Video Marketing: 5 Trends To Be Aware Of
17 September 2024With the proliferation of smartphones and other devices, people are now more connected than ever, and advertising is no longer limited to print, billboards, or radio. It’s not even just TV anymore, even if we include cable TV. This connectedness gives businesses the ability to reach their target market more quickly and easily with the right message. Especially when using video, a marketing tool that grows steadily in relevance and popularity year after year – today, it’s estimated that over 3.3 billion people worldwide are digital videos viewers – and it’s now accessible not only to top brands but also to medium and small businesses, thanks to enormous advances in technology and social networks.
However, just saying “video” isn’t enough: there are videos that create engagement and conversions, and then there are videos that fail to meet their goals. So how should businesses navigate video marketing? A first step can come from analyzing current trends in online video consumption. Understanding these consumption patterns allows companies to tailor their marketing strategies more effectively.
Here they are in brief.
1. Consumers increasingly rely on marketing videos from brands. In the past, consumers would visit websites, look at online reviews, watch commercials, and maybe watch a few YouTube videos to learn about a product. Now, with video accessible on every major social media network, they are learning to rely more heavily on this type of content in their research phase. Video content can take many forms: demos, reviews, FAQs, unboxings, etc.
Why do they prefer videos? Videos allow consumers to understand how a product or service works, discover any flaws before purchasing the item, and identify perks they might not have learned from the text-based description.
2. Consumers prefer shorter videos. Thanks to the rise of TikTok — and the wave of short-form content that followed — consumers are seeking quick, snappy videos. Specifically, videos under 3 minutes fall into a sweet spot. If you’re new to video, starting with short-form videos can help you get your feet wet — and tell you what resonates with your audience. You also need to set the right pace for your video content. Before you put a marketing video online, re-watch it from the point-of-view of a somewhat busy consumer. Then, ask yourself, “Does this video quickly pull viewers into the action and keep their attention?” If you’re worried that parts of your video seem dull, shorten it. Or alternatively, you can choose to take a risk and publish it as it is, learning from the results afterwards.
3. Conversions are made directly within the video. Considering consumers are watching and relying on brand videos, failing to optimize your video for conversion is a missed opportunity. Conversions can be encouraged within videos using annotations, CTAs, or forms.
Surveys conducted among video marketing experts found that conversions are best placed at the end of shorter videos (less than 5 minutes long), but longer videos, those over 5 minutes, benefit from a CTA placement early in the video. Interestingly, videos that are 60 minutes or longer have the highest conversion rate, at 24%, when the CTA is placed at the end.
4. You need to create authentic content that users can easily relate to. It is always content with these characteristics that proves to be the most memorable, even in marketing videos. Only by showing itself truthfully, in a non-contrived or artificial way, can a brand create an authentic and lasting connection with consumers. It will also be important, when designing and producing the video, to make careful choices regarding both storytelling (balancing information and entertainment) and production (such as image and sound quality) to ensure that the video meets the expectations of the target audience. Even better, it should exceed their expectations.
5. Video sharing on social media varies between generations. Video marketing on social media leads to increased brand visibility and encourages user engagement through sharing. However, various studies conducted by experts reveal that not all social platforms are used equally for video sharing. In absolute terms, Facebook is the most used, surprisingly surpassing video-focused platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and BeReal.
There are, however, disparities across different demographic groups. For example, TikTok usage is very low among Boomers (2%) compared to Generation X (20%), Millennials (14%), and Generation Z (19%). Additionally, Generation Z and Boomers do not share videos at all on LinkedIn; Generation X and Boomers do not share videos at all on Lemon8, and video sharing on Tumblr is non-existent among Boomers, while it reaches around 30% for Generation Z and Millennials.
The message is clear: there are various video platforms to consider if the goal is to maximize impressions and shares among the marketer’s target audience.
Oscar Giacomin / General Manager, Facto Edizioni
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