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By Mona Mangat
It’s the beginning of 2017 and if you still haven’t gotten on board the video marketing train, there’s still time.
You may have already used some form of video in your marketing strategy at some point. As the new year begins, it’s clear that 2016 was a year of revolution in video marketing and that you cannot survive without video marketing any longer.
Wyzowl released statistics for last year that reported 61% of businesses have used video as a marketing tool and 66% of these same companies never used video a mere year earlier. It’s a trend that’s progressed rapidly, and keeps growing faster than we think because:
- 75 million people in U.S. watch videos online everyday
- Embedded videos on web sites can increase traffic up to 55%
- Simply having the word “video” in the subject line of an email can increase open rates by 13%
- Nearly 40% of all videos today are watched on mobile devices
YouTube, Vine, Snapchat, Vimeo and even Facebook Live are all a daily part of consumers’ routines, since it’s a convenient and efficient way to communicate.
For those marketing to the consumer, video marketing is an attractive, versatile and extremely shareable way to reach their markets. Diode Digital’s research discovered that online video is a 600% more effective marketing tool than print and or direct mail combined. So with this new tool in your promotion toolbox, you can now invest in creating video content that is versatile and profitable.
Not convinced? Here’s a great video that illustrates why you need to incorporate videos into your strategy now, as well as nine reasons why video marketing is the only way to go.
1. Videos Convert
Videos make money. Having product videos on your home page can increase conversions by 80%. Explainer videos that give details about a product boost sales, so much so that almost 3/4 of people who watch them subsequently buy the product. So there’s no better way to sell.
2. Videos Have Awesome ROI
76% of U.S. businesses report that video provides an excellent return on their investment. Yes, video production is not the cheapest and the easiest to create, but it pays off big time. They don’t have to be slick–only the content matters when it comes to sales!
3. Videos Instill Trust
Many consumers are still scared to shop online or are skeptical about buying products and services over the internet because they don’t want to be cheated. A clear video that shows your products in a conversational format creates a direct connection, which is why 57% of consumers report that videos give them more confidence to buy online.
4. Google Ranks Videos Higher
Google loves videos and videos encourage visitors to spend more time on your site (which is also a positive ranking factor for Google). It’s simple: longer exposure creates familiarity, builds trust and tells Google that your site has good content. Moovly reports some crazy stats: You’re 53 times more likely to get on Google’s first page if you have a video embedded on your web site. Google owns YouTube, so videos will affect your ranking
5. Mobile Demands Videos
YouTube reports that mobile video consumption has risen 100% every year. People like to watch videos when they’re on the go, and since more and more people have smartphones, the audience for your video and products keeps getting larger. That also means you can reach people wherever they are.
6. Video Paints a Picture
Video can easily explain almost anything. If you’re’ launching a new product or a service, just make a video that shows how it works. 98% of users admit they’ve used an explainer video to learn more about a product or service. Almost half of companies who use video marketing have an explainer video on their homepage. 83% of those businesses say that their explainer video was effective. Talking heads are boring, so let animation bring your concepts to life. They are entertaining and endearing, and they simply work.
7. Videos Reach Even the Lazy
Video can capture a wide audience, it can teach and guide, and it is easy to consume. No one has time to read, let alone read long descriptions or rantings. People want to see the product in action and video illustrates that, so that even the laziest viewer will be reached.
8. Video is Easy to Share Socially
Social networks want people to share and they’re made so users will share video content easily with their features. Facebook has launched their feature 3600 Video, Live Video and Lifestage, which is a video-centric app geared for teenagers. Instagram has 60-Second Videos and Instagram Stories, and Twitter has Periscope. YouTube as of right now is the second most popular social network in the world. All these platforms can increase traffic to your site, and that’s invaluable.
9. Video Ads Do the Work
The average click-through rate (CTR)) for video ads is a reported 1.84%. That rate is the highest CTR of all digital ad formats out there, so that means when you advertise using video you have the highest chance to sell. For instance, a 15-second non-skippable YouTube video ad has a completion rate of 92%. For the skippable video ads, the rate is 9%. So when people watch, they connect.
Want us to evaluate your marketing strategy to determine how you can better incorporate video? Contact us today, learn more about our marketing packages or find out how we can help you create a modern, effective Inbound Marketing Game Plan.
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