2017 has been an action-packed year in the world of video marketing. Video content has become even more effective thanks to the faster Internet speeds and integration into social media platforms. The potential uses for video content have increased and many businesses are discovering new ways to promote their brand using videos.
The amount of video content that people are consuming is still growing strongly. Statistics published earlier this year show that 82% of Twitter users now watch video content on Twitter. A staggering 500 million hours of video are watched on YouTube each day, with 45% of Internet users watching an hour or more of video on Facebook and YouTube each week. The amount of video content being uploaded to the Internet every 30 days is more than the major U.S. television networks produced in the last 30 years.
Businesses have noticed the growing importance of video content and have started investing more capital into video marketing. Video marketing has gone from being an optional component of a content marketing strategy to a critical one in the space of a few years.
As the year comes to an end, now is the perfect time to take a look at the video marketing trends that dominated in 2017. Understanding these trends will help you create a strong video marketing strategy for 2018. Let’s check them out!
- Video marketing takes off on social media
Video playback and sharing capabilities are now integrated into most social media platforms including Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, and Instagram. This has allowed businesses to push video marketing campaigns across all major social media networks simultaneously.
Having access to social media networks allows business to develop their brand and tell a story directly to social media users. They can now share multiple videos in successive social media posts and combine them with other types of media. Users can easily share videos across multiple platforms, which also makes viral video marketing much more powerful.
- Videos are now being customised to suit different platforms
Content marketers have discovered that users on different platforms prefer different kinds of video content. For example, Twitter and Facebook users tend to prefer short-form video content that gives them a quick overview on a topic in less than a minute. YouTube and Vimeo users are more willing to watch long form videos that might run for 10 or 20 minutes.
Marketers are also developing specific video content for different devices. People using mobile devices prefer shorter videos because they are typically on the move. Users on desktop computers and devices like the Apple TV are more willing to invest time into a longer video.
- Video storytelling has become popular
Businesses have discovered that they can now share their story with consumers very effectively when using video. They can offer consumers a behind-the-scenes view of how their company runs, showcase their product development process, or introduce their staff to the general public. By sharing these stories, businesses can increase brand awareness, showcase new products, and humanise their business. An explainer video in Melbourne, New York, or Seoul can do your company wonders. Storytelling using video marketing campaigns is going to be massive in 2018.
- More videos are designed to play without sound
Content marketers have discovered that many consumers are watching videos with the sound off. One content publisher found that 85% of their videos viewed on Facebook are viewed with the sound off. The most likely reason for this happening is that many people are using mobile devices to view videos. They are turning the sound down so they don’t annoy the people around them.
In 2017, content marketers responded to this discovery by making videos that could grab a user’s attention without the sound on. They looked for more exciting visuals and used videos that can be understood without sound. They also ensured that videos designed for mobile were available with captions and subtitles.
- Video is becoming the preferred method for providing support and training
In 2017, more business began using videos to provide support for their customers. Videos explaining how to use a product or service became very common. In addition to FAQ pages or a support desk, companies would answer common questions with short explainer videos. Watching videos is quickly becoming the preferred method for obtaining new information for many customers.
More companies created online video courses to train their own staff. This trend is expected to continue in the coming years as video technology advances.
