Online video: the future of content marketing

Video is undoubtedly the future of content marketing; we have all seen the rise and rise of video online. Currently, a third of all online activity is spent watching video. 

Video is a great way to attract new customers, set your business apart from the competition, announce new products or services, or as a recruitment and training aid. Video can also help to educate customers by demonstrating how to use your product or service.

The growth of video marketing

According to a recent survey on global internet traffic forecasts, conducted by Cisco Systems, video will account for 69% of all consumer internet traffic by 2017. Video on demand (VOD) traffic alone will have increased threefold at this point. Furthermore, video traffic will increase from 64% in 2014 to over 80% by 2019, with consumer video on demand traffic doubling by 2019.

Online video is now an intrinsic part of how people consume content. Any company intending to grow its brand online in the near future is, in effect, committing marketing suicide if it fails to integrate video into its marketing strategy. Video brings impressive ROI for both SMEs and larger organisations alike – over 50% of businesses are already using the medium, enjoying the benefits and reaping the rewards. 64% of marketers expect video to dominate their strategies in the near future.

Video marketing is no longer a luxury that only big brands with big budgets can afford. It offers SMEs remarkable opportunities to compete with larger businesses for viewer attention. The average user spends 88% more time on a site that features video. Including video on a landing page can help to increase conversion by 80%, and combining video with full page ads can boost engagement by 22%.

Online video over television

Another recent study has shown that two thirds of large businesses are steadily moving budgets away from television in favour of online video. Due to the exponential growth in video technology (cheaper cameras and HD recording capabilities), we have seen something of a levelling effect, making it easier than ever for smaller businesses to create and produce their own videos.

Production costs have also fallen and technical proficiency is not the obstacle it once was. Editing software is now more affordable and easily available through subscription-based models or as standalone solutions, allowing companies to produce their own edits with higher degrees of professionalism.

Being brave and bold

Small businesses often shy away from video marketing because of:

• Uncertainty about the kind of video that will engage their audience
• Uncertainty about creating a capable script that will inform, engage and motivate their ideal customer
• Being ill-equipped or inexperienced in creating video (not wanting to post poor quality footage that may be potentially damaging or unprofessional)
• Not knowing how best to market the videos so they are seen by the widest possible audience.

Peerless reach

When it comes to potential reach, video is peerless. YouTube receives over one billion unique visitors every month, trailing just behind Facebook in terms of reach. By posting your video(s) to YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, your blog and more, you are guaranteed to reach an even wider audience. If you can engage viewers, they will share your video with others, they will spend longer on your website and more time interacting with your brand.

Video is essential to any social media campaign or SEO exercise. It is crucial for businesses both big and small to offer easy to digest content, otherwise they risk losing potential clients and consumers. Research shows that 7 in 10 people view brands more positively after watching engaging video content from them.

“If a picture paints 1,000 words then one minute of video is worth 1.8 million.”

Forrester’s researchers

Target audience

If video is an appropriate means with which to deliver your message, you should always consider your intended audience and ensure the video is relevant to them. Make it easy for users to find and share the video and ensure you promote across multiple channels, including social media.

“62% of consumers are more likely to have a negative perception of a brand that published a poor quality video.”

Brightcove

Consider how the end video will be viewed; at least 10% of all video plays happen on mobiles and tablets, so don’t neglect mobile when producing your video. Build your campaign strategies and videos creatively, take full advantage of the unmatched capacity to combine sound, dialogue and vision to create something no other medium can offer.

Engage and create connections with your viewers and bring your stories to life to build identity and loyalty in your brand. It is essential to understand the power of storytelling and to think more like storytellers than marketers. Let video be the medium through which you tell the tale!