Move over guest blog; the future of online marketing is all about video. And while the trend toward increased video consumption was a predictable shift, the relatively low costs of production and distribution are surprising. Affordable camera technologies, motion graphic development, and user-driven social media campaigns are just 3 of many trends that are making it easy for brands to creatively leverage video to drive awareness, sales, and brand equity.
Still not convinced? Below are 6 statistics, trends, and facts that fully illustrate the need for video content in your social media marketing strategy.
1. Video ranks 2nd highest in ROI
In a study conducted by CopyPress, marketing professionals from around the world were asked which marketing tactic had the best return on investment (ROI) in 2013. Ten different categories of marketing media were evaluated, ranging from video to featured articles, buying guides, and whitepapers. Of those surveyed, 51% of respondents ranked video as having the highest ROI in 2013 (i).
2. 75% of corporate executives watch work-related video weekly
Video is not just for reaching consumers, however. Business-to-business marketers are wise to embrace video marketing, according to a new study produced by Forbes. In the study, analysts reveal that 75% of American corporate executives report watching work-related video at least weekly (ii). As video consumption increases among corporate executives, so too does the opportunity for B2B marketers to reach decision makers with video pitches, explainer videos, and other visual content.
3. Videos are shared 12x more on Facebook
Virality is the cornerstone of an exceptional social media marketing campaign. Audience numbers increase exponentially when a message goes viral, significantly increasing reach, impact, and potential revenue. According to a study published by HubSpot, video content is more likely than any other media to go viral on Facebook. In the study, statistics show that video is shared 12 times more than both links and text posts combined (iii).
4. Video content is processed more quickly than text
Making a lasting impression with your target audience can be a challenge, especially in the crowded social media landscape. Attention spans are shorter than ever, challenging brands to be creative and engaging with their social marketing efforts. Visual content is processed up to 12,000 times faster than text, giving brands that use video a strong advantage when communicating to prospects (iv).
5. Video increases total brand visibility
Building brand awareness within social media relies heavily on total brand exposure across the Web. Most brands understand the importance of search visibility and invest accordingly in search engine optimization (SEO) services to improve rankings within Google, Bing, and Yahoo! Some brands might be surprised to learn that search visibility strategy must also include the world's second largest search engine: YouTube. The video platform receives 6 billion unique visitors each month, making video content and a YouTube channel a must for every brand looking to increase visibility in 2015 (v).
6. User-generated content is the best way to reach Millenials
Reporting for Entrepreneur.com, Christie Garton explains that "co-creation" is the best way to reach Millenials, a coveted target demographic that is poised to spend more than $1.3 trillion (vi). Millenials are individuals who are currently ages 18 to 34 years old, and they are overwhelmingly pro-social media. Moreover, these individuals crave a genuine one-to-one relationship with the brands from which they purchase (vii).
For forward-thinking brands, this creates the opportunity to light two candles with one flame. By asking fans to submit endorsements, product reviews, and other short videos, brands can foster valuable customer relations while simultaneously accumulating user-generated video content that can be used as a compelling marketing tool on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube.
Sources:
(i) "2013 State of Content Marketing Study." Published February 12, 2013. URL: http://www.copypress.com/blog/2013-state-of-content-marketing-white-paper/
(ii) "Video in the C-Suite: Executives Embrace the Non-text Web." Published December, 2010. URL: http://images.forbes.com/forbesinsights/StudyPDFs/Video_in_the_CSuite.pdf
(iii) "Visual Content Trumpts Text in Driving Social Media Engagement [Infographic]." Published August 21, 2012. URL: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33513/Visual-Content-Trumps-Text-in-Driving-Social-Media-Engagement-INFOGRAPHIC.aspx
(iv) Hanke, John. "The Psychology of Presentation Visuals." URL: http://www.ou.edu/class/bc2813/PresentationTips/PsychologyOfPresentationVisuals.html
(v) "Statistics." YouTube. URL: https://www.youtube.com/yt/press/statistics.html
(vi) "To Sell Products to Millenials, First Invite Them to Help Develop It." Published October 1st, 2014. URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/237925
(vii) "The Millenial Generation is Changing the Face of Consumer Marketing." Published January 15, 2014. URL: http://www.bcg.com/media/PressReleaseDetails.aspx?id=tcm:12-152907