One of the primary rules of online marketing is to deliver content in the format that’s most likely to resonate with your prospects; otherwise, you’re throwing your advertising budget away. If you were certain that a particular format would drive more traffic and earn more shares, wouldn’t you jump on it? So why isn’t every marketer using video and visual storytelling to reach their target audience when the statistics show that it works? Here’s all the proof you need.
1. Video is the King of Content. By “king,” I mean that it’s matchless and superior in almost every way to other types of content. Take a look at how visual content makes all the difference:
- • Just over 45% of internet users view an online video once a month.
- • 100 million people worldwide watch at least one video per day.
- • Website visitors are 64% more likely to make a purchase after watching a video.
- • 80% of viewers recall watching a video ad up to 30 days after seeing it.
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It’s hard to justify not using video in light of these numbers, but there’s more to the story than just viewing.
2. Video sharing reigns supreme. The almighty “share” is where video really starts making an impact on traffic 
and conversions. Those who share video do so primarily on social media and through email, though mobile users make a huge impact on sharing traffic: 92% of those watching video on mobile devices share the content with others.
But why do they share? There are a few triggers that inspire video viewers to spread the word when they see something they like. Content that’s humorous, controversial, how-to, cute, emotional or features other unique characteristics will have viewers hitting the “share” button.
3. Creativity gets clicks and drives traffic. When you combine imagery with the spoken word, you have a powerful tool at your disposal to showcase your creativity. Text just isn’t capable of conveying emotion and a personal connection like video, taking your storytelling to a new level. Plus, human beings process visual elements 60,000 times faster than reading words, so you can fit a lot more of your message into a shorter period.
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4. You are what you share. There’s a lot I could say about the psychology behind why we share any type of content, including video. Sharing speaks volumes about who we are and why we’re motivated to distribute video – essentially defining us. For the most part, we like to entertain others, educate our friends or help people solve problems. What arouses our interests makes us want to inspire others, and we know video tells that story best.
The numbers on video marketing are in and they serve as solid proof that visual content is not only effective, it rules. Of course, there are tricks to doing it right and ensuring that it’s shared by your followers, but you have to create it first.
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What’s your approach to using visual content in online marketing? Do you have any tips to share?
