Given the depth of the connection many of us have with YouTube, it seems hard to fathom that the online video sharing and social media platform has only been around since 2005. Though its original concept involved users uploading video-dating profiles, YouTube’s trio of founders soon transitioned the site to a free video-hosting platform where each clip received its own unique link. Within months, visitation to YouTube exploded, and the world (and our Internet habits) would never be the same.
In what some might perceive as a harbinger of things to come, the first video to ever reach 1 million views on YouTube was a viral advertisement for Nike. Smart and savvy brands soon took notice, kick-starting the onslaught of the video marketing revolution, both on and off YouTube. If a picture is worth a thousand words, the value of moving pictures must be nearly incalculable — but we still wanted to give it our best shot. That’s why we put together this list of a few of the top benefits of video marketing.
Video marketing helps companies convert sales
There are a variety of dynamics behind why video marketing helps businesses increase conversion rates and sales. Videos hosted on owned properties like a website will increase the site’s search engine optimization, enabling it to rank higher in organic results when potential customers search relevant keywords. But there’s also the undeniable appeal of including a video on a product or landing page. According to HubSpot, posting a video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by more than 80%. Just how hungry are potential customers for video? As HubSpot reports, simply including the word “video” in an email subject line can increase open rates by nearly 20%.
Video marketing can facilitate education
Not all people consider reading to be an effective way to learn. While posting a product’s manual on your website is always a good idea, there’s bound to be a certain subset of customers (or potential customers) looking for another way to grasp that information. In many cases, that other way comes in the form of video. These clips can educate customers about what a product does, how it works, specific features that might entice them to follow through with a purchase, or how to troubleshoot a problem. The key here is to make the videos relevant to the audience and engaging.
Another key trend in video education – and adult learning in general – is the concept of “micro learning” as an effective tool for retaining key information. Long-winded video courses are out, and three-minute explainers are solidly in. Many such quick educational pieces can be produced in the span of a couple-hour studio shoot. For EGR, this means we can load up the content funnel for our clients in a meaningful way with minimal resources.
Video marketing is mobile-friendly
Gone are the days of someone exclusively using a home computer to surf the web. Sure, we might grab our laptops on occasion, but for a lot of us, our mobile devices represent the tool we most frequently use to access the Internet. Unsurprisingly, mobile video consumption rises by 100% every year — and the biggest reason why is that video is mobile-friendly. With just a few tweaks to your strategy, like implementing a responsive website layout, creating videos that are vertical in orientation, adding a hook early in the video, and keeping videos short with quick transitions, you can create a seamless experience for visitors to your site or perusing YouTube.
Video marketing generates considerably more shares
No matter how well-written something on your website or social media accounts is, the chances of it being shared and going viral are slim. In fact, research shows that social video generates about 1,200% more shares than posts with text and images combined. This virality factor is one of the most significant reasons why 74% of marketers believe video has a better return on investment than static images and why 61% cite video as a “very important or extremely important” part of their marketing strategy.
EGR International’s BlackLab Media powers clients’ video needs
BlackLab Media, EGR International’s award-winning visual design and marketing studio, boasts some of the industry’s most skilled copywriters, videographers and motion graphic specialists. Among other projects, our team has worked with clients on a strategic release of teaser videos to build employee engagement and excitement, a video-heavy microsite that showcased a well-known university’s talented students and past graduates, and a launch video that was broadcast on one of the largest HD-enabled screens in the world.
Interested in learning more about how BlackLab Media can assist you with your video needs? Contact EGR today.