Video and digital marketing are a dynamic duo, like pen and paper or Batman and Robin. Both sides complement each other and can create a work of art, or make the world a better place.

Any form of videos (i.e. demo videos, video ads, how-to videos, explainer videos, etc.) can be a versatile marketing tool. Videos can increase purchases, establish brand awareness, and widen a business’ customer reach, to name a few of the many benefits.

As a bonus, videos are also entertaining.  Video content grabs people’s attention more than other media, and it often elicits emotional connection, thus helping to drive more engagement.

So if you have not considered making videos for your brand, now is the time. Below are four reasons why video marketing is worth the investment.

Why Is Video Content Important

1. Demand for Online Video Is Increasing

Did you know that people are switching to online videos? According to Think with Google, 6 out of 10 people prefer online video platforms over live TV.

The Internet and today’s multi-platform world played a vital role in this big transition. People watch less television because they have their phones, desktops, and other devices to use not only for streaming but for social networking as well.

Videos are driving dramatic growth on social media. Facebook, the world’s most popular social network, sees 100 million hours of Facebook video views each day from billions of users.

And that’s not all: the demand for online video is growing exponentially.

• Users view more than 1 billion hours of video each day on YouTube. (YouTube)
• 75% of all video plays are on mobile devices. (eMarketer)
• 92% of users watching video on mobile will share it with others. (Wordstream)
• On average, people spend 2.6x more time on pages with video than those without. (Wistia)

2. Video Content Boosts Customer Engagement

Video is the most engaging type of content. It brings together auditory and visual experiences and incorporates all content formats such as text, music, photographs, and links.

The movement, text, and sound in videos influence the message delivery. Contrarily, the static text is limited to only a specific choice of words, punctuation, and visual cues (i.e. emojis) to convey a message.

Since videos can include all content types, they can make information more digestible and easier to understand.

Video content has also helped marketers share their brands’ stories and maximize engagement across social media platforms.

In a 2017 Invisia research, it was found that 82% of Twitter users watch video content. This means more audiences prefer watching lengthy videos than reading 120-character microblogs.

Meanwhile, Instagram video posts get more engagement than other post types. The Instagram Engagement Report showed that video posts generate an average of 150 comments compared to image posts with only an average of 65 comments.

3. High-Quality Video & Content Builds Better Brand Authority

A high-quality, informative, and visually-appealing videos help brands to attract more eyeballs and also allows them to build better brand authority.

Videos can create a meaningful experience for the audience. As a result, they are more likely to create a connection that helps “humanize” any brand.

If a brand successfully pulls consumer’s heartstrings, it can easily capture and hold the attention of its audience. This can result in stronger brand authority and a better brand image.

This is why brands should create visual content and integrate it into their digital marketing campaigns. Doing so guarantees them more shares, likes, and mentions on social media and gives them a satisfactory return on investment.

4. Compelling Videos Drive More Search Traffic to Your Website

Customer engagement has a direct link to increased website traffic. If users do not visit sites often, chances are those sites’ places in the search engine results would drop.

Conversely, websites that have low bounce rates, high click-through rates, and several post shares can double their search traffic. This is where compelling video content comes in handy.

Unlike text-based content, videos can foster engagement because they are generally more entertaining. They entice site visitors to stay longer on a page, drive audiences to share on social media, and most importantly—encourage them to take profitable actions.

When any of these things happen, businesses can get their name, website, products out on the Internet and improve on their SEO (search engine optimization) ranking to increase their digital visibility.

Here are a few statistics that show how videos have an immense impact on SEO rankings:

• Online videos will account for 82% of all internet traffic by 2022. (Cisco)
• Video drives a 157% increase in organic traffic from SERPs. (Wyzowl)
• Landing pages with a video on them are 53% more likely to show up on a SERP. (Wyzowl)
• Blog posts incorporating video attract 3x as many inbound links as blog posts without video. (Moz)

How Do I Make Good Video Content

To make sure you reap the above benefits, you must first learn how to create good video content. We have listed three video marketing best practices to help you get started.

1. Edit for Engagement

Engagement normally includes several factors, like people commenting, liking, sharing, and adding to cart.

It is important to build engagement, regardless of what video type you created. Here are a few principles that you can use to boost video engagement:

• Keep your videos short. A 2-minute video can get the most engagement, so keep the video content concise, informative, and entertaining.
• Make quick transitions. People have short attention spans. Cover all the key points in 2 minutes or less.
• Use effects and graphics. Use appealing visuals and appropriate animations to make your video more engaging.
• Add a call-to-action (CTA). Always include a CTA. Be clear about what you want viewers to do. Examples of CTA are join the conversion, enter to win, fill out the form, ask a question, and more.
• Avoid sounding irritating or salesy. No one goes on YouTube to see a sales pitch. Make the video appear and sound like sharing a story. After all, videos are effective visual storytelling tools.

2. Make it Search Engine-Friendly

Videos must be optimized for SEO to give them a higher chance of ranking. While optimizing your video depends on the platform, here are some ways to increase the odds of people discovering your video:

• Find popular keywords. Ensure you are targeting keywords that people are actually searching for. Mention your focus keyword on the title and description of your video.
• Insert a video transcript. Adding indexable texts allows your page to rank for more queries.
• Choose a strong thumbnail. Research found that videos with custom human thumbnails receive a 30% higher play rate than those without.
• Upload only in high resolution. A Backlinko study found that HD videos tend to appear more frequently on the first page of YouTube search results.

3. Optimize for Mobile Devices

According to Think with Google research, 40% of audiences access YouTube videos through their smartphones. The study also reported that 98% of 18-34-year-olds watch video content using their smartphones.

Given that videos are mostly streamed through small-screened devices, it is crucial to optimize for mobile devices as well. Below are some ways to make your video content mobile-friendly:

• Aspect ratio is key. Ensure the video fills as much of the screen as possible. For Facebook, a 4:5 ratio is ideal for feed placements, while a 9:16 ratio works best for stories placements. Check out the recommended aspect ratios for different placements here.
• Consider typography and captions. Add captions or dynamic text since not everyone on mobile browsers with their sound on.
• Add branding to your videos. Show your logo at both the beginning and the end of the video. Your logo must also be visible, even in thumbnails.

Final Thoughts

Video content production takes great planning and coordination between various teams.

You will need experienced creative directors to come up with your brand messages, lighting professionals to illuminate the video aspects you need, and a good post-production team to ensure high-quality videos.

Most importantly, you need the help of a digital marketing agency to distribute your videos online and increase your online presence.

At 2Stallions, we not only help our clients determine the right distribution channels but we can also provide fresh ideas and visual concepts to engage your audience and keep them coming back for more.

Revolutionize your online presence with 2Stallions, the top-notch content marketing firm! Unlock the power of content marketing to elevate your brand’s visibility to new heights. Don’t miss out on the chance to partner with us today and dominate your market!