Why video is essential to your brand in 2023 [FREE GUIDE]

There are stacks of reasons to invest in video. From its longevity to its global reach, to its impact on social, email, digital and more, right now video is a must-have in any successful marketing strategy. Here's why.

1. It's popular

You've likely heard that video is the most popular advertising medium around, but just wait until you see the figures. 93% of businesses use it in their marketing strategy and the average person watches around 16 hours online per week. 

As with anything in marketing, it's what resonates with the consumer that matters. And once again, the numbers say it all. A huge majority (85%) say videos help them connect with brands, and what's more, it's their preferred medium, 82% would rather watch live video than read social media posts and 68% choose it over articles, infographics and presentations when learning about a new product or service. 

It's increasingly expected, too. 54% of consumers want to see more videos from brands they're interested in, and in a B2B setting, executives prefer to watch a video over reading text. In other words, to stay relevant, serve your customers, needs and ultimately see business success, video is an essential part of your marketing plan, whoever you're talking to.

2. It's engaging

Video doesn't just grab attention, it holds it. Almost half of people who view the first three seconds of a video watch for at least another 30 seconds, and it's the most engaging type of social media content, typically seeing more clicks on social media than static images.

When it comes to your website, more than half of brands use video on their homepage, unsurprising, since marketers agree that video increases the average time spent on page. And, there's even evidence that video drives an increase in organic traffic from search engine results pages, an average of 157%, to be precise, to help you attract more business.

Video boosts engagement in email campaigns, too. Attaching a video to an email could increase your click-through rate by an impressive 300%. And with people being twice as likely to share video than any other type of content, it could even help spread your message beyond your original audience. We can't promise it'll go viral, but it definitely stands more chance than a picture of your office. 

3. It's digestible 

Video makes information easier to understand and remember. It's because your visual system activates over half of your brain, helping you to grasp concepts and data more easily. No surprise, then, that explainers are the most popular type of video.

96% of people use video to learn about complex products and services, with viewers able to retain 95% of a message through the medium compared to 10% in text. Businesses agree that these help increase user understanding, with almost half saying an explainer video reduced the number of product support calls to their company, and three-quarters of marketers finding video helps to raise brand awareness.  So, if you've got something to say about your brand or product; instructions to give or a process or report to explain; video is proven to do it best, and viewers would rather see it in video, too.

4. It's effective

It's not enough for video to be popular and engaging; we know you need it to make things happen. Well, we've got some pretty compelling figures for you here too. 90% of consumers say product video helps them with purchase decisions, eight out of ten people will buy an app or piece of software thanks to video, and branded videos make waves, too, after watching, 84% will go on to purchase.

Video also boosts qualified leads and most marketers say it both impacts sales and gets good ROI. It's no wonder that nearly half of B2B marketers are looking into video to increase their revenue.

5. It's social

Social media has changed the way we connect with each other and continues to shape our behaviours, including purchase behaviour, so much so, that we are far more willing to buy from brands after a positive experience on social. Consumers use it to discover new brands (43%), purchase products or services (36%), and recommend brands to family and friends (33%). So a good social media strategy, and decent content, can make a massive difference. And right now, to do well on social, you need to think about video. 

People are more likely to follow a brand's social media page if it has video. It's also the most popular type of content on social media, outperforming text and images by 1200%, with more shares than the two combined. As we mentioned earlier, a huge number of businesses are prioritising video, if you don't, it's likely your social channels will get left behind. 

Convinced your brand needs video?

You probably still need to get key decision-makers on board, decide where it fits into your marketing plan, and make sure you can get the budget signed off. As a specialist video production agency with more than 15 years under our belt, we can help you make the business case for video to the rest of your team, and we have an answer for every barrier that might stand in your way. 

To arm yourself with everything you need to get your team on board, download our latest guide for free today!