Video Marketing Guide

Video is one of the most engaging mediums, with viewers retaining 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to just 10% when reading it in text. This makes video a powerful tool for capturing attention and conveying information. Videos can be easily shared and distributed across multiple channels, including social media, email, and websites. This makes it easier to reach a wider audience and increase brand visibility.

Oberlo summary: Video Marketing Statistics
91% of consumers want to see more online video content from brands. 86% of marketing professionals use video as a marketing tool. 66% of consumers find short-form videos to be the most engaging type of content on social media.

Video content has been shown to increase conversion rates, with video on landing pages increasing conversions by up to 80%. This is because videos can help to explain complex products or services, showcase features and benefits, and provide social proof through customer testimonials.

Video marketing provides valuable data and insights into viewer behavior, such as how long they watched a video, where they dropped off, and what actions they took afterwards. This can help businesses to optimize their content and distribution strategies over time.

Video marketing is important because it is a highly effective way to engage, educate, and convert audiences, and can provide valuable insights into viewer behavior and preferences. By incorporating video into their marketing strategies, businesses can improve their overall marketing performance and drive better business results.

What is video marketing?

Video marketing is the use of video content to promote a brand, product, or service. This can include a wide range of video formats, such as product demos, explainer videos, customer testimonials, brand storytelling, and more.

The goal of video marketing is to engage and educate an audience, build brand awareness, and ultimately drive business results. Video is an effective medium for marketing because it is highly engaging, memorable, and can convey complex information in a way that is easy to understand.

Video marketing can be used across a range of channels, including social media, email, websites, and online advertising. It can also be used throughout the customer journey, from awareness to consideration to purchase and beyond.

Successful video marketing campaigns are usually based on a clear strategy and goals, and use data-driven insights to optimize content and distribution over time. By creating compelling, high-quality video content that resonates with their target audience, businesses can build brand affinity, drive website traffic and leads, and ultimately increase revenue.

Video marketing purpose and goals

The purpose and goals of video marketing can vary depending on the business and the specific campaign. However, some common purposes and goals of video marketing include:

• Building brand awareness: One of the primary purposes of video marketing is to increase brand visibility and awareness. This can be done by creating videos that showcase the brand’s personality, values, and unique selling proposition.
• Educating and informing: Video can be an effective tool for educating and informing audiences about a brand’s products or services. This can include product demos, explainer videos, and how-to guides.
• Driving traffic and leads: Video can be used to drive traffic to a website or landing page, and to generate leads through gated content such as webinars or downloadable guides.
• Increasing conversions: Video content can be used to increase conversion rates by showcasing the benefits and features of a product or service, and by providing social proof through customer testimonials.
• Building customer loyalty: Video can be used to build customer loyalty by creating emotional connections with viewers and showcasing the brand’s commitment to customer satisfaction.

Video platforms

There are many video platforms available for hosting, sharing, and streaming video content online. Here are some of the most popular ones:

1. YouTube: This is the world’s largest video-sharing platform, with over two billion monthly active users. It allows users to upload, view, and share videos on a variety of topics.
2. Vimeo: Vimeo is a video platform that is popular among filmmakers and other creative professionals. It offers high-quality video hosting and sharing, along with customizable video players and privacy settings.
3. Dailymotion: Dailymotion is a French video-sharing platform that allows users to upload and watch videos. It has a global audience and offers a wide range of content, including news, music, and entertainment.
4. Twitch: Twitch is a live streaming platform that is primarily used for video game streaming, but it also features other content such as talk shows, music, and creative content.
5. TikTok: TikTok is a social media platform that is focused on short-form videos. It allows users to create and share videos that are up to one minute long.
6. Facebook: Facebook allows users to upload and share videos on their platform. It also offers live streaming and video advertising options.
7. Instagram: Instagram is a photo and video-sharing platform that allows users to upload and share short-form videos.
8. Pinterest: Pinterest allows users to create and share video content, primarily in the form of “Pins” that link to external websites or videos.
9. LinkedIn: LinkedIn allows users to upload and share videos on their platform. It is primarily used for professional networking and job searching.
10. Twitter: Twitter allows users to upload and share short-form videos, known as “tweets,” with their followers. It also offers live streaming options through its Periscope app.
11. Snapchat: Snapchat is a social media platform that allows users to create and share short-form videos, known as “Snaps.” Users can also add filters, stickers, and other effects to their videos.
12. Wistia: Wistia is a video hosting and analytics platform that is focused on businesses and marketers. It offers customizable video players, video marketing tools, and detailed analytics.
13. Brightcove: Brightcove is a video platform that is focused on delivering high-quality video experiences across devices. It offers video hosting, streaming, and monetization options for businesses.
14. Vidyard: Vidyard is a video hosting platform designed for sales and marketing teams. It offers advanced video analytics, integrations with marketing automation and CRM tools, and personalized video messaging capabilities, and has a range of paid plans to suit different needs.
15. JW Player: JW Player is a video player and platform that is used by publishers, advertisers, and businesses to deliver video content across devices. It offers customizable video players, video hosting, and advertising options.

