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We love video, it’s what we do 😎. At Studio8 we believe every business small and large has the ability to create their own amazing work as well as working with Production companies like ours to elevate their content.
In this article we’ll explore some great ways you can work with your phones and apps to generate day to day videos. We’ll look at the trends to expect in the video marketing world and offer some tips on how production companies can add an extra little sprinkle of magic to drive more engagement.
We hope this helps inspire you as we head into 2023 and we’d be pleased to hear from you if you would like to ask any questions or would like some extra ideas from our creative team.
Happy Creating 🎬
Clark Wiseman | Creative Director
Video has continued to boom across virtually every industry in recent years. By the end of today you will likely have already come across a few videos via your phone, tablet, computer and of course your TV. According to a survey by TakeNote, UK residents are consuming an average of 5 online videos each day alone (this doesn’t include streaming services).
It’s not just online environments either. Video is everywhere, at bus stops, billboards, waiting rooms, and lots more public spaces. Where once we would stare at a still image, technology has evolved and made it less expensive and easier to showcase eye catching video content in it’s place.
The vast majority of regular internet users consume audiovisual content regularly during their time browsing, and this means video is a key way for advertisers and businesses to focus their marketing campaigns. For example, Apple’s statistics show TikTok, a video creation and sharing platform, was the most downloaded app of 2021. ( Source : TechCrunch )
There is a clear indication that businesses would benefit from focusing more on video, and the opportunities it can offer. 82% of internet traffic across 2022 is related to the streaming, and downloading, of video; so this is the best time to capitalise on this format. (Source: Cisco)
Producing video content for your company allows you to significantly increase engagement – letting you reach both current and future customers. You could use these to demonstrate your products, educate viewers about your business and its niche, or build a rapport with customers and offer exclusive deals.
The versatility and popularity of video allow you to create content that works for your business, with limitless flexibility in terms of what you can make.
Even with the best technology at your disposal, video production is affordable and always worthwhile.
Trends to Look out for
1. The Importance of Creativity in Short-Form Video
With video streaming such a big component of the modern internet, it’s clear that your customers value video-based platforms. TikTok for example has 1 billion monthly users as of 2022, and other platforms have since integrated special short-form video functionality. (Source: backlinko)
Many social media and video platforms are pivoting towards content that usually lasts for under a minute, it is more important than ever that you work to embrace creativity in every marketing resource you make. Your video adverts might only have so many seconds to capture a viewer’s attention, especially if they prefer bite-sized videos.
Being creative allows you to stand out amongst the immense flow of information and video that many people receive daily. You can achieve this by blending strong narrative storytelling into your adverts, perhaps in a way that builds intrigue as people wonder what your product or service relates to. Some might see an emphasis on short videos as a limitation, but this allows you to make every second count.
Whenever we create videos for our clients, we always factor in social media cuts. Take, for example a video we produced for Oxford Brookes University.
There is the long form content (the main interview) plus the cut down social media versions for Instagram, Facebook and TikTok with varying aspect ratios. This means the main video can be repurposed many times to ensure all channels receive a viewable version suitable to the platform.
Various aspect ratio examples to suit different social media channels
2. Many People Prefer Silent Video
Mobile devices are a core part of video marketing and allow people to consume content anywhere. It’s essential that you work with this in mind, especially since these devices are what people use to watch 75% of videos. (Source: Emarketer)
People aren’t just watching videos in their leisure time at home, they’re watching them while on the bus, on the train, or waiting for friends to meet them, and might do this without headphones. This means making sure that your content is accessible for anyone watching silently, especially those with difficulty hearing, may improve your conversion rates.
You can do this by building the entire experience so that audio is optional, relying upon strong visuals that help convey your business message. The essential statistics or information should be visible on-screen, and subtitles are paramount if the video involves narration or dialogue.
Many people enjoy silent videos or otherwise watch videos without being able to hear the audio, so working to accommodate this is going to be worth it.
