Surprised I didn’t say that the way of the future is flying cars?
So am I.
If you had told me when I was 5 that I wouldn’t be flying to work in a silver pod when I was an adult, I would have scoffed at your incompetence. Ok, I would have asked you for a quarter so I could buy 25 hubba bubbas, but that is beside the point.
Until I can drop my kids off at school by way of parachute from said flying car, I am going to focus on a trend that we are actually in the middle of experiencing.
The continued growth and vitality of video marketing.
Reading a story has the potential to unlock your imagination. Hearing a story adds a new layer in your engagement. But watching the story unfold before your eyes? Seeing the words come to life onscreen? There is a reason it is called “the magic of cinema”. Engaging multiple senses at once through visual storytelling is powerful when done well. It can captivate audiences and inspire laughter, tears and even horror.
Take this movie manuscript by the incredibly talented Tina Fey, for example. {If you haven’t watched this movie, you are going to need to find a new home because that rock you call your roof is doing you zero favors}
Reading the words on the page, even cleverly written words that can stand on their own, has a completely different effect when you watch these same words in action.
Now, before you go down the rabbit hole that is YouTube video surfing, stick with me for a minute. (But, when you are ready to go down the rabbit hole, I have four words for you. The Tiny Chef Show. You’re welcome.)
THE WAY OF THE FUTURE IS VIDEO.
There is no denying it. Cisco has projected that more than 80% of all Internet traffic will be video by 2021.
If you are a brand who wants to exist in the digital space, you have to incorporate video in your marketing plan. In fact, Wyzowl conducted their annual “The State of Video Marketing” survey and analysis and found that the increase in businesses using video as a marketing tool has increased significantly in just 2 years. From 63% in 2017 to 87% in 2019.
In recent years, businesses could put little money towards video production, some even finding much success with the home video feel. But, as the accessibility to sharp focus cameras, editing tools and how-to videos continues to increase, so has the competition for high-quality, well thought out and well-produced video content.
If you are a business owner who might feel your chest tighten just thinking about adding more money to your annual marketing budget, take a breath because I promise this expenditure is a worthwhile one. The results are in and this is a low-risk, high-reward opportunity. When businesses invest in high-quality videos, they aren’t just throwing spaghetti at a wall and hoping it sticks. It is proving to have a significant ROI, which 83% of marketers agree on. In fact, video use in sales conversions has increased from 25% in 2018 to 37% already in 2019.
THE TYPE OF VIDEO YOU SHOULD CREATE DEPENDS ON YOUR CONSUMER.
Ok, we get it, you might be thinking. We need to add video marketing to our digital marketing plan. Great. How do we know what kind of video our consumers want?
The answer to this question really comes down to your target audience and requires some research on your part. Where your videos play, how long they should be and what the content should include depends a lot on who your target audience is.
Thankfully, there are some commonalities across the board in how we, as consumers, prefer to learn about products and new services that can serve as a guide. According to their research, Wyzowl found that of the consumers they surveyed, 39% wanted explanation videos. 20% were looking for more entertaining videos (think viral videos). 12% wanted demo videos, 10% said video blog, 9% wanted interactive videos and 6% were looking to see more software tutorials.
No matter the type of video you create, whether it be a behind the scenes, interview, product demo, case study and so on, the purpose should fall under one of these three categories.
Brand Awareness. Consumer Engagement. Product Education.
HOT TIPS! GET YOUR HOT TIPS!
We are going to dive deeper into our recommendations for the creation and execution of quality video content, so keep on the look-out for that. For now, here are a few quick tips to put your strategy on the right path.
- PLAN: Define the purpose and goal of your video. Write out the structure and then write a script. Practice before you film and set a timer to ensure the length is where you want it. Preparation goes a very long way when you are creating video content and trust us, consumers know when you weren’t ready for your on-camera moment. Don’t give them a reason to use the hashtag #cringeworthy.
- HOOK: While anticipation is what keeps you on your toes while watching your favorite crime drama, it doesn’t work in a short-form video. Don’t bury the lead in your marketing video. If you can’t capture the attention of your audience in the first 5 seconds, you won’t have an audience.
- LENGTH: While it is important to stay up on these trends, as they seem to change year over year, the current recommended video length (via HubSpot) for each platform is:
- Instagram: 30 seconds
- Twitter: 45 seconds
- Facebook: 1 minute
- YouTube: 2 minutes
- OPTIMIZE: The first 3-5 words in your title needs to capture your audience so consider your words thoughtfully. When uploading a video to YouTube, only utilize three tags. Any more than 3 will saturate your video to YouTube’s current algorithm. Leave a link in your description, every time. Create a custom thumbnail for your video and make it mobile-friendly. If you want a video on your website, embed it, don’t upload it.
- MEASURE: Analytics are not just your friend, they are your lifeline. The only way to know the effectiveness of your marketing efforts is to measure it. Dig deep into the analytics to find out if you are hitting or missing the mark. If analyzing data makes your brain hurt, hire someone who lives for that stuff.
(Lucky for you, I know a few people)
DECISIONS NEED TO BE MADE NOW.
With the dramatic increase in businesses both adopting video marketing strategies and upping their marketing dollars for it, there really is no time to waste if you want to stay relevant and competitive. There are decisions that require time, thought, preparation and even caution (like what are we ordering for team lunch on Friday??). This is not one of those situations. Start having the conversations now. Grab your team and build your strategy today.
And if anyone asks why you are streaming Mean Girls on your lunch break, just tell them “a little hummingbird told me to”.
Want More?
Check out our Humm Episode, “3 Ways You Can Create Impactful Marketing Videos”