Did you know, according to Ofcom, we spent a quarter of our waking-lives in lockdown online?! And as we video-called and scrolled through our phones, the opportunity opened up for brands to make an impact- producing live, interactive and personalised video. By no means a new marketing tool, the importance of video marketing has increased in a post-COVID world, and looks to stay as life becomes increasingly virtual. Video is everywhere, and as technology evolves to allow individuals to tailor and interact with ads, now is the time to become a video marketing expert.
And if you need more convincing, studies show that 72% of people prefer learning about a product or service via video, versus text, and 53% of consumers will engage with a brand after viewing one of their videos online. So take advantage of soaring screen time and engage your customers with the best video marketing trends of 2020! Hereâs our top five:
1. Personalised Videos
As the impact of targeted content continues to grow, video personalisation is gaining momentum, increasing the number and quality of leads. Just as email-marketing tailors to individual audiences, new technology is adapting video marketing to include individualsâ names, photos, location and device type. Equally, data-led approaches tailoring videos to age, location, and click history are proving effective, as a Smart Insights study shows 48% of customers want videos to reflect what they are interested in. Pretty cool right?
2. Interactive Videos
Allowing consumers to participate, explore a video and pick their own path, interactive content is exciting, effective and can take a number of forms.360-degree videos: Adaptable to device type, 360 videos enable users to immerse themselves in brand content, tipping and turning their phones, scrolling with a mouse, or using a VR headset. Consumers can directly interact with your content, increasing engagement and making your brand standout from the crowd.
We have recently worked with the University of Essex to create a 360 experience of their grounds and student union. Their prospects were able to put on a VR headset and immerse themselves into a world of career fairs, society clubs and the universities nightlife all within a 10 minute experience.
Shoppable videos: Still in its infancy, shoppable videos include direct links to brand products and services. Future technology looks set to enable users to click specific products within a video to buy them. Shoppable content is highly effective, making the buying process as easy as ever for your customers, and increasing sales and engagement for you.
Branching: Choosing from a number of options, branching allows users to customize the videos they watch by preference. Giving customers the opportunity to view relevant content improves customer participation and collects important data on customer trends and dwell time.
3. Live Video
Incredibly popular since lockdown, live events, Instagram Live and video conferences are allowing brands and organisations to keep interacting with the public from the comfort of their own homes.
Live Influencer Marketing: Continuing to hold popularity, influencers are partnering with brands, hosting live Q&As and social media take-overs that draw in huge crowds. This method will improve interaction by directing influencersâ followers to your social media, increasing reputability and trust.
Live Events: Consisting of pre-recorded and live elements, brands are able to attract customers to social media pages through Q&As with founders, giveaways and announcements. Pre-production will ensure a professional and engaging event, making you look good and show off your brandâs personality.
At DreamingFish we have been helping clients turn their events into an online virtual experience. Whether youâre using pre-recorded footage or real-time, streaming your event online really does make the world your oyster. Participants from all over the globe can tune in and interact. Read how we can help you with your virtual event.
4. Optimising Video Sharing Platforms
Video marketers now view YouTube and LinkedIn as key marketing channels, with Facebook and Instagram following closely. However, in 2020, video sharing platforms are also varying in effectiveness depending on a brandâs target audience and marketing style. This has seen brands using the different platforms to support shorter or longer videos, vertical or landscape videos, and videos with and without sound.
Long vs Short: In a world of waiting for the skip button to appear, video marketers know it is difficult to capture usersâ attention. Cue super-short video ads. 10 seconds or less, these videos quickly advertise your brand before itâs swiped away, and particularly suits Instagram and TikTok. In a strange contradiction, there has also been a shift towards 3-5 minute videos, suiting YouTube and LinkedIn well. Rather than simply advertise, these videos can promote your core values, as well as providing space for demonstrations and unboxing content.
DreamingFish will help you create your video to the perfect length to make sure you get maximum engagement. If you are looking to host your video across multiple platforms we will create shorter edits or teaser videos that will drive your audience to want to find out more.
Vertical vs Landscape: With different platforms supporting different video perspectives, marketers are filming content that can be easily adapted to vertical or landscape forms. Square videos are proving effective on Facebook, with vertical videos spilling over Instagram and onto Facebook and YouTube. Favoured among teens and meme-lovers since 2017, the coronavirus pandemic saw downloads of the vertical-video app TikTok soar to 2 billion. Unchartered territory for many brands, this incredible rise in users offers huge exposure and a variety of options. A great avenue for TikTok marketing newbies, partnering with creators on the app will make a big impression and allow the influencer to add their own personality to your brand. One to watch, TikTok looks set to become the future of advertising.
We have recently been working with TikTok creating their sponsored social adverts. Along with creating engaging content itâs important that we optimize every video for different social platforms. The same video is converted from landscape into vertical for story adverts and square for instagram posts. This makes the content easier for the viewer to watch and is likely to increase how much the viewer stays engaged for. We will work with you to make sure your video suits the platform you are hosting on. Here is an example of how we optimised a video for GHX Style for instagram stories advertising:
Sound vs No Sound: The show-donât-tell mantra is as old as time and 2020 has brought it back around. Videos with non-essential sound are becoming frequent on Facebook and Instagram, stopping people who canât listen from scrolling past. Popular with people in public spaces or without headphones, videos are also providing essential captions for those who need them.
We have noticed the need for subtitles is becoming more and more popular and itâs always best to have a subtitled version. There are many ways to display subtitles; platforms like YouTube generate their own which gives the viewer the option to turn them on and off. Live action videos tend to have them burnt on top of the footage. Animation gives you a lot of creativity to play with subtitles, making the key messages onscreen text as part of the animation works really nicely, especially when your video is being shown on digital displays.
Here is an example for University of Surrey:
5. Vlogging and Podcasts
Providing personality by the barrel load, Vlogs, Podcasts and Video Podcasts grant consumers a behind-the-scenes look at your brand.
Vlogging: Increasing in popularity from its conception, this one wonât come as a surprise. Brands can partner with vloggers to promote reputability and quality, or create their own vlogs, giving consumers an in-depth look at their business. Through pre and post-production, vlogs can be both professional and entertaining, giving your brand character and personality.
Podcasts: Accessible on a number of different platforms, Podcasts are a great way to explore your brand and promote your core values and mission. These longer-form conversations can be used to explore the personal side of your business and can be created in partnership with⊠you guessed it⊠influencers!
Video Podcasts: The same as above but allowing for added visuals, Video Podcasts can be uploaded to both podcast and video sharing platforms- hitting two birds with one stone. Make sure you add engaging opening and closing sequences and youâll reel in the viewers. Our talented animation team can help you create a top and tail sequence that will introduce your company and let your viewers know the topic of each episode.
Recently, we have seen companies show a massive interest in creating their own vodcasts. WFH has given people the insight into your home life and effectively has brought companies closer to their clients. Increasingly, companies are using LinkedIn and YouTube to upload video diaries helping them keep in touch with their clients and update them with company news. Dreaming Fish can help you create a series of vodcasts that lend itself nicely to your company and brand personality.
Take a look at an episode we filmed for Nordic Eye Sales Accelerator:
Need help with your video marketing strategy? Get in touch!