Video marketing benefits

Video marketing offers several benefits to businesses, from increased engagement and improved SEO to higher conversion rates and better customer experiences:

• Increased engagement: Videos are more engaging than other types of content and can capture the attention of viewers more effectively. This increased engagement can lead to longer viewing times, increased shares and likes, and better brand recognition.
• Improved SEO: Videos can improve a website’s search engine rankings, leading to more traffic and higher visibility. This is because video content is more likely to be shared and linked to than other types of content.
• Greater reach: Videos can be shared across multiple channels, including social media, email, and websites, making it easier to reach a wider audience and increase brand visibility.
• Higher conversion rates: Video content has been shown to increase conversion rates, with video on landing pages increasing conversions by up to 80%. This is because videos can provide more information about a product or service, and can help to build trust and credibility with potential customers.
• Improved customer experience: Videos can provide a more immersive and interactive experience for viewers, helping to build brand affinity and trust. This can lead to greater customer loyalty and increased customer lifetime value.
• Cost-effective: Video production costs have decreased significantly in recent years, making it more affordable for businesses of all sizes to create high-quality video content.

Video marketing SEO

Video marketing can have a significant impact on search engine optimization (SEO) for businesses. To optimize video content for SEO, businesses should ensure that videos are optimized for relevant keywords, have accurate titles and descriptions, and are hosted on reputable video hosting platforms. Additionally, businesses can incorporate video content into their overall content strategy, using videos to support blog posts, social media campaigns, and other marketing efforts. By leveraging the power of video marketing for SEO, businesses can improve their search engine rankings and drive more traffic to their websites:

• Increased engagement: Video content is more engaging than other types of content and can help to keep visitors on a website for longer periods of time. This can lead to lower bounce rates and higher time on page, both of which are important factors in search engine rankings.
• Improved backlinks: Video content is more likely to be shared and linked to than other types of content, which can help to build high-quality backlinks to a website. Backlinks from reputable sources can improve a website’s domain authority and search engine rankings.
• Better click-through rates: Video content in search results can improve click-through rates, as video thumbnails are more likely to attract attention than plain text links. This can lead to increased website traffic and improved search engine rankings.
• Improved user experience: Video content can improve the overall user experience of a website, making it more likely that visitors will return and engage with the site. This can lead to improved search engine rankings, as user engagement is an important factor in search algorithms.

Video marketing strategies

Here are some video marketing strategies to help you leverage the power of video in your marketing efforts:

• Develop a video content strategy: Define your goals, target audience, and the types of videos you want to create. This will help you plan and execute your video marketing efforts more effectively.
• Create engaging video content: Make sure your videos are interesting, informative, and visually appealing. Use storytelling techniques and a clear message to engage your audience and keep them interested.
• Optimize for search engines: Use keywords and tags to make sure your videos are discoverable on search engines like Google and YouTube.
• Leverage social media: Share your videos on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to reach a wider audience and drive engagement.
• Incorporate video into your email marketing: Include video in your email campaigns to increase engagement and click-through rates.
• Host webinars and live events: Use video to host webinars, live events, and Q&A sessions to engage with your audience in real-time.
• Personalize your videos: Use personalized video messages to connect with your audience on a deeper level and build stronger relationships.
• Measure and optimize: Use analytics tools to track your video performance and make data-driven decisions to optimize your video marketing strategy over time.

Make engaging videos

Creating engaging videos requires a combination of planning, creativity, and attention to detail. Here are some tips that can help:

