Thanks to the emergence of new user-friendly software and online tools, video content became more accessible than ever. Videos are fast becoming the most widely used format for all types of content, including marketing communications. Videos work best when you need to convey a good deal of information in a relatively short period of time. They are also the best format for engaging and creating an emotional connection. We’re happy to share with you this list of major trends in video marketing and content creation.

1. Video storytelling

It’s far easier and faster to transmit emotions with the help of a video than via text. And the emotional connection is the centerpiece of sales-increasing storytelling. While users can learn about the whole story from a one-minute video, it will take them at least 10-15 minutes of reading to get the same amount of information from a text.

2. Mobile video content

According to a 2020 survey, 43% of respondents stated that they watched video content via mobile, 52% of respondents said the same about watching video on a computer. On average, U.S. adults spent 15 minutes per day accessing video apps on a smartphone. We think you don’t need any further explanations on why you should adapt your video content to mobile devices.

3. Educational videos

If you were following video marketing trends for the last 3-4 years, you might have observed that top promotional videos gravitate towards the balance between entertainment and education. Of course, users want to have fun, but at the same time, the majority of them treat their time responsibly. It means that they want to benefit from watching your videos and the best way to deliver on their expectations is to create educational video content.

4. Collaboration with influencers (opinion leaders)

Whether done on paid, sponsorship, or free-of-charge basis, collaboration with opinion leaders on social media and other online platforms drastically increases users' exposure to your video content. The best way to engage them is to ask them to create video pieces about your product or brand or invite them to participate in your own production. And the more subscribers they have, the more potential leads you can expect.

5. Live videos

Instagram TV (IGTV) and stories format have proven that live video content is engaging. IGTV actually helped almost to double the average time spent on Instagram during the first two weeks after its introduction. The thing with online videos is that it capitalizes on “fear of missing out”, making users think that some important piece of information will slip from their attention if they don’t consume a piece of content here and now. Furthermore, live videos help users become part of the event, which breaks the ice between them and the brand creating better emotional engagement.

6. Personalized video in marketing communication

Hyper-Personalization is a huge trend in marketing. Personalized videos are an essential part of it. Such videos address viewers directly by their name to create a feeling of one-on-one communication. It makes people trust your brand more. This approach helps increase conversions and boost ROI.

7. Keep it short

First of all, the production of short videos is cheaper. Secondly, nobody has time to watch your films about a new e-mail marketing application or a can of soda. Thirdly, the majority of video content today is consumed via portable devices, which also means that your videos shouldn’t last an eternity. Recent research advises keeping them under two minutes or less.

8. Video without sound

85% of videos on Facebook are played without sound. This trend is relevant for other social media and is explained by the drastic increase in content consumption via smartphones and other portable devices. So, when creating video content, keep in mind that very often users don’t have an opportunity to watch a video with sound. Because let’s be honest, we all like to procrastinate at work by watching videos with casts or something similar. Thus, the advice is simple - try to create your own “videos with casts” to catch and retain attention even without sound.

9. VR and AI

Virtual reality and artificial intelligence are now accessible only to large companies because such video content requires heavy HR, financial, and time inputs. Though, if something will put the video content industry upside down, these are VR and AI. Hardly texts or images will beat videos where the user can be a part of the play. Thus, we recommend you keep an eye on these trends to be ready to step in the game when you have such an opportunity.

Some of the trends described above have been gradually rising for the last several years, others are relatively new. However, judging from what is going on in the video marketing domain, they will continue to persist in 2022 and onwards. By capitalizing at least on some of them, you’ll be able to maintain your competitiveness and increase customer engagement.