In terms of keeping up with trends, there’s no better place to look than social media. And currently, video is the name of the game. From Instagram Stories and Snapchat to Periscope and YouTube, sharing via video streams is dominating the social sphere. And to demonstrate the sheer power and influence that social videos have in today’s world, look no further than the state of pop culture.
By: Alicia Carter
YouTubers and former Vine users have evolved into actual celebrities, whose millions of followers catapulted them onto red carpets, movie screens and stages across the world. But the rise of online celebrities and “influencers” shouldn’t be too surprising given the fact that one-third of online activity is spent watching videos. But how does the current state of internet celebrity relate to your business? It comes down to one word: exposure. While well-written content is extremely effective and an important piece of the digital marketing puzzle, visual marketing is an increasingly desirable and game-changing marketing tool. It has been reported that marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users. And let’s not forget that videos qualify as content, so they can help with your SEO and Google rankings in the same way a blog post can. Still not convinced video is right for your business? Here are four reasons to consider incorporating video into your 2018 marketing plan.
1. Videos Allow You to Showcase Your Personality
Video is a great way to introduce your brand to potential customers and offer a behind-the-scenes peek into your business. One of the best uses of video for business is through customer testimonials. Social Fresh reports that testimonials have the highest effectiveness rating for content marketing at 89%. Videos can also humanize the buying experience, enabling you to connect to your audience by showcasing your company’s personality through its employees and culture, aspects that can help you stand out from the competition. According to Video Brewery, 64% of people who visit a business’s website are likely to buy their product after watching a video.
2. Videos Encourage Social Engagement and Retention
According to the Content Marketing Institute, audiences are 10 times more likely to engage, embed, share and comment on video content than blogs or related social content. And in today’s world of instant gratification, video content is the quickest and easiest to consume. While great written content is invaluable, not everyone is going to have the time or desire to read through an entire blog post, but most people will take the time to watch a video. WordStream reports that if both text and video are available on the same topic, 59% of people are more likely to choose video. And according to HubSpot, 55% of people consume videos thoroughly — the highest amount of all types of content.
3. Videos Boost Your Google Ranking
The ultimate goal of digital marketing in any form is to increase the likelihood that customers are able to find your business and turn into leads. We use content and social media to help boost SEO, which directly affects where you show up in search engine results. So while videos may entice a visitor once they’ve found you, it’s important to know how to use video to get them to your site in the first place. If you’re struggling to increase your Google ranking, let this statistic sink in: Businesses are 53 times more likely to show up first on Google if they have a video embedded on their website. But simply uploading a video isn’t enough to land you at the top of the results, you must also incorporate SEO best practices to get there. Be sure to write interesting and effective titles and descriptions, and give customers a way to take the next step by including calls to action.
4. Videos Increase ROI
What’s the point of dedicating time and money to digital marketing strategies if you don’t receive a good return on investment (ROI)? There’s reason to be optimistic about how video can positively affect your ROI: 51% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI, and marketers who use video have reported growing revenue 49% faster than non-video users. If your business produces products, you have an even greater chance to improve ROI by incorporating video. Studies show that 74% of users who watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service subsequently bought it.
Even though small businesses aren’t using video as a stepping stone to the bright lights of Hollywood, the rewards can be just as sweet. Video opens the door to increased exposure in the form of boosted Google rankings, more effective SEO and, ultimately, the ability to convert more leads and grow your business.
