Video has the power to send your business’ message in the most effective – and possibly the most fun and entertaining – way. When you think video, you may automatically think of traditional TV ads, but that’s just the start of what video can do. Most of the video content we consume lives on the web, and it may be just what you’re missing from your digital campaigns. 92% of marketers who use video say that it’s an important part of their marketing strategy. 92%!

Here are some video trends to consider including in your marketing strategy for 2021:

Explainer Videos

Different from an overt “advertisement,” explainer videos are excellent tools for getting customers to visit your website or social media channels, and for them to have a positive association with your company when they are still early in their research journey. This can translate to you being top of mind when they move further down the purchase funnel.

Often, especially for large purchases such as vehicles, customers have a lot of questions about products. You may say, “Well they should call us and ask.” But if a customer is very early in their research, calling a salesperson is probably the last thing they want to do. They know they’re not ready to buy right away, and they’re afraid that if you have their phone number or email, they’re going to be inundated with sales-y spam calls and emails. But they still have questions. In comes the explainer video.

The explainer video is a great way to take the pressure off and give your customers a way to interact with your brand early, without feeling like they’re being sold to before they’re ready. Plus, explainer videos can be made in basically any style you can think of to fit your brand, from a colorful and fun animation with quirky characters to a sleek and polished video with a professional spokesperson. They can live on your website, blog, social media, YouTube channel, email blasts – really anywhere that hosts videos. Use them to drive traffic or send highly personalized videos to specific email lists.

Short-Form Video

While it may seem like it’s just another fad that the ‘kids’ are into, video-forward short-form social media like TikTok and Instagram Stories and Reels are here to stay, and they’re gaining bigger and bigger audiences, too. TikTok is expected to reach 1.2 billion users in 2021. Yes, I said BILLION with a B. That’s not just Gen-Zers anymore. Video advertisements that do the best on these platforms are the ones that grab the eye – fast-paced, colorful, and full of energy – something we happen to specialize in.

Shoppable Video

Shoppable Videos are still an emerging e-commerce technology, but they may just be the future. Have you ever clicked on an ad where you flat-out loved one of the items that were featured, but you just can’t seem to find it on the seller’s website? How long will customers really search a site before they get frustrated and leave? Shoppable Videos fix this problem by allowing retailers to link every single piece of merchandise shown to the specific page that sells that specific item. Talk about efficiency.

Virtual Events & Live Streams

Virtual events and live streams emerged out of a kind of necessity in 2020, but it turns out they’re a pretty nifty way to engage with local customers. This type of content creates a feeling of trust and community, more-so than an advertisement that’s obvious in its goal to sell you something. Customers will get a feel for the actual people who make your business what it is, and knowing their faces and personalities creates an invaluable connection to your brand. Try live-streaming when you have a new product to show off, or hosting a virtual charity event for a local cause. Make sure to use your most personable employees, and while an actual script might feel too rigid, it isn’t a bad idea to have a general idea of what you want to say to cut down on ‘uhs’ and ‘ums.’

Influencers & User-Generated Content

Seek out influencers that are active in your target market’s area. These people have already done the hard work of getting their audiences to know, love, and trust them. And if you can get them on your team, their audience will learn to know, love, and trust you too.

Even for customers who aren’t quite “influencer-level”, user-generated content from customers can still have a big impact on the trust your brand evokes. People put a lot of stock in what other customers say about your business. If someone searches for your company and sees good reviews, vlog (video blog) posts raving about customer experience, and Instagram photos and videos highlighting happy people with your product, they will have a much more positive view of your brand than if all that shows up are a couple of ‘meh’ reviews and a paid ad by your competitor right next to it. Encourage happy customers who are active on the internet to share a video about their new purchase and tag your business. User-generated videos on YouTube receive up to ten times as many views as branded content, and come across as much more genuine.

Other Video Ideas For Your Business

Video can fill other business needs beyond marketing as well. For example, you can create training videos that save you time and money down the road when you hire or promote new staff. You can feature snappy animations on screens that already live in your store that highlight the best you have to offer.

There’s so much more to video than a typical TV commercial. By keeping on top of trends, you can stand out from your competitors and engage with your community on a different level. Lucky for you, we have an in-house (well, kinda in-house in times of Covid) studio that specializes in the type of motion graphics, animation, and video production that break the mold on all platforms. Interested? We thought you might be. Reach out to us here for more information on video production.