The era of digital and mobile is well and truly upon us, and with it has brought a new age of engagement and interaction online. Although written content such as blog posts and articles are still very much a foundation for great marketing campaigns, video content has become so popular and powerful that it has broken off from its parent trend ‘content marketing’ and formed a trend in its own right, i.e. ‘video marketing’.
But despite the sudden surge in the popularity of online video, business large and small is still concerned about taking the plunge themselves. Creating engaging video is much easier than people think, and the effectiveness of it when done right is unparalleled. Silverbean suggest the main reasons why video marketing is such an effective online marketing strategy:
It’s Already a Popular Media
Picture: YouTube crowns Evian’s baby & me the top UK ad of 2013
In the digital age, more and more people are tuning into video every day.Here are some interesting stats from Youtube to back up the popularity of video as a medium!
- Over 1 billion unique users watch videos on YouTube every month
- More than 6 billion hours of video is watched on YouTube… IN A MONTH!
- 40% of videos watch globally are watched on mobile devices and tablets
It’s Engaging
Picture:DollarShaveClub.com racked up 4.75 million views in the first 3 months
Without even trying, video engages people much more easily than written word, or even images. This is because we like to watch things, and video captures attention without you needing to do any hard work (like reading!) and for longer than a still image would. That said, our attention spans are still fairly short when it comes to online media, so short videos (under 60 seconds) are much more engaging than longer ones.
The best way to optimise engagement using video is to have personal videos that give an insight into your company and your staff. Have the team record a welcome message, or given the time of year a festive video, and post it on your website and social media channels.
It Sets You Apart From the Competition
Because so many companies are still yet to come round to the idea of video marketing, starting now could mean you set yourself apart of the competition and get ahead in your industry. The likelihood is your competition will soon follow suit due to your success, or they may even be planning their own video debut as you read this, so the sooner you get started with your own video the better!
It’s So Easy (And Cheap) To Do
Picture: This Doritos Tribe advert cost a whole £6.50 to make!
In marketing it all boils down to return on investment. And because video can be done so easily with the everyday technology and software available cheaply (or even sometimes free) at our fingertips, it means the ROI is always a substantial one.
Don’t get bogged down in the idea of needing top notch equipment and professionally edited videos. If you are a small, friendly brand then all your customers expect from you is something that reflects that. A simple and short video, such as an introduction to the company or a ‘hello and welcome to our site’ message for your website shot on a smartphone camera and easily uploaded/embedded using Youtube is perfect for SMEs.
There are hundreds more reasons for you to be making a start on video marketing for your company today, but we’d be here all day if I carry on. The best way to discover why video marketing is so effective is to try it yourself!
About the Author:
I am Kamal Singh, I am social media and online marketing writer and founder of www.technologynews24x7.com .