A Facebook friend posted a question a while ago asking if anyone’s timeline was boring. My answer pointed to what I see as a recent phenomenon: Video marketing. I had been scrolling through my Facebook feed on my Google Pixel phone, and post after post was nothing but social media videos. So, the question is not if you are using videos to promote your business, product, service, blog or website, but when will you? I offer some things to think about when it comes to video marketing below.
Videos are becoming more popular
Kleiner Perkins, in looking at digital trends, had predicted by the end of 2017, video content will represent 74 percent of all Internet content — nearly three-quarters. When you combine that with increasing smartphone sales, rising Internet usage, and a greater appetite for digital media (all in the same KP report), it is a recipe for more digital content, especially that of the video kind. People are consuming about 5.6 hours of digital media a day, up from 5.4 hours.
When Hubspot asked people what kind of content do they want to see from brands, 54 percent video. If this were the Family Feud, then the host would have said: That was the No. 1 answer. Farther down the list was social media videos at 34 percent.
Because of the popularity of videos, you really need to consider how they fit into your marketing mix. What are some of the video types you can use?
Social media videos
These videos are generally from 15 to 60 seconds and tend to rely on still photographs more than regular video. Usually a lot of text is placed over the images.
Here is a basic whiteboard animation video for social media.
Several factors make this videos popular:
- They are short;
- They tell a story quickly;
- Entice engagement; and
- Are entertaining and informative.
Whiteboard animation
These are basically explainer videos. They are a good way to capture someone’s attention. They are fun, engaging and charming. Whiteboard animations offer people a different perspective on something because of the animation. This is why they should be part of your video marketing efforts. They became so much in demand, a number of video services offered digital marketers a way to offer them. Below is an example I did for SEO Marketing Guide.
Explainer/Infographic video
These videos do just what the title implies: Explains something and offers a lot of information.
Kinetic typography
This is another category of video in demand where words are animated on a screen. I recently designed a website for Joe Ledford, a radio DJ and voice-over artist, and produced a typography video for him.
Web videos/commercials
In discussions with other digital marketers, one of the things I have heard is how people are wanting to consume videos that are not over-produced. What does this mean? Well, it means you can do some pretty good videos using smartphones and minimal equipment, like a tripod or handheld stabilizer. (Check out a video that Wooster Brush Company produced on an iPhone here.) Below is a commercial I made for a local company, Wooster Glass Company. And, did you know a Netflix movie was shot on an iPhone? It was, check it out here.
Is video marketing in your future?
Google is the No. 1 search engine. Do you know what the No. 2 search engine is? DId you say Google’s YouTube? It’s time to add video to your marketing efforts to promote your brand; raise awareness about your firm, your product or your service; engage with potential customers; and so much more.
Another good reason to use videos, especially on your blog pages, is because they will keep people on your website longer. The more they are on your site, the more goodwill you’ll be building. It could lead to a sale or a lead. And, they are so easy to do anymore. As mentioned above, movies have been shot on iPhones, so your smartphone will serve you well.
If you would like Wooster Media Group to help you with videos, then reach out to us on our contact page here.