Video Content Will Be a Must in 2015
Marketers have known for years that video content is effective at driving traffic, links and sales. Check out this now vintage-seeming case study from 2006 (less than two years after YouTube debuted), in which it’s shown that short video clips can generate thousands of impressions at a fraction of the cost of PPC advertising.
Content marketing has changed a lot since 2006, but the impact of video has only increased. A recent report from online video firm Brightcove highlights just how important video content will continue to be in the future.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Brightcove’s study surveyed 2,000 consumers in the U.S., the U.K., Germany and France to get a feel for their typical video-watching practices and whether or not video had any effect on purchasing habits. It was found that a whopping 76 percent of those surveyed considered video to be their “preferred content source” when it came to consuming information about brands. Also, 79 percent indicated that they favor digital content over traditional. Of course, the quality of video content plays a large role in its effect. Thirty-five percent of survey respondents indicated that a brand’s videos will be “more memorable” if they are high-quality. If a consumer is happy with the quality of a company’s video, they are 39 percent more likely to research the product or brand more deeply, 30 percent more likely to become loyal, 36 percent more likely to spread word-of-mouth information about the brand, and 19 percent more likely to share the brand’s content on social media.
Of course, video content is rarely perfect. When asked what could be done to improve a brand’s video content, many of the respondents took issue with delivery problems such as low-quality streaming, slow launch times and excessive buffering. While it may be difficult to completely trust the results of a video marketing study conducted by a video marketing firm, it’s nevertheless a testament to the increasing importance of video content in conducting trustworthy brand marketing. This is especially true when considering that landing page videos can increase conversions by 86 percent.
In a separate survey of B2B marketers conducted around the same time, it was found that 72 percent of marketers were using YouTube for video content publishing. Also, 42 percent of marketers claimed to publish video content many times each week. The most common reasons for doing so involved lead generation and brand awareness.
Video Content Tools for Beginners
Obviously, there are many good reasons for your business to consider using video content for marketing next year (if you haven’t already). It can understandably be daunting to launch a campaign, however, especially if you have a very small business and no video expertise. The following tools are relatively inexpensive and could help you get started:
- ActivePresenter – This software allows you to create a video by recording your computer screen. If your product can be demoed on a computer, simply record the demo and you’ve got a good video for introducing your product. ActivePresenter offers a free version.
- Wideo – Want a whimsical animation for a landing page? This app allows you to easily create videos by choosing from animated templates while integrating your own graphics and logos.
- Go Animate – Similarly to Wideo, Go Animate allows you to choose from template characters and backgrounds to create a fun and entertaining presentation.
Of course, you can always hire professional video content creators and work with them to devise a video marketing strategy. Whatever strategy you decide to use, the number one priority should always be providing value to the customer. Video content that’s created “just to have it” likely won’t do much for your brand.