Many marketers and businesses think that video marketing is a relatively new concept. However, video as a form of content has been around for decades. It’s the rapidly changing nature of the digital age that unlocked the various ways in which video marketing can develop. It’s now one of the most impactful types of content marketing.  

By 2021, it is predicted that 80% of internet traffic will be video. If you’re not incorporating this type of content into your marketing strategies, then you’re bound to fall behind your competition. 

Video is essential to a marketing strategy as it drives more views, engagement, and response. It’s no longer an option but is a necessity to remain relevant and catch the audience’s attention. If you want to generate more conversions, consider including video in your marketing plans. 

Below are some interesting video marketing stats that can’t be ignored: 

• Tweets featuring a video create 10x more engagement than those without. Moreover, Promoted Tweets with videos save over 50% on cost-per-engagement. 
• Roughly 92% of mobile users share videos with others.
• The Instagram Engagement Report shows that video (with an average of 150 comments) is the best type of content to generate engagement, with image posts garnering an average of 65 comments and carousel posts at around 80. 
• People remember 95% of a message when they get it through a video. 
• A Hubspot study reveals that 64% of consumers said that marketing videos had an influence on their buying decision. 

When done right, video content can build brands and businesses, bringing real revenue and growth. With this, we’ve enlisted some of the biggest video marketing trends for 2020 that you should look into and inject in your marketing efforts. Let’s get started! 

IGTV and the Rise of Vertical Videos

Vertical videos were used to be frowned upon because of the inconvenient screen orientation, but this format is now growing into a norm. Mobile users hold their smartphones upright 94% of the time. 

It’s high time that you embrace the change. Brands can no longer ignore it because it attracts the mobile audience. Hence, improving their mobile experience. 

Statistics show that 82% of users find it annoying to watch videos that are not optimized in their preferred orientation. Thanks to Snapchat and Instagram, especially with the Stories and IGTV formats, vertical videos open a new way for marketers and brands to connect with their followers.

More Video Ads

Did you know that the average clickthrough rate (CTR) of video ads is 1.84%? That’s the highest CTR among all digital ad formats. Moreover, a survey conducted by a video ad creation platform found that 71% of users think Facebook video ads are “highly relevant” or “relevant.” 

Facebook worked with global information and measurement company Nielsen and found that 74% of a campaign’s collective influence can be reached within the first 10 seconds of video content. On Instagram, 65% of ad impressions come from videos. These numbers should be enough to prove that video ads are effective on social media channels and bring more engagement than photos alone. 

Consumers Will Choose Visual Content Over Reading

The continuous rise of video in content marketing means that it will be used more for lead generation and conversion. Around 72% of customers would rather learn about a product or service through video than read a user’s manual. 

Video doesn’t work exclusively for B2C consumers. B2B audiences are people, too. In fact, 59% of executives prefer watching a video than reading text content the same as B2C consumers. 

Promoting through explainer videos can help the audience better understand why they need your product or services and how they can use it. Visual content like this can guide potential customers through the buyer’s journey, increasing your sales. 

360-degree Videos

Smart gadgets and VR headsets are making 360-videos more accessible. Around 74% of video marketers find success from using 360-degree videos. This type of visual content allows users to immerse and consume content in an innovative way. 

Brands and marketers can produce this type of video content using smartphones—no need for fancy equipment. It makes for a fantastic opportunity for brands to get creative with their marketing plans. For instance, employers can use 360-degree videos to share with their audience a virtual office tour where they can highlight their dynamic work environment and culture.

More Engagement through Live Streaming

Live videos make the viewers feel like they’re communicating directly with a brand. It’s a lot more personal than other types of video content and adds a layer of human touch to your marketing efforts. The best part about them is that they’re easy and simple to produce, and completely free.

Additionally, it encourages more engagement since the viewers know their questions or comments can be seen and addressed in real-time. Research shows that 79% of marketers say live videos trigger a more authentic interaction with the audience. 

There are different ways companies can utilize live videos in their marketing plan, such as promoting and demonstrating new products, making announcements, hosting Q&As, interviews, and webinars, and covering events. 

Establish Social Proof with User-Generated Content (UGC)

Word-of-mouth and user reviews build brand trust. By now, you should know that user reviews or content featuring your product or service—otherwise known as user-generated content—puts your brand in a good position in the industry. Statistics show that 79% of people claim UGC highly influences their purchasing decisions and are 9.8x more effective than influencer content. 

With this, companies should recognize the value of showcasing customer experience through UGC to motivate prospects to try out their products or services. Incorporating UGC in your marketing strategy targets both customer engagement and marketing and provides insights for your potential customers. It’s a win-win. 

You can invite your followers and social communities to share their experiences with your brand. Share the UGC on your social media networks to increase your visibility and boost engagement. 

TL; DR: Video is the Future of Marketing 

These trends, facts, and figures prove that video will continue to play a crucial role in digital marketing. People like audio-visual content, and you should take advantage of this emotionally charged marketing tactic. 

You don’t have to shell out a big budget to produce videos. As mentioned above, live video is free, and you can do compelling 360-degree videos using a smartphone. The important thing is you update your strategies and adapt to the trends to get ahead of your competition. We hope this post inspires you to create powerful and effective video content. Get brainstorming! 

Author Bio

Jess Andriani works as a Marketing Manager at Connext Digital. She believes that every day is a chance to learn something new. On her free time, she writes about Digital Marketing.