Try these video marketing trends and methods for your business

Visual information is easier for the human brain to process, and it is for this very reason that images and films are known to be more effective than text in capturing the audience's attention.

However, you also have to consider that every minute 300 hours of video are uploaded on YouTube alone. So if you thought it would be enough to produce a video, upload it to a free video platform and share it on social media, you're just following in the footsteps of millions of others, and there's a good chance you won't achieve the impact you had in mind.

Trends to follow in video marketing

So, what can you do to make your marketing campaign stand out? We've taken a closer look at some of the most effective video marketing trends that you should consider using to succeed:

Create interactive videos (Interactive videos)

This is probably the hottest trend in video marketing at the moment. A format to entertain, interest but perhaps most importantly, get to know your target audience.

An interactive video offers users a non-linear navigation experience, supported by embedded digital resources such as images, videos, text bubbles, links, online forms, etc. Put simply - imagine that everything you can do on a website, you can now do in an HTML 5 video player.

The result for the viewer is an enhanced user experience, and for you as a company, it's the "data" that becomes your new best friend; what choices did the viewer make, what part of the video was unselected, did they click through to an external link, did they download something, etc.

Based on your insights, you can optimise your next, and the next video, and get to know your customers in a way you never thought possible before. The challenge - now focus not only on the content, but also on what information you can gain through strategically crafted interactions.

We will soon be releasing more information on Interactive Videos as we have just started to deliver them to some of our customers. 

Personalized videos (PersonaliZed videos)

Personal video marketing is a relatively new strategy in the marketing world.

In short, it's when companies use data, either from their analytics accounts, CRM accounts or even more internal data collection strategies, such as customer satisfaction surveys, to market a video to a specific customer or customer group.

For example, a marketing team might create a short video with a specific customer or company name appearing at appropriate points in the video, or a video with content tailored to meet a customer's needs.

There are levels of personalisation, a video can include photos, names and locations of specific people, taken from open social channels like Facebook.But personalised videos don't have to be complicated. They can be as simple as, at the beginning of the video, opening with a text; "This video was made especially for [Customer Name], who wants to [complete a purchase action]."

Personalised videos can be sent out to hundreds, or even thousands of recipients, but still make viewers feel that the video was made from scratch - and personally for them, which in turn can result in better conversions.

Shoppable Videos

"Shoppable videos" are primarily a key element in the e-commerce segment. As more and more users are now shopping for products and services online, shoppable videos have gained momentum.

A common misconception is that a shoppable video is merely the process of adding clickable prompts that allow users to make direct purchases from a particular part of the video. While this is one of the more popular methods that can be built, it is by no means all this format has to offer.Hyper-focused or dynamic videos, product galleries, 360° virtual showrooms, geo-targeted videos that can drive users to physical stores - these are just a few of the limitless forms that a shoppable video can take. The common goal - to create a seamless and inspiring shopping journey for the user.

Broadcast live

No one can have failed to notice this phenomenon in this day and age, suddenly everyone is broadcasting live, but be careful not to miss this format's main advantage - interaction.

In fact, very few people find it useful to just broadcast live if you take away the interactivity, there has to be a news value in the broadcast that is not overdue, like a launch or news event.

Going live can of course allow you to add a more personal touch to your campaign, but above all it is one of the easiest and most effective ways to interact with your audience and your customers, so interaction must be part of every live broadcast.

Let your audience ask questions, vote in a poll, give you praise. Meet them with personal, articulate answers and messages. In this way, you will build trust, as well as an invaluable and long-term relationship with your customers.

Teach your customers something

Informational films continue to be among the most popular types of films consumed across digital platforms. Instead of focusing only on selling their products, companies have also started to create educational films. When the video contributes actual value to the user, it can have an amazing impact.

These videos can also be used by companies to project the actual application of their products or services, which in turn helps customers understand why they need your products. For example, companies that sell home furnishings and decorative items can create educational videos about home furnishings. Information about the products used in the videos can then be integrated to create an interactive or shoppable video (see above).

Dare to publish long films

Short videos are useful for reaching existing or potential customers with a short attention span. But not all your videos should be short. The length is often based on how long we think we can keep the customer's interest. So if we have a customer who doesn't know they're interested, we want to succeed in generating interest, and preferably in as short a time as possible. Then we have the audience who already have an interest in our product or service and who want to get as much information as possible, to base a future buying decision on. There is no time limit, it's about delivering first class information. Unfortunately, we tend to forget about the latter group and focus on the others - perhaps it's time for your company to rethink?

Conclusion

Video marketing has become an important, if not indispensable, marketing tool. To stand out from the crowd, it is necessary to dare to try new methods. Try out the trends in this article to help you market your business more effectively. 

If you need advice or help to take the next step, don't hesitate to get in touch, that's kind of why we exist ;)