If you’re not already making moves with video content, it’s time to jump on board. Video has been the world’s most dominant communication channel for years, but knowing what’s hot and what’s not is key to nailing maximum impact. In this post, we’re highlighting 8 unignorable video trends that you need to know about before you plan your next campaign. Have a read through and find out what’s really creating waves in the world of video today.
Here we go!
1. Explore live or get left behind
This chart shows the key performance stats of post types across Facebook. Take a look:
You can find more about the power of video reach here
As you can see, video is winning by a country mile. Live video gives viewers something different, so it’s red hot right now and looks set to continue growing in importance for as long as the internet remains a thing. It took flight in 2016 and brings brands new ways to delight audiences.
On Facebook, users spent 3x more time consuming live videos than pre-recorded content or stream replays. Live videos also create 10x more engagement than standard content. 80% of respondents in a survey by Buffer said that they would rather tune into a live video for entertainment than read through a blog.
If you’re not yet taking advantage of the buzz that live video has to offer, now’s the time to start!
2. The majority of your content should be short and helpful
Consumers are looking for mobile-friendly, wildly fun, and easily digestible content. Video optimised for mobile will capture audiences in ways that long-form text simply can’t.
56% of videos created by businesses today have a duration of two minutes or less. Shorter videos are completed more often, with 53% of clips that are less than 90 seconds long being watched all the way through.
3. Get on top of Stories asap
“Stories” are snippets of user-generated content that are only available for a brief snippet of time. Why are they so powerful? These little beauties have a healthy habit of leaking their way into the feeds of your followers on Instagram and Snapchat. Instagram Stories are the best place to be doing this right now with 250 million active users per day. Snapchat has 173 million per day, so it’s a good secondary platform if you wanna go nuts with stories on two of the best places to do it.
YouTube are also planning to get in on this action by launching a feature they’re calling “Reels”. It’s still in development and looks set to bring a more social vibe to the world’s largest video realm. Reels won’t be temporary, which means you’ll be able to create multiple bits of content that sync together to tell a more immersive series. If you’re not already up to speed with stories, you better get your game face on. Get to grips with Instagram’s version of this feature at least before new alternatives come into the mix to expand this ever growing bubble.
Instagram introduced their stories back in 2016
4. The Internet of Things will transform the way we search and consume
Content will need to become in-tune with the smartest devices on the planet. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a growing field that will change the way we all hunt for our favourite stuff. These tools make the internet more Interactive, responsive and far more intuitive than ever before.
Think about Apple’s Siri. It responds with call-and-response content wherever and whenever you need it. Amazon’s Alexa works the same way. The impact? It’s making everything digital and more easily available via voice command. To find things using an IoT device, you don’t just say single phrases, you talk to it like a normal person. Looking for pet food? Then you’ll be asking “Siri, where’s the nearest pet store to me right now?” Whereas before, you probably would’ve just typed “pet store (location)” into Google.
Are you targeting millennials and all the family units that are falling in love with the growing IoT craze? Rethink whether your content is audio (off-screen) friendly and how you’ll optimise it for this new bread of search.
5. Square videos are the way forward
Facebook recently made an edit to its creative guidelines that clearly advocates the 1:1 video format. This gives videos an improved fit for mobile across a range of devices. Videos in this format are watched to completion 67% more than videos presented in landscape. Buffer have found that square-shaped videos take up as much as 78% more space in Facebook News Feeds. These are huge reasons to ensure all of your video content is published in 1:1. Ditch landscape to see your impact and engagement soar. This really comes into play when you are displaying Facebook Ads.
Here is Facebook’s recent transition from 16:9 videos to 1:1
6. Transcribe video content
85% of videos are being watched with the audio off. This means two things. Firstly, it means your videos need to be action-centric or subtitled. Secondly, it means a transcription could provide your viewers with a means to read through parts of your content they may be missing without sound.
7. Augmented reality and 360° videos offer something new
Google highlights that 360° videos generate a lower view-through rate, but receive a higher click-through rate by as much as 46% compared to conventional video. It’s more engaging, exciting and gives your audience a chance to explore perspectives that are simply impossible with normal film. Want your brand to stand out for innovation? This could be the opportunity you’ve been looking for!
8. Explainer videos remain dominant
Just when you think the internet might be filled to the max with enough of these walkthrough-style clips, a new bunch of producers come into the mix to give us all their fresh new take on things. The explainer video isn’t going anywhere so you better get on top of them asap. As long as people are using the net to do things they’ve never done before, the explainer video will thrive. The key is to be different. Take a good look at what your closest rivals are doing and give the audience something new to follow. Take a look at our PPC explainer video for the perfect example: 😀
Those are our 8! These are the most important aspects to keep your eye on right now. Don’t wanna be left behind? Things change fast when it comes to content marketing. Win the video game by staying on top of the latest developments, delivering your brand’s message in new ways and staying in line with the parameters set by the trends above. Happy shooting!