Video content: a must for digital marketing

Driven by a favorable context, the development of smartphones and Internet access and with the growing popularity of social networks, video has become omnipresent in digital marketing.

With the place occupied by digital today, the marketing possibilities offered by video are countless. According to Cisco, the world’s leading digital transformation company, video content is expected to account for more than 80% of online traffic by 2019 and according to HubSpot, 43% of users would like to have more video content. With 1.5 billion users worldwide, YouTube is the second largest social network in terms of number of active users, proof of the popularity of video content. With 55% of the Swiss population active on social networks and 40% of the content published on these networks being videos, the success of video content is no longer in doubt.

If you are still skeptical on the subject, here are 5 reasons that should convince you to integrate videos into your digital content strategy.

• Video content allows you to communicate in an attractive and original way, this format offers you even more creative possibilities than a photo or a text to capture the attention of your target audience.
• Video content is the favorite format of social networks. Combining sound, text and image, and being short, effective and creative, they encourage sharing and contribute to increasing your notoriety with your targets and are therefore extremely relevant.
• Video content makes it easier to understand. The human brain is indeed sensitive to visuals. Generally, we remember content that we have seen and heard better than we do when we read it, hence the interest of video content. And the impact will be even more significant if the video is complemented by a voice-over.
• Video content makes it easier to capture attention. Today, on average, we hold our attention for 8 seconds before zapping. Knowing that a text requires several minutes of attention and that a video presents the same information in just a few seconds, it is better to choose video content to capture the attention of Internet users.
• Video content can improve your natural referencing (or SEO) because it encourages Internet users to click on links to your website. Video content will not be a mere bonus in 2019, but will become a real necessity to exist in Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Publishing quality video content is therefore a good web marketing strategy.

It is important to captivate the audience from the very first seconds and to focus on short and structured videos. 

The main steps in the creation of marketing videos are: 

• Work on your script: Define the content and types of videos you want to broadcast. To do this, these three elements will help you in your approach:
• the needs of your target audience
• your brand
• your objective 

• Make good use of the storyboard: It’s a shot-by-shot representation of your video. This step allows you to project yourself even before shooting the video.
• Pay attention to the sound effects: Sound effects are essential to work on the emotions.
• Find your talents: Choose the right people to write, shoot, edit and promote the videos. 

And finally, you are free to choose between the two types of videos: video with actors or animated video.