Content marketers are claiming 2016 to be the year of the
video. As marketing strategies continue to embrace the hot new trends in the
online community, video marketing has risen above the fray in terms of reach
and impact on target markets. Videos can
be used in a multitude of ways – from comedy to educational, to reach customers
at critical points along the buying life cycle and build ongoing relationships
with users. In addition to this, there are many other reasons why video
marketing can be beneficial to your business.
The Age of Information Overload
These days, most people who frequent the internet are
bombarded with information from social media, and mixed in with it is
advertisers trying to cut through the noise to get their products and
services
noticed. With the rise of 140 character tweets and 10 second Snap Chats, it’s
hard to get users to pay attention to anything for any length of time. Videos
are way to get your information out there in short bursts so that users get
relevant information without too much effort on their part. It’s easier for
brains to consume and process visual content rather than taking in a wall of
text, so making a video visually appealing with audio enhancements will take
your message to the next level. Your videos can range from customer
testimonials and product demonstrations, to funny and creative ads that
showcase your business.
Social Media Reach
Most internet users have at least one social media account
that they check regularly, so social media is the best place to be for
advertisers online. While YouTube is the
most well-known website for video watchers, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
have enhanced the way videos are watched on their apps and websites to keep up
with the video trend by enabling videos to be played directly in news feeds so
users can easily watch without being directed away from the platform.
Posting videos on social media pages can reach thousands,
and potentially millions, of people and it costs nothing to do so. If you’re a
small business with only a small social media following, paid social media
campaigns can broaden your reach very inexpensively. You’ll get more people
watching your videos, which can translate into more followers and, potentially,
more business.
The Viral Potential
We’ve all seen the work of viral videos – they appear seemingly out of the blue on your Facebook timeline and
subsequently get continuously shared across all social media platforms. There’s
no magic potion in making a video go viral, most times it’s just a mix of
creativity, engaging content, and luck. But the potential is there for anyone
to make a video that catches on and becomes a trending topic and, even if it
only lasts for a day, a viral video can do wonders for your business. Users are
more likely to share a video over any other content on social media, so it’s a
great tool to get your business noticed.
While you may have to invest some time and money into video
production, the result are videos that highlight your business and can be
shared across social media, and have a permanent place on YouTube and your
website as a way for users to get quick insight into what makes your business
special.
