What is video marketing?

The stats are officially in. Video production is 2021’s number one marketing tool, and it’s showing no signs at all of slowing down.

We know what video is. Loosely defined as the recording, production and editing of moving visual images (whether these involve live talent, or animated subjects), video production is a medium that continues to have the marketing and social media industries in stranglehold.

But what is video marketing? Are we talking about the marketing of videos, or using videos to market products?

The truth is, it’s a combination of both.

When we realise that:

• 61% of marketers plan to increase the money they spend on video production in 2021
• 70% of businesses report that they’re developing more videos at this time compared to 12 months ago
• 96% of marketing professionals have placed significant ad spend on video production; and
• 86% of businesses use video as a key marketing tool for their business

…it becomes obvious that we can no longer separate the two. Video is now key to marketing, and marketing key to video (Lemonlight 2021).

Here’s our take on what video marketing is, and why you need to know about it in 2021.

What is video marketing?

 Video marketing can be understood as the action of using videos to market and promote any product or service that you or your company provides. It aims to skyrocket engagement on your channels – both digital and social – and to educate your consumers, both current and prospective, on what you provide and how you provide it.

Put simply, video marketing is the use of video to market your products.

Why is video production an important marketing tool?

 Over the last few years, we’ve seen a huge surge in the popularity and usefulness of video production as a marketing tool – both on various digital channels, and on social media.

In 2017, video saw a rise to the top of business’ marketing tactic list. What this meant is that worldwide, video was seen as the most tactical or effective way to market new products and services to consumers.

In 2018 and 2019, video lept from being categorised as a simple tactic and instead, video production transformed into an entire business strategy. Companies developed entire, three-to-five year corporate content strategies based entirely on video and social media.

And then, in 2020, as more people than ever before began consuming video on their devices, stuck at home due to a COVID-era business world, engaging with and relying upon exciting, captivating, functional video production more so than any other point in history, video reached its latest, stratospheric heights.

When it’s known that viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video (that’s in comparison to just 10% of the message when reading it in text), the point is clear: video is a must-have marketing tool for 2021 and beyond.

How can we do better with video marketing?

The question of how to use video production as a more effective as a marketing tool is a big one… and an important one, at that!

Here are our top three tips for effective video marketing – cost-free changes you can make today!

1. When creating videos for marketing, focus on telling a story, and not making a sale!

Those who engage in watching the video you produce want a story… and not to be forced to make a sale. When producing your video content, ask yourself: what is the story that needs telling here? And how can I do that in a way that’s emotionally engaging rather than forceful?

Here’s a great example of branded content from Dove that does exactly this: