The past corona year has seen the rise of visual communication. Both in the area of work and in our social lives. As we meet each other more and more online, the need to communicate in a personal and interactive way has grown.
These developments are also reflected in the trends of video marketing. Because even though we would rather not be in this situation, it has also brought a lot of good things. Creativity, flexibility, innovation. And some damn fine new applications of video.
Therefore: the unmissable video marketing trends of 2021.
Educational videos and training videos
Now that courses and even entire training programmes are increasingly taking place at a distance, e-learning is a business that is growing ever faster.But educational videos are also gaining enormous popularity outside education. Think of tutorials and how-to’s, but also more in-depth training.
Did you know that 65% of people use YouTube as a channel to find a solution to a problem? From a complete bathroom renovation, to preparing a dish or learning to use a new kitchen appliance. You can learn almost anything through video! We have become accustomed to it at lightning speed over the past year. Educational videos can also be made even more effective by adding interactive quiz elements. This way, the knowledge gained can be tested immediately.
Shoppable video: click & buy
Social media selling is one of the biggest ecommerce trends in recent years. The speed of the Internet has made us impatient. We want to have everything at our fingertips with just a few clicks. Consumers are more likely to choose a brand that offers them a unique, fast and tech-forward shopping experience. But how do you shorten that customer journey without losing effectiveness? The answer: shoppable videos!
Shoppable videos are interactive videos that offer the viewer the possibility to shop ‘on the spot’. The viewer simply clicks on the product they want to buy in the video and is immediately forwarded to the webshop where the product is sold. This way, the viewer doesn’t have to search for the product manually. With shoppable videos you shorten the customer journey and you can increase the number of conversions.
Branding videos are getting more personal
Personal video content is booming. Your target group not only wants to see your brand, but also the people behind it. The idea is that you “humanise” your brand. Too commercial forms of video marketing are not what consumers are looking for at the moment. They want to see unfiltered content.
Unfiltered, that is: video content in the form of mini documentaries, customer testimonials and interviews. Cinematographic storytelling is very important here, as is creating the right catchy atmosphere. This will reduce the distance between brands and their target group. This gives (potential) customers a more personal image of the brand and more insight into its core values.
Data-driven videos
In online marketing, the motto is still: to measure is to know. We want to collect data, analyse it and optimise our online marketing activities. And with video you can do that too! Interactive videos in particular are very suitable for this.
With interactive videos, it is very easy to analyse the viewing and clicking behaviour. This gives you valuable information about how viewers use your video and whether you are achieving your conversion targets. This allows you to optimise your video, making it even more effective.
In addition, it is possible to make various links. For example, you can send the data you collect with your video to your CRM system to enrich customer profiles. But it also works the other way around: through links with other programmes, you can process customer data in your video to make it extra personal.
Interact with your audience
Physical encounters are currently scarce, distance is maintained. But contact via social media has become more personal than ever. Brands really engage in conversation with their target group via social media. This can be done by sharing video content on socials and entering into a dialogue with the target group in the comments. But live videos are also gaining popularity. Especially in a time when we spend a lot of time at home, and events are missed, personal interaction is highly appreciated. The fact that these videos are not always slick and professional is not a problem at all. The idea of having personal contact and experiencing a live event is of greater importance.
Video as a replacement for physical impressions and tours
Physical tours, seminars and meetings are not possible at present. As a solution, impression videos and virtual tours are widely used. Think of a virtual tour of a secondary school, a nursing home or a house for sale, but also online webinars instead of seminars.
Making a virtual tour interactive gives the viewer an even greater feeling of having been present at the location in question. For example, give the viewer the choice of which room he wants to enter. Or offer the possibility to read more information about a certain subject in the video. Or test the viewer’s knowledge by asking quiz questions, just like in a real tour.
Investing in video marketing? Especially in a time of crisis!
At the beginning of the corona crisis, some companies were inclined to keep a tight hold on their purse strings. But when it became clear that we would be in this crazy situation for a while, creativity took over. Because it is precisely in times of crisis that, as a brand or organisation, you want to show that you are there for your audience. Plus, with creative marketing you can distinguish yourself from your competitors. So now is an interesting time to invest in video marketing.
In 2021, we will see a further professionalisation in the field of video content. Even more companies will embrace video content and use it structurally as a marketing tool. Will video marketing also be a recurring part of your marketing strategy for 2021? Stuff to think about…
