3 Things We’ve Learned About Video Marketing This Year and What We Can Expect to See Next

3 Things We’ve Learned About Video Marketing This Year and What We Can Expect to See Next
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2016 was hailed as the “Year of the Video” as more brands began using it as a viable means of marketing and brand communication. This compelling form of content has proved to be a goldmine that provides a wealth of opportunities for marketers to engage their audience with messages that foster brand awareness and growth.

It’s no wonder video marketing has struck a chord. With user generated videos dominating social media platforms, it was only a matter of time before brands and B2B companies joined the party with videos that transform their marketing efforts.

And while we still have a few more months to go before we can officially recap video’s biggest year to date, now is a great time to evaluate what we’ve learned about the captivating medium that has done more to content marketing than any other technique.

Here’s what we have learned about video in 2016 and what we can expect to see in the coming years.

Strategy above all

Video is not a stand-alone tool that magically whips up brand loyalists and increases sales, but rather should be treated as a part of a wider approach to content marketing. Before you ever hit the record button, you need to plan a video strategy that will guide your business and your marketing team as you navigate together through the massive amounts of content available online.

Whether you’re a household name or a small business taking its first steps, you need to align your strategy with the company’s core values and consider what you are trying to achieve. Think about your business objectives to plan how you will communicate them seamlessly in your videos.

Answer these questions before you set out to conquer your goals:

Who is your target audience for this specific video? What can a viewer take away from it? What do you get out of it? Can viewers share it? Should they? Will you use the same tone throughout your videos?

Simple is (almost) always better

After watching a video, 64% of users are more likely to purchase a product online, while including a video on a landing page can increase conversion by as much as 80%.

That said, incorporating videos as part of a comprehensive content marketing strategy doesn’t necessarily mean spending an entire year’s budget on a Hollywood-scale creative and production efforts.

With the proliferation of videos, small businesses now understand they need to produce timely videos that will keep their audience entertained and informed. And with a lifespan of about 24 hours or less, you really can’t afford to spend so much time and money on a long, complicated message. Video costs are declining and more businesses are looking for in-house solutions that will allow them to easily create enticing videos on their own.

Here are some examples for your business to use:

  • Promo - provides brands with an all-in-one video creation service, including all elements needed to produce a marketing video. It also enables video sharing on social media platforms to help businesses reach a wider audience.
  • Videoshop - a mobile video editing app with no template restriction, that lets users capture or take videos on the app, trim clips, add transitions, audio, and of course share the final product on social media.
  • VideoScribe- lets companies get creative with a Whiteboard that automatically animates anything they scribble on it, with features like voiceovers and graphics.
  • GoAnimate - use this tool to make an animated movie quickly. You can create your own characters (even recreate yourself), add a voice to character, and more.

Value is King

Customers today are looking for an enriched customer experience that allows them to connect with the brand on a whole new level.

It’s easy to see how video can make it easy to get carried away and push more promotional messages across, but that’s really not what it’s about. Brands strive to establish themselves as thought leaders with content that offers audiences legitimate value; video is an extension of that approach and it should offer a mix of instructional and product demo videos, testimonials, humoristic, as well as emotional stories.

All videos have a call to action, but that doesn’t mean the bottom line is closing a deal; a strong video strategy combines added-value content beside purchase driving messages.

If you’re comparing video to your other content strategies, keep in mind that Evergreen Content applies to video just the same, and it should be used to reach even bigger audiences.

2017 and Beyond

In the coming years we can expect to see more brands adopting video platforms to deliver an engaging message to consumers, as video will become a critical component of a company’s marketing strategy.

We’ll see more personalized videos focusing on customer personas rather than on an entire audience. This will allow big brands as well as small businesses to improve their communication and enable more human interactions that customers often crave when interacting with a company.

With technology continuing to push the boundaries of our imagination, it’s safe to say that we will soon see more interactive videos using Augmented and Virtual Reality, 360 degree view that create an immersive, content- rich experience.

As people spend 3X longer watching a live video, it will continue to play an important role in video marketing, with more features that enable live-streaming across different platforms.

Finally, fine-tuning video analytics platforms like Google Analytics will be crucial to understanding the numbers behind them. Data driven insight will be the base for creating top performing content that leaves a mark.

Video is a major contributor to the customer journey and marketers have recognized its unique benefits that make it a valuable tool across all social media platforms.

Brands will continue to hone their video making skills and the content they choose to deliver, to contribute memorable and visual ideas that stand out as improved customer experiences.

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