As Fred R. Barnard wrote, a picture is worth a thousand words. With this being the case, you can only imagine how much a video could say concerning your business. In the 21st century, or 2024, to be specific, there has been a decrease in human attention span. Whatever you create must be great and captivating, lest a viewer skip to the next available video online.

Video content can effectively pass a message, evoke emotions, and leave a long-lasting impact. It is a powerful tool that your business must harness and take advantage of. Here is everything you need to know about video marketing.

5 Latest Video Marketing Trends

With technological advancements and consumer preference shifts, you must stay knowledgeable about emerging video marketing trends. From the rise of live streaming to the power of personalized video content, let's explore the five latest video marketing trends in 2024. Read on!

1. Short-Form Videos

Popularized by platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok, these short-form videos have become a great way to capture viewers' attention. On these platforms, you can make videos as short as 3 seconds and as long as 10 minutes. To deliver concise messages and tips, your videos must utilize quick cuts, snappy editing, and catchy music. Besides being entertaining, short-form videos are ultimately impactful with their bite-sized formats.

2. Live Streaming

Live streaming enables your business to connect with your audience in real-time. It is an immediate and authentic communication format for product launches, interviews, webinars, live events, or even offering your viewers behind-the-scenes glimpses. During this time, your viewers can participate via real-time comments, likes, and shares.

3. Social Media Stories

While Snapchat pioneered stories, they are now popular on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and TikTok. Social media stories are short-lived, temporary posts that disappear after 24 hours. This temporary nature of the stories creates a sense of exclusivity and urgency, thus encouraging viewers to stay connected with your brand.

As a business owner, you can leverage social media stories to share product updates and special offers or engage in real-time conversations with your audience. Use interactive features such as polls, swipe-up links, and stickers.

4. Animated Explainer Videos

Animated explainer videos aim to explain something. It could be a product, a concept, or a service. They use animations, motion graphics, and storytelling techniques to simplify and convey complex information. The best thing about these explainer videos is that they are captivating, and you can use them on your social media, landing pages, websites, and even in presentations.

With animated explainer videos, you can be sure to combine the power of visuals, narration, and storytelling. They help keep the viewer glued to their screen while getting educated or enlightened on your products and services.

5. Personalized Video Content

As the term suggests, the videos are personalized to the clients' needs and details. You can insert the viewer's name and personalize recommendations depending on their preferences or shopping history.

For instance, if a client has been searching for watches on your website, the best video would revolve around the brands they sought. Not only does this create a stronger connection with viewers, but it also increases the chances of conversions.

Popular Video Platforms You Can Use

In recent research, over 86% of businesses use video marketing for their products and services. This is a huge spike of nearly 23% compared to five years ago. In separate research by Wyzowl in 2022, close to 98% of the businesses using video marketing said that they will continue to use it in the coming years.

As such, any business not using the feature is hugely missing out. But what video platforms can you begin with? Here are a few options, along with the number of users you can reach. This is as per a report done by Wyzowl in 2023.

• YouTube: 90%
• Facebook: 86%
• LinkedIn: 79%
• Instagram: 79%
• Webinar: 60%
• Twitter: 54%
• TikTok: 35%
• Interactive Video: 31%
• 360 Video: 17%
• 3D Video/AR: 15%
• Snapchat: 13%
• Virtual Reality (VR): 13%

As you can see, the demand for video content is gradually rising as more users show this preference. We have seen it increase in viewership for video platforms such as Facebook Reels, YouTube Shorts, and even TikTok.

While you may be caught up in creating video content to stay up-to-date with the changes, you must also look for the right video marketing strategy for your business. This helps you create more brand awareness and convert more leads into sales.

How to Create Compelling and Engaging Video Content

Now that you know the power of video content for video marketing, how can you make the most of the experience? Well, the first step is creating compelling and engaging video content. Here are a few tips for crafting an impactful video for your business.

Focus on the First Few Seconds

The first 3 to 5 seconds of your video are crucial. They will determine whether viewers will continue watching your videos or scroll to the next one. As mentioned above, the attention span in the digital environment has drastically decreased. As such, you have very little time to impress your viewers.

To get their attention, use visually striking imagery, thumbnails, and compelling questions to keep them glued to your video.

Tell a Story and Be Funny

Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in video marketing. It helps to create an emotional connection with your target audience. When you craft a narrative that resonates with your viewers, you can easily evoke emotions, inspire action, and build brand loyalty.

Additionally, besides telling a story in your video, you must incorporate humor to make it enjoyable and memorable. A viewer is likely to remember your video content if it has funny and light-hearted moments. They might even share it on their socials and with their friends. This not only leaves a positive impression but also makes your brand more relatable.

Ensure Mobile-Friendliness

According to research by Hootsuite, mobile video consumption doubles every year. Today, more than 6 billion people worldwide play their videos on mobile devices. Further research illustrates that a person watches an average of 17 hours of online video content weekly. This translates to 84 minutes every day.

Following the above research and statistics, you cannot risk not having mobile-friendly videos. Mobile-friendliness includes various aspects to ensure video viewing is ideal for vertical interfaces. When you prioritize mobile-friendly video content, you get to cater to the preferences of your target audience, thus allowing a seamless viewing experience.

Show Your Brand Personality

Does your business brand have a personality? You need to identify it so you can infuse it into your video content. It helps users differentiate your content and build a strong brand identity. For example, if your personality is expressed through the tone of voice or visual style, a video user can tell your content even before they see your brand logo.

Additionally, ensure you use consistent colors, fonts, and visual elements to resonate with your brand's identity. This enhances your brand's awareness as clients get to connect with you deeper.

Incorporate User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful way to engage your audience and foster a sense of community. Encourage your customers or followers to create and submit videos related to your brand. UGC can include testimonials, product reviews, creative content, or customer experiences.

Besides showcasing social proof, sharing UGC in your videos builds trust and authenticity. It also allows your audience to see themselves as an active part of your brand's story. At BusySeed, we can help you do just that!

Don't Forget Captions

Now that your video is ready, you must include captions to ensure accessibility and enhance the viewing experience. Whether it is due to being in a public place or personal preferences, most viewers watch videos without sound. Adding captions makes your video content inclusive and accessible to a wider audience.

Besides accessibility, captions also enhance comprehension, especially for viewers who are non-native speakers or those with hearing impairments. While tools for automated captioning features are available, you can always contact digital marketing agencies such as BusySeed to help you achieve accuracy and precision.

Add Some Music

We can never underestimate the power of music, even in the regular world. It plays a significant role in enhancing the viewers' mood and can impact your video content. It will evoke emotions, create a memorable atmosphere, and reinforce your brand message.

When selecting music tracks that align with your video's tone and purpose, depending on your content, you can also go for trending music as long as it evokes the desired emotional response. You must have all the rights and licenses for the selected music tracks.

Use Calls-to-Action

Often known as CTAs, call-to-action prompts are crucial for guiding viewers toward the desired action after the video. CTAs differ depending on the video marketing platform. For instance, while on a YouTube video, you can encourage them to subscribe to your channel, like, comment, and share. While on Facebook, you can include a prompt to follow your social media accounts, engage with you, or even make a purchase.

The best thing about calls-to-action prompts is that they can be whatever you want. You only need to use concise and actionable language alongside visual cues. They should be able to find the CTAs on your video or website.

Get in Touch with Us Today

Are you ready to take your video content to the next level? We've got you covered. BusySeed is one of the top digital marketing agencies in the U.S., and we have been able to help more than 200 businesses achieve their marketing goals and needs. We have over 70 years of combined experience and pride ourselves on offering personalized services for your business. Contact us today and let us take your business to the next level.