When it comes to digital marketing and keeping abreast of the competition, it’s essential to embrace new trends as and when they appear. The world of marketing is no place for hesitant types and is in a constant state of flux. Just as soon as you think you’ve got your company blog nailed or your Instagram game on point, the landscape will shift again and you’ll need to throw your energies in a new direction. And the direction that our compass is pointing in at the moment is video marketing.
It might feel a bit like the world and his wife have been talking about video marketing for years. But unlike many trends, which have burned brightly then burned out, this medium has steadily gained traction and grown exponentially in popularity to the point that Hubspot projects that it will claim more than 80% of all web traffic by 2019.
If that impressive stat isn’t enough to turn your head, consider the fact that YouTube revealed video consumption grows by 100% every year and that Forbes reported a third of all the time people spend online is dedicated to watching videos.
But aside from the assurance that video is in vogue right now, the savvy marketer is likely to be wondering just how effective it might be when put to use as a marketing tool. Answer: very useful indeed.
The aforementioned Forbes article found that simply adding a video to your marketing emails can boost click-through rates by 200-300% whilst embedding a stylish little movie in your landing pages can nudge conversion rates up by 80%.
The crux of the matter is that audiences are keen to watch video – both B2B and B2C audiences. Forbes found that 59% of company decision makers would rather watch a video than glean information from a written article or post, and 
64% of consumers are more likely to buy a product after a watching a video about it. And as any smart brand knows: to get ahead in content marketing, you have to deliver what your audience wants.
Reasons to try your hand at video
1. Your brand will stick in their minds
If you’re looking to give your brand profile a boost, look no further than video. Hubspot found that a significant 80% of consumers are able to recall a video they’ve watched in the last month – probably due to the fact that video offers a visual and auditory experience. Whilst this might sound like I’m suggesting you assault the senses of your audience, video actually proves itself memorable in a subtle way. By ensuring you keep all colours, logos, fonts and scripts in line with your branding across the board, you will find that people who watch your creations won’t just remember an engaging video, they’ll remember the brand who brought it to them too.
2. It will help drive traffic to your site
Brands that are looking to drive more traffic in their website’s direction might find that video can help them achieve their goal. Hubspot found that 65% of business decision-makers will visit a website after viewing a branded video whilst 39% would contact a vendor after viewing said video. Sneaking a few video titbits into your landing pages, blogs and website can ramp up your company’s SEO value and boost click-through rates as a result.
3. It will extend your reach
There’s no doubt about it, people love to share a good video! In fact, Hubspot found that 92% of people who regularly consume video share them with their network. That’s a huge proportion of people willing to spread your brand message, providing you get your video content right. Video’s inherently viral nature makes it a powerful tool for reaching and engaging with wider audiences online. Plus, when you take into account that video content is a perfect fit for an array of devices from PCs to smartphones, you can rest assured that your audience have the opportunity to view and share from wherever and whenever they choose.
For help perfecting your video content, drop us a line at M2 Bespoke.