Video content is evolving every year, making marketers adapt to new consumer behavior and needs. This article covers the evolution of marketing and new marketing trends that will help you understand what changes your video marketing strategy needs.
In the face of recent innovations in video marketing trends, entrepreneurs are scrambling to learn how to adapt. The reason is that video content has evolved dramatically over the past few years. As a result, companies realize that it is essential to stay ahead of competitors to survive the fierce competition. At the same time, consumers have become increasingly concerned with the impact of these innovations on their leisure time.
Today we will dwell upon the evolution of content marketing and the importance of video in a digital campaign. We will also look at the most expected trends and real-life success stories.
The History of Video Content Marketing
Today, video content is the most preferred means of entertainment for many people. In fact, online content is now watched by more people than regular television programs. This especially concerns Millennials and Gen Zers, as they gravitate towards online streaming platforms more than any other generation.
But it wasn’t always like this.
Once upon a time, Bulova, a New York watch-making company, launched a commercial before a football game in 1941. The ten-second advertisement gave rise to what we now call video marketing. Ten years later, the golden age of TV advertising starts in the US and glues the whole nation to the blue screen.
1980 gave the start to Super Bowl commercials that bring advertisers huge profits. Apple alone earned $45 million for a single Macintosh ad, aired only once in 1984. Back then, the ad cost $500,000, but now for a video to be aired during the Super Bowl break, a company will have to pay about $5.6 million.
Brands started to exploit every opportunity to get their message across, and as history shows, video marketing was one of the most successful endeavors.
It was 2005 when video marketing officially went online. Right after the first YouTube video came the second. It was Nike’s commercial featuring Ronaldinho, and it was the first video in history to hit 1,000,000 views.
Google also saw the opportunity to expand its reign over the World Wide Web and bought YouTube in 2006. Just a year later, they launched ads as a way to monetize videos. This meant everyone could capitalize on their success, be it a marketer, an individual, or a global corporation.
As many businesses grow online, adapting to video marketing trends can provide a significant advantage when trying to compete against other companies within the same niche. Today’s video marketing doesn’t revolve around YouTube promotion only. It also includes Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and even Snapchat.
The use of video as a marketing tool is nothing new. The real difference is that over the past several years, the trend has significantly increased. Let’s take a brief look behind the scenes of video marketing trends and the impact they have on businesses, both large and small.
The New Reality
Video marketing has taken over the internet marketing landscape. Consumers are now spending more time watching videos online than on any other form of media.
Vlogs & Tutorials
One of the most important video marketing trends is the growing number of vlogs and channels. Chances are you’ve already seen many of them, ranging from humorous videos highlighting the funny side of everyday situations to highly informative and business-driven informational videos that provide valuable information on a variety of topics. In addition to providing entertainment, vlogs are also a great way to advertise your products or services. Many of the top companies have dedicated themselves to delivering vlogs or tutorials to expand their reach.
LEGO tops the list of the most popular channels with 10.04 billion views. Besides animation cartoons and set reviews, the world-renowned toy-maker company has two educational series. One of them teaches kids things about the world, and the other shows how to build and make stuff with LEGO.
This type of video content is prevalent for a number of reasons, especially since video content can easily be produced by anyone who has access to a video editing program. In addition, the production of video content is becoming cheaper by the day.
Viral Content
Video sharing is another important video marketing trend of the current era, especially with social media and vlogging taking center stage. YouTube and other video-sharing sites such as Facebook and Instagram have taken video marketing to the masses, driving targeted traffic to businesses’ websites. While many companies may view this as spam, it is a growing trend that will only benefit both bloggers and businesses. For instance, as of March 2021, Louis Vuitton has become the undisputed leader of fashion brands on Facebook. The company has 24.07 million followers, which generates millions of likes and shares for the company page.
The most shared and liked videos have the potential to go viral. This term describes any video that spreads almost immediately through various forms of social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Companies have been experimenting with viral videos as a new form of online marketing strategy. For example, every single Old Spice ad wins over people’s hearts with its humor and just the right amount of funny nonsense.
In essence, a video shows up on the first page of YouTube or Facebook within minutes and gets viral immediately through sharing on other social media networks. It’s a great way for businesses to get out their message to the masses, but it has to be done right, or it will fail miserably.
User-Generated Content
Video testimonial campaigns seem to be one of the most popular of all video marketing trends today. A video testimonial is essentially a short video created by a customer that praises a business. A company usually reposts user-generated content on Instagram or places it on its website to improve its rankings.
Mobile-Friendly Videos
Mobile video is growing as a trend, as people prefer portable devices to computers and TVs. Watching something on the go has become a part of our lives, so businesses yet again have to adapt. By introducing bite-sized content and subtitle videos, brands increase the chances that their marketing efforts won’t go in vain. It will be interesting to watch what develops as the next decade progresses.
What to Expect?
Video has not always been around, but it is definitely here to stay for a long time. Its evolution is inescapable. With this in mind, here are some of the upcoming marketing trends that we can expect in the next two to three years.
Live Streaming
As brands seek ways to incorporate video into their overall marketing plan, the top video marketing trends will likely center around live video streaming. Big brands like Apple and Microsoft live stream product launches, demos, and Q&A sessions in order to get to even wider audiences. Smaller businesses can also make a name for themselves by live-streaming events on YouTube, IGTV, or even Twitch. That said, if a brand can find a way to incorporate an interactive element into its upcoming campaign, it may just be the ticket to success.
Online Tools
As internet penetration is increasing around the world, the need for video content will grow significantly. Internet users expect to see visually compelling content delivered in a timely and consistent fashion. As a result, marketers must invest in handy tools that help them create and publish engaging videos that engage with their audience and draw attention. The sooner that brands develop a solid strategy for delivering content, the greater chance they’ll be able to capitalize on this growing marketing opportunity.
Shorter Forms of Content
Incoming trends will focus heavily on short videos due to the expansion of clip thinking. This means that in addition to producing highly professional videos, brands must also focus on creating engaging and concise content. Social media platforms like the popular TikTok and Instagram Reels will play a crucial role in these efforts.
Final Say
There are many video marketing trends either already in full swing or just taking off. The key is to observe and notice these trends and then adapt your strategy to fit with the current market. If you do not properly research the market, the tactics and the video marketing tools best suited for your type of video content, you may find that the money spent on advertising does not yield the results you desire.
Video marketing trends are changing rapidly, driven by the need for a highly versatile medium in the ever-changing online market. The need to be at the forefront of the trend will be a key factor driving your video marketing strategy, as video content is one of the few established ways to gain a viral following.
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