You will have heard video is fast becoming the king of the content jungle – but how did it happen and why is it working? The inexorable march of video to becoming the king of content has been marked by several seminal moments in history that have set it on its path to supremacy.
The birth of the internet has armed anyone with a computer with the tools to publish content and build an audience.
Now, with smartphones, social media platforms and affordable camera equipment readily available, those with a desire to build an engaged audience can and should add video to their repertoire too.
But what events have shaped this obligation?
Whilst the invention of the television, smartphone and internet are obvious contenders, there are several other moments that deserve attention.
1. 1941 – the first US TV ad
Sport has created an intense battleground for video advertising, with major sporting events such as the Super Bowl demanding cutting-edge creativity to cut through
The phenomenon that dates back to 1941, when the first TV advertisement was broadcast in the US before a baseball game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies on behalf of watch brand Bulova. TV advertising is now worth an estimated USD$70 million in the US.
2. 1983 – Sony’s first consumer camcorder
In 1983 Sony released its first consumer camcorder, JVC, Kodak and Panasonic soon following suit. This empowered the general public to become content creators. The full impact of user-generated content wouldn’t be felt until 1991, when a civilian in Los Angeles recorded five police officers brutally beating Rodney King during an arrest. Many argue it was the first ‘viral video’ with the content dominating news coverage and laying the seeds for historical riots and civil disobedience that ripped through the city a year later.
3. 2005 – the birth of YouTube
14 years on from the Rodney King incident, and with the internet now shaping the world we recognise, came the creation of video-sharing website YouTube. Its sale to Google for USD $1.65 billion was a turning point for the marketing industry, confirming brands simply had to include digital video ads in their annual marketing budgets. The explosion of social media platforms that shaped this era was marked by a clear strategy by each of them to ensure their platform facilitated the easy creation of video. If Cisco is correct in its prediction that video will account for more than 82% of all consumer Internet traffic by 2022, it’s easy to see why the social media giants actively optimise their platforms for video.
It’s safe to say for any number of reasons video has become an undeniably important medium. Let’s now take a look at a few reasons why you’ll notice video marketing more and more.
Search Engine Optimisation
Google’s (and social media) algorithms are designed to reward video. Videos help to increase the time spent by users on a website, which in turn shows search engines it contains valuable content. A 2018 study revealed a website is 53 times more likely to land on the first page of Google if it utilises video.
Building trust with your audience
Research by Hubspot revealed that 50% of Internet users look for videos related to a service or product before visiting a store. Using video to inform people with useful, digestible information can help to build trust. In a post-truth era where trust is hard to earn, this can have long-term benefits in relationship building.
Conversions
According to a study by Tublar Insights demonstrated that 64% of consumers will make a purchase after watching branded video on social platforms, while Forbes figures reveal 65% of executives have gone to a business’s site and 39% have called them after watching a video. Video can help to start conversations that directly impact your business’ bottom line.
If you want to know more about how video can work for you, contact Pesel & Carr on (03) 9036 6900.
