*This is a collaborative post
Video marketing has been around for decades now. Earlier, consumers used to watch Television advertisements, and now they see brand promotions on Instagram reels or YouTube ads.
Though the platforms and content creation techniques have changed significantly, the essence of video marketing is still the same. It is to raise brand awareness, build brand credibility and drive sales.
In fact, 86% of businesses use video content as one of their prime marketing tools. So much so that nearly 81% of companies set separate budgets for audio-visual advertising. And 88% of companies have designated teams to brainstorm new ideas and turn them into successful campaigns.
New technologies- tools and software are further facilitating budget-friendly video production. Nevertheless, the success of a video campaign depends on numerous factors. Marketers must stay on their toes to instantly recognize the trends and adapt to them.
Of course, with so much going around in the advertisement and technology industry, knowing what platform is on the rise and what type of content viewers love is daunting. Though, not anymore!
In this article, we'll share the top video marketing trends which are likely to dominate 2023. So, let's cut to the chase and gain insights.
Longer Advertisements
After the launch of entertainment applications like TikTok and features like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, marketers believed that the future of advertising is in short video content. Following the trend, brands commence short video campaigns to attract the target audience.
These videos generally range from 5 to 15 seconds. Therefore, it is unlikely that viewers will find them annoying. Moreover, the completion rate of short-form videos is also high, ensuring that the content reaches the target audience.
However, summing up immense information in a few seconds is not always possible. And if a viewer needs more information, they'd prefer to watch one longer video; instead of several short videos.
Additionally, the advertising campaigns of well-known brands often have a message associated with them. Describing the message to its true essence and encouraging people to act upon it is not feasible in short-form content. Therefore, platforms have increased the video recording time from 15 to 60 to provide quality content to their users. Instagram also has IGTV to provide in-depth information to followers.
So, a brand should focus on both short and long-form video content. Depending on the message you wish to deliver and the target audience, brands can decide the type of content to record as well as its duration.
Tip: Regardless of what type of content one chooses, how interactive and informative it is will drive the audience.
Affordable Video Production
Generally, video production costs between $880 and $1200. It depends on numerous factors, such as camera requirements, location, graphics, total runtime, and actors.
Fortunately, the latest technological developments have made video production quite affordable for small businesses. All the professional camera requirements are effortlessly met by smartphones. Ring Lights are readily available to replace the need for heavy soft and hard light equipment.
Moreover, different apps provide in-built video editing tools. Depending on what type of content you are producing- short-form or long-form, you can edit videos from your phone or Macbook.
For instance, if you create a micro video for reels, you can edit it in the app itself. However, if the video is for YouTube, you can use a Macbook for editing. You can refer to this article, https://setapp.com/how-to/edit-youtube-videos, to learn more about editing a video on YouTube. It will ensure that you upload the best quality content for your viewers in the resources available to you.
Remember that, in the end, the message you deliver to the audience matters, not how much money you spend to create the video.
Live Videos
How often does your brand use the live video feature to interact with the audience? If not, you must add this to your marketing campaign. According to recent reports, Facebook live is ranked as the more engaging customer interaction format. It is because life happens in real time. This helps in building brand credibility and provides solutions to common customer issues.
Unlike stories or feed posts, customer interaction on Live is often authentic and adds a human touch to digital advertising. Furthermore, the customer response is also real-time.
That's not all!
Studies have shown that viewers are hooked to live videos three times longer compared to other modes of content. The interaction rate is also six times higher. All this without having to spend money on promotional and sponsored content.
Recently, small businesses have been utilizing this feature to make real-time sales. Consumers will tune into the live stream to check out the real products and place their orders online. Instagram is set to launch a live sale feature for online retailers and other businesses to accelerate users' shopping experience.
360-Degree Experience
Videos enable the consumers to learn the product application in real life. However, posting regular advertisement videos is not enough to provide a state-of-the-art experience for your audience. You have to take a step ahead and provide an immersive experience, such as a 360-degree experience.
The reason this trend has secured its position in 2023 is the population of virtual reality and meta. VR has redefined the user's viewing experience incredibly. Due to the latest developments, gadgets provide more control to the user to see the product or service in action.
According to reports, 98% of consumers affirm that 360-degree visual content is exciting and engaging compared to regular formats. It enables them to demo a product before making an actual purchase. It ensures the product's usability in real-time and lowers the chances of an impulse buy.
In addition, 360-degree videos offer a 300% click-through rate and a 46% high video completion rate.
The only setback of this trend is that the technology and production cost could be more affordable for SMEs. Therefore, they can only participate in the trend on a small scale.
Search-Optimized Content
The center of video marketing strategy is to reach a mass audience and deliver the company's message. For this purpose, you have to create search-engine-optimized content.
Simply put, Google has a "featured videos" segment in the search results. It will showcase the videos that cater to the user's search. For instance, searching "how to cook spaghetti?" on Google will show you video results of top content that provides spaghetti cooking instructions.
Of course, a user will prefer to watch a video to get its answers instead of reading the recipe. Why? Because it is simple, quick, and easy to understand.
The best part is that you don't have to watch the entire video to get the answers. You can preview some parts of the video and click on it to watch the full content. This will help save time and ensure that users get the appropriate content.
In fact, if you take into consideration the YouTube search engine, you'll know that search-optimized video content is age-old. So, you must focus on making your content user-friendly and search-intended.
To stand out from other videos and rank higher on SERPs, you can follow the tips given below:
Add the target keyword in the video title, description, and file name.
Add relevant search tags to the video's topic.
Add subtitles and closed captions to reach out to a vast audience.
Video Funnel
Did you know that nearly 84% of buyers make a purchase after encountering a brand's video? This indicates that videos are integral to the consumer conversion journey. Moreover, the pandemic has contributed immensely to generating consumer interest (96%) in video content.
In fact, 87% of consumers search for product videos online before making an actual purchase. It has also increased brand interaction with customers. As viewers, contact the brands for any doubts regarding the product- its availability, quality, or use. This pushes the product demand and brings in profit.
However, does this mean that traditional marketing methods will no longer be in use? The answer is no. Instead, video content will facilitate the other marketing campaigns- from social media to search engine optimization.
Not to mention brands are going beyond the marketing horizons and trying vlogging to grab the audience's attention and raise brand awareness. They invite celebs and influencers to collaborate with the brands and tap into their loyal audience. It allows the brand to provide an unfiltered brand experience, thus, showing how authentic the product and services are.
Moreover, it humanizes the brand and airs behind the scene videos of the brand- from beginning to end. Companies can upload such videos on their website or social media handle to promote the brand and get a lead over competitors.
To Sum It All Up
You might have heard the phrase, "A picture speaks a thousand words." Now, think about how impactful audio-visual content will become in this context. Not only does this advertisement method help in understanding the company message, but builds trust and loyalty.
Despite that, time is of the essence in video marketing. So, you must identify the trends and start working on them. It will ensure that your brand makes the most out of the situation.
