With the explosive popularity of social platforms such as Vine, Instagram, Flipagram and Musical.ly, video content has established itself firmly in the media landscape. Facebook and Twitter are also embracing video, including through Periscope. Here are five reasons to include video content in your digital strategy.
1. The numbers speak for themselves
By 2017, video was expected to account for 74 per cent of internet traffic. Video also offers a particularly strong click-through rate. Including video in a social media post can increase its likelihood of being shared by up to 39 per cent.
2. You tell the story
If a photograph can say more than words, video can bring those words to life and convey a complete story. It helps communicate the right message to your audience clearly. German supermarket chain Edeka did this successfully with an online Christmas advertisement. Its wordless story moved viewers so much that it attracted 46 million views on YouTube.
3. Growing opportunities with live streaming
Since 2015, Facebook has used autoplay video to capture users’ attention immediately. In 2016, it is expanding live streaming, following a similar path to Twitter’s Periscope. The app allows others to watch live footage from a mobile device’s camera. As consumer interest in vlogging and live streaming grows, these developments are worth following closely.
4. Influencers understand its potential
Influencers have readily adopted video through vlogs, video reviews and live commentary on gaming sessions. Audiences want more. In the Netherlands, viewers enjoy Enzo Knol’s daily-life vlogs and Jordi van den Bussche’s gaming adventures under the name Kwebbelkop. With one million and three million subscribers respectively at the time of writing, they attract audiences that some television channels would envy. By changing traditional distribution patterns, they build direct relationships with viewers through video.
5. Relevant targeting
The possibilities for targeting audiences with short, personal videos on platforms such as Facebook have developed considerably. Brands can advertise their content on both Facebook and Instagram and define the audiences they want to reach. That helps put videos in front of the right people. Because videos play automatically on Facebook, viewers may not immediately perceive them as advertisements and may watch for longer.
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