April 23, 2005, was one of the most momentous days in internet history. A then-unknown site called YouTube uploaded its very first video, a short clip titled “Me at the zoo.” The video is simple and straightforward: It shows Jawed Karim, one of YouTube’s co-founders, in front of the elephants at the San Diego Zoo, remarking, with accuracy, that the animals have “really, really, really long trunks.”
The internet has changed a lot since then, and the video phenomenon has spread far beyond YouTube. There’s no doubt that consumers (including me) love watching video content — on their laptops, their phones and their tablets:
• 85% of internet users in the U.S. watch online video content.
• More than half of all video consumption happens on mobile devices.
• Video traffic is predicted to account for 82% of all IP traffic by 2022.
So what does this mean for your business? As we’ve seen with some of our clients, the transition to video can be a little challenging, but video consumption is on the rise, so we’re doing everything we can to help our clients and readers capitalize on this opportunity.
And we’re not alone. It’s predicted that advertisers will increase their digital video spending by more than 25% this year. So if you know what to record and where to upload, you can get in on the fun (and the return on investment) starting today.
Let’s take a look at five genres of video marketing and how you can use them to help your brand.
1. Brand Culture And Behind-the-Scenes Videos
These videos give consumers a peek behind the curtain to see what’s going on at your company headquarters. Often, these videos feature a combination of employees-at-work footage and “talking heads” interviews with energized team members. The goal is to show the personalities behind your brand — making it easier for customers to connect with your values.
These videos don’t have to be perfect — they just have to be real. Compile a list of questions for your team centered on company values or their stories about working with clients. Interview team members casually, and edit the best two to three minutes into a company culture video. Real, candid answers lead to real emotional connections.
2. Ad Campaigns
Video ads aren’t just for YouTube. You also can publish them on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
When creating your video ads, bear in mind that various social media user bases have distinct preferences. For example, the Facebook crowd seems to prefer silent videos, but 95% of YouTube video ads have sound — so break out the microphone.
Also know that different platforms have different requirements. On Facebook, you simply need to have a business page. You can use your phone to shoot video and use apps to make it look great even when viewed without audio. YouTube, on the other hand, can be a bit more involved: You need a Google account, a YouTube channel and a Google Ads account.
3. Landing Page Videos
Frustrated that your landing pages aren’t seeing enough traffic? Video can help boost your website’s search engine rankings. When a user spends more time on your website (because of your amazing video content), Google will see your site as more valuable.
Make sure that your landing page videos inform your audience, provide value to them and persuade them. Use your video to focus on answering questions or showing them how you’re the solution to their problem. Consider sharing customer success stories.
4. Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are a favorite among users, and it shows strong year-over-year user growth. And that spells opportunity for enterprising marketers. Over 100 million Americans are on Instagram, and Stories have captured their attention.
The defining characteristic of Instagram Stories is its fleeting nature — stories disappear after 24 hours, unless you add them to your Story Highlights, which makes them extremely useful for promoting flash sales and impulse purchases.
Consider posting three to five video stories in a row that build upon each other. For example, a shoe brand might want to post videos that show off its newest kicks. The individual stories can introduce the shoes, then highlight the profile and design, then show the branding on the sole and, finally, tell viewers where they can buy a pair. Stacking stories like this lets you tell a longer story about a brand.
5. Live Videos
The idea of broadcasting live to the world sounds frightening to a lot of us, and not without reason. We’ve all seen videos of people making utter fools of themselves in front of a camera.
But livestreaming generates a kind of immediacy and excitement that you can’t get with other types of content. People feel as though they’re participating — from the comfort of wherever they are. Viewers spend more than three times as long watching Facebook live videos than non-live videos.
While you can livestream videos on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, each platform has its benefits and drawbacks. On YouTube, you can archive live streams of less than 12 hours for later use, while live videos on Instagram aren’t visible in the app once they’ve ended — unless you share a replay to Instagram Stories, in which case they’ll disappear after 24 hours like a standard story.
One idea for a live video is to host a Q&A session where you’re sitting at a desk. Attach your device to a tripod to reduce that shaky camera look. Make sure you plan the flow of your live video: Include time for making introductions, answering questions and signing off. Having a plan can help you avoid the dreaded “deer in the headlights” moment when you go live.
A Long Way From The Zoo
Internet video has come a long way from “Me at the zoo,” in large part due to technological advances that make it increasingly easy to create — and view — this type of media. Video can do far more than update us on developments at the elephant exhibit, and after reading this article, we hope you’re excited to get behind the camera so you can get your brand in front of the world.