If you do require subtitles, platforms like Youtube, Vimeo and CapCut offer the ability to auto generate captions, but it is always worth double checking as the AI can make mistakes.
There is also a great paid for service from rev.com that is checked by humans. However, we encourage every client to always double check captions and subtitles to ensure quality control.
3. Essential Statistics for Video Marketing in 2023
There are plenty of other online statistics that you could take into account when deciding on a video marketing strategy, as this shows which content types are successful, and the platforms you can use to your advantage.
As an example, many people see email marketing as purely text-based, perhaps with some innovative graphics and a few pictures, but mainly as a vehicle to deliver textual information about the business. You could see plenty of benefits from adding video functionality to your marketing emails, as those that include videos could have a 300% higher click rate (Source: Campaign Monitor)
There are many ways you can integrate video content into your social media. Instagram Stories are a great way for businesses to get the attention of customers. The fact this content is temporary allows each image, or video, to have a degree of exclusivity – with Meta reporting that 58% of viewers become more interested in a product after seeing a Story about it. (Source: Instagram)
We posted a behind the scenes video of a shoot we carried out at RedBull HQ in Milton Keynes. By the end of the next day it received over 5000 watches and 244 likes on Instagram – that’s quite high considering our following is currently at 709.
This simple video which we created using our phones and CapCut was a free piece of marketing. There was no advertising budget spent on this and we engaged a brand new audience.
LinkedIn is another resource that might allow you to reach an entirely different audience. Videos allow your posts and presence on LinkedIn to appear more dynamic, with members 20x more likely to share videos compared to other types of posts. (Source: Linkedin)
4. Video as an Informative Medium
Though the short-form video is a significant trend to look out for in 2023, that doesn’t mean the appetite for long-form content has completely vanished.
However, with the popularity of TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and a range of other bite-sized alternatives (there is even talk of Elon Musk bringing Vine back) , the definition of ‘long-form’ might even come to mean content which is longer than 2 minutes.
Many sectors see a lot of success in demonstrating their products or services in online video, such as in a how-to format. Make sure to keep this as short as possible while still maximising information; a personable host can help keep the viewer’s attention if this proves difficult.
If viewers and customers have a visual example of how they might use a product, this also reduces the chance that they’ll need to contact support for assistance. 49% of marketers report that videos such as these reduced their support call numbers. Source : Wyzowl
When we create content for clients, we advise on the optimal length of the video on a project by project basis. In general we usually suggest under two minutes for long form marketing and then social media cut downs of the longer video as suggested above.
Every subject, however, is different. For example, an introduction to a scientific study may require some thorough detail which means the video will therefore go beyond 2 minutes. In this case you can imagine adding chapters to the video to make it more easy to follow.
There is no one size fits all when it comes to video length, it really depends on the purpose and target audience.
5. The Future is Still Video
At Studio 8, we have been continuously emphasising the importance of video for years, and this content is still set to take huge steps forward in the coming years. This is a format that has the ability to get a viewer’s attention and hold it for some time – even if the expectations for this ‘time’ are now different.
Videos have incredible power, letting you educate and entertain viewers so that they understand what your business is about. If you don’t already have video experts on your team, it may be useful to look into hiring a specialist video marketing service that could help revitalise your approach to video marketing. We are always happy to have a chat with you about ideas that are tailored to your business, so please get in touch if you would like to hear some ideas.
As social media platforms continue to grow, and we begin to devote even more bandwidth towards consuming videos, businesses will rely upon these videos to an even greater degree. The appetite for content is growing and therefore the output from companies must meet this demand to stand out. It is definitely worth updating your social media content on a weekly basis. Utilise stories, TikTok and reels for this. Create some longer form content for viewers who would like to dive into your brand a little deeper and keep everything authentic.
To give your company the best chance of success, it’s important that you create content that satisfies potential customers, and manages to get their attention in the first place. Depending on demographics, this might mean short videos that are enjoyable in any environment and make every second absolutely essential.
