Video content is top of its class. Video is by far the most engaging form of content. It’s no secret. It’s not even news. Yet marketing industry publications continue to release data on the “rising trend of online video consumption.”
Is video consumption increasing? Yes.
The team at ShortStack recently released new data forecasts that predict internet usage this year will be in excess of 12.5 trillion hours. Yes you read that right. Trillion – with a T.
YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram all now boast active monthly users in the billions.
As access increases to high-speed internet connections and high-quality mobile devices the number of daily video consumers also increases. A big booster to those numbers comes from previously internet-free areas of the world now joining the online community. However, in the western world, online video content has been the reigning champ for years.
It’s not a trend. It’s the standard.
And it’s likely to stay that way for a long time.
Video is arguably the peak of digital content available in our current tech landscape. Until augmented reality and virtual reality become widely adopted by the general consumer, video content will remain uncontested as the king of the hill.
What does this mean for you?
Firstly, it means that it’s not too late for your brand to join the conversation.
While you are a tad late to the party, investing resources into a video content strategy is not only a smart move but an essential one if you plan on remaining in business for the next 10 years.
If the pandemic wasn’t a big enough wake up call then let these rising numbers be a cold splash of water. Video works for any brand under the sun. It’s the new standard way a customer gets to know you and what you offer.
The cost of entry into creating video content has also dropped significantly. All new cell phones film video in 4k cinematic quality. In the hands of the right creative person, a cell phone might be all your brand needs to grow your audience.
That’s an important distinction to make. We didn’t say grow your online audience.
There is no online vs. offline audience anymore. Your customers are online. Almost all of them.
Secondly, if you already have a video strategy in place, it’s time to double down.
Short form vertical video is the hot new kid in class but longer form traditional 16:9 video is also stronger than ever.
No matter what approach you’ve taken so far, it’s time to expand to both. No video strategy is complete today without leveraging both of these formats.
How Do You Start Creating Video Content?
Start watching. If you’re not an online video addict (like some of us – not naming any names) then you should begin by spending some time watching video content from similar brands and creators. Search for your niche on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, heck even Facebook. Then start consuming. When you start noticing what kinds of video spark your interest the most then you’ll know what to start creating.
Lock in on your message. Video for the sake of video isn’t good content. Decide what you want to say in your videos and ask yourself if a viewer would get value out of watching. Are you teaching something? Are you entertaining? Are you providing a unique perspective?
Lights, camera, action. Pick up your phone and start recording. If you don’t like being on camera then find someone who does. If you can’t find someone then use other images and videos to show while you tell your story. If you don’t like recording your voice then use short bursts of text. There is really no excuse to not be creating in some way.
Still not confident in your creative video abilities? Lucky for you there are hundreds of hungry content creators that are ready and willing to make videos for your brand.
So let’s stop this talk about the “trend” of online video. It’s not going away. Like it or not. It’s only going to continue growing and it will remain the gold standard of content marketing for the rest of the decade.