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There’s no denying it: video is one of the most powerful ways to connect with your audience. Ask any marketer you know, and they’ll likely confirm. 81% of them have said that video has a direct and positive impact on their sales, while 94% feel video has helped increase understanding of their product or service amongst users (Hubspot).
While video itself may not be new to the marketing game, the ways in which we are using it change just about every single day. If you’re looking to take advantage of the power of video for your own brand, there’s no better time than right now. Here are 6 of today’s top video trends to help you get rolling.
- Short-Form Video
Sad to say, but our attention spans are the shortest they’ve ever been. We’re not interested in wasting our limited time on brands who bore us — you have about 3 seconds to make an impact. So not only do you want to capture their attention from the get go, but you also need to switch gears and adjust your video strategy to the places where those videos have the best chance at getting seen.
Since the release of Instagram Reels in 2020 and the increasing popularity of Tik Tok, more and more platforms are making it easier for marketers to create and share short-form, fast-paced video campaigns. Rumor has it that Instagram is now looking to align its content feed around Reels with a full-screen display format and enhanced video editing tools (Social Media Today). With Reels making up over 20% of the time people spend on IG already, it’s clear short videos are stealing everyone’s attention.
YouTube has also jumped on the bandwagon by introducing YourTube Shorts, a Tik-Tok-like short form video feature, complete with “Green Screen” that allows creators to pull clips from billions of the platform’s published videos as a background. These platforms are making big investments in the trend — and so should you. - Video Storytelling
Let’s be clear, not all successful videos will be less than 10 seconds. Long-form content has also grown in popularity when it’s used correctly. For starters, our brains are simply better equipped to process images over words.Get this: if someone were to explain something to you right now, you’d remember about 10% of what was said three days later. If that same person showed you an image of what they were explaining, you’d retain up to 65% three days later (SUMO). Add some motion and emotion, and it’s the recipe for an unforgettable ad.
Animation helps us connect with one another on a deeper level. And in the world of advertising, stepping away from a sales pitch and into the world of your audience allows you to tap into the emotions that establish trust and familiarity. Visual storytelling creates a more meaningful and authentic connection to what you’re selling and gives the viewer a worthwhile reason to connect with it — even if they don’t know what it is until a few minutes in. - Soundless Video
In today’s ever-connected world, we’re on the move more than ever before — even while we work. When people are scrolling through their feeds in a crowded place or a quiet office, they don’t want a video to start playing with the audio on. In fact, 69% of mobile users in the U.S. watch videos with no sound when they’re in public places (Forbes). So if your videos rely on audio, you’re missing out on a huge chunk of your audience.
With Facebook and Instagram’s autoplay function now defaulting to mute for this very reason, more and more brands are creating videos that are optimized to play on mute. This means either using visual elements to tell a story or adding closed captioning to the video. With ¾ of onlines videos consumed on mobile devices (emarketer), this is one trend that shouldn’t fall on deaf ears. - Interactive Video
The growing popularity of interactive videos has a lot to do with its high ROI — ranking fifth out of all types of video you see today. 47% of marketers will also back that up, saying it’s one of the most effective lead generators (Hubspot). And when it comes to engagement, just as many of those marketers put this type of video in the top three; which makes total sense considering that’s what interactive video is all about.
This style of video allows viewers to choose the type of content they see. Through questions or polls that allow users to change the narrative of the ad with just a click, they take control of their experience. When they opt for the content most relevant to them, the chances are it’s going to leave a deeper impression once it’s over. And even better yet, based on the choices they make, these videos provide valuable insights into your audience to guide your strategy moving forward.
Interactive videos are even now being utilized in entertainment on popular streaming services like Netflix — for both kids and adults alike. From TV shows to commercials, allowing viewers to personalize their own experiences will continue to make waves across more and more industries. - 3D Video Billboards
Take a stroll down Time Square or drive down a major highway, and you probably noticed a few 3D video billboards. If you didn’t, then there weren’t any on your specific route because these ads are impossible to ignore; which is exactly why they’re so effective. And with today’s advancing technologies and software, creating these types of multi-million dollar campaigns has gotten easier — and more creating.
Billboards have gone from flat and rectangular to curvy, cornered, and any other eye-catching shapes and size you can think of, each of which relies on the space it will fit — and the specific expertise to execute it. While the investment may only currently suit the likes of brands such as Balenciaga, Hershey’s, Coca Cola, etc., this trend will only become more mainstream as newer tech makes the process faster and easier. - Blender Video Creation
Speaking of new tech, Blender has emerged on the scene as a major game changer for video production. The free, open-source software has actually been around since the 1990’s, but its recent release of Blender 3.0 has grabbed the attention of major brands — from Nestle to Nike. And with that, a new trend was born.
The big name brands you know and love have ditched the old ways of product photography and opted for 3D models. Think of all those visually captivating car or clothing commercials you see on TV — not real. Instead, they use a tool like Blender that allows them to easily adjust specific elements of any visual to turn one product or setting into many.
Where developers used to need a different tool for each and every adaptation — from color, texture, text, etc. — Blender now offers it all within a single toolset. And as an open-source software, developers can add plug-ins or other tools to cover any production needs. But probably one of the most attractive features is that it’s free. So in addition to cutting down drastically on production time and labor, there’s no costly membership fees that marketers have had to cover like with previous 3D animation software. It’s no surprise this trend is really catching on.
To learn more about the latest trends in video that are shaping the future of marketing and entertainment, contact Assemble today. Our production experts are constantly searching for the latest and greatest tools and tips to help our clients stay ahead of the game.
Resources:
https://www.emarketer.com/newsroom/index.php/threequarters-video-viewing-mobile/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2019/07/31/verizon-media-says-69-percent-of-consumers-watching-video-with-sound-off/?sh=3980a80335d8
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/is-interactive-video-the-next-big-thing
https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-tests-new-full-screen-scrollable-display-of-posts-and-reels/623125/
https://sumo.com/stories/visual-storytelling-marketing