Everyone knows that video is the perfect storm consuming social media attention in 2017. And there’s no reason to expect its demise. It follows a familiar pattern that social media users have witnessed as networks and the internet have grown more powerful. Back in 2016, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg summarized how video has risen to the top of social popularity in a Facebook Live Q & A session:
“If you go back to the internet ten years ago, most of what we shared online was text – the internet was very slow, it was very hard to get visual media, so most of what we were doing was text. […] And now, as our internet and networks are getting better, we can start to support more video – we can upload videos, we can do this live like we’re doing here, and that is making this experience richer and richer and you’re getting a better sense of what people are experiencing and feeling, which is really powerful.”
This has been the logical evolution of how content is shared: text, then photos, now video. Any who among us doesn’t love the ability to share our experiences, to show others the world as we see it, to capture the moment in order to either re-visit it ourselves or connect with friends and family? Therefore, leveraging that in your marketing and outreach efforts is a sound strategy. Consumer expectations advance along with technology. After all, why read the book when you can see the movie?
Facebook and Video
Research has verified beyond dispute that video is popular among consumers and generates vastly more reach on Facebook, the world’s biggest social network. In order to measure which content is performing best on the platform, BuzzSumo analyzed 25 million Facebook posts published by the top 10,000 publishers in 2016. Their primary finding? Video content is driving significantly higher shares over time. Their report states:
“Average shares [of video content] have more than doubled since last August. This may be due to Facebook’s focus on video, the auto-playing of videos and similar factors but whatever the reason the data is quite clear.”
This was in comparison to link posts and photos, which both showed a downward trend. In fact, BuzzSumo found that the top 10,000 sharers of video had more than doubled their Facebook video output in the previous year.
Facebook Live
In a different report on a smaller scale, journalism group Poynter shared that their Facebook Live videos generated much more reach than their regular Facebook posts. They state:
“…our top Live video reached more than 6,000 users for every engagement while our top article post only reached 36. That’s an astonishing disparity.”
Video Content in Marketing
As demonstrated by every conceivable form of measurement, video is dominating the online marketing world. It will continue to grow and even flourish, and marketers must realize the importance of including video content as a significant portion of their marketing mix. The above cited research, as well as many other studies, reveal some strong reasons for adding video to your marketing strategy.
Video is Engaging
As far back as 2013, the Content Marketing Institute reported that users are “ten times more likely to engage with, comment on and/or share video content than blog posts or social media updates.” Moreover, many studies since have shown that video is shared more often than any other type of online content. And, more important than just sharing, video produces engagement that brings conversions. Some data reveals that consumers who view a product video are almost two times as likely to buy the product as non-viewers.
Video Leaves a Strong Impression
Humans are more visually oriented by nature. The brain processes visual data 60,000 times quicker than simple text. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how much more effective is video? Because video is the optimal medium for data consumption, it creates a stronger emotional connection with viewers. Leveraging this powerful aspect of video in your marketing means that you can generate an emotional connection with your audience. This is important in leading viewers toward the actions you wish them to take: sharing, purchasing, and more.
Video is Mobile-Friendly
The world has gone mobile, now more than ever before. The overwhelming majority of social media users are consuming video content on mobile devices. To reach a broader audience that continues to rapidly expand, it is imperative to add mobile-friendly video content to your marketing efforts. Video fits the on-demand nature of mobile viewing and is quick and convenient for users. Coupled with mobile-optimized purchasing options, it makes a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal.
Video Ranks Well in Searches
The popularity of video carries over into how they are ranked in search engines. It’s easier to rank a video in Google by targeting certain keywords with your content marketing efforts. Since Google owns YouTube it’s not uncommon for them to rank relevant YouTube videos in their search results. By optimizing your videos for organic search and including relevant keywords in your titles and descriptions, they will jump quickly in search rankings.
Video is an indispensable component of any marketing strategy. Investing the necessary time and resources in this engaging medium will go far toward expanding your reach, boosting conversions, and helping your brand. How do you plan to use video in your solopreneur marketing strategy? Share your tips and suggestions in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!