The Scoop on Video
When potential partners reach out to us with questions about how and where media might fit into their brand strategy one thing that we hear all the time is “I know having video is important, but I’m just not sure where to start!” It can feel so intimidating to try to tackle brand video, especially if even the thought of talking in front of a camera makes you want to crawl back into bed and never come out again. Furthermore, questions about budget, video style and length, number of videos, and social media algorithms all make the waters murkier and the decision harder. Honestly friends, I’m right there with you! Even as an industry insider, I have to work hard to stay on top of the ever-changing market trends.
The last thing I want for you in our partnership together is for you to feel overwhelmed, or like your time and investment isn’t being optimized. At Averson we’re always committed to guiding you toward the best strategy for your individual needs, but if you’ve been curious about video marketing we hope that this intro-to-video-strategy gives you a clearer idea of where to start!
To start, let's gain a better understanding of WHY having a robust video marketing strategy is one of the most productive things you can do for your business.
81% of businesses use video as a marketing tool — up from 63% over the last year. (Hubspot)
While video marketing has been on the rise for small businesses in the past few years we have seen video absolutely skyrocket over the last 12 months, in part due to the fact that in-person connections have been near impossible for many small businesses in the wake of the pandemic. This isn’t totally news to us. The following stats make it super clear to us that video marketing popularity isn’t just a fad. It’s growing, it’s effective and it’s here to stay!
Mobile video consumption rises by 100% every year. (Insivia)
By 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic — 15 times higher than it was in 2017. (Cisco)
78% of people watch online videos every week, and 55% view online videos every day. (HubSpot)
Video is expected to make up 82% of internet traffic this year. (2021) (Cisco)
Okay okay, so I should definitely be utilizing video in my marketing strategy! But, what kind of video strategy is best for me?
Longform videos like an about me film, a heartfelt client testimonial or a helpful explainer video often foster significant audience connection and I’m a sucker for a brand story that gets at the heartbeat of your brand and builds familiarity and trust for you as a business owner. But, statistics tell us that longform videos l aren’t necessarily helpful for every single brand (or at least shouldn’t be a top priority) when it comes to maximizing your marketing.
Videos under two minutes long get the most engagement. (Wistia)
85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound, while 60% of Instagram Stories are watched with the sound on. (Instagram)
These stats tell us that you shouldn’t have to feel limited by a busy schedule or a tight budget when it comes to planning and executing brand media. If you can focus on short form video work like 5-15 second Instagram stories showing off your product, or spend time creating and recycling a few short looping videos as a banner or landing page on your website, you’re golden! Those of you nervous in front of the camera don’t even necessarily need to be in your brand videos (though it is an important factor for brand recognition to allow your audience to become familiar with you!).
So I finally have some great short and long-form content planned… Where should I actually post these videos??
For now, let’s focus on the three easy answers for major brand engagement:
Social Media
The world of social media and it’s always growing, changing, and shifting algorithms and trends can feel like a huge undertaking if you’re not excited about or comfortable engaging with all the different platforms that are available to us today. Even apps like Instagram that used to be a straightforward single-function platform can now feel like keeping up with 5 different apps in one between your feed, your stories, IGTV, reels, and even the option to go live. Not to mention TikTok, Clubhouse, Facebook, Pinterest, blogging, YouTube, etc. etc. etc.
And while the dozens of options can be overwhelming, it’s also a kind of brilliant way to get more mileage out of your media than just posting on one site and hoping the right audience comes across it. There is no shame in cross-posting your video work, especially if you do it in a creative way that points people back to your other platforms to connect with as many target audiences as possible. You might have the most beautiful, well-functioning website in the world, but these days people use social media the same way they use a search engine… which is to say that searchability matters, because there are clients looking for you!
75% of all video plays are on mobile devices. (eMarketer)
Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text. (Insivia)
92% of users watching video on mobile will share it with others. (Wordstream)
Social media posts with video have 48% more views. (The Marketing Helpline)
62% of people said they were more interested in a product after seeing it in a Facebook Story. (Marketing Land)
Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and image content combined. (G2 Crowd)
Wondering how the heck to post your video to Instagram? We have a post on that too! (Link to post # 2 below)
Your Website
Another easy answer for where you should be placing video work is on your brand website. This can be as simple as a 15-second looping video as a banner on a web page, or as robust as a fully produced brand video on an about page. But one thing we know for sure is that a website without any video presence becomes buried under sites with videos. Not only is it absolutely necessary for SEO purposes, but it also leads people to spend way more time on your website, therefore leading to more intentional client connection, more brand recognition, and more sales.
A website is 53 times more likely to reach the front page of Google if it includes video. (Insivia)
Including a video on your landing page can boost your conversion rate by up to 80%. (Unbounce)
Video increases organic search traffic on a website by 157%. (Conversion XL)
On average, people spend 2.6x more time on pages with video than without. (Wistia)
Don’t forget to toss video links in your email campaigns! This is a super easy way to share information with your audience in a memorable way, boost your sales conversions, and create more warm clients or sales leads coming back to your website or inbox. Plus, it’s a great way to recycle older content! If you posted an IGTV video for a product launch, toss the link in an email a month later to remind people about that sale. Share a funny TikTok or IG story from last week. Post a YouTube or Vimeo video to a client testimonial or “about you” video. Easy peasy!
Adding video to your emails can increase click rates by 300%. (HubSpot)
59% of executives say they would rather watch a video than read text. (Wordstream)
Videos attach 300% more traffic and help to nurture leads. (MarketingSherpa)
