The Importance of Video in Marketing

How Can Video Help You?

Online Advertising with Video

Video advertising is now more prominent than ever. Online video makes up 80% of all global internet traffic. It also now reaches more people than ever. Using targeted advertising, a company can target a specific segment of a market. The importance of incorporating video into your digital marketing campaign cannot be understated. There are many types of video advertisements, and using analytics, video is an effortless way to reach your target market. No longer is video limited to television.

A Faster Internet

The rise of high-speed internet and smartphones has allowed video to become a part of everyday life. Incorporating video into product highlights and teaser video engages your audience and is a proven method of increasing sales. Know the power of social media. But remember — viewers are precise and have short attention spans. However, if you can get it right, the payoff is enormous. 

What Will Video Do for Me

Whether you produce your own video, or have it created for you, the impact is dramatic. More than half of the customers want to see more videos by a brand they’re interested in. Simply put — people watch things they’re interested in. Forty-three percent of people said they would fully watch a video if it had interesting content. It’s all about being relevant and engaging.

Google likes Video

If a website includes video, they are fifty-three times more likely to reach the front page of Google. That’s a considerable figure. As any marketer will tell you, page rank means everything. You can also increase your conversion rate by up to 80% if you include a video on your landing page. This has created a change in thinking among marketers since customers are now much more likely to watch a video than read text. Videos are an effortless way to capture the attention of your customers. Out of all online ad spending, over 35% is spent on video. The investment in video making equipment or hiring somebody to create your video content is well worth it. 

How Long Should I Make My Video?

It is obvious, but it is essential to remember your market when creating videos. Attention spans are shorter than ever these days. Typically, videos that are shorter than two minutes get the most engagement. That’s because 60% of people will stop watching a video after the two-minute mark. Additionally, at the one-minute mark, 45% of viewers would have stopped watching. A full one-third will stop watching a video after only 30 seconds.

Timing Varies

So, since 20% of people close a video within the first 10 seconds, a good goal for a social media ad is around 15-30 seconds. A shorter attention span doesn’t mean the message didn’t stick, however. Video has a much higher organic engagement than any other type of media. Viewers retain 95% of a message when watched in video. Compare that to only 10% when read in text. Retention is high, as well. Eighty percent of people can recall a video advertisement that they’ve seen in the past 30 days. Customers now can be more informed than ever.  

Common Questions About Video

So, what do you do when you’re ready to make a video? First, you’ll want to determine your budget. What do you expect to accomplish with video? How much footage do you want to create? Is it worth it to invest in your own video equipment?

Invest Wisely

If you’re thinking of spending a decent amount of money, it might be worth it to contact a digital marketing agency. A good firm will have an in-house video production team and will be able to put your newly created video in front of the right audience. They will be able to determine for you what type of advertising to invest in and what types of videos need to be produced to fulfill that plan. Every plan will have different results. Reputable online advertising companies will be able to format a video ad campaign to support multiple platforms and be completely integrated. As you have seen, video is growing steadily and is showing no signs of stopping. 

Social Media and Video

The effectiveness of video marketing has risen dramatically with the rise in popularity of social media. Specifically, when a social media post includes video, it gets 48% more views. The number of shares dramatically increases as well. The combined sharing of all text and images is dwarfed when compared to social video — by 1200%. Social media ads cover not just the behemoths of social media like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat; they also include lesser-thought-of platforms such as YouTube or Reddit. Video is changing the way people make purchasing decisions. Eighty-five percent of millennials say they’ve watched a marketing video before making a purchase. The influence of social media has brought about the “social proof” customers look for. They can imagine themselves using a product much more easily when it is shown or demonstrated by someone like themselves. Therefore, with so many people turning to video to help them shop and make choices, it is crucial to include video in your advertising plan.

User-Generated Content

It is important to realize that video in marketing comes in many forms. You can show your video traditionally, such as with television advertising, and can incorporate the same video on a website. Therefore, it is easily assimilated into every aspect of your digital marketing campaign. Seventy-three percent of B2B marketers say that video positively impacts their ROI. First, at the beginning of a digital marketing campaign, you might only have your own videos to share on social media or display on your own website. Then after gaining some exposure, the ability to garner the benefits of User-Generated Content (UGC) is especially useful for a brand. A UGC video typically gets ten times the views than a video made by the brand itself. Also, 76% of people find UGC more influential than brand-created content. Similarly, the older sibling of UGC is Influencer Video. Social media influencers have massive followings, and a single mention can propel your brand into the public’s awareness. With the increase in awareness, of course, comes a much higher price tag — but it can be worth it with the right product and placement. The sky’s the limit. 

Where To View?

Another key point — these days, everyone has a smartphone. With such a large part of the population having the internet at their fingertips, video can be viewed anywhere. With mobile video consumption rising 100% every year, you can be sure that video is the future of advertising. Furthermore, people are more likely to watch video on their phones, and 92% of the time, they will share it with others. That means you’re able to spread your message to a broader audience. Beginning locally, you may advertise only within your region. Then, using analytics, you can pinpoint where your sales are coming from. You can find out what keywords are being used the most to search for your product and integrate those keywords in your tags. Eventually, as your brand, product, or service becomes more well-known, you can start to scale your coverage — integrating other digital marketing techniques, such as Remarketing & Retargeting or Search Engine Optimization. Notably, targeted advertising can especially help you reach your target market.

Targeted Advertising

Targeted advertising can come in many forms. One form is Geographic Targeting. Since most customers live within ten miles of the small businesses they visit, geographic targeting delivers a relevant message to customers in their own area. There’s no point in advertising a dentist in Philadelphia to customers in New York City. The chances of converting a customer are meager, so why spend money showing them your ads? Like geographic targeting, Demographic Targeting allows you to reach a specific set of people you believe are most likely to purchase your product. A company selling senior care products would have an extremely low conversion rate to the young adult demographic. Put your video in front of the audience you wish to sell to. Targeting can also include the use of psychographic data. Psychographics combines demographic data with psychological attributes. By learning the opinions, behaviors, interests, attitudes, activities, and lifestyles of a customer, you can predict the buying behavior of a customer.

In Conclusion

To sum up, video in marketing can dramatically affect your traffic and conversions. Creating original content that flows with the user experience is essential for any company in today’s volatile and competitive marketplace. Similarly, you need that content to reach the right audience, and you need to have it in a format in which it is easily accessible. When you create a story for your brand image and engage with customers, you’re much more likely for them to follow a call to action. Altogether, the power of video cannot be underestimated. If you want to have an online presence, be sure that the plan incorporates video heavily. In conclusion, creating and implementing a plan for an online video marketing strategy is simply the best thing you can do to promote your business today.