History shows why video marketing is so powerful
Since cinematography first appeared in the late 1800s, video content has been one of the most captivating visual mediums for audiences. While it wasn’t originally utilized as a form of advertising, the modern concept of video marketing came into fruition during the 1940’s. Originally, video marketing exclusively appeared in the form of commercials aired on television networks.
In 2005, modern video marketing as we know it was born with the launch of YouTube, which opened an entirely new marketing channel. While having access to a platform where one could self-publish their content made video advertising slightly more accessible, video marketing wasn’t always feasible due to budgetary restrictions. It was an expensive investment for larger companies that could afford it. However, by 2014, video marketing had become mainstream enough that businesses and nonprofits of all sizes could easily adopt it.
Today, video-first marketing has essentially become synonymous with digital marketing. These forms of marketing are now intertwined as one, integral concept. It’s nearly impossible to exist in a digital marketing space without utilizing video in one way or another, especially as short-form video content has risen in popularity on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and more. People now watch up to 16 hours/week of video content online, making it one of the best ways to get your business in front of your target audience.
As a result of the rising popularity of social media and video content, video marketing doesn’t mean the same thing it meant 50, 25, or even five years ago. Where it used to only involve high-budget commercial advertisements, it has expanded to include a wide variety of video styles, such as tutorials, live-streaming events, and branded content videos. In fact, the most successful video advertisements aren’t big, flashy commercials anymore; nowadays, casual, creative, and relatable videos shared on social platforms are more effective. Creatively utilizing marketing videos as part of your digital marketing strategy will get you the highest return on investment.
How to maximize your ROI with video marketing
Video first marketing has a very high return on investment due to the long lifespan of video content on social media, high engagement rates, and organic reach. In fact, video content is 1,200 percent more successful than other content. The power of video marketing is unparalleled, with 52 percent of marketers saying that video content provides the most ROI. This is true for both B2C and B2B companies. Seventy-three percent of B2B companies say that video content had a positive impact on ROI. The benefits of video marketing are substantial, regardless of your audience.
Video content works well because it drives engagement at a much higher rate than static content, and people are far more likely to spend more time watching and interacting with video than written or photo content. The average consumer watches nearly 16 hours of online video content each week. With video consumption being so high, video is your best bet when it comes to getting your product or service in front of your audience. This is true whether you livestream events, create lifestyle content, or use video marketing to introduce your products. Sixty-six percent of people say they prefer watching a video to learn about your product/service (vs. reading an article.)
To create videos that will get you a high ROI, be sure to…
- Create high-quality video that people will want to consume. Videos should be entertaining and/or contain useful information.
- Identify your target audience and find out where they spend most of their time. You don’t want to waste your time creating content for platforms your audience isn’t utilizing. Pick two or three social networks where your audience is active and focus your efforts there.
- Experiment with different styles of video to find out what works best for your marketing needs, and then focus on that type of content.
- Track all your data and insights to better understand your audience’s habits and post when they are most active.
The benefits of video as part of your digital marketing strategy are incredible — if you’re paying attention to what works and capitalizing on that information.
What the Future of Video Marketing Holds
Video marketing is here to stay, so it’s important that you begin utilizing video content if you aren’t already. As you begin planning your marketing strategies, you should keep the following in mind:
- Data/insights will become more important than ever for an informed video marketing strategy. Video creation is a time-consuming process, so you want to ensure your time isn’t wasted. Pay attention to your insights to identify what types of videos resonate best with your audience and when your engagement is highest, and use this information to build your strategy. The best marketing videos look different for each company, meaning it’s important for you to note what is working, and what isn’t, to identify the best way for you to promote your business with video.
- Live streaming will grow in popularity. Live streaming gives you and your audience an opportunity to connect in a way that feels more authentic and personable. By allowing your audience to view your content as it unfolds, live streaming pulls back the metaphorical curtain, building a greater sense of trust and brand loyalty from your consumers.
- Soundless influencer videos will help you reach a broader organic audience. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have seen an influx in the popularity of soundless influencer videos in recent years. People tend to trust the opinions of their peers, and this includes those they follow on social media, making influencer marketing a very effective method.
- Video marketing will become highly niched and granular. With increased data on consumer habits and preferences, marketers can narrow down their target demographic more than ever before. As a result, it’s possible to personalize the content consumers see based on their digital habits.
- AI will play an increasingly substantial role in video marketing. The introduction of AI provides further insights into digital marketing trends and best practices, making it another resource as you personalize your content for your audience.
- Video will become essential for EVERY business. Today, people spend more time consuming content on the internet than ever before, which is why video is so important for business success. If you aren’t already incorporating video marketing into your digital marketing strategy, you should consider giving video content a shot to maximize your marketing dollars.
Maximize Your Marketing ROI with Video Marketing
With higher rates of engagement, increased organic reach, and a high ROI, including video in your digital marketing strategy has the potential to make a substantial difference in the success of your business.
If you’d like to explore video marketing, but don’t have the time or resources to create your own video content in-house, consider reaching out to Charter & Co. We have you covered from concept to implementation and every step along the way, making sure you are set up for the best marketing strategy for your unique needs.
