Video Marketing Trends of 2019

The first month of the new year has had me wondering what marketing trends 2019 will bring, especially from a video standpoint. Video marketing has already changed drastically in the past decade, so what should we expect next?

Success with video marketing stems from accessibility. In an ever-changing society where attention spans are only getting shorter and people’s time even more divided, consumers turn to what is most easily accessible. Streaming services like Netflix and YouTube are only continuing to grow in popularity over cable TV and movie theaters. Why sit through a bad theater experience or commercial break, when you can stream your desired content instantly? In that way, consumers have gained more control over the content they’re exposed to. Consequently, as marketers and creators, we must adapt to this shift to improve how we incorporate video into advertising.

Social media platforms have become the ideal outlets for new video marketing. YouTube in particular goes beyond being a social platform and crosses territory into streaming service and search engine as well, in a way that Instagram and Facebook do not. The reach of the platform is huge; in fact, YouTube is considered the second largest search engine after Google with about 3 billion searches per month. From reviews of the latest electronics, to tutorials on how to mount a TV, odds are YouTube’s got it. With such a vast library of content, viewers are flocking to video for their every need. The heavy use of YouTube is guaranteed to bring impressions to advertisements featured on the site, and not just from the tech-savvy Millennial and Gen-Z age groups. A Google-commissioned Nielsen study revealed that YouTube reaches more adults (18+) during prime time cable hours than any cable network does. These ads are a great alternative to traditional TV commercials since users must view or interact with the ad before getting to their desired content, which isn’t necessarily true for promoted video ads on other social platforms.

The smartphone era has had advertisers scrambling to recapture their audiences, and embracing the power of social platforms and mobile devices is key to succeeding. Next time you’re considering where to spend your marketing dollars or focus your social media advertising attention, give YouTube a try.