Feb 12, 2016

Video is the Future Of Digital Marketing, by Gerry Moran

Lights! Camera! Conversion!

My great-grandmother Michaelena always told me — ‘you ought to be pictures’. She was right — but instead of movies, it’s. . . video.

More and more consumers begin their buying journey with content. That’s great! Except that our attention span is getting shorter: Microsoft reported in a 2015 study that humans have an 8-second attention span, less than a goldfish, who has a 9-second span. That means video — the medium that combines visuals and movement — will probably be the winning content bait to hook and catch your customer.

This content is the critical door into the content marketing world of your customers, influencers, and social media tribe — since it’s where the consumption trends and short-term differentiation sit. Brands who understand the potential impact of video can build solutions for the big content equations — finding a way to connect with their customers and differentiate from their competitors.

Survey Says. . .

Research backs this up.

74% of Internet traffic next year will be video. That means formats like Snapchat, Instagram, Vine and others will be must-view and must-produce content. (Source: SalesForce, 2015)
Videos drive purchases. 64 percent of consumers are more likely to buy a product after watching a video about it — suggesting you can monetize your content marketing investment. (Source: Adelie Studios, 2015)
Websites with video are stickier. The average internet user spends 88 percent more time on a website with video than without — indicating that it can help drive the attention span around your brand. (Source: Adelie Studios, 2015)
Video is still new. Only 24 percent of brands are it to market to consumers — shining the light on a potential to increase your market share. (Source: Adelie Studios, 2015)

So, how do you actually use video to rock your content marketing?

1. Tell your story with video. Do you create it because it’s a cool thing to do — because of a big event, popular trend, and it’s what you supposed to do? Or, do you tie your video creation to your overall business narrative or messaging house — so it supports your overall story?

2. Develop a video content creation strategy. Do you create content in a silo with your agency or social media marketing department? Or, do you think about your ‘big content’ strategy — variations of 6-second Vines, Instagram segments, animated GIFs ahead of time?

3. Create a content distribution strategy. If you create your video and no one views it, does it exist? A solid marketing strategy needs to have an organic-first distribution plan including — Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, blogging, etc.

Now, I want to point the camera at you. Do you have a comment or feedback on video’s future in content marketing, brand building, and driving sales? If so, please comment below. Or, contact me on Twitter at @GerryMoran or LinkedIn at in/GerryMoran

A Few More Posts About Video Content

If you found this marketing post interesting, then you should check out these other related posts!

The future of content marketing is now — keeping your customers in their virtual seats and building a deeper relationship ahead of your competition. Before you pick up the camera and start to film, ask yourself the three questions I posed to help you drive big results from a big content strategy. And remember what my great grandmother told me — you ought to be in pictures.

Opinions expressed in this blog are of the author and may not represent Cognizant’s point of view.

Gerry Moran

I help people and brands with the know-how to use social media, social selling and digital marketing strategy to drive real results….