You've heard that video is the future, but you don't know where to start. It's hard to keep up with all the latest marketing trends, let alone try something new. And if you're like most businesses, you don't have the time or money to waste on ineffective strategies.
With 86% of businesses using video as a tool, it's important to keep up with trends to make sure that your efforts are not only effective but on point. Marketing is always changing, and so are the ways in which brands communicate with their target audience.
In this blog, we’ve collected the latest trends to keep an eye out for as you develop your own strategy going forward!
Ready? Let's go!
1. Human-centric Branding
The customer is always right. This famous saying has been repeated so often that it has become cliché. And yet, there is a lot of truth to it.
In order for businesses to be successful, they need to focus on their customers. This means understanding their needs and desires and creating products and services that meet them. However, simply meeting customer needs is no longer enough.
Traditionally marketers made use of a consumer-centric approach that focused on, well, the consumer. In today's competitive marketplace, businesses need to go one step further and focus on the whole person.
A human-centric approach takes this one step further and is the next transition/iteration focusing on all the aspects that make us human. This means considering their values, feelings, and perspectives. Only by understanding the complete person can businesses create truly meaningful connections with their customers. This trend has only gotten stronger since the pandemic as humans are searching to build meaningful relationships (both on and offline).
2. Interactive Video
Instead of just passively watching a video, interactive videos allow users to actively participate in the story. For instance, have you ever watched a movie with alternative endings? Interactive video allows the user in real-time to actively participate in the outcome of the video.
Brands can create interactive videos that take users on personalized journeys based on the decisions they make while watching the video. While movies might allow viewers to choose whether they want to watch a happy or sad ending. Brands can use this to take users down specific funnels.
For example, when a user lands on your website, you can create a video that could lead them down two separate paths:
Cold leads (not ready to convert)
Hot leads (ready to convert)
You can add the option for viewers to either signup to your email list (cold lead), schedule a call (warm lead), or even signup for a demo (hot lead). So whatever option they choose, you have a series of personalized videos ready to lead them down the sales funnel.
Interactive video builds on human-centric branding as it helps build stronger and more meaningful connections that can be uniquely tailored to the individual.
By connecting the physical world with interactive user-driven content, you can create an engaging experience that has consumers not just watching but taking part in your story while also increasing brand engagement, loyalty, and conversions.
3. User-generated Content (UGC)
User-generated content is any type of content - text, images, or videos that have been created and published by someone who is not affiliated with the brand. According to a report by Vidyard in 2021, 80% of all videos created were UGC, and 20% were produced.
UGC can be incredibly valuable for brands as it allows them to tap into the authentic voice of their customers. Would you rather buy from a brand that says how amazing they are? Or… their customers, who say how amazing they are? I'm guessing you picked the latter, right?
That's because UGC comes from a third-party source. When customers and brand advocates share their positive experiences with a brand, it helps to build know, like, and trust - three essential factors in any purchase decision.
Video does this particularly well as users are seeking out videos to get a better feel for brands and their products and services. This shows that if you want to influence consumers, letting others sing your praises is more effective. When it comes to branding, sometimes it’s best to sit back and let others do the talking.
In addition, UGC can also help increase brand awareness. As customers share video content with their friends and followers, it exposes the brand to new potential customers while saving time on content creation. For these reasons, savvy businesses should always be on the lookout for opportunities to harness the power of UGC.
4. Live Video
No matter the industry, every brand is looking for a way to engage potential customers and increase ROI. In recent years, live video has become an increasingly popular tool to do just that.
Unlike pre-recorded videos or blog posts, live video offers viewers a chance to connect with a brand in real-time. This level of interaction can help forge stronger relationships between businesses and consumers.
HubSpot conducted a survey asking participants which type of live video they are likely to watch? The majority chose “a Q&A with an influencer, celebrity, or expert” with “product tutorial, educational how-to or explainer, and video stream” as top contenders.
The trend toward live video makes it possible for businesses to capitalize on the opportunity to increase brand awareness, nurture relationships, and generate an influx of income for products and services.
Brands can use live video to provide behind-the-scenes looks at their operations, give previews of new products, or host educational webinars about a specific topic of interest for users. Live video is a powerful tool for businesses looking to create more engaging content and forge deeper relationships with their customers.
5. Short-form Video
In our fast-paced, constantly-connected world, it's no surprise that short-form video content is the most popular content type. Whether we're looking to be entertained, educated, or inspired, we often turn to content that can be consumed quickly and easily on the go.
With the popularity of Tiktok, Instagram created reels, and YouTube made shorts. It's no surprise that businesses are now following suit, with 58% of marketers taking advantage of short-form videos in 2022. For example, a large chunk of Wix’s social media posts on TikTok is content made by their users.
Businesses continue expanding their investments in UGC, testimonials, trainings, and explainer videos, as well as onboarding, demos, sales, and ads. With the right strategy, brands can reach new customers and drive sales using short-form video content.
6. Vertical Video
In today's world, it is essential to have a strong video strategy- and that means creating vertical videos. The trend of video consumption is shifting to vertical videos, with the majority of people now accessing the internet via mobile devices. Even Instagram is responding by going full screen.
Vertical videos offer the audience an immersive experience that provides smoother scrolling and playback capabilities. Additionally, vertical videos are less likely to be interrupted by other content on a screen, making them more likely to be watched until the end. By creating vertical videos, businesses can ensure that their message is seen by the widest possible audience.
7. Video Ads
Social media platforms are teeming with potential when it comes to video advertising. And has only increased in popularity as more and more people spend their time watching video content. In addition, videos have proven to be more alluring than static ads.
According to Vidico's, the state of video marketing report 2022, "the average company spends more than $10,000 on video advertisements per month." Video advertising is a great way to create entertaining, engaging, and educational content that helps convey your company's story while promoting its products and services.
8. AR & VR
Augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) are quickly becoming popular ways to create immersive user experiences. AR enhances the physical world through one's camera, while VR immerses users in an entirely artificial world using goggles.
These videos have the potential to generate a high ROI as users can interact with products and services in a way that was impossible before with traditional video.
Meta has already held VR events by hosting NBA games and live performances, and Amazon has for some time now allowed buyers to view products in their own environment before making a purchase.
Both technologies will soon become more commonplace as brands and creators begin to dabble with them. They both have a wide range of potential applications, from providing training and education to enhancing customer service. For example, AR can be used to provide interactive product demonstrations, while VR can be used to create simulated work environments for employees.
As AR and VR continue to evolve, businesses are finding new and innovative ways to use these technologies to improve their operations and better serve their customers.
9. Video SEO (VSEO)
As video becomes increasingly important for businesses, so does video SEO. Video SEO increases the chances that your videos get seen by as many people as possible.
Video SEO is the process of implementing best practices to get your videos to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO gives your video a greater chance of getting to the first page or ranking on search engines. And by optimizing your video for search engines, you are optimizing your video for searchers.
There are a number of things you can do to optimize your videos for SEO, including keyword research, title, description, and thumbnail optimization. To give your videos the best chance of being found and ranked highly, use video SEO to help ensure that your videos get the exposure they deserve.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it! These are the top video trends to look out for in 2022. Are you ready to capitalize on them?
If you want to stay ahead of the competition, it's important to be aware of these trends and start incorporating them into your own video content. At Peech, we're always looking to stay ahead of the curve and looking for what's coming next in the world of video.
Are you ready to stop struggling with complicated video creation processes and start creating videos at scale?