• Start with a clear concept: Before you start filming, it’s important to have a clear idea of what your video will be about. Think about the message you want to convey and the audience you want to reach.
• Hook your audience: Facebook research has shown that 45% of audiences will continue to watch a video if they have spent at least three seconds watching it. But they click away after three seconds if they are not engaged. That tells us that videos must hook an audience within three seconds. Content that starts off slow is not going to convert very well. Start engaging your audience immediately.
• Keep it short and sweet: Attention spans are short, so it’s important to keep your videos concise and to the point. Try to keep your video under 2-3 minutes if possible. Create videos that contain a clear message and then get your point across as quickly as possible.
• Make it visually interesting: Use a mix of shots, angles, and editing techniques to keep your video visually interesting. Consider using animation or graphics to add visual interest.
• Create an engaging title and description: This is another important element in SEO video marketing, but it also shows your audience what to expect from the video. Make sure the content of your video matches its title and description. In fact, choosing the right title is the most important factor in getting a video ranked on search engines.
• Utilize SEO marketing into your video: As we noted above, videos rank high in SEO ranking, but only if they are properly optimized. Video SEO ensures that your video is picked up by search engines. This will get it in front of larger audiences. There are a number of optimization strategies that can be used to rank your videos:
  • Include keywords in the title and description.
  • Videos that are focused convert higher.
  • Getting videos to show up in a universal search depends on the authority of your website.
• Use storytelling: People connect with stories, so try to weave a narrative into your video. Use real-life examples, anecdotes, or case studies to make your video more relatable and engaging.
• Inspire your audience: Again, this comes down to understanding your target market. You also need to have a clear goal for your video. While videos are designed to create buzz around your business, that should not be its primary goal. You should aim to help your target market solve a specific problem. Conversions are a side-effect that results from you providing quality, engaging content.
• Videos must be credible: Do not create videos trying to explain something that you have no experience in because it will only drive your audience away. Moreover, it’s unethical to do so. Videos should help people, and not lead them in the wrong direction. Most people are going to fact-check your videos, so if you are discussing a topic you know nothing about, then you will lose credibility. On the other hand, videos that are factually correct will be far more engaging.
• Pay attention to the behavior of your target audience: It is important to understand your target audience if you want to properly engage them. Metrics are essential to video marketing because they relay vital information, giving you the data needed to reach out to your target audience. Learn about their habits and their struggles to create videos that are designed to help them. For example, if your audience has a problem using Photoshop, then create videos showing them how to use various features in this powerful program.
• Add music and sound effects: Music and sound effects can help create an emotional connection with your audience. Choose a soundtrack that complements the tone and message of your video.
• Optimize for mobile: Many people watch videos on their mobile devices, so it’s important to optimize your video for mobile viewing. Use subtitles or captions to make your video more accessible to viewers who may be watching without sound.
• Call to action: Always include a call to action at the end of your video, whether it’s to visit your website, follow you on social media, or take some other action.
• Use subtitles: If you are not creating subtitles for your videos, then you’re missing out on a large chunk of viewers. Millions of viewers are hard of hearing or they are at work where they cannot turn on the sound. Subtitles are a necessary element of engaging videos because they widen your audience. Moreover, not everyone is an auditory learner. Some of us learn better from a video when we’re able to read the dialogue.
• Respond to viewers: Go through any comments left on your videos and engage with your audience. Answer questions and show them that you care. In return, they will pay attention to future videos that you create. Furthermore, answering questions provides you with even more insight into the kind of content they crave. Spending 30 minutes to go through and answer questions can spur the engagement of future videos.

Video analytics tools

There are various video analytics tools available in the market that can help you measure and analyze the performance of your video content across different platforms. Here are some popular video analytics tools:

• Google Analytics: Allows you to track metrics such as video engagement, watch time, traffic sources, and conversion rates for your YouTube videos.
• Vimeo Analytics: Provides detailed insights into the performance of your Vimeo videos, including view counts, engagement rates, and audience demographics.
• Wistia: Offers advanced analytics features such as heat maps, viewer drop-off graphs, and individual viewer histories.
• Vidyard: Offers features such as A/B testing, personalized video recommendations, and lead capture forms.
• Brightcove: Offers features such as real-time analytics, custom reports, and integrations with marketing automation tools.
• SproutVideo: Offers features such as engagement graphs, geographic heat maps, and video comparison reports.

Video metrics

Video metrics are the measurements and data points used to evaluate the performance of video content. By tracking these metrics, businesses and organizations can gain insights into how their video content is performing, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions about their video marketing strategies:

• Views: The number of times a video has been viewed.
• Watch time: The total amount of time viewers have spent watching a video.
• Engagement: The level of interaction viewers have with a video, including likes, comments, shares, and subscriptions.
• Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of viewers who click on a call-to-action (CTA) within a video, such as a link to a website or a product page.
• Conversion rate: The percentage of viewers who take a desired action after watching a video, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.
• Audience demographics: Information about the age, gender, location, and interests of viewers.
• Retention rate: The percentage of viewers who continue watching a video after a certain point, such as 30 seconds or one minute.
• Drop-off rate: The percentage of viewers who stop watching a video before it ends.
• Play rate: The percentage of viewers who click the play button to start a video.
• Completion rate: The percentage of viewers who watch a video to its end.
• Shares: The number of times a video has been shared on social media or other platforms.
• Impressions: The number of times a video has been seen by users, including views and clicks.
• Average watch time: The average amount of time viewers spend watching a video.
• Social engagement: The level of engagement a video receives on social media platforms, such as likes, comments, and shares.

