Consumers watch, create, and engage with video content and use it to learn about new brands and products. Animoto reported that 93% of businesses gained new customers after posting and sharing videos on social media. 

It is no secret that video has become an essential content medium that businesses can no longer ignore to stay competitive in the digital age of video marketing trends. 

According to a 2021 study conducted among marketing leaders worldwide, 81% reported using pre-produced videos to engage with consumers. Another 13% indicated that they intended to use videos in the future. 

Adding video marketing to your promotional arsenal is a powerful way to engage with your customers. It is an excellent way for you to show them what you do, why it matters, and how you can help them. 

Discover nine benefits of video marketing that help businesses convert more leads, increase sales, and grow. Also, learn about two real-life examples that illustrate these benefits.

1. Consumers Love It

Facebook users spend nearly half their time watching videos. This adds up to 100 million hours of video being watched on the social media app. After Facebook, YouTube is the second-largest social media site. Approximately 2.1 billion people worldwide use YouTube, resulting in over 1 billion hours of viewing videos daily. 

Since videos are accessible on every social media platform, consumers learn to rely on this content while researching brands and products. Videos allow consumers to learn how a product or service works in real life and uncover any disadvantages before buying the product or service. 

An online video can also give customers a visual understanding of a product or service they might not learn from text-based content, such as how a product or service benefits them.

Customers also turn to videos to help them relax and unwind. Watching YouTube videos also relieves stress for 83% of GenZers. Many people turn to social media video content for entertainment. It is estimated that 62% of people prefer to watch comedic movies and shows online, so consider incorporating humor or other soothing elements into your marketing videos. 

Businesses need to focus on videos to engage their customers and establish themselves as trusted authorities in their respective industries when they have a large audience to target. In the age of increasing video consumption, businesses have the opportunity to connect with their customers and grow their businesses in unique ways.

2. Video Boosts Conversions and Sales

Videos featuring close-up shots of the product and engaging commentary about its features can effectively generate conversions and sales. A video can show one of your employees interacting with your product, so viewers can see how it works and how it can benefit them. 

Testimonials of videos from other satisfied customers who use your products and services can add authenticity and personalization to your brand. Seeing a compelling testimonial from a customer in a video is an effective way to positively impact a visitor’s purchasing behavior and persuade them to become a customer. 

More than 81% of marketers report that adding videos to their marketing strategy has contributed to their sales growth.   

3. Video Shows Great ROI

Videos can play a significant role in your marketing strategy in terms of creating awareness of your brand and influencing customers to make the most of your products and services. 

87% of businesses believe that videos produced a positive return on investment for their marketing efforts. Additionally, over 85% of small-to-medium-sized business owners report that YouTube helped grow their customer base. 

A video marketing business can work with your organization to develop the content for your videos and handle the post-production processes on your behalf. However, you can also use your smartphone, digital camera, and online editing tools to help create videos.

78% of YouTube users visit the platform because they can watch videos catering to their interests. This high number of users shows the importance of the messaging and relevancy of videos that respond to their needs. Showing off-the-cuff videos with interviews and timely updates can help your business feel more real to your target audience. 

4. Video Builds Trust

A successful video marketing campaign relies on trust to increase conversions and sales. Wyzowl found that watching a video about a brand persuaded 88% of consumers to purchase the product or service. By engaging customers through videos, businesses increase trust and educate them about their products and brand. 

Compelling marketing videos can use a conversational approach to present your products to skeptical customers. The focus should be storytelling to create memorable videos rather than upsell your product. 

For example, you can feature videos of case studies that show:

• A customer’s issue
• How your product solves the problem
• Any challenges the customer encountered while using the product
• The effects of the product on the customer’s revenue satisfaction

These videos can give more detail on how your products and services can work in real life. As a result, customers are more likely to listen closely and respond to the emotions the story evokes when it focuses on a specific story about another person’s experience with your company and product or service. 

Example

It takes commitment to find authenticity. The non-profit Los Angeles Maritime Institute brings at-risk youth adventure and education through at-sea experiences aboard the Official Tall Ships of Los Angeles. They needed a video to promote the program to the public—giving parents and kids a sense of the adventure they could expect. To create this exciting, three-minute tale, we spent an entire day at sea with a class of kids and instructors to gain their trust and find the perfect moments to capture the essence of the organization.

5. Google Loves Videos

Videos increase visitor time on your site, building trust and signaling search engines like Google that you have high-quality content. Google ranks videos 53 times higher than pages without videos. Users may click on listings when Google shows a thumbnail video next to them. These thumbnails appear in 26% of all Google search results. 

Regarding video marketing trends, YouTube ranks second in the world to Google. Since Google owns YouTube, you can use the platform to upload your videos and embed them on your site. People are almost four times more likely to rely on YouTube to find out more information about a brand, product, or service than any other platform. 

