Now’s the time to be thinking ahead and planning your own marketing for next year. How are you planning to use video marketing in 2018?
Video marketing is going to go from strength to strength. Yes it’s been around for a long time already, but I think it’s going to blow up completely. If you’re not on top of it already, you could really be missing out.
Facebook are now investing heavily in becoming a top video platform, so they’re promoting video posts from Pages way more than any other kind of content. And on LinkedIn, video is still pretty rare, so it’s a fantastic opportunity to stand out.
For my business, I focus on easy-to-make videos which teach people about useful topics, like marketing strategy, or content planning.
I asked some of the best marketers I know what they thought about 2018 marketing trends, and if video would be a priority for them.
Most people seem to be focussing on video marketing for 2018. Is that a trend you’ll be pouncing on yourself? If so, how do you plan to use it? And if not, what will you focus on instead?
Just speak to the camera and get it online
Nathan McGregor, Head or PR and Marketing, Juggling Swords. Twitter: @NathanWMcGregor
“Video marketing already plays an integral part in our day-to-day content plans. As Facebook tends to favour visuals over external links, we have to action our clients content accordingly. There’s also the continued rise of Facebook ads and the need to reach consumers outwith your organic audience. The use of a video as your advert can see your results increase considerably. If budget for a video is your concern, you have an amazing option right in the palm of your hands. Most phones will do a great job in a well-lit and quiet room. Just speak to the camera and get it online!
”For us going forward, we will continue to utilise video and video apps in our content marketing services in 2018, no doubt about it.”
So effective for building community
Clare Marshall, Queen of The Marketing Geeks. Twitter: @MarketingGeekHQ
“The increase in video marketing has already been phenomenal this year and I can only see it becoming even more popular in the coming months and years. I’m a massive fan of getting small business owners on camera, not only for the marketing benefits but also to see the increases in confidence it results in. It’s so effective for building community and that can give businesses an incredible boost.
“2018 will see us concentrating more on live video so building good preparation habits, taking any scary formality out of live video and repurposing it effectively. It’s going to be a big year!”
How powerful video is for telling stories
Meggie Palmer, CEO, Sliding Door Media. Twitter: @MeggiePalmer
“As a former foreign correspondent and documentary director I know how powerful video can be to tell stories. For businesses, video marketing is super powerful. We work a lot with our clients on how to engage with an audience on camera. If it seems overwhelming or scary start small – Facebook lives and Instagram stories are a great place to start! They’re easy, low cost way to get comfortable on camera and stay front of mind for potential clients.”
Video marketing has a real advantage
Denise Strohsahl, Owner, Sandstonecastles Marketing Consultancy. Twitter: @SSC_Marketing
“Video content is certainly getting more and more important to stand out online. I have already started to look into the many opportunities video can open up for small businesses and I will focus on how my clients can use video to their advantage in 2018.
“I don’t think video marketing is the answer to everything – the more businesses use video the less of an “edge” they’ll get from it. But I’m keen to find the cases where video has a real advantage over other media and how to make the best of those.”
The more spontaneous, genuine and REAL the videos, the better
Eva Jannotta, Founder, Simply Put Strategies. Twitter: @evajannotta
“As organic reach continues to decline I’m encouraging my clients to focus on video content in 2018. This doesn’t mean spending a fortune of expertly produced videos, either. Consumer trust plummeted in 2017, so the more spontaneous, genuine and REAL the videos, the better. In particular I will encourage clients try short videos that are designed for sound off. Square video performed better than landscape on Facebook in 2017, so we will be trying that as well!
“Not all prospects respond well to video marketing, so it’s not the only worthwhile tactic. And of course, we’ll start by getting clear on our strategy and our goals. That way we can measure how our videos and other content perform, and tie them back to business goals.”