Again- ensure your content is authentic, honest and humble.
6. Livestreaming
People enjoy live content for a number of reasons – such as the fact it offers a more active component to their relationship with a business or content creator. For example, a cosmetics company could set up a livestream to conduct a makeup tutorial involving one of their most recent products.
Live content allows people to feel a stronger connection to a company, especially as these streams often star a business representative to serve as a friendly face for the content. 63% of people in the 18-34 age group watch live videos regularly, proving the efficacy of this format. (Source: epiphan)
These videos provide an up-to-date and current inside look at the industry, fulfilling the same purpose as a blog post in informing or educating customers. In fact, according to a customer survey, 80% of people would prefer to experience this content in the form of a video. (Source: livestream.com)
Whilst Live streaming might not suit your business on a monthly basis, it is still worth considering as part of your overall strategy. It can be a complete live stream event with a crew and designated start time. Or simply live stream videos from locations you happen to be at recorded on your phone giving your audience a glimpse into what you are up to behind the scenes.
Live streaming can creatively lead to more engagement, drive a more personalised connection and accessible to everyone with an internet connection.
7. Influencers and Sponsorships
Along similar lines, it’s impossible to discount the impact that influencers and sponsorships can have on video marketing. You can provide people with your products or services and pay them to promote you in some way; this could be during a livestream of their own or a normal video they produce.
The cost to use their services will depend on the number of followers and engagement an influencer has. Also consider how closely aligned the influencer is to your brand.
For example, a great influencer called alphafoodie.com creates beautiful food related content for brands. The engagement on this channel for food, kitchen and healthy lifestyle products is huge and helps their clients reach millions of potential new customers.
Every industry can find an influencer. There are sites like Tukumi.com which can match you to influencers or you could simply reach out direct and start a conversation.
Be prepared for what you want. You may want them to feature your product in a reel, story etc on more than one channel. Remember an audience on an influencer’s Instagram account may be completely different to their audience on TikTok. To maximise your reach and return on your investment, approach the influencer with exactly what you want and an idea of your budget.
And while we’re on the subject of Influencers, there is nothing stopping you from becoming one yourself ! If you are great at what you do, have a niche product, business or talent – share your thoughts and ideas with the world and see what comes back to you.
8. DIY Content
There are so many ways that you can easily create great content within your own team, by simply using the tools you already have. Your phone is the perfect camera with a built in edit suite, giving you access to channels that connect you with potentially millions of viewers.
Of course there is a place for high end video production content from companies like Studio8, however, either side of your main videos there is always room for much more.
Create vertical videos for social media. Go out and film anything and everything about your business. People love a behind the scenes video, (check out our Instagram to see how we did it if you would like some inspiration) . Introduce the team, give a glimpse of what you’re up to today, think ‘A day in the life’ – it could be anything. The main hurdle is doing the first one. Once you have and shared it, you’ll see the response you get and you’ll want to do some more.
When it comes to editing, I highly recommend CapCut. It is free and made by the company behind TikTok. Because of this, it is built with social media videos in mind. There are lots of ready made templates, filters, transitions and tools ready to use. You can determine the output ratio and resolution very easily – making it quick to get your videos live. There is an app and desktop version.
Professional video productions together with in-house social videos are a perfect combination. If the idea of creating your own content is terrifying, we would be happy to train you up and get you off to a flying start !
Your Video Marketing in 2023
With the current video marketing trends set to grow even further in 2023, it’s paramount that companies put a strong focus on improving their brand’s current video output. With a commitment to increasing the amount – and the quality – of your video marketing, you will see incredible results.
At Studio 8, we work with businesses of all kinds to determine the best video marketing techniques they could use to improve their lead conversion and click rates. To discuss how we could help you make engaging, effective video content, please contact the Studio 8 team.
We hope to hear from you soon,
Clark
Studio 8