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When was the last time you watched a video? Chances are, you’ve already seen one today. Video is such a habitual part of our daily lives that we barely notice the frequency of our engagement. Who doesn’t love taking a quick break from work to watch a 15-second clip of laughing babies or screaming goats? Video provides a platform of convenience, connectivity, and entertainment. As marketers, we must decide how to best use video to connect our brand to our audience.
There are two important aspects to consider before diving into video: What’s my channel, and what’s my format? Here are a few video trends that are hot right now and will be for some time to come.
What’s My Channel?
Live Streaming Video
Real-time interactions make real connections. Few football fans want to watch a game after it’s over. We want to be on the inside of important events, as they’re happening. Insta Stories, Facebook Live, and Snapchat take full advantage of this. They give us a real-time peek into can’t-miss events from people we admire and companies we respect. Even broadcasting mundane goings-on can show off a brand’s human side. Hot tip: Use live streaming to tell your brand’s story and engage audiences with new products and services.
Ways to Incorporate Live Video
- Product demos
- Events
- Highlight corporate culture
- Partner with an influencer
- Quick tips and how-to’s
Video In Email
Stale, dry emails are a thing of the past. Even corporate correspondence has become a competition to see who can get the most animated GIF responses. If you are not incorporating video into your marketing emails, you should. With a potential rise of as much as 200%, your click-through rates will benefit. Even the simplest changes, such as adding motion to your email signature, have a high impact. At Avalaunch, our team members get constant praise about our animated email signature. In fact, it has helped us land some pretty big deals. Consider doubling down on videos in email and increasing your open rate by placing the word “video” in your subject line.
How-To Videos
Let’s be honest—it’s much easier to watch a quick tutorial video than it is to read a step-by-step manual. How-to or instructional videos are not just for Instagram influencers shooting makeup tutorials. Brands in any industry can take advantage of this trend. Think Tasty, for example. With their fun, engaging instructional food videos, Tasty got 167 million views in one year, and it brings in a ton of revenue for BuzzFeed.
Ways to use How-To Videos
- Recipes
- Employee procedures
- Guidelines for success
- Product tutorials
- Instructional sign-up
Assisted Channel Marketing
Marketers are becoming smarter about audience engagement during the buying process. Video is great for driving assisted conversions. It’s important to take a strategic look at your product or service sales funnel. Ask yourself, where does video fit into your funnel? Do you need to beef up the awareness stage, or consideration? What metrics do you use to measure success?
Tips for Utilizing Video for Assisted Conversions
- A/B & split test video content.
- Encourage shares and comments.
- Retarget with video instead of static banners.
- Evaluate your chosen platform based on goals and target audience.
Sponsored Videos
Gone are the days of relying purely on organic reach. Pay-to-play applies to video as well. You’ve invested the time and resources into creating great content, and a paid solution can extend your reach. First, identify the right channel for distribution, second, set your KPIs for success. What action do you want your audience to take? That will determine how you formulate your video. If your goal is to convert your audience on-site, make sure you have a call to action built into the video. If engagement or branding is your goal, pay attention to your content length.
Favored Paid Channels
- YouTube
- Pre-roll video
What’s my Format?
Stop Motion Video — The Comeback Kid
Remember those old stop-motion videos when your favorite toy came to life, and they became creepy instead of cute? Fortunately, stop-motion has come a long way, and it’s still a great way to make a still image come to life. Using stop-motion animation can tell a unique brand story in a memorable way.
Honda: “Paper”
This video has over 5.5 million YouTube views and was nominated for an Emmy.
Simplified Iconography for Logo Animation
Your logo is often people’s first chance to interact with your brand. Poppy, eye-catching logos are in, and flat images are out. A modern, stroke-based design creates a bold, clean effect. A simple animated logo signals to your clients that you have your finger on the pulse of the latest trends, and that you can bring that insight to their business too. Our animated Avalaunch Media logo has attracted a great deal of attention and aided in gaining new business.
2D & 3D Animation Unite
Some of the best motion graphics utilize a combination of 2D and 3D techniques. Bringing a 2D look and a 3D weight together gives a more dynamic, lively feel to the video. According to Avalaunch motion graphic designer Adam Rallison, combining 2D and 3D opens a whole new world of possibilities. Using this technique gives a professional polish and gravitas to your work, which will make you stand out more to prospective clients.
LinkedIn Profinder
The style and textures of this animation make it “pop”.
The Return of Retro Video Design
This stylistic choice may induce a cringe factor for people trying to leave the past behind them, but we must face facts: As with fashion, design trends get recycled — and who doesn’t love to recycle? Kit Kat embraces recycling with its “New Wave Jingle” and “Hip-Hop Jingle” ads. At Avalaunch we’re on board with this trend. Our 2016 sizzle reel incorporates a retro 80s MTV-style intro, with snappy graphics and a bold color palette.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBwUuwfISc
Make no mistake— video is becoming entrenched in modern lifestyles. By optimizing your video channels and formats, you can make the connections that will best benefit your brand. Whether you’re live streaming or sponsoring video, using stop motion or a blend of 2D and 3D animation, video should be an integral part of your brand strategy this year.
