UserVideo marketing trends are always fluctuating. Whether it’s due to new technology, consumer feedback, or other variables, keeping up with marketing trends is vital for your business or organization to maximize its exposure and, ultimately, achieve a return on investment. Video marketing is the future and the future is now. Social media video marketing has boomed into a zeitgeist that impacts and connects the entire world. Here are some current video marketing trends in 2023 that you can utilize with your own company or brand.
Marketing Trends 2023
Over 80% of consumers have been convinced after watching a video to buy a product. They are also twice as likely to share videos than other types of content. Think about the exponential rate this could produce! Cisco predicted that by 2023, 82% of all online traffic will be video. The importance of video marketing cannot be overstated. Let’s look at some specific trends.
Social Media Video Marketing
Most of the video marketing trends of 2022 center around social media use, which makes sense given the enormous popularity of certain platforms combined with consumer accessibility through cell-phone use. Tapping into popular social media platforms like Tik Tok is a smart move if you’re trying to build a brand, sell a product, or offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse of your business. You can read more about optimizing videos for social media here. The possibilities are truly endless.
Live Video
Live video streams have grown in popularity over the past few years. The pandemic certainly played a role in this, as many were quarantined with their devices and unable to attend businesses in person. Live video provides another way to reach customers and share important information.
Live video provides an opportunity to engage with an audience in real-time. Influencers have used livestreams to promote various products or events. Music artists have even gone live to hold concerts and performances. There is just something about a live performance that enhances the feeling of connection and authenticity. It allows viewers to believe that they are “there” even when they’re not. And even though things are getting back to “normal” the demand for live video is actually growing.
Live videos on Facebook are likely to be viewed for a longer length of time compared with pre-recorded videos. They also are more likely to have high levels of engagement or reactions. One of the cool things about live video is that a viewer can leave a comment or question and get a response from the streamer. Again, a strong way to connect in real time. With popular brands and celebrities, live video also has the draw of being one of the first to view the live feed- the digital equivalent of running up to the front row.
Production for Cell-Phones
It’s no mystery that most people are walking around with smartphones all the time. Whether or not this is good for society is debatable, but what’s not debatable is that producing video content for the purpose of it being viewed on a handheld device is a terrific strategy. Sometimes, this may even require using a smartphone for the actual production. Although some quality might be sacrificed, shooting certain types of videos on a phone can be done quickly and without having to crop in the editing room in order to fit certain dimensions of a particular platform.
More Benefits of Cell-Phone Video Production
Another benefit of shooting on an i-Phone and uploading content to social media is that it can be more relatable, since you’re tapping into platforms that are already buzzing with users. Social media influencers didn’t get their name by not being able to persuade viewers. Seasoned marketing professionals may bristle at the idea of some young kid with a phone engaging with millions of people through content shot on a phone, but that’s simply the reality now.
It can also be cheaper than hiring a video production team. This doesn’t mean there’s not a place for traditional advertising or other content, but it does mean expanding one’s horizons when we talk about diversifying video content and engaging with an audience. It’s also not necessarily an either/or proposition. You may want to choose d) All of the above.
SEO Strategy
Before launching your video marketing campaign, you should have a firm understanding of search engine optimization (SEO). Achieving a strong SEO means getting to the front of the line if certain keywords are used in a Google or YouTube search. This means more clicks, which means more views, which hopefully leads to more customers.
Videos are over 50x more likely to get first-page rankings. Google is also putting video clips next to a quarter of their search results. These snippets are also more likely to be clicked on than regular old text.
Optimizing Video Content
One way to optimize your video content is to make it relevant to consumers. This might mean answering their questions related to a product, educating them on your brand, or simply entertaining them. In other words, you should have a clear goal for your video. What is it trying to achieve?
Another way to optimize your video content is to be consistent with posting. Your plan should not just be for one video, but instead for a campaign that involves several over a longer period of time. This helps maintain audience engagement and allows your SEO to flourish. Videos help boost traffic to your website and keep viewers on the line as they hopefully share your content with their friends and family. Check out some other tips for SEO optimization here, like choosing the best thumbnail image, utilizing keyword descriptions, and more.
Vlogs
Another video marketing trend that’s growing in popularity is the use of vlogs and social media stories. This type of video content is another way to engage with your audience and grow your brand’s personality. Vlogs allow for behind-the-scenes views and storytelling around a product, service, or experience.
As you probably know, vlogs are the video version of blogs. While blogs are still quite popular, the use of video to share similar information offers a whole other level of content creation and audience connection. Vlogs have been used by travelers, chefs, and average people discussing a topic of interest. Video allows for a more personal connection with an audience because unlike a blog, you can actually see the poster’s face and hear their voice. This has proven to be an effective way to get viewers returning for more content.
Social Media Stories
Social media stories have a similar positive effect on consumers. However, the difference between vlogs and social media stories is that stories are less formalized and even more personal. They are more stream of consciousness, which can humanize a brand and offer even more opportunities for connection with viewers.
Social media stories are also much shorter, so the content does not need to be perfect. They are meant to be posted frequently in order to maintain engagement. They also don’t last forever, which gives viewers a special feeling of catching short clips that others might miss. Stories also allow for interactivity with your audience. Instagram has a questions feature, which allows users to ask questions and get them answered quickly. You can also post polls to get feedback on ideas or products.
Virtual Reality Content
There’s been a lot of talk about the metaverse this past year. Big companies like Meta are betting on expanding the virtual world, which means being able to produce virtual reality content could be very important. Virtual reality enhances consumer interactivity and allows users to feel present in places they are not. Although this technology has been progressing for years, we can thank the pandemic for expediting it.
In addition to entertainment like concerts and games, VR can be used for allowing users to experience a product, visit a location, receive health care assessments, or learn a skill from a professional. The possibilities are quite endless and the fact that this is a new immersive experience is exciting. Full-blown augmented reality is a little further away, but it is coming. Think of it as superimposed virtual world elements onto our real world. Google is working on this with their special glasses that, when worn, show certain digital items in your field of view. The bottom line of virtual reality is that it is a medium that offers customers a new experience, which is something every marketing team should strive for.
Videos Watched Silently
A less-exciting trend is that many videos today are viewed without sound. An overwhelming majority of viewers on Facebook watch videos without audio. And we all know how annoying a loud advertisement can be. Users access content in public spaces, so people can view videos without sound. Optimizing your videos for silent viewing means including closed captions and other text on screen. This doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning audio all together, but you can use both just in case viewers keep the volume off.
User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is another trend growing in popularity. UGC allows users themselves to create and share content related to a product or brand. Big companies like Starbucks and Coca-Cola have already reaped the benefits of UGC by asking their users to post videos or pictures related to a new product or service. Consumers are more than willing to participate and these campaigns have engaged thousands of people. UGC can help showcase a product’s features or cultivate a sense of community among customers. For more tips on UGC, read my previous blog here.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are several new video marketing trends for 2023. Before deciding which ones to use, determine your overall goal and figure out which one makes sense. Using social media is a must. Whether it’s utilizing live video, vlogs, or stories, social media offers a new level of engagement with consumers. Consider producing on a cell-phone both for quickness and to more easily produce videos with the correct specifications for particular platforms. If you are able to produce virtual reality content, this will offer a whole new level of immersive experience for users. Finally, optimize your videos for silent viewing and consider using a user-generated marketing strategy. At the end of the day, video content is about connecting with viewers. Figure out which of these new trends will best suit your marketing needs and get to it.
