Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

By 2020, nearly a million minutes of video content will cross global IP networks every second (Cisco Visual Networking Index, 2015-2020). That’s a tsunami wave of video content that we are already splashing around in. We stream Netflix, Snapchat in real-time, and experiment with Facebook Live. Feeds are filled with viral videos, bite-size recaps of major events, and more. Video is everywhere, but online video is more than just an “exciting” trend. It’s a titan in the digital space, and it will only become more popular. According to Cisco, globally, IP video traffic will be 82% of all consumer Internet traffic by 2020, up from 70% in 2015.

With all that video streaming on devices and platforms, there are more opportunities than ever to reach your audience. So, are you in the game? Does your content strategy consider video? If it doesn’t, you might be in trouble. Here’s why online video is here to stay....

YouTube may be the most popular video outlet on the internet, but it isn’t the only one. There are many more sites that support video and video marketing. While YouTube has some restrictions, many of these other sites don’t have any restrictions. Here is a basic guide to get you started in web based video marketing and to give you the tools to capitalize on this aspect of marketing.

Develop Content Strategically

The worst thing you can do with video marketing is to start posting content without a clear, strategic plan. Prior to posting your first video, have several other videos shot and ready to go. Each video should build on the previous one. This will keep things logical and appealing to customers. You should also make sure that your videos are kept under ten minutes. Anything longer and you run the risk of losing a potential client....

Video content reach is at an all-time high, but brands still don't generate more than 1,000 views. Where has all the creativity gone?

...With Americans clicking on and watching more videos than ever, brands must set their campaigns apart from the competition, which Pixability, a YouTube-certified marketing company, found is easier said than done. The agency noted that more than 50 percent of 200,000 business videos across 1,270 YouTube Channels have fewer than 1,000 views. Because the aggregate production value totals more than $4.3 billion, it’s clear companies aren’t seeing the content ROI they hoped for during production....

...Internet video is expected to account for about 84 percent of all U.S. Internet traffic in four years, up from its current 78 percent, Cisco says. That figure also includes IP VOD, which is basically pay-TV providers’ on-demand video services. A recent Sandvine study on cord-cutters also pointed to how much more bandwidth they use than average Internet users. Interestingly, the percentage of traffic devoted to those pay-TV services is expected to drop as services from online content providers, such as Netflix or Amazon, become more popular, according to Cisco....