The average online user in the U.S. watches an hour and a half of video content per day, and approximately 15 hours each week. Video has become one of the most essential tools for any digital marketing strategy, and this trend is not slowing down anytime soon. For this reason, major social media platforms have invested in more video capabilities. (As a reminder, when Instagram was first created, it was intended to only feature photographs.)

Even amid a global pandemic in 2020, video became more important for brands and according to HubSpot’s latest video marketing report, 96% of consumers say the pandemic has increased the amount of video content they’ve watched online. The study goes on to state that 85% of businesses are using video as a marketing tool, and 99% of marketers currently using video have reported they will continue to do so.

So what does this mean for you? It means that out of all the forms of content on your website or social media handles, video content matters the most. Let’s look at some of the reasons why video content has become so critical to the success of a digital marketing strategy.

What is video content marketing?

Video content marketing is a strategic approach to creating and distributing videos with the goal of achieving specific business objectives. These objectives could be anything from growing brand awareness to increasing website traffic or generating leads.

Some of the most common types of video content include:

  • Product demonstration videos: This is a great way to explain what your product is and how it works.

  • Educational/how-to videos: These videos provide valuable information to your audience and can help establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry.

  • Customer testimonial videos: Customer testimonials are one of the most powerful types of video because they show potential customers that other people have had success with your product or service.

  • Brand story videos: Brand story videos are a great way to connect with your audience on a more personal level and give them a behind-the-scenes look at your company.

Video is how users are consuming content

YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world – second only to Google – and it is the largest online video network. Over 500 million hours of video content are watched on YouTube every day – and this is just one platform. It doesn’t include video content being consumed on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Vimeo or various websites.

As more video content is created, the attention spans of users are shortening – most would rather watch a video where they can absorb the content faster rather than read through lengthy paragraphs or scroll through images. Since video is more interactive and engaging, users are opting to consume video over other forms of content.

Videos are easy to share

Video content is extremely easy to share across social media and other digital channels, which makes it a powerful tool for increasing brand awareness and growing your audience. People are more likely to watch a video that’s been shared by a friend or family member than they are to read an article or click on an advertisement.

Video improves overall user experience

Gone are the days where a website could resemble a long brochure. In the age of video, more and more business owners have updated their sites to reflect a modern theme and provide a captivating experience for their users.

From the moment a visitor lands on your website or social media profile, the goal is to establish a connection with them. You want to build a relationship with your visitors to where they become loyal followers and customers in the near future.

Video content is a huge part of the user experience because it allows you to tell your story in a way that will resonate with your visitors, share positive testimonials that will build trust in your brand, and demonstrate products to promote interest and sales.

Videos have a strong ROI

Skeptical about investing in video content? You shouldn’t be. HubSpot’s report goes on to state that 78% of marketers say video gives them a good ROI and 51% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI.

Not only does video have a strong ROI, but results have shown that videos also appear in search engine results more frequently than any other type of content.

Google loves videos and giving your website a video presence will only help improve SEO and your chances of ranking higher in search engine results.

Video content is versatile

One of the best things about video content is its versatility. You can use videos on your website, social media profiles, email marketing campaigns, and even paid advertising. The possibilities are endless when it comes to how you can use video content to reach your target audience.

In Conclusion

The truth is that video should be a key element in your content marketing strategy. From its ability to improve SEO, to its strong ROI, to its versatility, there are numerous benefits of using video content to reach your target audience.

If you’re not sure where to start, consider creating a brand story video or explainer video to help improve your website’s overall user experience and increase your chances of ranking higher in search engine results. If you need help putting together a strong video content strategy, get in touch with us.

Sorrentino Media is a national, digital-first video production company headquartered in New York City that specializes in short-form digital content. We are a boutique firm, providing service and attention to our clients that large firms cannot match. We work with budgets, timelines and project of all kinds, and would love to speak with you about your video content needs. Reach out to us online to speak with a member of the team today.