By, Rozita Ahmad
With the proliferation of mobile use, it’s no surprise that video content is becoming more important for businesses, as part of their marketing strategy and are reporting greater satisfaction in its results. The statistics are equally impressive. Case in point: 5 billion videos are watched on YouTube every single day (in fact 28% of smartphone users watch a video at least once a day). 92% of shoppers say visuals are the most influential factor affecting purchase decisions. Using a well-thought video marketing strategy, brands can reach people right at the very start of their customer journey to purchase.
Reasons Why You Should Use Video in Your Marketing Strategy
Even though many of us consume online videos daily, there are still many who aren’t using videos as part of their digital marketing mix. A few highlights on why you should start incorporating them:
Effectiveness. Video marketing is one of the most effective types of content for online promotion. The research found that it is great at driving conversions – 84% of consumers have made a purchase after watching a brand’s video. Consumers like it because it’s easy to digest and accessible to anyone with internet access – both to watch and produce.
Relevance. Video content is as prevalent as ever. For the last few years, major social media platforms have been facilitating their growth. Instagram first introduced videos of a maximum of 15-sec in length, which was later lengthened to 1 minute. With the incorporation of IGTV this year, businesses have found a new way to connect with their customers.
Engagement. Video marketing fosters engagement by catering to mobile users since smartphones have become an integral part of our lives. Mobile optimisation has literally (and figuratively) taken over the digital marketing scene. Social videos generate 1200% more shares than text and images combined.
Versatility. The versatility of form and content can be named as one of its most striking advantages. By leveraging on the power of both sound and image, video format has the capacity to create a long-lasting impression and impact the audience greatly.
Affordability. Advances in technology contribute to the adoption of videos worldwide. High resolution and quality videos become more accessible and widespread with the use of smartphones. The image and sound quality get better every year. Having said that, the concept behind the video and knowing how to appeal to customers is more pivotal than the actual visuals.
The same rules that apply for written content marketing apply for video marketing – concentrate on the value that you’re providing for your customers. It helps to centre your video around the story, not the sale. Always consider the (what, where and when) in video marketing best practices.
Tips in ensuring the efficacy of Video Marketing
Evaluate what kind of content to create. Firstly, identify your target audience, consider your business objectives (get traction, deepen brand awareness or increase conversions?) and decide the best type of content that would interest, problem-solve or entertain them. With the variety of video content available, decide if you’d like to do a scripted, impromptu (live) or an ephemeral one. Boost SEO using captions for auto-play and keep the video silent if it’s meant to be posted on a landing page.
Decide which platforms to use based on where your target audience typically hang out (e.g LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube). Craft the video length based on the platforms that you’ll be posting on and the information your audience craves. The recommended ideal length for videos posted on social media platforms is – Instagram: 30 seconds, Twitter: 45 seconds, Facebook: 1 minute and YouTube: 2 minutes.
Consider when to post as timing matters for social media postings. The best time to do so is whenever your audience is most likely to see and engage with your content. A well-timed post can lead to more likes, comments, shares and click-throughs. This varies depending on your industry and your specific audience, of course.
Increasing internet penetration, better infrastructure and adoption of mobile internet (4G and now 5G) are driving video consumption in the Asia Pacific and it is here to stay. With the introduction of ephemeral videos in social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and Tik Tok, there is a rising interest among the younger generation to post fleeting and novel video content. It makes perfect sense for brands to jump the bandwagon sooner, rather than later.
