Video Trends For 2020 All Consumer-Facing Brands Need To Know
Video is already an effective and established form of content for consumer-facing brands. But as a content format, it has undergone dramatic developments in recent years, changes that look set to continue in 2020. The new year will feature more personalized videos, long-form experimentation, 360-degree footage, and shoppable images.
Read on to learn more about the video trends for 2020 your brand needs to know.
Personalized video creates personal connections
Throughout 2019, you might have been watching TV online via a channel’s streaming service and been presented with adverts featuring your name. This is just the beginning of an onslaught of personalized videos that we should expect to see in 2020.
Personalization in marketing is nothing new. With the wealth of data available to businesses and freely provided by customers on social media, it’s possible to personalize everything from emails to landing pages.
But the combination of personalization and video means brands will be able to create engaging, dynamic ads that enjoy click-through rates of up to 65%. This goes beyond simply including a customer’s name in a video — it can also incorporate related content that addresses the individual’s personal interests.
By crafting personalized videos tailored to the individual instead of the whole, brands can create a personal connection to their customers, increasing engagement and conversions.
Use shoppable video to push products via narrative
As the name suggests, shoppable video is video content that lets the viewer purchase products natively while watching. It’s a combination of ecommerce and video that builds on existing shoppable posts, and it will be a vital trend for brands to watch in 2020.
What really sets shoppable video apart is its ability to push products natively on social media. Like 360-degree video, brands can create a narrative-led video that markets a product and then build on the viewer’s piqued interest to compel them to purchase.
Shoppable video works best (but not exclusively) on social. You can place your video into conversations through hashtags or targeting and drive conversions via in-video product placement.
Look to long-form video to increase engagement
While many marketers lament the shortened attention spans of today’s consumers, the truth is that audiences are still willing to watch and engage with longer video — provided it is compelling and of sufficient quality.
Long-form videos give brands an opportunity to spark a connection that packs depth and resonance, one that is long-lasting. With that in mind, create a narrative-led video that viscerally speaks to your viewers. Tech firm Cisco is particularly adept at this, as this example on the dangers of ransomware shows:
The video sustained and suspenseful, tapping into the viewer’s concerns around cybercrime and positioning Cisco as a solution to those fears.
The optimum length for long-form video is around 15 minutes. This drives engagement by giving you space to build and nurture your connection with your audience.
That said, it’s important to track analytics wherever possible. Just because customers are willing to watch longer videos doesn’t mean they’ll stay watching. Tracking analytics lets you spot problem areas and identify viewer drop-off points, so you can better tailor your content going forward.
360-degree video provides an immersive experience
360-degree video has enjoyed a considerable surge in popularity in 2019, and it shows no signs of slowing down in 2020. Indeed, as the technology for creating and viewing 360-degree video becomes more accessible (such as the Oculus Rift), it will only increase in popularity this year.
Immersive and often interactive, 360-degree video lets brands immerse consumers in an experience. Early adopters of this technology let brands stand out from the crowd and flex their creative muscles.
360-degree video increases purchase intent by up to 7% by immersing customers in a branded narrative that pushes products. As the technology for 360-degree videos becomes more affordable and easy to use, your business would do well to embrace this trend to better engage consumers in 2020.
Use explainer videos to help customers get the most from your products
If you think of educational videos, you probably think of the dry and dated videos you get shown during orientation in your first week at a new job. But educational explainer videos are increasingly becoming commonplace for consumer-facing brands.
Explainer videos are valuable because they communicate value to the consumer and boost a brand’s authority at the same time. Take Hootsuite, for example. The social scheduling tool offers a plethora of videos that explain how its users can make the most from its product.
Virtually every industry can benefit from this kind of video. From fashion to SaaS, businesses can use educational videos to help their customers better understand and engage with their product, increasing their value as a brand as a result.
The trends above are just five ways that video is set to change in 2020. It’s evident that early adopters of these video trends enjoy greater success by being ahead of the curve. Start building these into your strategy, and get your video marketing off to a head start in 2020.
Rodney Laws is an e-commerce expert with over a decade of experience in building online businesses. Check out his reviews on EcommercePlatforms.io, and you’ll find practical tips that you can use to build the best online store for your business. Connect with him on Twitter @EcomPlatformsio.
