Video is a must-explore strategy for businesses and marketers trying to pack in value propositions during the split second they get to seize an audience’s attention and stand out from competitors. Video marketing is perhaps (at least for the moment) the richest and most efficient multimedia method to immerse an audience in sight, sound and meaning all at once. For that reason, Communications Strategy Group (CSG®) surveys our industry regularly to stay on top of video marketing trends and predict what may be coming next.
In a world where people are buried in content at all times, knowing and applying video marketing trends is a requirement for improving SEO and creating video content that is truly memorable and effective as within your larger marketing strategy. This guide will answer key questions and set you up to take advantage of whatever your cameras have captured.
What Is Video Marketing?
Video marketing is when a brand uses video content to boost visibility, promote products and broadcast its messaging. Video is, by nature, eye-catching and highly visible, whether it lasts a few seconds or unfolds a detailed story over an hour. Video marketing is used across many digital and real-world channels and formats because it tends to be so effective and engaging. Video marketing tactics include social media marketing, embedded website videos, animated banner ads, live streaming and more.
Why Is Video Marketing Important?
Video marketing is among the most important elements marketers rely on today because it strongly drives consumer engagement. A 2021 survey found that over 8,000 marketing leaders named pre-produced video as their leading digital consumer engagement strategy. 81% of respondents used video and 73% of respondents used livestream video at the time of the survey.
Meanwhile, consumer surveys reveal that two-thirds of people would rather watch a video than read about a product. Forrester reports that content with video is 53% more likely to achieve first-page SEO ranking. These numbers point toward an undeniable conclusion: Video marketing matters.
Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics
AI is revolutionizing video marketing strategies with rapid content generation, editing and the ability to dynamically apply data analytics in video targeting. Using AI has become an important video marketing trend for 2024.
Video has always been labor-intensive in terms of shooting, editing and re-targeting videos for select audiences. But AI is changing the playing field in terms of both the production and the application of video marketing in action. AI algorithms can almost instantly analyze massive amounts of video and viewership data, empowering marketers to apply on-point insights regarding viewer preference, engagement and the performance of specific content. Using this knowledge and AI automated targeting, brands are now more capable than ever of both producing and dynamically showing the most effective videos to resonate within and between target audiences.
Enhancing Video Editing with AI
AI is capable of both generating original videos and dynamically editing videos to help existing content fit into new formats and even target different audience segments. AI-assisted video editing is far more time-efficient than the traditional video editing process. Businesses can now adapt to the constant need for dynamic editing by streamlining their editing workflow.
AI algorithms can intelligently identify content in raw footage, tagging key elements and moments. They can also suggest edits and automatically generate montages from longer videos. This not only saves time and effort, but also assists the video production team in creating visually appealing and professional-looking videos.
Personalization at Scale
AI makes it possible to personalize marketing videos even when your audience consists of millions of people. AI can analyze user data, preferences and browsing behaviors to identify which video each individual would most enjoy, creating a more appealing experience for viewers. Personalization ensures viewers are more likely to connect with the videos they see, because it creates a connection between the content and their interests, needs and lifestyles.
Unlocking Powerful Analytics
Artificial intelligence also offers powerful data analytics tools. AI can quickly process the massive amount of video engagement data generated by a large audience. This empowers businesses to measure and optimize each video marketing campaign effectively. AI is excellent at tracking metrics including view counts, engagement rates and audience demographics. These insights allow companies to refine their distribution strategies and optimize the impact of each video marketing campaign.
Understanding the Power of Data Analytics
Data analytics takes the guesswork out of marketing. Using powerful AI-powered data tools, brands can analyze customer behavior and predict what they will respond to best. Data analytics has become a core element of all advertising campaigns as a way to optimize strategies, improve targeting and ensure marketing effectiveness.
- Understanding the Target Audience
Data analytics helps to quantify target audience segments through details such as demographics, buying behavior and online activity. AI can then use this to create detailed customer profiles that are useful for refined targeting on a near-individual level. - Optimizing Ad Campaigns
Ad campaign optimization is a primary use for data analytics. Marketers use analytics to measure the performance of each video and content page. These insights are used to improve performance and achieve maximum ROI. - A/B Testing
A/B testing allows the comparison of similar marketing content. Analytics provides the detailed results necessary to determine the most effective ad version in each context for further optimization. - Measuring ROI and Performance
Data analytics can help to find the best possible return on investment (ROI) and assess the performance of marketing campaigns. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are used to refine things like return on ad spend (ROAS), customer acquisition cost (CAC) and lifetime value (LTV), to make marketing strategies even more effective.
Immersive Technologies: AR and VR Integration
The video marketing trends of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are providing new, enhanced opportunities to connect with audiences. While most people do not have fully immersive headsets, any video content can carry users into an interactive digital environment that is similar. But with the right technology, viewers can be fully transported out of their surroundings.
Augmented Reality (AR)
Augmented reality (AR) takes video input of the user’s surroundings and overlays digital content. This provides real-time immersion and interactive experiences. Users can interact with virtual objects using AR glasses or their smartphones. These virtual objects become part of their physical world and allow brands to blur the line between digital and reality. An example of this would be interior design apps that superimpose furniture or project new paint colors in the user’s space.