Video benchmarks

Video benchmark numbers can vary by industry, platform, and audience demographics. Some industry-specific benchmarks compiled by various sources:

• Views:
  • A good benchmark for video views is around 10% of your target audience.
  • Social media platforms: A good benchmark for video views on social media is around 10% of your target audience. (Source: Hootsuite)
  • Online video platforms: According to a report by Ooyala, the average completion rate for videos on online video platforms is around 63%.
• Watch time:
  • An average watch time of 60-90 seconds is considered good for social media videos. For longer videos, you should aim for a watch time of 50% or higher.
  • Social media platforms: An average watch time of 60-90 seconds is considered good for social media videos. (Source: Wistia)
  • Online video platforms: According to the same report by Ooyala, the average watch time for videos on online video platforms is around 2.7 minutes.
  • Facebook: According to a report by Hootsuite, the average watch time for Facebook videos is around 10 seconds.
  • Instagram: According to a report by Social Insider, the average watch time for Instagram videos is around 26 seconds.
  • YouTube: According to a report by Google, the average watch time for YouTube videos is around 2 minutes and 45 seconds.
  • Vimeo: According to a report by Vimeo, the average watch time for Vimeo videos is around 1 minute and 45 seconds.
  • According to a report by Panopto, the average watch time for e-learning videos is around 6 minutes and 15 seconds.
  • According to a report by Kaltura, the average watch time for training videos is around 5 minutes.
• Engagement:
  • A good engagement rate is between 2-5% of your total audience.
  • Social media platforms: A good engagement rate is between 2-5% of your total audience. (Source: Hootsuite)
  • Facebook: According to a report by Hootsuite, the average engagement rate for Facebook videos is around 0.26%.
  • Instagram: According to a report by Social Insider, the average engagement rate for Instagram videos is around 2.2%.
  • YouTube: According to a report by Google, the average engagement rate for YouTube videos is around 0.65%.
  • Vimeo: According to a report by Vimeo, the average engagement rate for Vimeo videos is around 4%.
  • According to a report by Panopto, the average engagement rate for e-learning videos is around 56%.
  • According to a report by Kaltura, the average engagement rate for training videos is around 68%.
• Click-through rate (CTR):
  • A good CTR for video CTAs is between 2-5%.
  • Facebook: According to a report by Hootsuite, the average Facebook video CTR is around 1.65%.
  • Instagram: According to a report by Social Insider, the average Instagram video CTR is around 0.9%.
  • YouTube: According to a report by Google, the average YouTube video CTR is around 0.6%.
  • Vimeo: According to a report by Vimeo, the average Vimeo video CTR is around 16%.
  • According to a report by Panopto, the average e-learning video CTR is around 14%.
  • According to a report by Kaltura, the average training video CTR is around 12%.
• Conversion rate:
  • A good conversion rate for video marketing campaigns is between 10-20%.
  • Landing page videos: A good conversion rate for landing page videos is between 10-20%. (Source: Vidyard)
  • E-commerce videos: E-commerce videos can increase conversion rates by up to 80%. (Source: Eyeview)
  • According to a report by Wyzowl, e-commerce companies that use video marketing have an average conversion rate of 1.84%, compared to 1.16% for companies that don’t use video.
  • According to a report by Invodo, adding a product video to a product page can increase conversion rates by up to 80%.
  • According to a report by the National Association of Realtors, real estate listings with video receive 403% more inquiries than those without video.
  • According to a report by Virtuets, real estate videos can increase click-through rates by up to 300%.
  • According to a report by Vidyard, B2B companies that use video have an average conversion rate of 27%, compared to 17% for those that don’t use video.
  • According to a report by MarketingSherpa, adding a video to a landing page can increase conversion rates by up to 80%.
• Retention rate:
  • A good retention rate is between 50-70% for the first 30 seconds of a video.
  • Instagram: According to a report by Social Insider, the average retention rate for Instagram videos is around 26% for the first 15 seconds.
  • Twitter: According to Twitter’s internal data, the average retention rate for Twitter videos is around 50%.
  • YouTube: According to a report by Google, the average retention rate for YouTube videos is around 50% for the first 30 seconds.
  • Vimeo: According to a report by Vimeo, the average retention rate for Vimeo videos is around 60% for the first 30 seconds.
  • According to a report by Panopto, the average retention rate for e-learning videos is around 56% for the first 15 minutes.
  • According to a report by Kaltura, the average retention rate for training videos is around 52% for the first 15 minutes.
• Drop-off rate:
  • Ideally, you want to keep your drop-off rate below 50%.
  • Instagram: According to a report by Social Insider, the average drop-off rate for Instagram videos is around 60% for the first 15 seconds.
  • Twitter: According to Twitter’s internal data, the average drop-off rate for Twitter videos is around 50%.
  • YouTube: According to a report by Google, the average drop-off rate for YouTube videos is around 40% for the first 30 seconds.
  • Vimeo: According to a report by Vimeo, the average drop-off rate for Vimeo videos is around 30% for the first 30 seconds.
  • According to a report by Panopto, the average drop-off rate for e-learning videos is around 40% for the first 15 minutes.
  • According to a report by Kaltura, the average drop-off rate for training videos is around 40% for the first 15 minutes.
• Play rate:
  • A good play rate is between 50-60%.
  • Facebook: According to a report by Hootsuite, the average Facebook video play rate is around 10% of the total number of people reached.
  • Instagram: According to a report by Social Insider, the average Instagram video play rate is around 22%.
  • YouTube: According to a report by Google, the average YouTube video play rate is around 46%.
  • Vimeo: According to a report by Vimeo, the average Vimeo video play rate is around 50%.
  • According to a report by Panopto, the average e-learning video play rate is around 80%.
  • According to a report by Kaltura, the average training video play rate is around 75%.
• Completion rate:
  • A completion rate of 60% or higher is considered good.
  • Facebook: According to a report by Hootsuite, the average Facebook video completion rate is around 15% of the total number of people reached.
  • Instagram: According to a report by Social Insider, the average Instagram video completion rate is around 26%.
  • YouTube: According to a report by Google, the average YouTube video completion rate is around 50%.
  • Vimeo: According to a report by Vimeo, the average Vimeo video completion rate is around 70%.
  • According to a report by Panopto, the average e-learning video completion rate is around 45%.
  • According to a report by Kaltura, the average training video completion rate is around 50%.

