Since video marketing has come onto the scene, it has changed the nature of the marketing game, with steady growth every year. Personally, I have been shouting my love for it from the rooftops since I first discovered just how effective it can be. So, why is it gaining in popularity and how can you use to your benefit? Let’s find out below.
Why Video Marketing?
The most important thing you need to know is that video marketing is directly responsible for boosting sales. Recent studies have shown that 74 percent of users who watched a product video on a website went on to buy the product--that’s a pretty great number! Also, Google is a big fan of videos on your website. In fact, according to moovly.com, you are 53 times more likely to show up first on Google if there is a video embedded on your site.
Mobile users are also very susceptible to video marketing. YouTube recently announced that mobile video consumption increases 100 percent every year. Think about how often we are all on our smartphones, and how you could access an even bigger audience then just your website.
What’s Trending?
There are quite a few trends coming through 2017, and none bigger than temporary content apps like Snapchat. Millennials love the transparency of this medium, with no real editing or curating before sending content out to their followers. It shows authenticity as to who they are, and with daily active users reaching 217 million by the end of 2017, it’s worth paying attention to.
Livestreaming has been around for a while, but its continued rise in popularity is what’s making it so on-trend. Brands are using it in new and innovative ways that give their audience exclusive looks into behind-the-scenes moments and other areas that they wouldn’t normally get access to.
Interactive video is new, but quickly becoming a favorite of many brands. Tailored to the individual user, what really makes this stand out is that the viewer is presented with different options to choose from about halfway through the video, so that they are able to view the content they actually want to see.
The email marketing campaign is another classic that is still popular today. These campaings are a great way to engage with your audience, as well as getting the attention of prospective clients.
In my own business, we’ve created five videos that are part of a series that we send out once a week--cheeky subject lines and all. Those who receive email are also able to sign-up for a pre-recorded webinar that we have produced which creates an enriched user experience.
What’s Coming Up?
The future is certainly bright for video, with technology advancing faster and faster as time goes on, and it’s our job to keep up.
Virtual reality has made the move from concept to real life, and is going to be used as a great storytelling platform that brings everything to life in front of our eyes. Expect to see a shift in content coming from the consumer over the brand.
A great example of this is Taco Bell, which looks at three approaches to content: “Create, Co-Create, and Curate": "Create" is their own content created by the brand themselves, "co-create" is content produced in partnership with their consumer base, and "curate" takes content created by the consumer that strikes a chord with Taco Bell and sees it pushed out everywhere.
The big message here is that what’s being created is authentic and not something put together by the company themselves to sell.
We are no longer a society that likes being sold to. We want to watch and receive content that helps us solve a problem or tells us a story, and that’s exactly what video marketing allows you to do.
If you’re clever, you can build an ongoing relationship with your audience that will last a lifetime and create a very loyal fan base who will shout the benefits of what you do from the rooftops.
Kylie Carlson is the owner of the International Academy of Wedding and Event Planning. With six locations globally, the academy boasts an internationally recognized accreditation program that brings professional training to wedding planners, designers and stylists.