Virtual Reality (VR)
Virtual reality (VR) provides a fully digital world for users to explore. It is interactive and immersive. VR headsets and certain AR glasses allow users to feel as though they are virtually present in a 3D environment, such as during a virtual tour of a computer-generated venue floor plan. VR can also provide interactive virtual experiences through phone apps with somewhat less immersion.
AR and VR
AR and VR video content offers a compelling way to capture viewers’ attention and carry them into a world created by the brand. This content helps companies tell stories, connect with younger audiences and provide experiences of unparalleled richness and depth. Also, because AR and VR are still quite new, they also carry the advantage of novelty.
Shoppable Videos
The ability to add clickable elements to video content has introduced one of the hottest video marketing trends of 2024 — shoppable videos. This allows viewers to select items they see in a video and link directly to a product page or landing page. Shoppable videos engage customers directly, taking advantage of the interest video can generate in products and translating directly to the conversion funnel.
These interactive videos enhance the viewer’s experience and enable a seamless flow for customers between viewing and shopping. In fact, even live-stream shoppable videos are on the rise, particularly after the introduction of Instagram’s Live Shopping feature. Viewers find this kind of content compelling, and 89% of surveyed Instagram shoppers report plans to increase live shopping in the next year.
In addition to clickable videos, brands have also been integrating QR codes directly into video content, increasing viewer engagement while providing landing page links and app downloads embedded directly into video scenes.
There are already many types of shoppable videos including video demonstrations of products, customer video reviews, hauls and clickable ad spots in even more diverse content types. Top platforms where brands are implementing live shopping videos include Instagram, Twitter (X), Pinterest, TikTok and YouTube.
User-Generated Content Video
Audiences buried in advertising increasingly require signs of authenticity and social proof to trust a brand or product. This is where the power of user-generated content (UGC) comes into play.
UGC is content created by a brand’s customer base and shared through the brand’s marketing channels. This trend began in social media when brands looking to build engagement held contests and encouraged users to share their own brand-related stories, photos, videos and experiences. The tactic not only generated engagement, but the larger audience showed strong responses to content created by their fellow customers.
UGC is a way to feature testimonials, incorporate real-life personal stories and demonstrate engaging use cases for your product simultaneously. It also reflects a customer’s experience directly, without ad copy acting as a membrane between audience and marketer.
While brands may have luck encouraging and broadcasting UGC, the content itself must come from the heart. Also, this form of marketing should not be confused with influencer marketing, another popular trend. Today’s highly savvy audience can spot the difference between real UGC and sponsored spots made to look like UGC. Instead, companies should aim to delight their customers with stories mined from real experiences.
Short-Form and Snackable Video
We live in the era of phone scrolling dominated by endless “snackable” short-form videos. TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts rule the day. The key with this content type is to quickly capture your viewer’s attention in just a few frames and break larger messages into clips if necessary, so that they may be viewed in between users browsing other content.
You might be amazed at just how much storytelling can be achieved in a 5-second video. Through the use of visuals, audio and eye-catching text, you can convey a message in just a few frames. Try these best practices to streamline your content into snackable bites:
- The first five seconds are the engagement period. Slow intros are out.
- Prioritize mobile format, especially for short scrollable videos often viewed in portrait (vertical) mode.
- Use mobile-friendly shoppable video links.
- Choose your platform wisely. Each platform favors different types of content.
Ready to Boost Your Brand with Cutting-Edge Video Marketing? Contact Us!
Video marketing has become an indispensable way to engage and immerse an audience in companies’ stories. Using the latest technology for targeting and for campaign refinement, you can optimize the impact of your video content with each viewer.
CSG can help you harness the power of evolving video marketing trends to achieve visibility, conversions, and high-value engagement using the latest video marketing techniques. To find out how our video marketing services can benefit your brand, contact us today.
FAQs About Video Marketing Trends
What is the future of video marketing?
Video marketing is already a popular way to boost visibility and inspire engagement. Statistics collected in 2023 reveal that the impact of video marketing continues to grow.
- 85% of businesses used video marketing in 2023, up from 63% in 2017.
- Users spend 88% more time on websites with video, resulting in a 157% increase in organic search traffic.
- Video marketers get 66% more qualified leads per year than non-users.
- Adding video to an email can increase click-through rates by 200%-300%.
What is the most popular video marketing platform?
YouTube is the leading platform for video marketing including both YouTube ads, YouTube Shorts and long-form branded videos, which generate interested audiences by providing useful industry content. Marketers are able to target 2.6 billion monthly viewers worldwide and in 2022, viewership on YouTube reached over 210 million viewers in the U.S. alone.
What is video marketing?
Video marketing uses video content to promote visibility, products, services and messages from brands and organizations. This includes video on websites, social media, banner ads, video broadcast channels, live streams and more.
What is new in marketing in 2024?
The latest video marketing trends in 2024 include AI, AR and VR, shoppable videos, personalized video targeting and influencer marketing. Analytics are also becoming more important behind the curtain in cutting-edge video marketing campaigns.
Is video a good marketing strategy?
Video is one of the most powerful marketing strategies in the modern digital hybrid world. HubSpot reports that 31% of marketers use video to boost SEO, and content with video achieves higher page ranking and time spent on each page.
