Studies show that the average person spends 1 hour 23 minutes on social media everyday, and much of that time is spent watching YouTube videos, Instagram Reels, Tik-Toks, or other video content shared on their favourite social media platform.
Stats like these are the reason why more and more businesses are focusing on using video as their number one marketing tool.
Moreover, our brains process visuals a lot faster than text, which means video messages are more memorable and impactful than text-based messages.
With so many social media platforms going video-first, it’s time for you to leverage the power of video for use in your own marketing strategies.
If you’re ready to do so, then read the rest of this article to discover the ten video trends that are currently dominating the social media industry.
1. Live streams
Live streaming is one of the top trends currently taking place with video on social media platforms.
According to a recent study, consumers have an average of 9.5 video streaming apps installed on their smartphones. You can expect live streams to remain popular for a long time to come, especially with so many businesses going digital after the 2020 global health crisis.
Live concerts and plays have turned into live streams and face-to-face meetings have been replaced with online conferences.
Many other events are moving online and naturally, the use of live streaming features on social media is on the rise.
Although the global health situation continues to improve, people are now used to interacting with brands without having to leave their homes and live streaming will continue growing which is why it’s important to make this trend part of your strategy for marketing on social media.
2. Short-form videos
Short, bite-sized videos are taking over social media. It’s estimated that 82% of all traffic on the internet will be made up of online videos.
This is over 15 times higher than five years ago, and short videos have a lot to do with this exploding trend.
Sites like Tik Tok, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat, and Instagram Reels are already trending thanks to this type of content, and we’re likely to see more social media platforms following suit.
Another reason for the domination of short-form video is because of our ever shortening attention spans. So, if you want to engage, inspire, and educate your audience, you need to capitalise on micro videos that can be consumed quickly.
You might even consider turning some of your articles into videos. Even if you’re not an expert, you can still record a video and perform basic editing with many apps you probably already have on your phone.
3. User-generated content (UGC)
This type of content has been steadily growing in popularity over the past few years. One reason for this is that it facilitates a sense of community that appeals to many consumers.
It encourages people to see how others are using your product or service, and how it can make a difference in their lives. UGC also motivates other users to share their own experience as a way of being involved in that community.
Companies like GoPro are using UCG to make its followers the stars of their marketing campaigns, as shown in the social media post below.
There’s no denying that user-generated content is a powerful marketing tactic, and a study conducted recently reveals that users arriving on eCommerce sites via UGC are 184% more likely to make a purchase.
To leverage UGC in your own business, you can start a challenge where users stand to win prizes or be featured on your brand’s page for creating and sharing cool content of them enjoying your product or service.
Examples of UGC content
- Employees taking selfies or short videos at work
- Happy customers sharing their love for your product or service
- Running an influencer campaign
Either way, it’s a powerful medium to drive consideration, brand awareness and recognition, as well as sales.
4. Video advertising
People love videos. Whether they’re watching adorable kittens, funny pranks, educational tutorials, or product reviews, they’re attracted to this type of media, and brands can leverage this by using videos as part of their ad campaigns.
According to Statista, expenditure on digital video ads is expected to reach $120.66 billion by 2024.
Video grabs your audience’s attention. It’s measurable, cost-effective, and lives forever. Using it as part of your ad strategy comes with a lot of additional benefits.
Benefits of using video ads in your social media strategy
- Boost brand awareness
- Increase lead generation
- Enhance online engagement
- Drive conversions and sales
- Take advantage of dynamic pricing
- Improve SEO
By using proven strategies for effective video ads, you will be able to grow your online sales more effectively.
5. Stories as a content format
Stories are taking over. They’re basically on everyone’s news feeds because they are short, visual, non-text heavy – and they disappear.
This format, which was brought to us by Snapchat, is now being used by plenty of social media platforms each with its own version. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other platforms are now making use of this interactive format to boost engagement levels.
You can come up with polls, questions, and various other types of content. The time constraint, in particular, is what makes the stories format so effective at creating engagement. People choose to consume them because they are afraid of missing out on important stuff if they don’t.
Two-thirds of the people surveyed by Facebook state that they have developed interest in a brand after seeing the company or its products or services in Instagram stories.
You too can use this in your own business by recording the process of developing a new product or service and showing your audience behind the scenes, including members of your team.
