Top 3 Video Marketing Trends This Year
I hope this article isn’t the first to tell you that video is one of the most powerful marketing methods out there.
It outstrips text and images in nearly every way.
It is more engaging, conveys more information, and its effectiveness is measurable.
Most importantly, it tells a story that elicits an emotional response from the viewer and communicates complex information.
Even B2B, historically quite shy of video marketing, has jumped on board with some excellent video content.
Check out the excellent “So Yeah, We Tried Slack …” video as a prime example of this.
Across nearly all online platforms, video has become the favourite way for companies to get their message across.
In 2021 and 2022, we will see more of the following video marketing trends.
1 – Shoppable videos
Shoppable videos reduce the barrier between advertisement and purchase by putting the “buy now” option right in the video.
Traditionally a customer would see the ad, the viewer may pique their interest, and sometime later search for the product (whose name they may have forgotten), find a website (which may be a competitor’s website), and hopefully make a purchase (after trawling through a catalogue).
All these are obstacles to conversion, and it seems evident to me that pushing your call to action right when your consumer is most excited about the product is an excellent way of bridging that gap.
It is evident to more and more businesses these days too.
Here’s one from Ted Baker, which will have you kitted out before you’ve finished watching.
2 – Explainer videos, animated and otherwise
Explainer videos are used to… well, explain your product or service.
They are one of the most common video forms out there after advertising, and we are due to see a lot more of them in the coming year.
They are often used on the landing page of websites to explain an aspect of a company’s products or tell a company’s timeline.
Explainer videos, be they animated, shot as a vlog, or even put together using free stock footage, are fantastic tools to communicate even a complex message effectively.
The trend for most software-driven companies is to use animated explainer videos to explain the concepts behind their products.
In contrast, companies with more tangible products tend to use more live-action footage.
Here’s a classic example from Dollar Shave Club, if you don’t mind the profanity.
3 – Live streaming
Brands are constantly trying to strengthen the connection with their customers, and we see more and more that live streaming is a great way to go about this.
Communicating with the people pitching the product in nearly real-time is something that people love and have loved for a while.
2021 sees increasing popularity in this trend with Facebook Live, Youtube Live, Twitch TV, and own website hosted sales opportunities abound.
Here’s one from No Such Thing as a Fish raising money for Comic relief, so it is not all about the bottom line.
So keep an eye out for these three video marketing trends; we’re due to see a lot more of them.