How Video has changed the marketing game – but are you in on the secret?
The fact that today’s digital landscape is cluttered with content vying for consumer attention has had some marketing professionals worried. The sheer volume of content makes it an ongoing battle to land the message with the target audience.
Although this is not a new phenomenon the difference now is that there are more channels, more content, and more ways to communicate with consumers than ever before. The role of modern-day marketing professionals is to find a way to break through the noise, get noticed, and engage their target market from the get-go!
Through the years, since the explosion of digital technology, research on the influence of various marketing channels on consumer behaviour consistently mentioned video as an effective marketing tool and with most social media platforms encouraging more video formats to help improve the reach and engagement of a brand, the road is paved for video to become an essential part of all marketer’s content plans going forward.
Power of video is undeniable
In one study, it was revealed that 93% of consumers said video is helpful when purchasing a product and that video was their #1 favourite type of content from brands on social media.
Another study mentioned that 62% of consumers watch consumer tech videos on YouTube. Moreover, ‘how-to’ video content was found to be nine times more important than videos posted by celebrities or influencers to shoppers. How-to videos took the lion’s share (52%) of the most-watched consumer tech videos, followed by product reviews (26%), and unboxing videos (25%), while consumer electronic shows only received 9% of video views.
This means that tech consumers watch more than one type of video content, but more of them watch how-to videos to guide them in making buying choices.
Now, you may say, this data is more relevant to companies producing tech products – so what are you on about?
What this data teaches us, in general, is that the effect of video on consumer buying decisions is undeniable and that video as a communication channel needs to be further explored.
Not just any kind of video, though…
Today’s consumers are highly discerning. They no longer care for obvious marketing tactics that push them to buy or avail of products and services. And, as mentioned above, celebrity influence has already begun to wane – mainly due to common knowledge that influencers make money off of their product endorsements.
In the same study, 90 percent of consumers said that the most important deciding factor in their support of certain brands is authenticity. Among the marketers covered in the study, 83 percent said that authenticity is very important to the brands they represent, whilst 61 percent said they believe authenticity to be the most essential element of impactful content.
So what’s next?
Ad-exhausted consumers today want authentic content which resonates with their experiences, wants and needs. What companies need to do is support their high-quality products and tap into the power of high-quality video content that drives buying decisions.
If you have questions on how to use video to effectively market your brand you may want to speak to us at The Post Co. to help land your message with the right target audience.