Yes, The Buggles were prophets of their time. They may not have known how far video would kill it, but sure as fire it’s been making waves in the marketing world of late. And it’s also online, where most of the audience (marketers want to rope in) are.

There’s something about animated images (which are basically still frames switching from one to the other) that elicits an emotion within those who connect. This makes video a capable medium to tell a story that can capture the imagination, and make brands a mainstay of popular culture. But is 2016 the year of video? Let’s see how far The Buggles could peer into the future using expert insights and stats to see where video is going this year and beyond.

The scientific bits

As a marketer, you would want to know why video is widely accepted amongst your audience, wouldn’t you? Well, scientifically speaking the human brain consumes visual images 60,000 faster than copy – according to the HubSpot roundup.

So this line of text might be awesome in telling you how great video is, but if it was translated into a well narrated and professionally produced video with an epic soundtrack in the background, your brain would receive a more enhanced stimulant that allows you to consume the data without much effort, and a lot more imagination. After that experience, you wouldn’t need any other reason to justify why video is important in 2016, but let’s carry on.

Google thinks video is cool

If you’re relying heavily on search, which every company should even if the point is not making a sale online, then you probably need video. Seriously, informally speaking, Google loves it when you have video. In fact, the search giant is 53x more likely to put you on its front page if you have a video on your website. Just one video. Now imagine if you produced more, creative and (actually) relevant videos for your audience and planted them on your website where they need to be.

Even more interesting is how Google, launched in SERP video. This basically means that you can now also market you products on search results via video.

Your inbox has a crush on video

Email marketers be in the know; the inbox is craving for some delicious video content. The audience receiving your email love video so much that they’re willing to perform double click-through rates. Who can complain?

It makes the buyer’s journey that more enjoyable

Video is no longer just for advertising, promotion or driving awareness and how-to info. Product promotion is essential, but what’s of most importance is the buyer’s journey. And this is where video has come into its own.

What is that you just saw? That is a video documentary for content marketing. How did it make you feel? Connected? Do you want to wear a pair of clothing from Patagonia? If you were thinking of doing so (and have even briefly followed Patagonia) already, this video is more likely to solidify that urge. It tells you of how durable, and made with commitment, the brand’s clothing is, but even more important, it shows you how you can repurpose your worn Patagonian clothing. Simple, but emotionally captivating.

There’s also the user’s perspective

But the power no longer rests solely with the professional producer with big budgets. Video production is now accessible to everyone, including the audience. Their videos are becoming commonplace on social media, and this content is valuable to your very own content marketing. Take a look at Facebook Live, or Vine; these are rich sources of inspiration, and are even better when the audience makes videos dedicated to your brand. And even if it’s not for your brand, user generated video can still be used for content marketing.

? When you’re trying to eat healthy but pizza ✅ Tag A Friend #Funny #LOL

A video posted by Funny/Cool Videos (@vinesbelike) on

You just watched a pug of Instagram say no to jam on bread, which is a user generated video hosted on the popular Instagram channel @vinesbelike. The clever guys behind the channel aren’t only trying to entertain the audience with cheeky videos, they’re also using the channel to market products. However, they’ve done so with such a native technique, where you know it’s an ad but still don’t care. Even better, they temporarly host the adverts on their channel, and delete shortly after, so anyone looking to consume the entertaining videos without advertising, can do so with ease when they visit the page.

Whether 2016 will be the year of video or not is besides the point. What we’re seeing however is that video is more relevant than ever. It can get brands into every living room, kitchen, bedroom and even bahtroom. It’s so relevant that marketers need it to stay relevant, and create an environment where they can stimulate a sustainable and exceptional ROI.

? What ✅ Tag A Friend #Funny #LOL

A video posted by Funny/Cool Videos (@vinesbelike) on