The internet is overloaded with information, and the growing number of social platforms only means information will keep coming—at an even faster rate than it already is.

How do you make sure your messaging doesn’t get lost in the storm of internet information and algorithms? You already have a strong social presence, you are consistent with email marketing and blogging, and you focus on creating strong and quality content.

So, what could you be missing from your marketing strategy?

Video.

Video is powerful.

It maximizes your reach and the impact on your audience. When it is executed well, it is efficient and incredibly effective.

If you’re not using video as part of your marketing plan, then you should reconsider—and quickly!

Video will make up 82 percent of all internet traffic in 2021. What does that tell us? People are consuming a majority of their entertainment and information through video, and that’s not stopping anytime soon.

Video production is crucial if you want to stay in the forefront of the internet storm, especially if you’re looking for new ways to reach and impact your audience. Plus,video allows you to tell a compelling story and captures the raw emotions of your audience.

Let’s not forget that quality video content and production is the secret to making the most out of this powerful marketing tool. This means DIY videos won’t always make the cut.

Here’s a look at what strong and professionally produced video will do for you:

  • Boost your website traffic and rank in search engines.
    We all know the power of Google: it’s the largest search engine in the world. Did you know that the second most-used search engine is YouTube? And, did you know that Google owns YouTube? It’s easy to see then, why adding video to your website can increase your search rankings on Google significantly. You’re much more likely show up first on Google if you have a video embedded on your website. Once your site is found through the search engine, those doing the searching are likely to spend more time on your site.  Exposure builds trust and signals search engines that your site has good content, driving it closer to the top of Google searches.
  • Reach every demographic, even on the go.
    From the youngest millennials to some of the oldest internet users, everyone loves video. The unique part about video is that it is one of the few tactics that doesn’t have to change for each demographic of your audience. If you’re not using video, you probably spend a lot of time tailoring strategy and messaging depending on the demographic: the younger part of your audience consumes information on Snapchat and Instagram, while other parts of your audience, like women in their 50’s, turn to Pinterest and Facebook for their content. Marketing through video means you no longer have to spend time shifting your message medium to ensure you are reaching your audience.

    We also know video appeals to mobile users, which is nearly everyone. It is reported that 90 percent of consumers watch videos on their mobile devices, and YouTube reports mobile video consumption rises 100 percent every single year. This is good news for you! Since it’s clear people like to watch videos on the go and the number of smartphone users is rising, you will gain a bigger audience.
  • Build trust with your consumers.
    Trust is your number one priority with your consumers. If they don’t trust what you are saying or doing, then they won’t trust what you are selling. Period. Video helps ease skepticism because it puts a face to your brand. You want to connect with them through the people in your company. Video does this.

    Promotional videos can build trust because they present your product/services in a conversational approach, making consumers much more open to hearing what you have to say. Show your face and be the one who explains to them what you offer. Tell a story. People love to listen to stories. Scientifically, this approach builds trust— 57 percent of consumers say watching a video made them more confident in purchasing a product or service online.
  • Make information quick, easy to consume, and entertaining.
    Let’s face it: people today are moving at a faster speed than ever before. This means they are taking less time to read, and want their information quickly and in a way that is easy to consume. Not only is video a great tool for learning, but it’s also super easy to consume—that’s why we love it!

Sure, people can read a list of facts, or dig through a pamphlet of instructions. But, why would they waste their time doing that when they could watch a 2-minute video? Simply put, you’re losing your audience by making them work too hard for their information. Studies show that 79 percent of consumers would rather watch a video about a product than read text on a page. Videos take complex information and condenses it, making it easy to understand, visually appealing, and entertaining.

  • Increase the understanding of your services or product.
    Sometimes products and services can be complex, especially when you try and describe them in just a few sentences. That’s where video comes in: 91 percent of consumers say they have watched an explainer video to learn about a product or service, and 84 percent have been convinced to buy into the product or service after watching a brand’s video. Animated videos can be very effective when trying to explain complex information because it brings concepts to life. Animation also helps break up the boring clutter of text and stats, creating a more entertaining way of consuming information.
  • Increase social presence and engagement.
    The use of video on social media is exploding, with more and more videos flooding our feeds each day. Research shows that views of branded video content have increased 99 percent on YouTube and 258 percent on Facebook between 2016 and 2017. On Twitter, a video Tweet is 6x more likely to be retweeted than a photo Tweet.

    In fact, 76 percent of social media users say they would share a branded video with their friends if it was entertaining. Fun, entertaining videos to encourage social shares can increase traffic to your site (remember, SEO power!).

The use of video in marketing is booming in the industry, but many entrepreneurs and small businesses seem to be convinced that they don’t need this powerful tool.

Those who don’t use video in their marketing strategy often chalk it up to not having enough ideas for compelling videos, or the lack of equipment and video production knowledge. That’s why they call a professional. That’s how many of my clients felt when they began to explore the world of video production – and why they ended up calling a professional.

Sure, anyone can make a DIY video on their iPhone, but that won’t make the cut if you are looking to build trust with consumers, gain business, and drive web traffic to be an SEO powerhouse.

Simply put: incorporating beautiful, entertaining, and professional video to your marketing strategy is a no-brainer if you are looking to gain more customers, grow across media platforms, and make more money.