Why Video Needs to Be Part of Your Digital Marketing Strategy

Those who know me and knew me in my corporate job know that I'm writing this post from a bias perspective. For four and a half years, I made a living by producing video and promoting it online. I built the video department from the ground up - the strategy, the production, the brand. I had some experience with video prior to that, but I dove head first into a world of content creation and promotion, and I began to see it as the most valuable part of the entire marketing strategy. And not because I was the one doing it. The numbers, the reaction, the engagement - it spoke for itself.

Video is king, and it's not going anywhere. The good news is that there are more places to put your video today than ever before. YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Hulu and other streaming services, the list goes on and on. And, you can do so much with video! Instantly send clips to friends, produce a full-length movie, make it 'clickable.' It's a place to get creative!

Why is Video Important?

You keep hearing it said - in fact I just said it in the paragraph above - video is king. But what exactly does that mean and why is it so important?

Let's look at the numbers. Techcrunch.com reported that people are consuming over 1 billion hours of video on YouTube per day. That's insane. Facebook reports having over 8 billion daily views with 100 million hours of video watched each day. Even Twitter boasts 82% of their users watch video on their platform.

The people are there. They are watching. They are consuming. Now you have to make them watch.

Video is important in your digital marketing strategy for several reasons. First, you have the ability to tell stories and build your brand. Video is interactive and can pull on human emotion. You have the ability to talk right to your customer, to connect with them. You can give testimonials, provide information or training, and even make them laugh.

It can also help your conversions. When using a video in an email heading, open rates increase by 19 percent. When used on a landing page, video can help your conversions by 80 percent. Video makes people do things, so you have to be smart about where to use it.

How Is Video Best Used?

The answer to that question depends on the platform you're using to promote the video, the reason behind the video, and the goal you have for creating the video.

For instance, Instagram stories have blown up in popularity. In the past six months, IG stories has increased by 100 million users. These are short clips, with the ability to speak right to your audience or bring them into a live event. You have the ability to link to products or blog posts, driving traffic to your site as quickly as someone can "swipe up".

YouTube has started producing it's own television shows. They see value in long term video. YouTube gives you the ability to link to other content, and provide users with a list of videos they may enjoy based on their watch history.

The majority of Facebook users watch with their sound off, meaning it's important to make your video accessible.

Video provides an endless amount of creativity. There is no 'one-size-fits-all'. There are hundreds of ways to produce video content, and hundreds of places to use them. This may make it all overwhelming, and that's where an agency can help.

Why Should I Use An Agency to Create Video?

Instead of doing the guesswork, use an agency who specializes in video production and promotion to help you understand what type of video you should be using and where you should be hosting it. Agencies have access to tools that dial into the numbers so you can make the best decision for your business. They also have insight into the best platforms for specific types of video, and can create lots and lots of content to help with a campaign across multiple platforms.

Sometimes, one video doesn't fit all. An agency can help you navigate what type of video, how long the video should be, and manage the production process. Typically video production includes more equipment and more people than you would imagine, and a trained producer can help navigate all the logistics of the process.

For smaller videos, agencies can provide guidance and brand cohesion. By working with an agency, all of your video can feel the same, without being identical.

Lastly, an agency will create the highest quality video you can afford. Don't settle for your iPhone footage. Let a trained production crew do it the right way the first time. It's more affordable than you may think.