Guest Post: Game-Changing Video Marketing Trends
The future of content marketing lies in video format. The past decade has seen a shift in the digital marketing landscape towards the use of short and long form videos as promotional materials. It is an effect of the emergence of a generation of mobile users over desktop dwellers. Pictures and text are still in the game, but videos continue to be the dominant strategy of generating brand awareness, engagement, and sales.
Each new trend being developed every year caters to the tastes of different types of consumers. Here are some of the video marketing trends that have proven to be game changers in the industry.
Square Format
From 16:9, the more effective aspect ratio of social videos are now at 1:1. AdWeek states that brands are pushing towards making more videos in square format because they work best on Facebook and Instagram, two of the most prominent social media marketing platforms. In this style, the display doesn’t get cropped whether in landscape or portrait orientation and square videos have shown to generate more likes, comments, and shares than widescreen videos.
Subtitles
Social videos automatically play when you scroll past them on your feed. Facebook and other platforms made a defining moment in the industry by using overlaid text and putting ads on mute for silent viewership. Many users get their social media fix in transit, offices, cafes, or at times and in places where it may not be appropriate to play videos loudly. The subtitles really help sustain engagement without consumers being disruptive to their neighbors. If your digital marketing strategy is still reliant on audio without closed captioning, then you might be lagging behind your competitors.
360°
Uno Deuce Multimedia previously defined 360° as ‘an interactive format that uses a device that has a recorded globular view at the same time.’ The use of 360° videos have blown up in the last couple of years especially with the spike in the interest in travel, sports, and other immersive activities. With a 360° capable camera, you can give your audience an enhanced experience without needing to actually be elsewhere. One can have a panoramic view of the Himalayan mountains or be present in a motocross race in their own comfortable space.
Stories
Snapchat coined it, but Instagram has taken over the story format. This feature allows users to share moments in real time by posting it as a story which disappears after 24 hours. Stories feel less posed, therefore more authentic, which is really important in driving a brand’s traffic and engagement. TechCrunch reported that Facebook also upgraded its story feature, which people are now starting to use more. In 2012, Mark Zuckerberg made a bold move and acquired Instagram for $1 billion so developers are now looking to see how the two platforms can intersect.
Virtual Reality
From an advertiser’s perspective, virtual reality might be the most costly marketing campaign to get into because of the required tools. However, VR is one of the best innovations that can be applied in the digital marketing world. With a specialized headset, it is a highly interactive and absorbing experience for consumers who want to get to know their brand. Albeit the technology is still in its infancy, it’s rapidly growing and Maryville University remarks that the need for skilled developers is steadily increasing. Professionals who have VR knowledge and hands-on capability will bring a new dynamic for your marketing needs. Creating a VR environment is a highly technical expertise that only requires the best minds in the business.
Live Streaming
Nowadays, you can watch your favourite celebrities and influencers go about their business through a live stream. This last trend has proven to be a very potent marketing campaign strategy, not to mention cost-effective. Forbes explains that audiences connect with brand ambassadors on a deeper level that other marketing concepts haven’t successfully achieved in the past. When influencers conduct Q&As, informal chat sessions, event updates, behind-the-scenes, or other tactics that boost interaction, users can leave comments and receive a response right away. It’s all about giving your brand a face that can respond and connect with your intended community.
Scott Reynolds is a self-confessed ‘social media addict’, who also freelances as an events videographer. He also likes to dabble in motion photography and is an amateur skateboarder.
Virtual reality is not something that is new, it’s been around for decades, but is now seeing the technology catching up with the implementation. However, it is not without it’s limitations. For example, you need personalized gear, which isn’t cheap, and you need to have the viewers full attention for it to be effective. Although it delivers a much better experience than 3D, it cannot be a passive storytelling device. I see this technology being used more in training, video games and museums or historical environments. It has it’s uses but is not universal, just yet. Augmented Reality, which is a newer technology, seems to be a much more practical tool with today’s internet of things. I can see the power of the mobile app-mopshere, if I can coin a term, much more easier to traverse with AR being a part of it and easier to adopt in passive ways. Currently we have notifications and with the prevalence of more internet enabled devices mixed in with beacon technology, the sky’s the limit and it will be adopted faster.
Virtual reality is here to stay, but at the moment, like I mentioned above, it has severe limitations when it comes to a wider audience. It currently cannot be just a video you google or see pop up in your news feed while waiting in line or emailed directly to you. It’s uses are very specific and will be that for awhile. I don’t know if you can just walk around with a headset on, or just want to sit at home with a headset on all of the time. You will still need flat, high quality, videos to help with that. As for AR, I don’t see that replacing video, but to have elements added into the editing process so that AR will work effectively with what you produce. So it will be another layer of post-production that will happen, such as making animated versions of YouTube’s annotations ability.