We believe in the power of video marketing, but we understand not everyone does. If you’ve got a small team, a small amount of capital, or not enough time to really invest in a major video project, video can seem too risky to even consider. Even for big companies, video is scary if you’ve got no experience creating it.
But the fact that you’re here shows us you’re not in complete denial about how important video is for businesses of all sizes. You probably just need some convincing.
Good thing, too. With over 6,000 videos under our belt, we know a thing or two about how to strategize, create, and launch a successful video. But believing in how transformative it can be for your ROI is the first step in making a valuable video your target audience will love.
So, get ready. We’re about to throw some major video knowledge at you and show you why you need video in today’s digital-first world.
More people engage with video than any other content.
- Seventy-two percent of consumers prefer video to learn about a product or service.
- Fifty-three percent of consumers and 66 percent of millennials say they’ve engaged with a brand after watching a video on social media.
Is your target audience seeking you out without knowing anything about you? Unless you’ve got the combo name recognition and brand mystique of a company like Purple or Fake Block, you likely need to work a little harder to garner some engagement.
Video can help in a major way here. Whether you’re posting video organically online on your blog or website, or uploading to a major hosting service like YouTube, creating video can put your brand name in front of tons more people, leading to more engagement and interaction with your brand.
Viewers who watched at least 30 seconds of a YouTube TrueView ad were 23 times more likely to visit or subscribe to that brand’s channel, watch more videos by that brand, or share their brand video.
Video content is more memorable than other forms of advertising.
- Eighty percent of users can recall a video ad they’ve seen in the past 30 days.
- Viewers retain 95 percent of a message when they watch it in a video.
Getting people to actually watch your video is one thing, but getting them to remember your brand and message? It’s no small feat.
And that’s really the magic of video. Because of its visual nature, the message you present ends up sticking in your viewer’s mind much more strongly than it would if you were using text or images alone. Vivid color, movement, visual metaphors, and the combination of bold graphics with enthralling sound (music or speech) all together make your message memorable, which is the key to nurturing a sale.
People are more likely to buy after watching a product video.
- Enjoyment of video advertising increases purchase intent by 97 percent.
- Forty-six percent of users act after viewing a video ad.
- Of consumers surveyed, 84 percent were convinced to buy a product or service after watching a brand’s video.
If any single other marketing effort guaranteed sales conversions this high, would you skip it? We’re guessing not.
We know video conversions are not guaranteed – an irrelevant, low-quality video will do nothing good for your brand – but if you could invest in a great, high-quality video, work with the right team to strategize toward your goal, and optimize your video distribution to reach that goal, why wouldn’t you?
Study after study confirms what most marketers already know: video is a high-return endeavor. With the right audience targeting, your video could convert users who are simply thinking about your brand into actual customers. If they’ve already purchased from you before, video could turn them into repeat customers.
Video is the most shared content.
- Videos are shared 1200 percent more times than links and text combined.
- After watching a branded video they enjoyed, 83 percent of consumers would consider sharing it with their friends.
Video is shared more than your average photo or blog post, meaning the reach of a marketing video can be exponential. And while one sale is great, this shareability opens you up to even greater brand awareness and sales.
It is important to understand the nuance here, though. A highly promotional, “Buy our new product today and save money!” type video will not get shared as much as a short, funny, or trendy video will. Since video can be so effective across the entire marketing funnel, you’ll want to weigh what your primary goal is: video shares (meaning extending your brand awareness) or direct conversions (meaning earning more sales or form submittals)? More shares typically means greater brand reach and awareness, which is an excellent payoff with the right goal and strategy.
Videos from others can be more credible than video from you.
- Sixty-two percent of consumers watch product review videos before making a purchase.
- Over 50,000 years of product review YouTube videos have been watched in the past two years.
- Ninety-one percent of 18-34-year-olds trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
You might feel limited when it comes to making your own branded video, but research shows videos created by other people, especially past customers of yours reviewing your product or service, can have a major impact on a user’s purchasing decisions.
Now, users have huge, wide-reaching platforms on which to share their opinions. And more than ever, other people are listening. So whether you’re creating sponsored content in the form of a video review, or encouraging your users to leave written reviews, (from which you can craft a text-and-graphics product review video,) this content will be sought out and will be watched by those looking for information.
User opinions are also trusted more than a brand’s own, since obviously brands have a not-so-hidden agenda. But when customers use a product or service and post a video review online, their intent is usually genuine and sincere. They have nothing to gain from sharing their perspective. So you might want to think about ways to use this video content to your advantage.
Video brings in the big bucks.
- Businesses and marketers who used video ended up growing revenue 49 percent faster than non-video users in 2017.
- Ninety-three percent of businesses reported gaining a new customer as a direct result of a video posted on social media.
Your goal could be increasing your brand recognition, increasing brand engagement, or increasing straight-up sales – no matter what your goal actually is, video has been shown to increase revenue for businesses of every size and industry.
Because of its prevalence, creating video has never been cheaper. You can point a smartphone at your company’s own social media maverick and post a quick company video update online, or you can invest more heavily in a full video series with professional actors and directors on set. Either way, the investment is small compared to the return. And the best part is you can start at whichever level makes sense for your business. Start small and strategize around your available resources or go big and take a risk on a totally new idea, it’s really up to you. But video has the potential to bring in big bucks and optimize your ROI. You’ve just got to be willing to give it a try.
Conclusion
There’s still a lot of fear out there when it comes to video. Just because it’s popular doesn’t mean you’ll do it right and the investment will be worth it right off the bat. But crucial to doing it right is doing the proper research and partnering with a company that’s equally invested in your video success as you are.
If you need more convincing, give us a call. We can talk with you and help you navigate the world of video marketing, with no commitment and totally free of charge. We’ve seen strategies nationwide that have helped – and hurt – companies when they’ve ventured out into the world of video by themselves, and the very least we can do is give you a guiding hand.
Or, if you’re team needs more convincing, share this with them! We’ve also got data that proves video’s worth, so give it a shot and we’ll be there if you need any help or advice.