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.

1. Be Like A Magician

Have you ever been to a magic show, or watched magicians on TV? It’s fascinating to see them captivate their audience and keep them engaged, writhing on the edge of their seat the whole time. When you’re trying to achieve a strong online presence, it’s important to engage your audience as well. But unlike a live performance, videos are often much shorter and you only really have a couple minutes to draw your viewers in.

So don’t waste your precious time on things that can be shown towards the end of your video. Really hook people in with something interesting, and stray away from things including logos if you can help it.

2. Be Different

There’s an analogy that follows the story of a purple cow. When you look into a field of brown cows, none of them really stand out. But if you were to see a purple cow, well it would definitely stand out and probably be worth talking about later.

An example of a brown cow would be an advertisement for a blender that showcases the speed and power of it. But an example of a purple cow would be if the advertisement asked viewers whether or not they thought it could blend something tougher or not. People would be more likely to stay if you peak their curiosity.

3. Use High Quality Equipment

When starting out, high end equipment is often unaffordable. You can still make a viral video just using your phone’s camera. But people are more inclined to watch something when it looks professionally done. 9 out of 10 of the most viral videos on Youtube were made by legitimate producers according to The Wall Street Journal.

However you can create a viral video just using your mobile phone and many people have! You can learn how to do so here. Don’t let gear stop you, a lot of the time, the idea and creativity is the most important factor in going viral.

4. Be Practical

Don’t shy away from practical videos that can help teach your audience. For example, there’s a video online from famous Youtuber Wendy Nguyen, a fashion blogger who posted a video on 25 ways to wear a scarf in only 4.5 minutes. 44 million people have watched the video, and it encouraged a lot of people to subscribe to her channel.

5. Marketing Is Important

Oftentimes, people are nervous to promote themselves and their work. They worry whether or not they’ll waste time and money on marketing but then have their work flop. It can be embarrassing. But in fact, it’s crucial to promote yourself instead of leaving it up to chance, especially if you put a lot of hard work into it. You should be proud of yourself and show it off.

Using videos on landing pages can increase conversions by 86% (Joe Girard, 2015).

6. Release On A Monday Or Tuesday

Weekends are unfortunately a bust, because everyone is busy on the weekends. Most people tend to watch videos on break at work. So post on a Monday or Tuesday so that it has the rest of the week to gain momentum. Be mindful of breaking news that may take attention away from you. Also, be careful around holiday times. Instead, choose a day without any major news and post during the times people are on their phones the most like in the morning or right before bed.

7. Have A Strong Video

Promoting yourself can only get you so far. You can get your family and friends to share your videos, but what about beyond your social circle? You need to have some strong content there; content that will spread like wildfire.

Consider striking an emotion in your viewer, because people share your videos when they feel something. Emotions that typically get you those shares include happiness, eagerness, enjoyment, frustration, etc.

8. Keep It Short

When deciding on a video to watch, do you ever look to see how long it is before clicking on it? I know I have. When a video is longer, people usually don’t have the time to watch the entire thing. But if you can fit a lot of information in a 2 minute video, better yet 30 seconds, people are more inclined to watch it. Also, short videos get more shares and spread to different audiences better.

9. Find Your Steak

If you’re trying to make a viral video, think about the people and companies you want to hire you. If you need any marketing, these companies can work with you on that. If you make a video, include links to potential sponsors.

For example, if you are doing a clothing haul then you could link to a company like Nike. Ideally, Nike would hire you to rep their brand and in return they could reimburse you. You won’t win every company, but that doesn’t mean one wouldn’t hire you. Don’t be afraid to reach out.

10. Okay, You’re Viral

Now what? There’s a good chance you will receive a lot of criticism. For example, someone once posted a video from a car accident that they where involved in, and it got over 10k views. It was not the person that was filming’s fault, nor where they charged. But from the angle they took the video from, it left people thinking that it was indeed their fault and they said horrible things. But don’t let it get to you! It’s good to create controversy, it keeps the attention on you.

It’s important to remember that the media might try to get a hold of you, so be sure to answer. Make your email address and social media links easy to find. Understand where you want your traffic to go. If you have a website, be sure to include a sign-up page.

11. Write A Good Description

People often neglect the importance of a good video description. After waiting for your video to upload, writing a description may seem like a nuisance. But in fact, the description is the perfect area to include all your keyword searches. Also, post tagged URLs to companies that you want to sponsor you.

Use the description box to your advantage, don’t just leave it blank!

12. Subtitles and Captions

People often don’t remember that when you neglect subtitles and closed captions for your videos, you’re cutting out a large demographic of people with hearing disabilities or language barriers from watching you.

Youtube does a decent job at auto-generating captions for you, however they often offer up mistakes. So to ensure they are proper, you might need to invest your time into doing it yourself.

13. Mobile Devices

Did you know that half of all videos on Youtube were made using a smartphone? Not only that, but Youtube’s top priority is actually mobile phones. So definitely consider making mobile friendly videos for your viewers. Cater to the larger demographic, but continue pushing videos that could suit every device.

14. Consider Overlays

Have you ever watched a Youtube video, and then suddenly a small text box popped up that had a link attached that you could click on? Overlays are an amazing tool in getting more subscribers. It provides more intractability with your viewers, and shows that you put more time and effort into your videos.

When using all of these tools and by paying attention to keywords and phrases, you’ll definitely be on your way to becoming highly discoverable.

- By Jessika Molnar

Do you think you’re ready to make a viral video?