11 Reasons Why Video is Essential To Your Marketing
Video continues to dominate social media, website content and millions of people are addicted to apps that revolve around creating and sharing videos. With video rising as the prominent medium for advertisements, content and sales communications - everyone has access to film, edit and publish videos. The questions is, what story are you telling?
If you are not convinced of the importance of video content, or you’re late to create video content for your business, look at the digital community:
YouTube is the second most popular social network.
Snapchat and TikTok have quickly grown their user base.
Every major social network – Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more – have all made it easier to upload, view and share videos.
The importance of video marketing has never been greater. What is holding you back from investing in quality content to help get the word out about your business?
There is hesitation because it is difficult to see the direct return on investment of videos.
Did you know that someone’s positive experience with a video advert increases their purchase intent by 97% and brand association by 139%?
Here’s why video is essential to your marketing:
1. Video captures more.
Body language and verbal tone play a huge role in conveying a message. If you’re trying to build trust, tell your story or educate people on your product or services, viewers can get to know you while absorbing the benefits of working with you.
In comparison with text content, which relies on precise word choice, punctuation and visual features like emoticons to establish the right tone. Video offers viewers an opportunity to make up their own mind about what the speaker is trying to get across by observing body language, verbal tone and other visual cues.
2. Video engages audiences.
Video can engage your target audience, however they best like to absorb information. Perhaps your brand video captures the essence and emotion of who you are as a brand. It could be a simple explainer video with a presenter showing the “HOW TO” use your product or service and the associated benefits. Your video may be part of a series. You can use music, voice over, sound or written words to help whomever is watching your video see it how they like to consume. Businesses can use this to their advantage by marketing with videos instead of with text and images.
According to MyConsumer.com, consumers are over 27 times more likely to click on an online video ad than a standard banner ad. Videos that have a hook, engaging content throughout, and a gripping final call-to-action are highly likely to have success with keeping audiences interested.
3. Video INCLUDE all other mediums.
Video has the ability to include all other visual and auditory content. A video can consist of a podcast and an article all in one and include limitless images, infographics, and text. No other medium has this ability.
This reason alone proves video’s superiority; it is at the top of the virtual food chain. When a video takes advantage of this innate power, viewers can better understand its message, meaning more people will be willing to share the video. Although using several diverse means of communication is the best way to reach your audience, if you only had one medium to choose, you know what to pick.
4. Video prompts shares.
People are naturally more inclined to share videos when they are quick, concise and relatable—all key components of being share-worthy. Data shows this over and over again. Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined. This number is likely to increase, as video is becoming more socially relevant.
5. Video presents quick and rich content.
Videos can condense a lot of information into quick 60 second clips. Keep people’s attention with rich, concise content. Visual aesthetics combined with audio allows the information to be digested quickly by the audience.
For example, a graph could be presented with a speaker simultaneously expounding on the information therein – instead of a graph followed by a paragraph explaining it. Videos are intrinsically rich with content, which is more fulfilling than viewing simple images or tedious words.
6. Video incites action.
Video has been shown to be more compelling than other mediums to incite an action by the viewer. Video is seen as more authentic, it is an efficient way to promote products, services, promotions, benefits and features. Nearly every professional video includes a call-to-action, when directly compared to other content (blogs, images and podcasts) videos incite more direct action.
KISSmetrics found that a call-to-action with a video produces 380% more clicks than a regular sidebar call-to-action. In other words, video boosts a user’s likelihood of taking action on what they see.
7. TALK ABOUT YOUR PAIN POINTS
Video is the perfect opportunity to talk directly to your target market and help them overcome any barriers to purchase. Once you understand what they are concerned about and how they like to digest information, you can create resources to help them understand the value of your product, the benefits, and how they can overcome their pain points. This may be barriers to purchase or it can be retention. It may be the most common questions asked to the customer service team.
The wide use of video means that it is highly likely your target marketing are already searching the internet for answers. Create your videos to answer these questions and attract people with intent.
8. Video enables convenient and accessible production.
Clicking “record” on your smartphone and speaking about a topic is much easier than writing an article about it. Video production is more accessible than ever before. With a good phone camera, you can film, edit, publish and market on your own video for free.
Additionally, although videos require planning, it is not actually essential to their success. Several YouTubers have gained millions of subscribers just by producing unscripted vlogs of their daily lives. An unedited, unorganised blog post would not generate nearly as much attention as a video with the same amount of planning.
9. Video provides the best search engine results.
Videos are 45 times more likely to rank on the first page of Google than text results. Videos have less competition because, again, the material is more dense.
What may take one video to express might require five web pages to articulate. However, just like articles, videos must have sufficient SEO to rank well on search engines. This consists of optimising the thumbnail, title, description, tags and slug.
10. Video enhances social communication.
Video calls, once a fantasy talked about only in sci-fi movies, are now an accepted and common reality. Is your brand creating social connection through videos? Your customers’ expectations fast change with the technology around them, customers and consumers expect brand to produce videos as part of their normal communication strategies.
11. VIDEO ACCOUNTS FOR HALF OF ALL MOBILE TRAFFIC
Are you receiving the traffic to your website or social media channels? If you’re not regularly producing video content, the answer is likely, no. The more people are consuming online video, the more businesses and individuals have the chance to successfully communicate with their entire audiences via several channels and platforms.
Video currently accounts for half of all mobile traffic – a greater portion than any other medium. Anyone looking for exposure and to grow their reach will find success within the video market – it is the widest market out there.
Conclusion: The Future of Video
Video is the medium of the future – it is undeniable. Although articles, podcasts, and infographics also have a stake in the future, video cannot be overlooked. People are attracted to video and people are what really matter to any and every business.
The medium has had soaring potential for years and now is the time for it to fulfil its true capacity. The importance of online video marketing in a business’s strategy is unprecedented. The extent of video’s social scope is miraculous. If you want to reach out to the world, all you need is video.
Note: The opinions expressed in this article are the views of the author, based on information available at the time, and not necessarily the views of Redscope or its clients/partners.