Take a blog post you’ve written and make a video from it
Sam Dounis, Content Creation Expert, samdounis.com. Facebook: Sam Dounis Author
“Personally, I’m not a massive fan of video marketing. But other people do like it, so I’ve been looking at how I can incorporate it into my content. I think that the key for a good talking-head video is to be clear about the message you’re delivering, and to do some prep beforehand so that you know what you’re going to say.
“For those who don’t like talking to camera, I’ve discovered Lumen5, which takes a blog post you’ve written and makes a video from it. You choose which words you want to use from the blog post, and those appear over the pictures that you can either upload, or choose from their vast library. I’ve done one so far, and it was very simple to do.”
The big change in recent years has been maturity
Denis Mallon, Creative Director, Stampede. LinkedIn: Stampede Animation
“Online video has been with us for a long time now, but I think the big change in recent years has been a maturity in the use of video to achieve a wide range of goals.
“Where a catch-all brand video was once enough, successful companies are now posting regular content to different channels for different reasons.
“Which is why we will be offering more workshops in 2018 to help clients get the most out of their video marketing!”
An ideal way to strengthen relationships
Tara Macgregor, Marketing Consultant, Ticketyboo Marketing. Twitter: @ticboomarketing
“Video will become an even more important part of my marketing strategy in 2018 as it’s an ideal way to strengthen my relationship with my audience. My mission for my video marketing in 2018 is to delight my audience with educational and entertaining videos. I will be increasing the number of video updates I post on social media and I’ll be adding more videos to my website.”
Video marketing is on the tactical recommendations list
Lucinda Bray, Strategic Marketing Consultant, FutrSmpl. Twitter: @futrsmplltd
“Video marketing is definitely going to be up there on the tactical recommendations list for my clients in 2018. Video is very accessible at the moment and can be a low-cost way to humanise your brand, however it can also be very expensive!
“The quality of your video should reflect the values of your business and who you are talking to. Used well, video is a great way to communicate but used badly, it can have negative effects.
“Top tips for video content: start with small snappy ‘trailer’ style content 15-30 secs so viewers can get a feel without investing too much time. Once they’re interested extend away…”
Early adopters will be far harder to compete with
Alan Martin, Managing Director, Chat Marketing. Twitter: @Time4AChat
“Yes, video is becoming ever more important. According to research by Cisco, by 2019, 80% of global internet traffic will be video. This all means that business owners need to start embracing video marketing now, if they are not doing so already, or risk being left behind by the competition.
“Next year we plan to do a lot more with live video, particularly on Facebook, as the benefits and opportunities offered by this medium are huge.
“Enterprising businesses that are willing to jump in now will be honing their skills on the medium, while their more cautious counterparts are standing at the side of the pool, wringing their hands. By the time they engage, the early adopters of live video will be far harder to compete with.”
Excited to see where the technology takes us
Fiona Melvin-Farr, Marketing Consultant, Fiona Melvin-Farr Consulting. Twitter: @fionamelvinfarr
“With 300 hours of video being uploaded to YouTube every minute, can we really ignore it in 2018? Facebook algorithms appear to favour video, pushing content higher in recipients feed.
“Stepping out of my comfort zone, I have jumped into the world of posting the occasional live video to my business Facebook page and private group. So my ‘lucky’ followers are very likely to see me again in 2018.
“When developing strategies for my clients, video marketing is likely to feature as a key channel in their plans. This may include professionally produced corporate videos, to more informal live content. Excited to see where the technology platforms take us.”
We all have the ability
Linsay MacLean, Owner, LM Consulting. Facebook: LM Consulting Scotland
“Video marketing will have its place in 2018 but you need to be used appropriately, not just because you can. You need to think about the intended audience and how they want to consume content. I also believe that you need to have a balance between the different types of content, too much video is not necessarily good.
“For 2018, my focus will be on helping each client work towards their marketing and business objectives in a way that suits them. Video will have a huge learning curve but it’s one that most of will take on. We all have the ability to create great short videos or do Facebook Lives, even if the initial idea of being on screen is really scary!”
