In recent years we have seen video takeover marketing, advertising, and social platforms to become the most effective form of messaging. With the popularity of Tiktok and Instagram stories, short-form video is the most popular social media format being consumed and will only continue to grow. As of 2022, video streaming consists of 82% of total web traffic. What this means is that the importance of using video content in a marketing strategy is unavoidable.
We can all agree, that video is here to stay. 66% of consumers rely more on marketing videos than reading about brands and products when making purchases. Businesses using video grow 49% faster year over year. But even still, with the data mentioned above, there is room for growth, innovation, and different ways to use video. Here are five video marketing trends you should try out in 2022!
- Live Streaming
Live video took over our screens in 2020 as the pandemic completely cut in-person events out of our lives. In 2022, as life is seemingly getting back to normal, the demand for live video content is not slowing down. We know consumers prefer video over other types of internet content (e-books, infographics, articles, etc.), sure, but you may be surprised to know consumers are engaged at a much higher rate when the video content is live. Live streaming has the highest rate of engagement of all content types.
Live content allows companies to interact with and reach more people in an intimate setting. As you consider attendee numbers, physical location is no longer a concern when participating in a live stream versus an in-person event. Those previously unable to participate, or those who wouldn’t have participated in the event due to location, now get a front-row seat.
Live video is being used these days to promote products, stream concerts, music festivals, Broadway shows, and even promote gaming opportunities. You can even tour museums through this medium.
When building your 2022 marketing strategy and even beyond, a Livestream video should be at the top of the list, because why not? It’s true – with live videos, brands and companies alike have an opportunity to build more engagement and gain a competitive advantage by embracing live video in 2022.
- User-Generated Content (UGC)
Consumers trust user-generated content (UGC) more than branded content. 85% think UGC is more trustworthy, and 70% find it more authentic and appealing.
UGC serves as “social evidence” and emphasizes the importance of the consumer. UGC shifts the marketing POV. You are no longer marketing to your audience; you’re marketing with them.
Hootsuite describes the importance of UGC as this: “User-generated content is one of the most powerful tools in today’s marketing arsenal. It’s proof that you have dedicated fans, products worth talking about, and a social network that will appreciate great content.”
UGC is more honest, diverse, non-traditional, and human, instead of the alternative sales-y and forced approach some branded content can come off as.
- Interactive Video
Interactive video comes in many different types. It’s more than just play, pause, fast forward, and stop. Interactive video utilizes links within, clickable hotspots, form fields, and even the ability to drag the frame to see different views. It’s all about making your video more engaging.
We all want to grab and hold our audience’s attention, but retention is equally as important. Ideally, viewers should walk away remembering your messaging or your call to action. Because most of us use more than one device at a time, adding an interactive element to a video demands focus, resulting in a 591% lift in user activity.
Making interactive elements work is to ensure that they fully align with the video. The link or call to action should not only be attention-grabbing and exciting, but it should also fit within the video elements presented.
- Silent Video
Social media has completely transformed previous strategies when it comes to video marketing. A significant number of users are now watching videos without sound. This could be because they don’t want to disturb co-workers or others in public places or just aren’t turning up the sound when scrolling through social platforms. So for you, this just means looking more into silent video options.
Silent videos do not need to be completely silent. They just need to still work and be useful without having to hear the sound. Social media videos play by default on mute, and adapting to this will result in higher engagement rates, longer watch times, better conversion rates, and higher ROIs from campaigns. It also makes the video accessible to a much wider audience.
We can adapt to this marketing trend by adding captions and on-screen instructions to social videos and making content self-explanatory, using graphics, and opening with a bold visual.
- Vertical Video
Some may hate to hear this, but vertical video is here to stay! At least for the near future. Tiktok, Instagram Stories and Reels, Facebook, and YouTube all support and use vertical video. The video content on these platforms is adapted to fit the way most of us view media on our phones.
When implementing this trend, what matters is where you post the content. Horizontal video is still best for websites viewed on laptops, wide-screen monitors, and video ad formats. Still, for social media, vertical video is the best choice, as they are mobile by design.
It is easier to use vertical video content between different platforms, and it performs better as well. Tests of vertical video ads done by Facebook have increased user engagement.
It’s indisputable, that video is a massive part of a strong marketing plan in 2022, and staying on top of industry trends can only push this strategy forward. Connect with us when you are ready to start implementing your video marketing strategy.
From video production services, motion graphics services, or event video production, we love video and can talk about it all day long. When you are ready to get your video project started we will be here for you!