With 2018 here in full force, there’s no better time than now to familiarize yourself with the latest video marketing trends. Like other forms of digital marketing, video continues to evolve from year to year. As a result, business owners and marketers must stay on top of the latest trends; otherwise, they’ll get left in the dust by their competitors. While there’s no way of predicting exactly what’s in store for video marketing this year, here are some of the top predictions.
#1) Live Streaming
One video marketing prediction that’s likely to come true in 2018 is more live streaming videos. As you may already know, live streaming involves broadcasting video over the Internet in real time. It’s a more genuine and authentic way to connect with your audience, as there’s no way to edit your content before it reaches viewers. To put the popularity of live streaming into perspective, Cisco’s Visual Networking Index report suggests that live streaming will account for 13% of all Internet traffic by 2021.
#2) 360-Degree Videos
You’ll probably see more 360-degree videos in 2018 as well. Also known as immersive videos, they are characterized by a unique format that allows viewers to change the direction of view. To create a 360-degree video, you must record the same environment in every direction at the same time. This is typically accomplished using either an omnidirectional camera or a set of cameras. Once finished, viewers can change the view direction of the video.
Still confused about 360-degree videos and how they work? Check out the video below for an example. It places the viewer in the seat of a roller coaster, creating a truly unique experience.
Mega Coaster: Get Ready for the Drop (360 Video)
#3) Silent Videos
Not all videos need music or sound to succeed. In fact, statistics show that 85% of all Facebook videos are watched without sound. Business owners have acknowledged this trend, with many now producing silent videos. Keep in mind, however, that some platforms favor videos with sound or music over silent videos. On YouTube, for instance, most videos are watched with sound. So, when determining whether or not to use sound, consider the platform on which your video will be published.
#4) How-to Videos on Quora
Did you know that the questions and answers on the website Quora now support video content? In May 2017, the site announced native support for video content as a beta test. As explained by Tech Crunch, this move was likely done in an effort to capture some of the Q&A video traffic from YouTube. Tech Crunch even says that this could be “the answer to how Quora starts really making money.” Whether it proves to be a successful monetization tactic for the platform or not, though, you can expect to see more videos posted on Quora in 2018 and the years to follow.
#5) Video in Email
More emails will contain video in 2018. A study conducted by Syndacast found that just adding the word “video” to an email’s subject line increases its open rate by 19%. When compared to text, video is a more richer and more engaging form of media. This typically results in a stronger reaction by the target audience, which in this case are email recipients.
You can learn more about using video in email by checking out this KISSMetrics article.
#6) More Videos Posted on Facebook
Facebook has allowed users to upload and post videos for quite some time. However, you’ll probably see more videos posted on Facebook in 2018. Not long ago, the social media giant adjusted its algorithm to favor video uploaded directly to the platform. Basically, this means fewer text, status, link and photo posts are appearing in users’ newsfeeds, while more video is taking its place.
According to a study conducted by the digital and social media marketing website Socialbakers, video content has the highest organic reach on Facebook at 8.7%. In comparison, status content has 5.8% reach, followed by links at 5.3% and photos at 3.7%. The bottom line is that you need to post video content on Facebook if you want to reach your followers.
#7) Professionally Made Videos
The old days of turning on your webcam to record an effective marketing video are gone. If you want to succeed, you must invest in professionally made videos. A professional video production company can help you create stellar videos that are aligned with your business’ brand, vision and objectives.
While professional video production services require an investment of your time and money, you have to think of it as just that: an investment. According to WordStream, more than half of all marketing professionals say video offers the highest return on investment (ROI). Additionally, marketers who use video in their overall marketing strategy increase their revenue 49% faster than their counterparts who don’t use video.
These are just a few predictions for video marketing in 2018. While there’s no way to tell exactly what the future holds, all signs point towards these predictions coming true.
