Video marketing is evolving at breakneck speeds. From the average 30-second ad to 15-second Tik Tok videos, lengthy vlogs, live streams, and podcasts among others, it seems there is always something new coming up in this industry.
Are you a business owner, digital marketer, or content creator looking to stay ahead of competitors in the digital marketing space? In this short and to the point article, we have compiled some important video trends to look out for in the year 2022 as video continues to assert its dominance in content marketing.
The rolling 2021 and anticipated video trends 2022
In 2021, video ads were the most effective medium by which audiences discovered brands, products, and services. Not only did videos persuade potential customers into buying products or services, but 99% of them reported enjoying consuming video content while making their purchasing decisions.
In 2022, we expect this new trend to continue. Cisco recently predicted that videos will dominate the content space by contributing a staggering 82% of internet usage by the year 2022.
Understanding new trending video formats
It would seem like having a smartphone and an internet connection is all you need to create engaging video content in this day and age. However, video marketing is more than just the creativity in your content. Your creativity has to be aligned with trends in video formats to get the most views and the desired results.
Does your line of business favour live videos for more immediate engagement with your audience? Is your audience consuming your content on mobile devices where a vertical format could offer a more comfortable viewing experience? Or maybe you want to rank higher on search engines and should consider optimizing your videos for search engines?
Regardless of the size of your business operation, keeping up with contemporary video formats and their trends will inform the development of your marketing strategies and enhance the performance of your digital marketing campaigns.
A Closer Look at New Marketing Channels and Video Platforms
When video content is mentioned, brands often only think about YouTube. However, your brand does not have to be limited to YouTube’s steep monetization requirements. Today there are a lot of other platforms such as Roku, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Tiktok, among others that can help you not only survive but thrive without Youtube. Furthermore, other video platforms such as Vimeo, Wistia, WeVideo and Vidyard also allow you to create and modify your video content and share it through social media channels.
- Streaming on the rise
Until recently, YouTube was the only channel where content creators could monetize their video content. Thanks to advancements in over-the-top (OTT) and connected TV (CTV) technologies, creators can now distribute their content to a larger audience through other platforms. This is also where Vlogbox comes in, allowing content creators to build their CTV applications, create channels and monetize their creations. Advertisers are already taking advantage of CTV with targeted ads based on audience insights provided by companies like Vlogbox.
- Live videos
Want to prove that you are an authority in your industry? By delivering live videos to your audience, your business can demonstrate your in-depth knowledge about the services and products you are promoting. Furthermore, live videos allow you to engage with your audience in real-time, developing a more personal relationship with your potential and loyal clientele.
It is very easy to get started on live stream platforms such as Twitch or Discord. Twitch generally pays streamers much more compared to YouTube and other platforms. Live videos will improve your brand’s image as your audience perceives you as an approachable and knowledgeable expert in your line of work.
- Latest trends in AR/VR and other emerging tech
The future looks to be headed towards the metaverse, a world without physical borders where people are hanging out in a digital world as though they are in a video game. Even though augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have been around for quite some time, think back to the days of Pokemon, these video formats are only now making their way into marketing trends. But as a marketer or creator, how can you best take advantage of this growing new trend?
Firstly, people usually want to see and try products before they make a decision to buy and this can be achieved with AR/VR especially in eCommerce where a potential customer may not be able to physically interact with a product before it is shipped to them. As a creator, you could look into growing trends such as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) where you can sell digital ownership of your creations such as artwork. The future of AR/VR looks to be taking a solid shape, even though it may not entirely replace the physical experience.
- Search-optimized videos
Want to boost your search engine rankings tremendously? Maybe you are a young company looking to battle for search engine rankings against websites that have developed domain authority over a longer period of time.
One way you can hack your way to the first-page rankings is by enhancing your search engine optimization (SEO) with video instead of text content. Search-optimized videos are the new kids on the block and are much favoured by search engines like Google. Forrester recently found that search engine optimized videos are 53 times more likely to generate first-page rankings than other traditional SEO techniques. Brightedge reports that Google is now putting video snippets next to 26% of search results, and users are more likely to click them when they do.
- Vlogging and social media videos
People love to watch videos and that is what has promoted video marketing to dominate the content marketing space. Instead of blogging, consider video blogs, popularly known as vlogs, and social media stories to connect with your followers and deliver high-value content.
Not only is your content consumption going to go through the roof, but so is your brand’s personality. By giving your content a voice and a face, your followers are more likely to develop trust in your brand, increasing their chances of buying your products and services. Vlogs and social media stories allow you to effortlessly tell the story behind your brand to help customers understand the “why” of your business existing. From simple explainer videos or travel-type vlogs, your brand can become an authority in your industry and boost your social engagement.
Over to you
Humans are visual creatures and video content remains the most powerful asset at your disposal. When used right, video marketing can help you stay ten steps ahead of the competition. Be sure to capitalise on this effective medium and plan ahead for the future of video. As the adage goes, the best time to start was yesterday. The second-best time is now!