How People Learned to Love Video

People don’t read anymore. At least not on the internet. With the advent of the information age, the trend for consuming content has moved towards watching, listening and scanning rather than reading.

Out of these three trends, watching video has been, and will continue to be, the most disruptive. There’s one simple reason why: it works. Really well.

Any brand looking to advance and grow its digital footprint should consider how it can use the power of video to engage with its target audience.

Here’s a rundown of stats we find interesting. If you’ve got your scuba gear ready, follow the sources for a deep dive.

Video is Popular

1. 93% of marketers use video in campaigns.
2. 500 years’ worth of YouTube videos are watched on Facebook every day.
3. 92% of B2B businesses use video in their campaigns.

For Good Reason

1. Video is 600% more effective than print and direct mail combined.
2. 70% of consumers say they’ve shared a brand’s video.
3. Two-thirds of Twitter users feel it’s worth watching videos tweeted by brands.
4. 88% more time is spent on a site with video.
5. 72% of businesses say video has improved their conversion rate.
6. 82% of marketers confirmed a positive impact from using video.

Why People Love It

Video is a super dense way of communicating. Our brains are wired to the full suite of communication—body language, eye contact, tone of voice, etc.—and video supplies all of it quicker and better than copy.

In fact, one minute of video is worth 1.8 million words.

This density of information not only makes video exponentially more engaging, but it’s also tailor-made for our modern busy world where the average attention span is 8 seconds.

Now, Some Context

These facts are leading to some big shifts in how the entire global media industry is treating content. Big companies are betting huge on the “Pivot to Video” and those who don’t follow along—in a savvy way—will be left behind.

For anyone that’s not a giant media corporation, this means that consumers:
1. Are receptive to video.
2. Are saturated with it.

What it Takes to Win

Video provides a huge advantage, but just about everyone has already picked up on this. To win, you must cut through the noise.

Here are two examples from KidGlov:

1. Give a reason to watch
People will be hooked if they see an immediate benefit for spending their time on your video. For SouthPointe Pavilions’ Back-to-School videos, we offered a $50 gift card as a prize if they liked and commented on the video.

2. Know its strengths
Play to the strengths of where your video will live — make social media videos interactive, make TV commercials engaging, and make trade show videos surprising enough to stop people in their tracks, like the video we produced for Howard Fertilizer & Chemical

Want more information? Visit our purpose-driven business hub to find a variety of case studies, helpful blog posts and Agency for Change podcast episodes featuring other purpose-driven business leaders.

KidGlov is a boutique, full-service, advertising, branding and content marketing agency and certified B Corp, with offices in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, specializing in nonprofit marketing, healthcare marketing, financial marketing, social impact marketing, and purpose-driven businesses.

Sources:
Just the Stats: The Science of Video Engagement, by Hangwon at Single Grain
19 Intriguing Video Marketing Stats (& Proving Why You Should Implement It), by Christine Austin at IMPACT
A Minute of Video Is Worth 1.8 Million Words, According to Forrester Research, from Market Wired