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Video is scorching hot. There’s been an explosion in platforms catering to this medium. YouTube’s not alone in the game anymore: there’s Facebook Watch, IGTV (Instagram TV), DailyMotion, Vimeo… the list goes on and on. These platforms give brands the opportunity to reach out and grab their audience’s attention. If you are not using video in marketing, starting is the perfect New Year’s resolution.

Why You Need to Develop a Video Marketing Strategy

Just in case you need some more convincing that video is worth your time and effort:

• By 2021, Cisco estimates that 80% of all internet traffic will be video.

• 90% of customers say video helps them make purchase decisions.

• 64% say that video makes them more likely to buy.

• Video marketers see 66% more qualified leads each year.

More video marketing stats here.

In 2019, the following Video trends will influence results:

• Live Video. Live streaming via platforms like Facebook and Instagram is exceptionally popular - and powerful. This technique boosts audience engagement, and it keeps their eyes on the video longer than recorded options. Whether you do a live stream from a product launch, a Q&A with an authority in your company, or a webinar to educate consumers about your product/service or to address their challenges, try to go live in 2019.

• Personalized video. As more consumers tune out (they’re continually bombarded with ads!), personalized and individualized video is becoming more important. Vidyard did this for its holiday campaign, which was designed to show customer appreciation. It’s all about Matt. Individual viewers saw their own name in the video; what better way to make a customer feel special? And you can pull names from your automation platform. It’s not difficult or time-consuming. It is, however, effective.

• Searchable video. AI is in the game. This technology can transcribe audio tracks to make video searchable. Closed captions help too, as does Google’s recent announcement that video previews would appear in search results. Optimize your videos with rich keywords so the right people can find them easily.

• 360°. This gives viewers the chance to control their perspective and interact with video on a more personal level. They’ll feel like they’re right there with you! Think about it: if you’re a travel company or you’re highlight the beautiful South Florida landscape, what better way to fully immerse viewers than with 360° video?

• Going square. Horizontal, widescreen video is ceding to vertical - which is easy to implement by creating square video. You see it all Instagram, and it makes sense. The average person watches 45 minutes of mobile videos every day; square formatting allows viewers to engage across devices.

Ready to start using video in marketing - or boost your results with more effective strategies? Let us know. We’re all about the “Lights, Camera, Action”!