The online landscape is always evolving, and the way people consume online content today is quite different from what it was 10 years ago. During the 2016 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Mark Zuckerberg made an interesting observation about online users that is clearly evident in the online world today. He pointed out that the majority of the content consumed online is shifting from text and photographs to video. He added that online platforms are now gradually shifting to video as a major part of their content disbursement. “I just think that we’re going to be in a world a few years from now where the vast majority of the content that people consume online will be video,” Zuckerberg said.

Video and live-streaming offer an unfiltered channel for content creators to share moments and pass on information in a captivating manner. According to a research study conducted by Cisco, video accounts for close to 70% of all the consumer internet traffic, and projections show that this number is expected to rise in the coming years. With video content marketing becoming more popular, those who fail to leverage it will miss out on reaching vast audiences. A study done by Nielsen revealed that well over half of all the sampled marketers believe that video will be a dominant part of their strategies in the future.

Large Audience

Video has an unmatched ability to reach a vast audience. A good example is YouTube, which has over one billion unique web visitors every month. A third of Britons watch at least one video online per week, which is an audience of over 20 million individuals in the UK alone. Content marketers have this large audience at their disposal and must create the right content to reach them effectively.

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Going Viral  

There are instances when specific videos gain immense popularity and are shared widely across the internet. These videos can receive millions of views, and this kind of reach is what content marketers need. It is important to create content that resonates with the audience to the point where they feel compelled to share it. Producing viral videos is an excellent way of entertaining, raising brand awareness, and promoting products or services.

Easier to Consume Information

Video content allows for easier and quicker consumption of information. We live in a digital age where individuals are exposed to large amounts of data. To stand out, content must be interactive and easily digestible, and video is perfect for this. Videos present content in a straightforward, engaging format, making it a powerful tool for marketing.

Growth of Livestreaming

Livestreaming has become more mainstream and is now a standard feature on most social media platforms. In 2016, Facebook launched its co-broadcast and single Facebook Live stream services, while YouTube also announced livestreaming capabilities. There are also other specialized livestreaming platforms like Periscope, Twitch, and Meerkat. Content marketers are looking to leverage these platforms for video content marketing to reach a larger audience.

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Brands Taking Notice

Big brands are starting to recognize the potential of video in engaging younger audiences. It’s becoming clear that video is the most effective way to reach millennials and Gen Z. With the right video content, brands can significantly improve their presence and attract the right target audience.

More Platforms

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 Just as video and live streaming are increasing in popularity, so are platforms that support and promote the content. However, it is important to note that it is not necessarily the platform that matters, rather how the platform is used. If you create poor content, it cannot be enhanced by the popularity of the platform. Therefore, the content creators who understand that content is king are far more likely to be successful in building a strong community

Easy to Produce

Creating video content has become more accessible and affordable over the years. Once requiring expensive equipment, video production is now achievable with a decent smartphone and affordable editing tools. Many famous YouTubers started with basic equipment and later upgraded as their channels grew. This democratization of video production has made video content marketing more attainable for businesses of all sizes.

Video Will Diversify

In the coming years, online video content is expected to diversify and break free from what it is today. With the proliferation of mobile devices, there will be an increased need for mobile-centric video content. Videos are also expected to be more specialized in order to appeal to specific niche markets. Platforms such as YouTube are projected to have more segmented categories to cater to the sheer amount of content that will be created. After many years of basically lumping video content together there will be multi-chanel networks to cater to various video content preferences. Other niche digital networks will emerge based on models such as Awestruck Network that targets millenial moms and Felicial Day’s Geek and Sundry that caters to enthusiasts of geek culture.

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Conventional TV is Shifting

Back in 2016, NBC released the first season of the series Aquarius on its official website and mobile app. This was done in addition to screening the shows on a weekly basis on traditional TV. This is evidence of a gradual acceptance of cyberspace as the next frontier. So in addition to normal web content, a great deal of TV content is being adapted to suit online audiences. This does not necessarily spell doom for conventional television networks but it is proof of the great influence that online video has in today’s world.

Digital Advertising

Plenty of advertising dollars are now being allocated to digital content and it is a well known fact that advertisers target platforms where they can get the best reach. A quick spot-check on sites like YouTube will reveal a higher number of advertisements compared to some years back. This is clear evidence of a gradual shift from traditional advertising media platforms. Facebook, for instance, is currently experiencing a sharp increase in advertising revenue and the site’s 2016 Q2 report revealed that the impressive figures have largely been attributed to video and live streaming activity. During the launch of the report Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the fact that he is optimistic that in future video may actually be the core of the social media site.

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Social Media Buzz

The social media craze is not yet about to slow down any time soon. However, the landscape is slowly changing with a lot more video content being Incorporated in the sites. According to statistics, Facebook video content has been increasing in the US by over 90%  yearly from 2014 to 2015. Internationally, Facebook is seeing an average yearly increase of over 70% in video content. These are high numbers by any standards. It is also worth noting that Facebook recorded an mind-blowing 8 billion daily video views in November 2015; which was almost double the amount of the previous year. Facebook is definitely banking on video to ramp up its revenues and the social media site has taken things a step further by paying publishers, influencers and celebrities to post relevant video. About $50 million has already been paid out to promote the use of videos and the live streaming feature. This kind of investment is an indication that social media stakeholders know where social media content is headed. Other popular platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat are leveraging video content to consolidate their user numbers and attract the right advertisers.

So, How Can Brands Prepare for the Video Revolution?

There’s no doubt that video will dominate online content consumption in the future. Brands and content marketers must embrace this shift and find ways to incorporate video into their strategies. Creating original, creative video content that appeals to your target audience is key to staying competitive.

  • Original Content

Creating unique and creative content that resonates with your audience is essential. It’s important for startups to avoid using copyrighted material and instead focus on producing original video content. There are many platforms where you can purchase licensed music and media to use in your videos. Ensuring that your content is original will give you an edge in the competitive world of video marketing.

  • Leverage Social Media

The power of social media cannot be overlooked in in this digital era. Social media commands an extremely large audience and is possibly the most important online method for showcasing video content online.

  • Re-Purpose And Adapt Video Content

Re-purposing video content is a way of reaching new audiences while reinforcing your message. There are various ways of doing this, for instance, you could use it as the basis of a new blog post. Combining it with written text and other aspects like infographics could enhance the relevancy of your video while driving much needed traffic to the original video.

Buffer did an experiment to see if it is possible not to create new video content for an entire month and instead just refresh old video content. Surprisingly, at the end of the month there was a 4% increase in organic search traffic. This reinforces the marketing rule that says consumers need to hear a message at least 7 times before they take any action. Therefore, it is possible to re-purpose older videos and adapt them to new channels.

  • Customize Videos

Online video content needs to be optimized accordingly for specific platforms. For instance, some sites have length requirements that need to be adhered to. Sites such as Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter require brief, bite-sized clips while the likes of YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn are more suited for longer videos.

  • Share More Than Once

Studies show that over 70% of bloggers do not share their videos more than 3 times. However, experts say that repetition is important when getting a point across. By posting a video more than once at specific intervals, you can significantly increase your reach. However, it is important to ensure that the videos are relevant.  

  • Measure Impact

After posting a video, it is very important to analyze certain metrics such as the number of views, shares and audience engagement. This will help in determining the impact of the content on viewers.

The Power of Video Content