This is the Year of Video Marketing according to Digital Information World. And, plenty of others sing the same tune as the stats and facts stack up in favor of incorporating video into marketing strategies. In fact, the pull of this format for audiences proves so strong that without it, you are left in the dust of the stodgy past.
Don’t believe us? The figures say it all:
— Greater than half of all people watch online videos daily.
— 74 percent of all web traffic stems from online video viewing (or, so is predicted this year).
— Video watching engages 85 percent of the U.S. web audience.
— Over half of marketing professionals believe video offers the best content return on investment.
— Pages with videos earn 2.6 times longer visits than those sites without them.
Convincing?
There’s certainly more. Keep reading…
To successfully compete with the 87 percent of digital marketers using video content, grab a few of these ideas and run with them.
1. Landing Pages
Videos on landing pages boost conversion rates by 80 percent. And, these sites climb to page one of search engine results with 53 percent more likelihood. In short, include a video on your landing page the get measurable results. And, isn’t that reason enough to post this visual format to your site?
2. Vlogs
Videos as blog posts or included in them get noticed. In fact, using video with your blog attracts three times as many inbound links as those without them. This raises your authority and draws more traffic. Plus, no need to worry about checking for spelling errors or incorrect punctuation arises with video.
3. Email
Include the word “video” in the subject line of an email and increase open rates by 19 percent. Use teaser videos about your latest product or service, or an upcoming event to spur interest. Or, introduce a hot-off-the-presses promotional offer or invite guests to check out a new website feature.
4. Product or Service
Demo videos increase the likelihood of a purchase by 1.81 times. In fact, four times as many consumers prefer video product information over text. Consider creating product education or feature videos, product in action or unboxing videos plus those which troubleshoot. Post them to your site, on social media or YouTube.
5. Testimonials
Word of mouth still proves a powerful pull for consumers. Unscripted testimonial videos provide honest and raw product praises to viewers. Offer satisfied customers an incentive to record a brief product testimonial in your studio or theirs telling what they like about your product or how and why they use it.
6. Customer-Generated
More than a testimonial, customer-generated content appeals to viewers. In fact, a Crowdsnap. study reveals that nearly a third of all media consumption is user-generated. Invite customers to shoot short videos while using the product, or sharing tricks or tips to showcase their passion. A contest for best video gets the ball rolling.
7. About You
Video allows consumers a glimpse at the face and heart behind your company and products. And, familiarity breeds trust and return visits. Instead of text alone, use video to record executive interviews and employee stories shared in a unique and interesting way.
8. Social Media
Video watching attracts 500 million Facebook users, 10 billion Snapchatters and 82 percent of Twitter followers. To take advantage of this wide audience, use teaser videos to prompt new conversations around not-yet-released products or upcoming events. Quick tips, tricks, how-tos and hacks also prove popular, earning likes and shares.
9. Live Feeds
Bringing the human element to your marketing attracts this new generation. And, live feeds offer this unedited and honest view of who you are and what your company represents. Plus, through real-time responses, you are able to address comments promptly and directly.
10. Interactive Options
Engagement increases when viewers get involved in the action. Find ways to encourage comments, questions, entering contests or more through video formats. One successful example is hosting a live video question and answer session on your products, services or related consumer issues.
Convinced? Inspired?
Finally, consider this: Visuals do not only attract our eye, they engage our memory. After watching a video, we remember 95 percent of the message. Unfortunately, we only retain 10 percent of what we read.
Have we provided enough evidence to more you forward with video? Enough ideas to inspire you? Keep in mind that throwing out all written content is not the goal. On the contrary, successfully weaving video into text copy hits all the marks.
The trend toward video content is not going away. By 2019, 80 percent of online traffic will gravitate toward video-based content. Indeed, the year of video marketing is upon us. And, the effects are long lasting.
Intrigued?
Unsure how you can use this information to maximise your sales? Check out our video and photography packages, or better yet, contact our team of experts at Grow Digital Marketing to find out more about how we can help.