The possibilities of online video and the technology through which it can best be implemented are converging in 2015. Some estimates by analysts of web traffic and user behavior say that by 2017, almost 70 percent of Internet traffic will be devoted to streaming and watching video — some predict that number will rise up to even 90 percent.
Both B2B and B2C companies are going to incorporate a lot more video into their 2015 marketing strategies. Brands are increasing their video ad spend, while executives utilize more business-class video applications. The vast majority of marketers have worked online video into their campaigns, and more than half say that video content holds the best ROI.
This is why video is going to explode in 2015:
- Social media is now ingrained – Whether it’s on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or any other platform, the vast majority of civilized human beings are building networks, sharing content, and consuming video online.
- New technologies have increased affordability – With the advent of smartphone video cameras and online editing, pretty much anyone can make a video. What we’re paying for now are the artists who do it well.
- Everybody’s mobile – With the pocket-sized affordability of smartphones, and ownership of smartphones rising from 19% in 2009 to 65% in 2013, video messages can be delivered almost anywhere.
- We want to be human – Video allows us the ability to humanize our brand by sharing stories to which people can relate while allowing them to look us in the eye and get to know us a bit better.
If you’re looking to engage and grow your customer base, video offers grand opportunities for a more interactive experience that reaches people where they are with the information they need. These are a few of the top video trends that could help take your business to the next dimension in 2015.
- Video Postcards – Amazon has already started the trend with Flimp 5, a cloud-based video platform where users can combine video with other multimedia content to deliver interactive experiences that also allow for good tracking. The big rule for 2015 is to keep it short and simple, but it still helps to know who’s watching.
- Video Microsites – Following up the postcard with a microsite is great way to keep on the path of short and simple. Microsites allow businesses to focus on one topic or product. They provide quality information without the extraneous details that sometimes clutter a company’s main page, and they offer creative ways to drive user interaction.
- Video Landing Pages – If you don’t need a variety of microsites, a video landing page will offer a warm welcome to your site. Even short videos cause people to stay on sites longer, giving more time for your brand to sink in.
- Video Brochures – One of the great attributes of using video in your marketing strategy is the level of engagement and calls-to-action they offer. Whether that call is to share the message or purchase a product, video is proven to be more effective in generating conversions than traditional text and images.
- Video Email Marketing – Simply using the word “video” in the subject line of an email increases opens and click-through rates, and it also decreases unsubscribes.
- Online Video Advertising – Getting your message out in the open helps you to both target your audience and expand into bigger markets.
- Employee Training and Education – One of the huge advantages of video is the ability to convey procedures and possibilities to your team quickly and concisely.
- Video SEO – Considering that YouTube is often considered to be the second-most used search engine after Google, video offers greater ability for you to be found by the people who are looking for you.Some may say that we’ve reached the tail end of the Information Revolution — but with video now coming into more applicable play, it seems we’ve only just begun.
