Online video saw huge growth over 2014. Every 4 weeks, YouTube attracts more than one billion unique visitors who spend over six billion hours watching videos. 100 hours of video are uploaded every minute of every day and this trend shows no signs of slowing down.
Forecasts are predicting that by 2016, online video will make up 55% of consumer Internet traffic, whilst other sources predict that number will grow to 74% by 2017.
Video has been proven to be remarkably effective for business as well as entertainment and leisure purposes. The hyper connectivity of today’s world has meant that multi-tasking in now ‘the norm’. For example, scanning the internet on a laptop whilst checking Facebook and Instagram feeds on a phone with the TV on in the background. Sound familiar?
Video has the unique ability to cut through this digital noise. By engaging a multitude of senses, video can capture a viewer’s full attention, stopping the multi-tasking and delivering complex messages and sentiments that simply cannot be conveyed in an article, blog post or email.
Many brands have already figured out how best to engage audiences with video marketing. This year we will see a maturation of this space as marketers focus on using videos to drive revenue and here are some of the reasons why — as well as some other interesting things to look out for in the world of video production in 2015:
Metrics
More than half of marketing professionals believe video is the type of content with the best ROI, and this is to do with analytics. With a blog post, marketers can see how many people viewed the content and how long they stayed on the page. But they have no way of knowing if a viewer actually read the article, or just kept the tab open while doing other things. Video is different. And we’re about to see a big maturation in video metric sector.
Marketers will have access to more and more data measuring engagement. They’ll be able to see exactly how many people viewed a video, up until which point; how many times they watched it; and how many people clicked on the video’s call to action. These granular insights provide brands with actionable feedback to improve their videos and tactics. As predictive analytics gain steam in the industry in the coming year, businesses will use these metrics in new ways to target the most promising prospects, communicate more effectively, A/B test, and increase revenue.
Shorter, Shorter, Shorter
A one-minute video will be watched by 50% more people than a two-minute video. The more information you can communicate in a short amount of time, the better. Instagram videos have a 15 seconds maximum, and Vine a 6 second maximum. Smart phones and mobile devices feed the need for short. Youtube says 50% of their traffic is from mobile devices.
The Video-centric Landing Page
Videos on landing pages are a clear win. Marketing Tech Blog found that by adding video to a landing page resulted in a 130.5% increase in leads. Wista found that landing pages with videos were clicked 38% of the time, compared to 12% for pages without video. Videos can increase the length of page visits by conveying information in an interesting and seamless way. Videos can also humanise brands by giving people a window into your business, produces and services.
Targeting videos to specific keywords is worth investment and is proven to increase views and conversions. Keeping the video short and ensuring the landing page places focus on the play button and your pages call to action is also essential.
Hero Content = Brand Films
2014 was the year of the brand film. Otherwise known as a web video. Sitting prominently on a home page, the brand film describes the company’s services and gives you an insight into the company’s brand personality and ethos. Brand films are the perfect way to promote a company and increase customer loyalty without the hard sell. A brand film is essential viewing for any company website. Don’t panic if you’ve missed the rush for a brand film, the need for every company to have a brand film is as strong as ever.
Mobile
By 2016, mobile video viewing is predicted to comprise half of all online viewing. As these numbers continue to grow, mobile will become a key part of brands’ marketing strategy. Mobile audiences are often watching while killing time commuting or waiting in line, and tend to watch shorter videos than those watching on laptops. When using text within a video, make sure it’s big enough to read on a smartphone screen. Include links directly within the call to action—mobile viewers shouldn’t be expected to type URLs into their browsers.
Thumbnails
Videos have been found to get far more interest than text in emails, landing pages, and search engine results. Capitalise on this interest by choosing a representative and appealing thumbnail. Using a close-up of a person’s face is a great way to stir emotional interest. But if your video is actually about fruit and veg or deep-sea diving, then make that clear in the image as well. As metrics-based platform become more accessible, A/B testing of video thumbnail images will grow in prominence.
The Rise of Animation
One of the best parts of video is how much there is going on: there’s a narrative, interesting camera angles, dramatic lighting, emotional audio, inviting text, and so on. But this is also what makes video hard to produce. Animation makes it easier to communicate your narrative, without sacrificing visual interest or quality. No need to hire actors or wait for the weather to be able to shoot that perfect scene. With animation anything can be included in your video and feature scenarios that would never be feasible in live action.
Explainer Videos
2015 is the year of the Explainer Video. Brand film produced, businesses are turning to Explainer videos as the perfect way to show how a service, app or product works in a way that text or images cannot do. Explainer videos will have a prominent role in user experience tactics.
Aerial Drone Filming
2014 saw a monumental rise in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), often referred to as ‘drones’, making aerial filming a more viable option for businesses everywhere. This is because they remove the necessity of renting a helicopter and crew, while still providing the ability to capture more engaging camera footage. For a more detailed look at filming with drones and how Motiv can help please refer to an earlier post we wrote on this topic.
The Emergence of 4k
This is the highest resolution we’ve ever seen on the global market. With 4K, detail is close to what the human eye can capture. There are an increasing amount of smartphones on the market that are able to shoot 4K and with an increase in productions for 4K TVs, GoPros and DSLRs, it is soon to become commonplace. The new H.265 codec will only accelerate this change, because it allows the capture of 4K on DSLR SD cards.
Engagement – Emotional Marketing
2015 is also the year of visual storytelling. Due to the increase in marketing noise, marketeers need to find a way to help their message cut through. The buzzword amongst marketeers this year is emotional marketing. Visual storytelling will be huge as a way to communicate a brand’s philosophy but also to engage the emotions of consumers. Stories have the power to electrify, to inform and educate your audience, moving people to take action, changing behaviours, and getting results for your business. We are hard-wired to engage with stories, they make us want to find out more.
So, there are some interesting things to look forward to in 2015. Motiv Productions has been providing bespoke video, animation and motion design services to a wide range of agencies, National Brands and SME’s creating value within their businesses for over 4 years and are well versed in creating content to satisfy and extend these emerging trends. We would love to hear from you if your company or brand is in need of an video, animation or motion graphics projects and we can assist you with the platforms and distribution channels for your content.
