By ICX Media - May 02, 2018

The growth of video in 2018

Video is everywhere; from social media to websites to advertisements, you can hardly go a minute without encountering a video of some sort. In a world that is more and more receptive to video content, it’s only natural that video marketing is piquing the interest of businesses and brands across the globe. Video is an incredible medium that can quickly tell a story and represent a business more effectively than an image or text.

Since video marketing is on the upswing, we’ve rounded up the top seven video marketing trends to watch in 2018. Take note and consider applying them to your business’s marketing strategy to make the most of your video investment.

Top 7 Video Marketing Trends for 2018

1. Companies are going video-first

As video has proven to be a highly engaging and converting medium, it’s no wonder marketing strategies are moving to a video-first model. In essence, video-first means video is the prioritized type of content produced by a business. In 2018, brands are pivoting from text or graphics into the world of video because "videos are processed 60,000 times faster than text,” says Liraz Margalit, Web Psychologist at Clicktale. What’s more is 79% of consumers prefer watching a video to reading about a product, according to a survey by Wyzowl. If 80% of your target audience wants video, it’s about time to make your marketing strategy video-first.

2. Live video reigns supreme

This probably comes as no surprise, but live video (or live streaming video) content is in demand in 2018. Nearly every social media channel has integrated live video into its platform and for good reason: people love it! LiveStream research found that 80% of brand audiences would rather watch live video from a brand than read a blog, and 82% prefer live video from a brand to social posts. That’s because live video attracts a captive audience. The ‘live’ element creates a sense of urgency and, as a result, live videos have staggeringly high engagement rates. Live videos hit the right chord with compelling content, which is what people want to watch and interact with in real-time. With annual growth of 113%, live video is where businesses should invest their resources in 2018.

3. Square-shaped videos

Much like websites need to be optimized for mobile, so does video. eMarketer projects that in 2018, over 78% of video content will be consumed on mobile devices, meaning if your video is not formatted for smartphones and tablets, you’re likely to lose your audience, views, and conversions. Moving to square-shaped videos instead of rectangular videos is what’s required to compete in the video marketing space of 2018. Square-shaped videos fit all screen types and ensure your video renders in the best way possible. There’s nothing worse than loading a video and it is skewed, stretched, or worse, unwatchable. This shift to square-shaped videos allows businesses to publish content that works no matter the device.

4. Video as part of the sales funnel

Video is no longer reserved just for anecdotal or social media engagement but is a true player in the sales conversion funnel. Video now plays an imperative role at every stage of the sales funnel, from top to bottom, and creating video content that matches each step of a customer’s journey leads to higher conversions. Explainer videos are great top of the funnel video content as they build awareness and understanding, while how-to videos or videos that address customer concerns prior to purchase are best for bottom of the funnel and sealing the sales deal.

5. Video as an e-learning tool

As mentioned above, video marketing’s purpose goes well beyond eliciting a reaction from the viewer, and in 2018, videos are being used as a learning mechanism by businesses. Brands have products or services they want certain demographics to be aware of and understand; this is where video comes in. No longer are consumers forced to read lengthy product descriptions or sift through web pages to learn about a company. Videos can tell the story of individual product offerings and bring to life the value of each service.

An effective way to push this content to your customers is by publishing explainer videos on LinkedIn or other platforms where your target audience is most active. This is not about the number of likes a video receives, but about transferring knowledge about your business through a 2-minute (or less) video. This triggers the awareness part of the sales funnel and establishes business credibility.

6. 360-degree videos get the clicks

Consumers love live video because it gives them a behind-the-scenes view of a brand, and 360-degree videos take that engagement to the next level. With 360-degree videos, consumers experience a business in a totally new way and make them feel part of the story. Not only does 360-video get more clicks (4.51% compared to 0.56% for traditional video), but it also generates 41% more shares and subscribers. 360-videos are the compelling content specific audiences want, and when done well, they yield serious ROI for those businesses.

7. User-generated content as part of a video marketing strategy

Why reinvent the wheel when you don’t have to? That’s what consumer-generated content is all about. Each day people upload video content to social media that is connected to a brand. To build a sense of community and unofficial brand ambassadors for your business, use your consumers’ content to share authentic experiences with your company. Whether it is using a designated hashtag or simply asking for the right to repost someone’s video, these genuine endorsements go a long way toward building brand equity and driving sales.

With these seven video marketing trends at your disposal, it’s time to put them into action. Add one or all of the trends to your marketing strategy to remain competitive in your industry. Video marketing is here to stay and for businesses that want to remain ahead of the pack, adopting the latest trends and best practices is the only way to thrive.