Here are a few ways to help your video rank in Google’s search results:

• Look at some of the popular channels in your industry to find the most popular videos and help you find out their keywords. 
• Write intriguing titles, descriptions, and file names for each of your videos and include targeted keywords relevant to your content and niche. 
• Upload an engaging thumbnail image with text announcing your video’s content. If you use a screenshot from the video, make sure that the thumbnail stands out among other competing videos and grabs the viewer’s attention.
• Add links back to your website or blog whenever possible. These links will enable people to access more information about any product or service you mention in the video.

Think about how your users ask Google questions, phrases, and words about your products. Considering how your users search for similar products and brands can help you brainstorm the best ways to produce your videos. 

6. Video Appeals to Mobile Users Anywhere at Anytime

With more than 75% of people viewing videos on their mobile devices worldwide, smartphones have become an easy way for people to view videos. According to Meta, almost half the people find watching videos on their smartphones easier than on their desktops. 

Users can spend five times as long watching videos as static content. They also like to view short bursts of videos while they are on the move to save time.  

Google found that smartphone users were nearly twice as likely to have felt a personal connection to a brand compared to TV viewers. The company started watching videos on mobile devices, which is easier and more natural than televisions and desktop computers. 

As a result, video marketing benefits from mobile videos by helping brands foster a personal connection with their consumers. They also require companies to take note of people’s experience while viewing videos on their phones. 

You can optimize your videos for smartphone users to help you attract your target market with tips:

• Introduce your video’s title and general gist in the first one to two seconds to grab the viewer’s attention.
• Include captions in your videos so people can understand your video, whether they have the audio on or off when they are traveling.
• Make sure you shoot your videos vertically. People hold their phones upright, so vertical videos make up more space on the screen than horizontal videos. Video action campaigns on YouTube Shorts with vertical videos generate 10 to 20% more conversions per dollar than campaigns with landscape videos.

7. Video Marketing Can Explain Everything

A short explainer video on your website can be a very effective tool for generating revenue for your business. It can feature a tutorial on your product. It also lets consumers find out more about your business and products before they make a purchase on your website.

For instance, you can use an explainer video to illustrate how your company solves problems through its services and showcase the unique elements of your brand. You can maximize your conversions by including a compelling call to action at the end of your video. According to Unbounce, videos on landing pages increase conversions by 80%. 

If you’re trying to explain a complex product or service, you can use animated videos to bring your ideas to life. They can feature illustrations, professional voiceovers, sound effects, and royalty-free music. 

When making an explainer video, follow these steps to help you get results: 

• Video tutorials should be short and work with the autoplay feature on social media platforms. Use intriguing titles and bold fonts to grab the viewers’ attention during autoplay. 
• Put the explainer videos on crucial customer touchpoints such as your website’s landing page and product pages. 
• Add timestamps to your videos to help your viewers find the information. These timestamps help rank your videos in the search results and boost audience engagement.

Example

When the Griffith Observatory underwent a major overhaul, the public needed to know that parking had shifted from next to the observatory, where it had been for decades at the peak of Mount Hollywood, to an offsite parking site with a new shuttle system. We solved the question of engaging the public by creating a parody video inspired by the television program CSI. “Observator Scene Investigation” mimicked the shooting style, acting, and editing to transform the subject into a highly entertaining public service announcement.

8. Video Engages Even the Laziest Buyers

People enjoy watching videos because they effectively communicate ideas and information in an entertaining manner that’s easy for anyone to understand. A video lets you show your products in action and quickly gives people more insight into your business. 

In a study from Wyzowl, 73% of customers said they prefer watching a short video to reading a text-based article, website, or post. 

There is an expected increase in viewership as videos capture a broader audience. In the last three years, video consumption has increased by 8.5 hours per week for 2022. Online video streaming is expected to reach about $330.51 billion by 2030. When creating your videos, ensure your videos engage with your customers by capturing their attention immediately. 

9. Video Encourages Social Shares

Social media channels across the board are featuring more videos to keep up with user demand for visual content. Instagram features 60-second stories and videos. Twitter allows consumers to view videos on full-screen and search for them in video carousels. 

The COVID-19 pandemic caused TikTok’s user base to surge, overtaking Instagram in 2021. 

However, marketers must remember that videos must connect with people emotionally. Consumers are two times more likely to share videos with friends than social media posts, articles, and blogs. Social shares of your videos can boost traffic to your site, so consider your audience’s needs when you plan your videos. Make your videos enjoyable, well-edited, and instructive. 

Bonus Tips

Additional benefits of video marketing include the wonders of video ads and the power of videos in email campaigns. Video ads have an average click-through rate of 1.84%, the highest CTR of any digital ad format. If you use a non-skippable ad on a platform like YouTube, you can see a completion rate of up to 92%.

When videos are included in your email marketing campaign, they can increase your CTR by 96%. Opt for an introductory video at the start of an email marketing campaign to see excellent results. 

Increase Your Sales With Digital Video Marketing

Understanding the benefits of video marketing can help you use this medium to boost your company’s profile and get more sales. Boulevard Digital Marketing offers video services to businesses looking to elevate their marketing plan. 

Contact BLVD to discuss video marketing strategies for your company and learn how we can use video marketing to help your business.