Video has become one of the most powerful marketing tools in the digital age. In 2020, consumers watched, on average, 16 hours of online videos per week and 85% of businesses integrated video into their marketing strategy. To get market traction in this digital climate, engaging consumers and holding their attention is key. Video (done right) is a powerful way to engage your target audience. 

If you’re not sure where to start with video marketing, take a look at these statistics and insights that we’ve gleaned from 2020. Here are four keys to creating powerful video marketing in the new year.

01 – Keep It Short & Informative 

Consumers live busy lives and don’t have time to watch lengthy product videos. For this reason, creating short, engaging videos should be a priority. Now, how short are we talking here? In 2020, 47% of businesses found videos with a standard duration of 1-2 minutes perform best on social media. No one is stopping you from going shorter; just ensure enough information is available to give consumers an adequate understanding of the product. 

A good rule of thumb is to stay within the video length guidelines of each social media platform. The graphic from RenderForest below highlights these lengths.

02 – Pick The Right Platform 

90% of consumers use social media to watch video content and 81% of consumers prefer viewing video on these platforms. It’s important to meet your audience where they’re at, so focus your strategy on created content for the platform where they engage the most. If you’re looking at expanding your reach, here are a few stats to keep in mind about some of the major video platforms.

• In 2020, Facebook was the top social media platform used to share video content. Videos posted on Facebook also received 8x more engagement than those posted on YouTube.

   

• YouTube has over 2 billion users and continues to grow every day. For lifestyle, music, and long-form content YouTube is still king.

   

• Instagram now supports video content on the feed, in Stories, IGTV, Reels, and hosts live streams. It’s one of the most video-user-friendly platforms and a great place to get started.

   

• One platform you shouldn’t ignore is TikTok. In the last year, they have accumulated 800 million active users worldwide, yet only 1 in 10 marketers used it as a video sharing platform. Those who did saw a 66% success rate with the platform.

   

03 – Make Your Site Dynamic 

Websites are the livelihood of businesses today. Chances are, consumers don’t want to be met with a static home page. Adding video will spruce up your site and keep consumers engaged. In 2020, 87% of marketers reported an increase in site traffic because of video content and an 81% increase in visitor retention. When consumers spend time on your site, they will feel more inclined to make a purchase in the future or share it with others. The time they spend on your site also impacts your SEO score and can help you generate more traffic in the future. 

04 – Find Your Type 

A quick search will show that there are many video formats used in video marketing, but that doesn’t mean you have to use every option available. Instead, determine the message you want to send, then tailor the video to deliver that message. For example, explainer videos introduce a brand or product to potential customers and are commonly found on brand websites. This format accounted for 62% of video marketing content in 2020. 

 The graphic below from RenderForest shows the popularity of different types of videos used in marketing. 

The new year means new opportunities! Find ways to incorporate aspects of video marketing for your business and see the possibilities. If you’re unsure of where to start, just drop us a line. We would love to help grow your business and your bottom line with strategic video marketing.