It’s September already! Before we know it, 2017 will be here. So, let’s prepare with 10 video marketing trends to look out for in 2017
Video marketing is a fast moving industry. To stay at the top of the game, you need to make sure you’re one step ahead of the competition. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of trends to look out for in 2017!
Let’s see what we’ve got…
1. Increase in Facebook Video
This should come as no surprise. Daily views on Facebook have increased from 1 billion to 8 billion in the past year. Meanwhile, text posts are declining all the time.
Facebook has heavily invested in video in recent years, with their most recent video feature, Facebook Live, launching just a few months ago. If Facebook continues as an innovator in the video marketing industry, then we predict that next year there will be an even bigger increase in people uploading, sharing, and discovering videos on Facebook.
2. More Live Video
As touched upon above, Facebook recently introduced live video and the reception has been very positive. Brands and consumers alike have been using Facebook Live to better interact with their followers.
Similarly, Twitter connected with Periscope at the beginning of this year to allow users to embed live broadcasts directly into tweets, offering broadcasters a window to a massive new audience.
Twitter users are big on video, with 82% of users agreeing that they watch videos on a regular basis. Live video creates a new opportunity for marketers because viewers feel a sense of urgency knowing that they won’t be able to view the content in real time again. It’s this ‘limited’ nature of live video that will increase the popularity of the platform and make it a feature to look out for in 2017.
3. Video Resources for Sales Teams
Video marketing is effective for one simple reason: consumers like to watch videos! Watching a video is an easy way to digest information; and (especially with live and 360 degree videos) it’s almost as good as seeing the product you’re looking to purchase in person.
For this reason, we predict that sales teams will require more and more video resources in 2017.
Not sure?
The statistics speak for themselves!
According to recent studies by Wyzowl, only 4% of people prefer to learn about a new product or service by reading a manual, just 5% prefer speaking to someone on the phone, and a huge 44% prefer to watch a video.
4. Multi-Channel Marketing
Gone are the days where a brand would create a video, upload it to YouTube, dust off their hands, and get back to other marketing tasks.
More recently, social media channels have become the best place to share videos and gain exposure for your brand. This trend is expected to grow in 2017.
Most consumers are watching videos on different devices and different social media platforms; and, where consumers venture, brands must follow.
5. Increase in Video Apps
The only thing “Generation Z” (13 — 24 year olds) loves more than apps is visual content. Combine the two and you make your brand accessible to the new generation of consumers.
These apps are at the top of a Generation Z “must-have” list. 10 billion videos are watched on Snapchat everyday, and Instagram is becoming more and more focused on video all the time.
Instagram has recently launched a new feature called Instagram stories, which is very similar to Snapchat stories, allowing users to share short videos with their followers.
6. The Era of “Infotainment”
No, that’s not a typo. Infotainment is almost like a new genre of marketing videos. As the name suggests, it is the amalgamation of ‘informative’ videos and ‘entertainment’ videos. One without the other just won’t be good enough in the future. Consumers need to digest the information you are presenting them with, but also be entertained at the same time. Without entertainment, users will click away from your video and forget all about you.
Take a look at this video from Huffington Post for an example of infotainment:
7. VR will become “The Norm”
Virtual Reality has caused quite a disruption in the video world this year, and that looks only set to continue into 2017. VR headsets are becoming more accessible and marketers are taking advantage of the immersive environment to gain the full attention of viewers.
At the moment, VR videos are still a gimmick, a “nice-to-have”. In 2017, we predict VR videos will become more like a “must-have”.
8. Email & Video will Team Up
On the surface, emails and videos seem like marketing enemies and some brands treat them that way, but actually, email and video have the potential to make a great team. Video allows you to keep your emails short and get your message across, in turn, email is a great way to get your video in front of a lot of relevant viewers (the people on your mailing list).
In 2017, more and more brands will rely less on text-heavy content in their emails, and more on engaging videos.
9. Increase in Relevancy and Micro-Targeting
Advertising platforms are becoming more and more intelligent, and this is only set to continue in the future.
In 2017, users will almost expect all of their content to be relevant and targeted. If it isn’t, then they simply won’t be interested.
10. Video & Web Design will Team Up
As we’ve mentioned many times throughout this article, it’s great to post your videos in different places. However, having video content on your website is also important.
In 2017, we predict that more marketers will be finding ways to integrate video into their web design, like AnswerThePublic.
As the video is already playing when you land on the website, it encourages users to stay, which reduces bounce rate and improves SEO!
Final Thoughts
So, it looks like 2017 is going to be yet another exciting year for video marketing! Inevitably, there are going to be changes, but video will still be as prominent as ever in the marketing world. If not, more so!
What do you think of our predictions?