With 2020 fading in the rearview, we’re already putting the finishing touches on the first 2021 projects and see clear trends emerging for video marketing this year.
In a recent survey about the use of video in marketing, Quickframe found one overwhelming consensus: video will continue to be a crucial element of B2B marketing in 2021. They also found that 80% of marketers included video as part of their non-paid strategies in 2020, and that this percentage is likely to increase this coming year. Of the marketers surveyed, 85% indicated they’ll maintain or increase their use of video marketing in 2021.
Here at Blue Marble, these results align with the projects in the pipeline for our own clients. From Fortune 100 companies to government agencies and nonprofits, it appears that all sectors are using video as a means to both stand out from the crowd and bridge the social distancing between people this year.
2021 Raises the Bar for At-Home Video Practices
Covid-19 is still here — making virtual meetings and work from home the norm for at least the first half of 2021. As the pandemic lingers on, the bar for at-home video streaming and production continues to rise. In fact, retailers are finding it difficult to stock enough webcams and LED lights to meet the demand. If your VP is still logging into Zoom chats looking like a dark, backlit shadow of herself, it’s time to splurge on a ring light and maybe take a look at her camera height and background.
And when it’s not possible (or safe) to send in a small crew for capturing video interviews, one idea we love is sending an easy-to-use kit with simple lighting, camera or iPhone, a tripod and professional microphone all ready to go.
At Blue Marble, our process includes a pre-shoot Zoom call before the actual interview in order to walk the interviewee through set-up and trouble-shooting of their recording device or kit. We also help them locate the perfect backdrop for their interview with a quick virtual tour of their home or office. All this to ensure we hit the ground running on shoot day and can focus on nailing the delivery, not the camera angle or the annoying plant in the background.
Post-Production to the Rescue
Does the sky need fewer clouds? Is the audio muffled? Do you need a hyped-up soundtrack or a group of people within arms-reach of each other? Post-production has always come to the rescue when shooting circumstances were less than ideal or lacking and that described most of 2020.
Last year we really tested the possibilities and power of post-production for our clients’ projects and are ready to use those creative solutions going forward, socially distanced or not. With a creative editing and soundtrack, we were able to give Aptean a new video for their annual sales kickoff using only purchased stock footage.
Motion graphics are another way to get your message across following all CDC safety guidelines and works for a variety of messages, from an Aha-Explainer to a New Product Launch. Motion graphics can also make a killer event opener using only stills, b-roll and the perfect soundtrack. Here’s a fun motion graphics explainer we created for SAP Ariba awhile back.
2021: The Year of Health and Safety Compliance
As companies slowly move back to normal operations, getting everyone on the same page in terms of health and safety standards will be crucial. Video is an effective tool to cut through the clutter of content and get this critical information to your team. Whether it’s information on the Covid-19 vaccine or best practices for returning to the office, there’s a lot of important information to communicate to employees and it’s more likely to be consumed when delivered via video than in long-winded emails. (BTW, see below about a new technology that allows videos to play right in the body of the email — no need to click on a link.)
Of course, all the pre-Covid, on-the-job risks still exist. There’s never a good time for an accident but a hospital-filling pandemic is a particularly bad time for one. Keeping employees safe will make this a big year for safety compliance, and video is a good way to remind and clarify current safety standards.
Animation is an excellent way to make content that’s been revisited a hundred times fresh and engaging, and it can be produced no matter the social distancing requirements. A few years ago, we used animation for the CDC Foundation to remind healthcare workers about safe injection practices.. So, skip the talking heads and the power points. Invest in a tool that keeps your team safe in 2021.
Benchmarking the Latest Video Technology
Benchmarking is at the heart of our process at Blue Marble, and we use it to stay up on the latest in visuals, storytelling and technology.
There are some exciting innovations coming in video distribution. We’re working with a company that’s in the process of patenting a new process that embeds short videos directly into an email. This enables video to begin playing immediately upon opening the email, no hotlink necessary.
Attention is in short supply and competition for it is fierce. Eliminating every barrier between your audience and your message, even that final click on the hotlink, helps ensure your content is seen. This is going to open some exciting new video marketing and communication strategies as we tailor content for this technology.
Adapting and Moving Your Brand Forward
Perhaps the most important lesson we learned in 2020 was the importance of adaptation to long-term success. Having a variety of communication tools and strategies at your disposal will be critical in meeting whatever challenges lie ahead.
Innovation. Flexibility. Adaption. And of course, benchmarking. These are the core values that remain constant at Blue Marble regardless of trends and circumstances that allow us to get your brand and message through any challenge.
If you’d like to brainstorm some ways video can help your company this year, get in touch. We love a good brainstorming session.
