Recent news stories suggested that the average amount of TV and online video that UK adult watch in a day has increased by nearly 50 minutes to nearly 6 hours since 2019. It’s impossible not to have noticed how prevalent video content has become and how brands are using it across numerous social and content channels to build brand, promote messages and campaigns as well as drive conversions.
Why Is Video So Popular and Who’s Watching?
It’s not hard to see why video is becoming ever more popular, after all, while our attention spans are not really getting shorter our need to be instantly and continuously engaged is becoming ever stronger.
The audio and visual stimulus provided by video grabs our attention in a way static text content simply can’t. Truth be told, we’re also lazy when it comes to consuming content and reading is harder work than watching a video. Video is easier to access, digest and understand because of the visual and audible communication that support the content messaging. Video simply makes accessing messages easier and that is why businesses – B2B and B2C - are using it to engage more effectively with their audiences.
Of course, these figures are not consistent across all demographics and it’s unsurprising that 16-34 year olds spend a greater amount of time on video platforms, watching content online, than older groups do. However, while it’s key to deliver the content that your audience is searching for on the channels and platforms they inhabit, it is also worth remembering that video can be used in a multitude of ways, not just as content on video platforms. It has huge value across your marketing, in terms of building visibility, improving organic and paid search results, as well as increasing engagement and conversion with visitors who are already on your site. Video is not just for reaching your audience on video platforms, it’s a tool that can be used flexibly and in a range of ways, to achieve different objectives across the buyer journey. You might consider using video to enhance your product pages, clarify a complex concept in an article, capture interest and drive engagement in your social media and even as an icebreaker in your outreach efforts.
Using Video to Reduce Friction in Your Customer Journey
While video has multiple valuable applications in the marketing, lead generation and nurture processes, it is especially useful in reducing friction in the buyers’ journey. That is because it is an exceptionally efficient way of answering questions, delivering information and presenting calls to action, USPs and key messages. It also demands less from the user, so the friction introduced by expecting a site visitor to search for and read your FAQs can be removed with a series of well-signposted videos that are short, informative, engaging and welcoming.
The added benefit is that it can reduce demand on your customer service team. That is simply one example though, the message is that because users are coming to expect and prefer video, it is important for us as businesses to understand how our customers want to consume information and deliver that to them.
Additional Benefits of Using Video in Your Marketing Strategy
The longer a visitor spends on your website, the more opportunity you have to engage with them, move them along the buyers’ journey path and ultimately convince them to convert, be that a call, filling a form or downloading a resource. Great video, that demonstrates your expertise, can increase how long they spend on your site whilst simultaneously increasing their confidence in your brand and addressing their concerns.
The critical visual aspect of video can also help:
- Condense large amounts of complex information, making it accessible and easy to understand with the inclusion of graphics, voice over, animation and bulleted text.
- Enhance product listings, helping the user see how that item could meet their needs
- Explain and demonstrate service offerings, especially complex services like SaaS products
- Build brand and the recognition of your business as market leaders
- Establish the relationship with the audience early on, especially if they can see and relate to real people from your team in the video. After all, people buy people. This is of value in B2B relationships in particular where the fruition period can be longer, and decisions involve multiple people.
Developing a Video Marketing Strategy That Works
Getting started with video isn’t just a case of point and shoot. Any successful video requires strategic planning to ensure that it will meet the needs of your users. After all, video that is not aligned with your customer personas, their pain points, jobs to be done or the stages of their buyers’ journey is not going to resonate and so won’t engage or ultimately deliver results. Making your video investment strategic is key.
Great video can be used in so many ways that relatively small investment can provide effective video content for use across your channels, but it is vital that it is carefully planned in order to get maximum ROI.
Great quality video is worth investing in, after all, consumers know what good, and bad, video looks like. Ensure your brand is enhanced rather than damaged by the video you produce and that your video content is planned, shot and edited by an experienced team to glean maximum benefit from your investment.
Getting Started with A Video for Your Business
We have years of experience in producing great quality video strategy and content that deliver results. Our inhouse video team design effective video strategies and deliver exceptional video content that drive conversion and revenue. Why not talk to us about how we can help you leverage video for your brand? Get in touch today.
