As marketers find more innovative ways to engage audiences, video continues to be a significant part of the strategic conversation. Build a relationship with your customers and stakeholders, tell your brand story, or highlight your USP in a crowded marketplace – videos can do wonders for your business!
Did you know that more than 50% of marketers worldwide cite video as the type of content with the best ROI? And this number is increasing thanks to the effectiveness of videos and their ability to capture attention.
With increasing internet bandwidths, affordable video technologies available, and secure distribution platforms, 2018 promises to be a fun-filled year for video!
Let’s look at some video trends that are sure to catch on in the coming months:
The era of live video
Live video is here to stay thanks to better internet connectivity, higher mobile phone penetration, and easy-to-use tools and apps. Live videos can help businesses get closer to their target audience. Live video can make an event truly global without additional distribution costs. Live videos can also help you monetize. Statistics show that around 45% of live video audiences are ready to pay for live, exclusive and on-demand videos if they are properly interested.
Stream, host, analyze and stream more
It’s not so much about choosing the cheapest or most popular live video streaming platform, but rather the one with the most attributes that will benefit your business. The most effective and convenient platforms will include everything, allowing you to stream, host, embed, monetize, search and analyze video content, while giving you full control over your content. With video streaming apps and online platforms vying to grab your attention, you’re in for an exciting time!
Virtual reality may soon become reality
Virtual Reality is still uncharted territory. It’s more fun than business! With affordable headsets giving you 360-degree access to a 3D virtual world, the year ahead promises to be an exciting one for marketers brave enough to use these technologies to create immersive and interactive customer interfaces. We put our hope in great marketing strategies in 2018 designed around virtual reality.
Holograms for marketing? yes, it’s happening
We were fascinated by holograms when the technology came into use. Artists readily adopted it as an alternative medium to canvas. But it has yet to be fully utilized as an effective means of communication, particularly given the daunting technology at play here. However, holographic videos provide immense scope for multi-location telepresence through realistic 3D images of speakers and products. Will 2018 bring us communication strategies woven around holographic images and videos? Cross our fingers!
Video mapping is changing the customer experience
A great tool for experiential marketing: The video mapping craze promises to trend upwards in the coming years. The technology is affordable and provides scope for companies to reach a larger target audience at a fairly low price. Using available flat surfaces like buildings or monuments, 3D projections can convey the right message quite impressively. It’s larger than life projections, make sure people don’t miss your messages.
Next level of personalization with videos
A great way to open up inboxes and make a real impact is to personalize videos for your target audience. With Facebook leading the way, personalized videos are something your audience might expect you to deliver as well. From recorded messages for your clients to explainer videos with specific services and even simpler “birthday wishes” – make sure your communication strategies are not targeting a faceless crowd! Thanks to machine learning, personalization and built-in search are now pretty basic for your videos.
Users/clients are becoming content publishers
Responsibility for creating videos is rapidly shifting from producers to users. Videos are easier than ever to create thanks to rapidly advancing mobile technologies. Therefore, brands turn to their audiences to share their products and services instead of crafting their own communication. With attention span drastically decreasing, user-generated content is a great way to keep audiences engaged in marketing campaigns. The focus is on building experiences and connections. From a passive recipient of your messages, make your audience active creators of value for your brand.
Video is on track to rule digital marketing
More consumers and customers are engaging with video today than ever before. Video marketing is a powerful strategy to promote, brand and grow your business online. Videos are useful for building engagement and impacting results like clicks, actions, lead generation, and sales. 55% of online traffic watches video every day.