Why You Should Invest in Video Marketing
In the last 10 years, video content has risen as an incredibly effective marketing strategy. The recent events of 2020 also boosted the demand and consumption of video when consumers at home more and interacting through video. In a report by Hubspot, 86% of businesses are using video as a marketing tool in 2021- that’s up from 61% in 2016.
It’s predicted that by 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic. As of 2021, the average person is predicted to spend about 100 minutes per day watching online videos.
Though video production can be more costly and takes more time than written content, engaging video content generates more traffic, increases clicks, and ultimately drives sales.
Why Video Content is Effective
Video content is rapidly overtaking written text as the ideal method of marketing. The average consumer watches 206 videos a month, and if both text and video are available on the same topic, people are more likely to choose video. Your eyes are attracted to movement, so videos naturally draw your attention. Video also engages viewers and it’s easy to relay information in a shorter amount of time. Videos are also good for SEO purposes and drive more traffic to your website. They’re also more memorable and consumers can retain more information. Buying intent increases and 64% of customers are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video about it. It creates an impact on the audience and generates emotion-driven sales.
Types of Marketing Videos
There are multiple types of marketing videos that you can create to grow your business. Brand videos are often used as ads on social media. This generates brand awareness and drives customers to your website or product page. You can use these to communicate with potential customers about the brand culture, mission, and products/services.
Explainer videos show people how your product works. How-to videos are similar in that you can teach your customers how to get the most out of their product. AR and VR videos are becoming more popular, but you really don’t need this technology to connect with customers.
In the end, people want something they can connect with. Authentic videos receive more attention and interaction than a professionally staged one. That’s why people choose to watch sponsored YouTube videos from their favorite creators, but change the channel when commercials come on, even though they’re both ads. People want to build trust with the real people behind the brand.
How to Create a Marketing Video
Much like written content, you must decide who your target audience is. Then decide what your purpose for the video is. Is it brand awareness? A how-to video for a product? Choosing which platform to post your video to is also important and depends on both the target audience and the mission of the video. Instagram has a younger audience than Facebook, and Snapchat’s is even younger. LinkedIn has a more professional audience and Twitter has a lot of college grad students. Next, scripting your video is important so you get your message across as clearly as you can. Of course, the language won’t be the same as written content, it’ll be more conversational and relaxed. It’s also fine to go off-script if you’re sticking to the outline. Make sure to have a hook in the first 5 seconds, and keep in mind that people start losing interest after 2 minutes. After you’ve edited and posted your video, it’s good to keep track of the engagement so you have an idea of what your customers like and want more of.
There’s big value in video marketing, whether it be a demo video, a personal message, or a fully interactive live video. It’s becoming more vital to increasing brand awareness and customer loyalty. As Srinivas Narayanan, leader of Applied Research at Facebook AI said, “If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is a library.”
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