“Wow. Just…wow.”
That’s how we’re feeling about the video explosion that has occurred over the last 5-10 years.
Maybe you’ve seen some of the numbers:
“More than 500 million hours of video are watched on YouTube each day.”
Pretty crazy, right?
We’re guessing that if you’re reading this article, you already have some idea of just how valuable video marketing can be.
Our goal is not to convince you of what you already know, but to help you find that final piece of evidence that will push you over the edge and get you started on a video marketing campaign for your business.
So let’s talk about why video marketing is so important!
Why Is Video Marketing So Important?
Why is video marketing so important?
Short answer: Everybody’s doing it.
No, seriously–video is huge and you are simply going to miss out on a massive portion of your target audience if you do not begin marketing your business this way.
The numbers back it up.
In a minute, we’re going to show you what we mean.
Long answer: Video is the closest thing to real, human interaction that we can get with technology.
In reality, with the exception of touch, taste, and smell, video is the closest we can get to human conversation in the digital space.
People desire human relationships just as much as ever.
Today, we’re also going to talk about why the numbers are so high.
Video Marketing Is Important Because the Numbers Say So
Online advertising expert WordStream published an article full of gold on video marketing statistics that they update on an annual basis.
The numbers show us just how big this video trend has blown up, where it is occurring, and just how much ROI video marketing can make.
Just how big is video? Consider this statistic from WordStream:
“One-third of online activity is spent watching video.”
Let that soak in for a minute…one-third.
Can you imagine absorbing one-third of your customer’s internet time?
Of course, just because you are video marketing doesn’t mean you are capturing all that traffic, but the data is enough to make you pause.
Where is all of this video consumption happening? Primarily on YouTube and social media, according to WordStream:
“YouTube has over a billion users, almost one-third of total internet users.”
Did you know that YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world behind Google?
Yes, YouTube receives so much traffic that it is considered a search engine.
Where does social media come into the video marketing mix? WordStream says right here:
“Over 500 million (half a BILLION) people are watching video on Facebook every day.”
YouTube and Facebook are truly the platforms of choice when it comes to video marketing (WordStream):
“45% of people watch more than an hour of Facebook or YouTube videos a week.”
So what does that look like from an ROI standpoint? According to WordStream:
“Marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users.”
“Sixty-four percent of consumers make a purchase after watching branded social videos.”
If you want to see outstanding results from your marketing efforts, video marketing is the way to go.
It is also the way of the future, as per WordStream:
“The 25-34 (millennial) age group watches the most online videos.”
Millennials have become the dominant generation in the workforce with more purchasing power and say in cultural norms.
Even more video-savvy is their counterpart, generation Z. According to HubSpot:
“59% of Generation Z (16-24-year-olds) have increased their YouTube usage since last year.”
If you want to get in front of the next couple generations, you will need to invest in video marketing.
Video Marketing Is Important Because It’s Human
So why are so many people turning to video?
To be honest, it’s because it allows for a more human experience.
Video lets human faces, expressions, tones, and inflections come through, something that text can never dream of and photos only strive to achieve.
Video marketers have found that the more raw and authentic video seems, the better it performs.
This is important for one reason: The basis of every relationship is trust.
Behind every question your customer asks you is the question, “Can I trust you?”
Video marketing answers with a resounding, “Yes.”
With video, there is no hiding behind fancy graphics and smiling pictures–there is just you in front of the camera, doing your thing.
Here are some other things we have discovered about people and video:
- People care about people. Heatmapping data shows that on websites, people’s eyes go to faces before they go to text. Our natural instinct is to assess the people involved in any situation before we assess the situation itself. How much more so with a video of faces!
- People feel overwhelmed. Digital experts estimate that most of us are exposed to over 4,000 marketing messages a day. People don’t want to filter through all of that information any more. They want to receive the information that is important to them in the simplest way possible. This is something that video excels at.
- People are bored or lazy. Video is entertaining. You can spend hours watching video and not notice. It is the absolute easiest format of media to consume.
At this point, you are probably wondering how to get the power of video to work for your business.
We have just one piece of advice: Use it everywhere.
Use Video Everywhere
In business, video can be used just about everywhere for just about anything! Not just your marketing, but your full customer experience.
If you think about it, a video can replace just about any touch-point you have with a customer.
Thinking about sending a thank you email to a client? Send a personalized thank you video instead!
Planning to schedule a product training with a new customer? Record an in-depth training video instead!
Video can be used for:
- Product demos
- Client onboarding
- Customer education
- Introduction to the company
- Meeting the team
- Customer support
- And much, much more!
Of course, common video marketing applications include:
- Brand promos
- Event promos
- Thought leadership
- Explainers
- How-tos
- Customer testimonies
- And more
Video marketing can come in the form of pre-recorded videos, live videos, 360° videos, and virtual & augmented reality.
Here are some stats to show just how big a difference video can make in every aspect of your marketing:
“Video on landing pages is capable of increasing conversion rates by over 80%.”
– HubSpot
“The mere mention of the word “video” in your email subject line increases open rates by 19%.”
– HubSpot
“Blog posts incorporating video attract 3x as many inbound links as blog posts without video.”
In everything you’re doing, ask yourself the question, “Could I record a video for this?”
Our 14-Point Checklist for Effective Video Marketing
We know that getting out there and starting something new (especially video marketing) isn’t easy.
Simply pulling out a smartphone or turning on a webcam and recording works for some people, but not everyone.
For commercials and promotions especially, we recommend a formal video production process.
This ensures the highest level of quality so that you represent your business in the best light possible.
Our video production process is a straight-forward, 14-point checklist:
Location ✔ Reserve the filming location beforehand so you don’t have to worry last-minute.
Actors/Actresses ✔ Find the talent for your video ahead of time so you don’t have to scramble.
One Day of Filming ✔ Get all the footage you need for many videos from one shoot to save time.
Storyboarding ✔ Start with a scene-by-scene plan that leaves nothing up to guesswork or “winging it.”
Scripting ✔ Feel confident in what you are saying with a plan of action and prepared script.
Editing ✔ Edit the video to remove any “ums” and “uhs” so you can be sure you sound your best.
Focused Message ✔ Stay on topic so people stay online and watch your engaging video production.
Plot-Oriented ✔ Use every scene to drive the plot forward and keep your viewers interested.
Transitions ✔ Implement smooth transitions so your viewers stay focused through the full video.
Call-Out Titles ✔ Share important information like names and titles without detracting from the video.
Branding ✔ Brand your videos with your logo, colors, and fonts so people know it’s you.
Licensed Music ✔ Match the video with licensed music that aligns emotion and message.
High-Quality Audio & Video ✔ Put your best foot forward so you have every opportunity to earn trust.
Content Repurposing ✔ Create multiple video assets from one shoot so you have more to work with.
This checklist combined with creative video ideas had led to some of our best video marketing work.
Try the checklist for yourself and see what you think!
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Do you feel ready to start video marketing yet?
We hope that some of this data and anecdotal evidence has shown you the importance of launching a video marketing campaign for your business.
Video is booming and it looks like it’s here to stay.
If you would like to talk more about the value of video marketing, we would love to chat!
Please schedule a free consultation with one of our co-founders.
We look forward to meeting you and discussing the future!
