Video Marketing Pros and Cons
What to Consider when Creating Professional Video Content
The value of digital video marketing is staggering—at $135 billion and growing, what was once considered a trend is now a content marketing standard. Consumers love videos. Companies are coming up with new approaches to gain and retain viewers on a regular basis. With the video marketing industry racing full speed ahead, we thought it might be useful to step back, slow down, and evaluate some of the pros and cons of video marketing.
Pros
Video grabs attention
On average, a video will retain 37% of its viewers until the very end. With shorter videos, (under 90 seconds) expect that number to rise closer to 53%. More than half of all consumers prefer watching a brand’s video over other types of content like blogs, downloads, newsletters, and social imagery.
Video maximizes the potential for multimedia
Video is an ideal vehicle for just about any type of media; perfect for incorporating relevant imagery like charts or graphs, and also versatile in and of itself. Within a single video, you can include elements like animation, green screens, and motion graphics. With video, you can leverage the exponentially more appealing and more memorable visual content that viewers crave. You can also add music or sound effects to further enhance the multimedia experience.
Video has high engagement and ROI/conversion rates
43% of consumers want to see more video from brands. Videos have an organic reach that’s more than 8% higher than any other type of social media post. Add a video to a landing page, and you can increase conversion by up to 80%. Mention the word “video” in an email subject line, and open rates can increase by more than 19%. And according to Google, conversions from YouTube video ads are up 150% year over year.
Video is a social media powerhouse
One Facebook executive predicts that the social network will be all video and no text by 2021. Add to that the fact that YouTube is second only to Google in popularity, and that social media posts including video have 48% more views, and it’s crystal clear that when it comes to social media, video is tops. Twitter, LinkedIn, and Snapchat also provide plenty of engagement around video- Snapchat users watch almost 7 million videos per minute.
Video is highly compatible with smartphones and other portable devices
The consumption of mobile video rises 100% each year. And Cisco predicts that 75% of all mobile data traffic will stem from video by 2021. So it’s key that your video content marketing strategy incorporates mobile formats and includes concise, eye-catching options optimized for mobile devices.
Cons
Video overhead can be costly
Unlike written content or even static graphics, there are multiple moving pieces (literally and figuratively!) where video production is concerned. From writing a script and plotting out a storyboard, to potential cast and crew costs, and production necessities like cameras, dollies, microphones, and other equipment, videos can be costly whether you opt for an agency or d.i.y. Although the R.O.I. is usually significant, if cost is a factor, you may need to get creative.
Video production may be time-consuming
Creating a video often comes in phases– pre-production, production, and post-production. Even if you plan to create a video solely around a 1-day event, the post-production (editing, coloring, audio syncing, etc.) could take several days or weeks to complete. To end up with a great final video, you don’t want to cut corners or skip steps, and that means taking the necessary time to cover all of your bases. If time is of the essence, you might want to opt for something like an infographic or podcast accompanied with micro-videos.
Videos are notoriously hard to update/keep evergreen
One benefit to something like a blog post is that if situations arise or statistics change, it’s relatively simple to make a quick edit to reflect the shifts. With video, it’s more complicated to make even small changes. Additionally, elements like settings, seasons, clothing and other factors can date the content and make it less relevant over time. Other media may be more adaptable, and can often be repurposed more effectively than video. This is part of the reason why it’s important to plan your video strategy carefully and with precision.
Video might not appeal to all audiences
Depending on your goals, you may want to think beyond video. Although video boasts a broad appeal consistently across all platforms, viewer behavior may not align with your ideal outcome. For example, research shows that goal-oriented consumers- those who are shopping for a specific item, or have a predetermined reason for being on your website- tend to prefer text to inform their decision over video.
Video can be less accessible than other types of content
Video itself needs hardware like a computer, smartphone, or television to be widely accessible. And English language video may not be understandable by someone who only speaks Spanish, or vice versa. In order to make video universally accessible, it’s also important to consider closed captioning for the hearing impaired, and audio descriptions for the visually impaired.
Ultimately, video marketing content can be a versatile tool in your content marketing arsenal, with a vast reach and a high rate of retention. While the video marketing pros and cons are worth considering, also remember to plan wisely, consider some of the factors that may not be immediately recognized, and set yourself up for success by including video where and when it’s most appropriate.