There’s no denying that we’re witnessing a shift in the way content marketing is delivered. The rise of “stories” on Instagram and Facebook has changed the way brands deliver messages to their audiences. While there was once a time when long pages of text (like this) dominated content marketing strategies, today’s market is shifting toward the ephemeral, the fun and the visual.
A recent study found that 83% of marketers believe that video marketing is becoming more important for reaching and engaging new audiences. Among millennial audiences, two-thirds of social media users reported engaging with a brand after watching a video posted on social media.
Clearly, video marketing has reached maturity, and all indications suggest that it’s here to stay. We at IronMonk constantly use and recommend video marketing for our clients. One of our clients in the travel niche, for example, saw a 120% increase in conversion rates for tour packages when we created short-form videos to promote each of those tours. The company also gained 5,000 YouTube subscribers in less than a year.
In this article, we’ll discuss future trends in video content marketing and how your brand can capitalize on these growing trends in the year ahead.
What The Critics Say
Let’s face it: Email marketing isn’t as attention-grabbing as it once was. These days, our inboxes are jammed with Mailchimp blasts and “last-minute” ads for the hottest deals at every retail store you’ve ever been to.
I’ve heard critics who believe that video marketing is headed in the same direction. They suggest that the medium of video is becoming too highly saturated on platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. As a result, videos command less of our attention, and eventually we’ll scroll past them without paying them a second thought.
What They Get Wrong About Video
What the critics don’t realize is that video content marketing and email marketing represent a classic apples-to-oranges comparison. On one hand, email marketing is a “push” technique that directly contacts individual prospects and customers and attempts to incentivize repeat sales. On the other hand, content marketing “pulls” new prospects to attract initial sales and leads.
An effective, diversified digital marketing strategy should include email and video marketing content. However, to suggest that video marketing will suffer from the same type of saturation as email marketing is to misunderstand the medium of video fundamentally.
The Rise Of Video Content Marketing And Its Growth Forecast
Many of today’s consumers want to be entertained. Rather than scroll through text or messages in an inbox, consumers may prefer to watch videos that are personalized to their interests. In fact, recent surveys indicate that over 50% of consumers are interested in watching videos from brands they support.
When done correctly, video content can make an excellent addition to your existing marketing strategy. According to a 2019 survey of business owners, 66% rank video as the most effective form of content for their marketing strategy.
I predict strong year-over-year growth in video content marketing engagement in the first half of the coming decade. There are two factors that point us in this direction. First, our mobile devices are becoming increasingly video-oriented; second, videos are most popular among younger demographics.
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More than 70% of the U.S. population (subscription required) owns a smartphone. And as the number rises, more consumers will be able to access mobile video marketing. Further, a recent report found that 85% of millennials have purchased a product after watching an online promotional video, a figure higher than any other demographic. The widespread popularity of, and engagement with, video content among this generation leads me to believe that video-based content will continue to be a dominant marketing channel in the coming years.
Getting Started With Video Content
Considering integrating videos into your content marketing strategy? Before you get started filming your first batch of content, consider that there are a variety of highly engaging video formats that make for easy introductions to the medium.
Interviews: Interview an expert in your niche or field. These videos should be one to five minutes in length. We love doing these within our company and for our clients. You’ll first want to come up with a list of people who are popular in your niche, and then send them each an email requesting the interview. It’s a win-win because the interviewee gets exposure, and you get a video with unique insights.
Company Culture: This is a slice-of-life introduction video to workplace culture and environment, and should be one to three minutes in length. This is the type of video you want to promote on your careers or jobs page. You can also add it to your custom Indeed profile so applicants can see how great your company culture is.
Product Introductions: Demonstrate a new product feature and its use cases in a 30- to 90-second video. Your Instagram and YouTube accounts are thirsty for these! Make sure these are professionally produced, as they can impact your bottom line directly. You can afford a little bit of amateurism while doing interviews, but aim for perfection when shooting product videos.
Webinars: A Google Hangouts-facilitated educational video conference can introduce prospects to your sales funnel. Keep these between 10 and 60 minutes. Webinars are great for educating clients or prospects about a new product or feature. They can also allow you to answer the most frequently asked questions by your users, as well as live questions. Use them to showcase your expertise and authority!
Is Video Marketing Right For You?
With the increase in video marketing, it’s not unreasonable to think that video content might be a bubble. However, analyses suggest that video is a booming market for tech-savvy brands looking to appeal to a younger audience.
Increased conversion rates, superior reach and the ability to personalize are three main selling points of video marketing. By incorporating video content into your content marketing strategy, you can capitalize on this growing medium and engage your audience before your competition does.
