Our social stories of 2016 have come and gone and we’re full “stream” ahead into 2017. While social media trends seem to be shifting by the minute, there is one category that has firmly planted itself across all of our platforms and that’s video. 2016 has proved that the world of video marketing is growing at an exponential rate and marketers are trying to get a “reel" piece of the video investment puzzle.  Video marketing is one of the best ways to create awareness and generate new sales. Let’s take a closer look at why video marketing is well on its way to becoming a big business player in 2017.

 

Facebook Video

The current question in the world of social media is, “who will be the video King?” Youtube reigned for multiple years, but now with Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook all battling for the crown, creators and brands are constantly testing new strategies and platforms to see which platform will deliver the best return.  At this point, Facebook and Instagram’s algorithms are prioritizing video over all other content with live video as first and foremost in feeds.  What does this mean for big companies like Merck, Johnson & Johnson, Ford, and General Mills?  It means more user generated content. For example, Cheerios is using videos from a popular vlogging family with quadruplets baby girls.  This video shows the 4 girls making a big mess in the family room as they dump the entire box of cereal onto the family room floor.  It’s unknown if this is a sponsored post, either way it’s an entertaining video that features the product without feeling like an ad to the viewer.

 

Live Streaming

Many brands are developing live video strategies for 2017 for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  The problem is that most companies don’t have an in-house production team and thus are struggling to get regular content while working on their day to day tasks.  Ford had a successful campaign where they hired a rugged actor to create a Facebook live video highlighting the backup camera of their new trucks. Ford was able to have an authentic video of their product that wasn’t overly produced. Since this didn’t look like a normal commercial, viewers didn’t click off of it like they would a normal commercial. This Ford video had the feel of a personal friend showing the consumer his new truck.  There wasn’t a huge camera crew or an expensive Red Camera rental. The Ford commercial was entirely shot with a hand held phone. At Concepts Video our Social Media team can offer strategy development and filming for live video feeds.

 

How-to Videos

As people continue learning everything online, companies will begin to move their how-to videos where the eyeballs are - online.  Youtube has become the place for “unboxing” and review videos.  These videos not only help customers with questions about how to use a product they also convert potential customers into actual customers by thoroughly informing them before they buy.  From drones to doll houses, every product has some type of unboxing video.  Some popular Youtubers gain most of their followers solely through unboxing and review videos.  Brands are tapping into this by sponsoring or giving product to these influencers, who can guarantee that a certain number of people will watch their influential videos.  Other companies create their own how-to videos so that they can control the creative aspects of the video.  

 

Drone Video

Drone video can make any amateur video look like a professionally produced studio movie.  Drone video allows users and producers to capture breathtaking shots for a fraction of the cost.  At Concepts Video, our drone team is constantly testing the limits of our drones.  The usage of drones can be used for more than just a tropical travel video.  In the first years of consumer drone, it was difficult to fly drones indoors with even the best of pilots. Now with new drone sensor technology, even a beginner can fly indoors (Assume at your own risk).  This will make it easier to get establishing shots of factories, homes, gyms, or even office space to use in promotional footage.

Drone Video for your Campaign

More Mobile

While we all love watching a movie on the big screen, most of us are spending more and more time on the small screens, aka our phones.  This means that marketers need to ensure that their video content is mobile friendly.  Most customers’ days are filled with an overwhelming amount of content.  Video content is like a breath of fresh air to consumers.  Eye catching videos like Tasty videos where recipes are simplified to a short 45-second video are a great example of this.  At Concepts Video, we created short simple foodie videos for the Clever Cutter which helped build brand engagement and earned nearly 4 million views.

 

More Influencer Marketing

With the ever-growing amount of content and advertisements, it's difficult for brands to get in front of consumers without appearing like an ad. Influencers are becoming more and more powerful with Brands and consumers. Consumers look to influencers for product recommendations and new brands.  One easy way for brands to connect with influencers is through influencer agencies like Hire Influence & TapInfluence.  These agencies make it easy for Brands to connect with a very specific audience even with a small budget.  One of the best ways to make a product known is through a “social bomb.” This is where a brand contacts multiple influencers and has all of them release announcements about the specific product on the same day.

 

Importance of Video for SEO

Videos continue to be a key component of any SEO strategy.  Since Google owns YouTube, Google will prioritize YouTube videos in its search results, which is why having your videos showcased on Youtube is always a good idea for your video strategy. The more times you show up in a search, the higher chance you have of converting someone to a customer. Brands and companies will benefit from having fresh video content online.  It’s also important for brands to monitor online video content.  If users post a negative review, it’s important that the brand respond to any issues in the comments. Social media and video marketing are not just a “set it and forget it” method, they involve a level of customer service and user interaction.