You might also conduct interviews, ask your viewers questions, or create surveys and polls, the possibilities are endless and you are limited only by your creativity.
6. Augmented reality
Augmented reality (AR) is no longer considered just a fad. This technology is here to stay, and experts estimate that by 2024 the AR industry will be worth a staggering $300 billion!
AR works by overlaying digital content onto the physical world. It’s the same technology that was used to place 3D digital objects in front of users in the real world during the Pokémon GO craze a few years ago.
Today, companies are using AR technology for a wide range of applications. For instance, the Google Maps “Live View Beta” feature will help you navigate your way around town by overlaying directions on top of what you see in the real world.
There are a ton of ways businesses can make use of this trend on social media.
Many brands are already creating engaging AR videos for their marketing campaigns, but you can add the virtual component to practically any type of content.
- Makeup brands might use AR technology to allow people to try on different shades of lipstick virtually.
- A clothing retailer might use the same technology to let potential buyers try on shoes, sunglasses, different colour clothes, etc.
AR is particularly effective when used in videos as a way to show your customers how your product or service works. You can create product tutorials with a futuristic twist that will make them more engaging and effective.
For any business that wants to take over the social media industry, augmented reality is something to take into consideration. The best part is that you don’t need specialised knowledge or a huge budget to get started creating your videos for social media.
Check out this video on how to create your own augmented reality content:
7. Shoppable videos
Shoppable videos are an effective form of interactive video that has a much higher engagement rate than display advertising.
They are set to change the eCommerce game, and it’s no wonder we are already seeing a rise in this trend with more and more eCommerce businesses leveraging this tactic as part of their social commerce marketing strategy.
This video from IKEA provides an excellent example of this concept in action:
Shoppable videos can help you enhance the user experience and provide seamless, quick and easy shopping where customers are already interacting with your brand on social media.
Users can browse, choose items, and check out without leaving the platform which makes it more likely that they will go through with the purchase.
ThreadBeast is one of the brands making full use of this tactic by setting up a social media storefront, and making use of shoppable videos.
This helps them simplify and shorten the customer journey, which results in higher conversions and sales.
8. Silent videos with captions
Silent videos and captions have started to gain momentum. It’s estimated that at least 85% of short videos people watch on Facebook are viewed without sound.
A growing number of users view content on the go which is why this type of accessibility is becoming more important.
Facebook, YouTube, Tik Tok, Instagram, and other social platforms are starting to embrace this trend and provide audio transcription features. We’re seeing more and more video marketers using “no-audio” tactics like captions to offer viewers a more user-friendly experience.
Captioning your social media videos also comes with an additional benefit. When you upload a video, the captions are indexed, and the search engine uses them for keywords to make your video more searchable online.
This helps your search engine optimisation efforts and improves the visibility and ranking of your content.
9. Videos that double as podcasts
While many people watch videos on the go, others don’t have enough time to look at their screens. Podcasts have become exceedingly popular and are even featured on video streaming services like HBO Max.
When creating videos, not only should you consider creating videos that can be watched but not heard, you also want to think about building a podcast that doubles as a video.
This is a lot simpler than it might sound. All you do is use a podcast hosting platform to help you record the podcast while also using video or screen recorders to capture the participants while they create the podcast.
You can then edit together a final video of the podcast and even share shorter bloopers and outtakes separately in order to generate more content, increase familiarity with your brand, and generate a more personal connection with your followers.
Additionally, while this method allows you to have a ton of great video content to share around all your social networks, you also have the advantage of creating a supplementary podcast.
This will allow you to expand your digital marketing mix across more channels and create additional methods of creating brand ambassadors across multiple social networks.
Conclusion
What’s the take away from this article? If you want to grow online, you must start creating engaging video content.
These are the top video trends currently on social media. Use them to stay at the forefront of growing trends so you can get the most from your marketing campaigns.
By knowing each platform and employing these techniques on relevant networks, you’ll be able to interact with your brand’s supporters on a more personal level, resulting in high engagement, more impressions, and ultimately more customers.
Take advantage of Enterprise services and search iconic stock content for your next production.
Which of the video trends will you integrate into your overall marketing strategy first? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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This is a guest post by Prof. Ron Stefanski. He’s an online entrepreneur and college professor who helps people create and market their own online businesses. Learn more about Ron by visiting OneHourProfessor.com
You can also connect with him on YouTube or Linkedin, or on his Facebook Community.