It’s no secret when someone tells you that video marketing is the best type of marketing there is out there. They’re not only attention-grabbing, but very easy content to consume to the average watcher and if you can tell a story, then even better - this way it gets them hooked to the very end (and watch times are very important).

But how do you know which way is actually the best way to showcase your product or service? Keep on scrolling to find out.

1. Social Media

There are 2 types of videos that go hand-in-hand with Social Media video trends:

Ephemeral - temporary videos only available to the viewer for a 24-hour period. Social media platforms that make use of this particular style are Snapchat, and Facebook and Instagram stories.

Due to the its limited time frame of accessibility, it makes this trend super effective as it can be very engaging (especially if you put a poll or quiz) and can in fact, be very addicting to the average social media user.
Vertical - these types of videos have a higher completion watch rate compared to any other type of videos. In fact, 90% of people are more likely to complete a video that is vertical than one that is horizontal and has become a widespread format most, if not all social media gurus use.

Most people consume their online content through mobile devices, and thus, video marketing is adjusting accordingly to follow the trend alongside short and quick-to-the-point videos across all social media platforms.

Vertical videos is in and are definitely the way to go.

2. Live

Live videos became extremely popular due to the authenticity and naturalness of the entire video, as well as its connection to social media platforms. You are able to go live on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

While it can be used as a means to simply share something, it is also a cheaper alternative to running live shows especially with things turning that into the world of online since everything’s being done remotely.

However, while doing a live may seem as easy as clicking the ‘start’ button, to stand out (due to its growing nature), to put some work into the presentation to stand out from the rest.

3. Interactive

Out of all of the video trends, interactive video is the one that is most likely to grow even more traction than it already has. It allows for the viewer to directly interact with what is going on in the video, truly immersing them into the world created in the video.

Brands such as IKEA, Amazon, YouTube and Instagram have created interactive videos or more known as shoppable videos where you can shop while you watch.

On the other hand, you can also include polls or quizzes, or even reactions to your videos and live streams to add that interactive aspect with your audience especially depending on the platform.

Regardless of how you choose to make your video an interactive one, it is one of the best ways to engage people in the story you want to tell as you immerse them into another reality.

4. Personalized

Is literally as the name suggests: videos personalized and curated to a specific person. It could even be you! It typically includes the person’s name, email address, profile picture, pretty much anything that directly addresses the person and their interests.

Personalized videos are so successful because it makes the customer feel valued and important and in turn, they’ll share what they receive to others (and this way you get free marketing!).

And due to the increase in available insights and data to its users on social media, all the better to strategically market future products and services to its audience, catering to previous and loyal customers while also attracting new ones and increasing engagement.

5. Animation

Who doesn’t love a good animated video? No matter the age, race or gender animated films are always a classic favourite.

Animated videos became of the utmost importance when in 2020, it was hard to shoot any real footage. Not to mention, being able to create them remotely allowed for businesses to close the gap in the lack of in-person meetings while still delivering their messages in a creative way, specifically in two methods:

Fluid Animation - similar to that of the motion of water, fluid animation is made up of persistent movement and is rather simple to create. All you need are a few layers and one mask, and soon enough you’ll get people interested in what it is that you have to offer.
Collage Animation - consists of a mix of photographs and illustrations whereas the animator cuts out parts of an image and combines them to create an animation with what they’ve gathered, making them stand out from the crowd.

6. Searchable

Allowing your video to be ‘searchable’ and ensuring that your SEO is performing at its best is what will make your video marketing strategy effective especially as YouTube, one of the biggest video streaming platforms.

Some tips on how to optimize your SEOs:

Use keywords in the title and descriptions
Create eye-catching and original thumbnail images
Include tags, keywords that are trending and relate to your video
And don’t forget to include subtitles and closed captions for those who prefer reading

7. Internal Communications

Internal Video Communications are typically used to onboard new employees via training/orientation shifts as a way to increase engagement, collaboration, and communication and will only continue to grow especially in 2021.

It is easily one of the best ways for people to learn as they are watching something on-screen, listening and thinking. It’s not a widely-used teaching strategy simply due to the fact of needing to plan, record, and edit the video and printing out a document, and doing a presentation.

However, more and more people are using it because of how 2021 has turned into whereas this is the most similar way to creating face-to-face and more personal interactions. Soon enough, this will be the norm of how to train new and onboarding employees.

CONCLUSION

So there you have it, the top 7 video trends for the year 2021, from vertical videos posted on social media, to live, interactive, and even training videos! It’s no doubt that video marketing is the smartest and easiest way to get an audience interested in what you have to offer. Which trend are you going to try next? Let us know!

Written by Tina Phong

If you need further help creating your own marketing videos, we offer video production services that will help you elevate your brand!

We look forward to being a part of your success. Contact us here to get started.