cry

There are countless statistics proving that video is effective. However, don't forget about the mushy stuff that you can't measure: feelings. Video allows you to make an emotional connection with your audience, and it's hard to put a price on that. A few years ago, Purina came out with a series of funny videos. I watched this one more times than I should probably admit. It’s funny, adorable, highly shareable, and memorable. And ultimately, it’s a dog food commercial. This video did its job and then some! 

Whether it's a dog food commercial or a live feed from a trade show, you have countless opportunities to connect with your audience through video. The statistics show that your audience wants it. It's up to you to deliver!