Social video is the buzzword of 2015 and it’s changing the way brands reach their target audience online.
Brands and marketers have been talking about creating visual content for years now, and they’ve finally taken action to invest in social video. Not only is social video growing into a powerful tool for telling stories, but it is also a great way to make brands more accessible to their customers.
Want to know what social video marketing will look like in 2015? Here are four things you should know:
1. Social video is the top choice for content.
Ninety percent of all Internet traffic will be video traffic in 2017. With the majority of Internet traffic predicted to be sourced by videos, marketers and brands need to make sure they have a video marketing strategy in place.
It’s also important to note that social video is one of the top marketing tactics used by B2B and B2C marketers. Brands and marketers love using social video because it gives them the opportunity to educate, inspire, and persuade their target customers. Social video is also a great way to build relationships with more people and create an experience for a brand.
2. Facebook video will rise in popularity.
Research shows there was a 94 percent increase in video uploads to Facebook in 2014. As we head into 2015, we can expect an even bigger increase in Facebook video uploads.
Believe it or not, there are one billion Facebook video views per day. It’s likely Facebook video is a popular way to view content because of its autoplay feature. Although YouTube was once touted as the king of video, it’ll have to compete with Facebook’s video features.
When using Facebook video to promote your business, think about the different ways you can target your audience. Use Facebook video to reach a specific demographic and niche for your brand. This will help you gain exposure to more customers who would be likely to make a purchase from your business.
3. Don’t forget about shorter videos.
As social networks such as Instagram and Vine gain more users, brands will need to shift their marketing strategies to creating shorter videos. This is a great way to reach more customers and build brand awareness.
The goal of shorter video content is to quickly grab the attention of consumers. By publishing a Vine or Instagram video, you can entertain your audience and six seconds or less, and encourage them to visit your website and check out your product. Shorter videos have the ability to be extremely entertaining for viewers and have the capability of going viral.
4. Emotional targeting is key for video content.
As we saw in a number of Super Bowl commercials this year, brands are taking advantage of emotional targeting to reach their target audience. Instead of “selling” their brand or product to target customers, big companies are looking for ways to reach the emotions of their customers.
When you create a video strategy for your business, think about how you can tell a story to your customers. Once you can pinpoint a story that relates to your target audience, you’ll have a better chance of reaching their emotions and going viral. For example, Microsoft created a commercial about a child with a disability and illustrated how their technology gave this child the opportunity to walk again. Clearly, this story was able to reach parents and show them what their product can do to change lives.
There’s no doubt the popularity of social video will continue to grow in 2015. As you plan your marketing strategy for the upcoming year, it’s essential to incorporate social video. By paying attention to these social video marketing trends, you’ll be able to create a video strategy that’s more effective for your brand.
How will you use social video marketing in 2015? If your company needs help reaching others through video, call Bellagurl. We make marketing that matters.