Video stats and trends

These video stats and trends highlight the importance of incorporating video into your content strategy and optimizing it for mobile and accessibility. By staying up-to-date on video trends and best practices, you can create more effective video content that resonates with your audience and drives business results:

• Video consumption is on the rise: According to Cisco, by 2023, video will account for 82% of all internet traffic.
• Mobile video is dominating: According to eMarketer, mobile video will account for 78% of total mobile data traffic by 2022.
• Live streaming is growing: According to Livestream, 82% of internet users prefer live video from a brand over social media posts, and live video streaming increased by 93% in 2020.
• Short-form videos are popular: According to a report by HubSpot, videos that are less than two minutes long get the most engagement on social media platforms.
• Personalized video is effective: According to a report by Vidyard, personalized videos see a 16x increase in click-through rates compared to generic, non-personalized videos.
• Video marketing is effective: According to a report by Wyzowl, 87% of video marketers say that video has increased traffic to their website, and 80% say that video has directly helped increase sales.
• Video accessibility is important: According to a report by 3Play Media, 62% of people with disabilities are more likely to have a positive perception of a brand that provides accessible video content.

The future of video marketing

The future of video marketing is likely to be shaped by several trends and developments, including:

• Increased personalization: Video marketing is likely to become more personalized and tailored to individual viewers, with the use of data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver targeted video content.
• Greater use of interactive video: Interactive video content, which allows viewers to engage with the content and make choices about the direction of the video, is likely to become more popular as businesses seek to create more engaging and immersive experiences.
• The rise of live video: Live video streaming is becoming increasingly popular, with businesses using platforms like Facebook Live and Instagram Live to connect with audiences in real-time. This trend is likely to continue, with live video becoming a key part of video marketing strategies.
• Integration with virtual and augmented reality: As virtual and augmented reality technologies continue to develop, video marketing is likely to become more integrated with these technologies, creating more immersive and engaging experiences for viewers.
• Greater use of short-form video: Short-form video content, such as TikTok and Instagram Reels, is becoming increasingly popular among younger audiences. Businesses are likely to use these platforms to reach new audiences and create engaging, snackable video content.

More Information

SEEN Case Studies: The Future of Video

TwentyThree: Video Marketing Strategy

Lemonlight: Video Marketing Strategy: The Ultimate Guide (2023)

Campaign Monitor: What is the Best Video Marketing Strategy for Social Media?

HubSpot: What Video Marketers Should Know in 2023, According to Wyzowl Research

Oberlo: 10 Video Marketing statistics that you need to know in 2023