Video Content – Editorial PR

04/Aug/2020

Young people now spend 47 minutes a day with video on mobile and gravitate to short-form, premium content, according to a new joint study from National Research Group and Snap Inc.

1,000 smartphone owners in the US covering the Gen Z and Millennial age ranges were polled for their video viewing habits in May this year with the aim of teasing out a few key insights and trends for marketers and advertisers.

The study found that the smartphone is now the primary content consumption device for people aged 13 to 35, and engagement continues to rise on them having soared 40% during 2020 alone.

More than three quarters said that they have spent more time with video content this year compared to 2019, and the majority of respondents now watch a video at least once a day.

General screen time is also increasing – respondents averaged almost four and a half hours a day on smartphones, with 47 minutes of that time being taken up by video consumption.

While smartphones lead the way for media consumption for younger people, video content is still consumed more on other connected devices and over-the-top media services, which account for 50 minutes of viewing time.

The smartphone is way ahead of laptops and desktops (24 minutes) though and is also edging out the traditional TV.

Mobile lagged behind TV by six minutes two years ago, but the study expects the latter to decline through the remainder of 2020 and into 2021.

The preference for mobile-optimised content is strong with younger age groups compared to older generations, who still log a considerable amount of TV time each day.

For Millennials and Gen Z, short form remains king as 80% of respondents said that high-quality, snackable content is best as it allows them to jump into trending conversations and keep track of current events without a significant time investment.

70% said that they prefer to engage with clips that have a shorter runtime, which goes against a recent trend in wider marketing where bite-size is being eschewed for premium programming.

More than half of young people said that full-length video takes up too much of their time.

Brands looking to engage with teenagers and people in their 20s need to leverage social platforms and other digital channels as 85% of respondents said that tech is an important means for them to express themselves and contribute to something.

Video content also helps young viewers to feel more connected to the story, provides them with a “sense of adventure and excitement”, and empowers them to be a trendsetter.

Snap director Vanessa Guthrie added: “The stories that you tell must lean into the intimacy factor of the phone. Beyond the fact that it’s a totally different medium, it’s so much more personal – and so the types of stories, and the way you tell them, have to be truly made for mobile.”

Video has also been used as a coping mechanism for people during the lockdown, with 88% revealing that it entertained them and helped them to escape with laughter and distraction and 77% saying that it aided their own personal growth and wellness.

Aimee

12/Feb/2018

Video is now the go-to content format for many brands, but William Grant & Sons Global Senior Content and Connections Manager Cathal Gillen believes marketers sometimes “over-invest” in the production of creative clips without considering whether it is beneficial for the business in terms of ROI and engagement.

In a new interview with marketing news website The Drum, Gillen claims he has seen first-hand how brands and ad agencies often divert a huge percentage of their media spend to video. While he agrees video can play a role in successful content campaigns, he believes other, more viable formats are often overlooked in the process.

He said: “Videos only go viral occasionally and there has to be budget to amplify it to get the right reach for your video content.” Going viral also seems an outdated concept in an age where consumers are looking for brands to serve up more personalised, informative and educational content, which actually adds value to their own lives.

Gillen continued by urging brands to recognise just how invested they are in media and social giants, such as Google, as a lack of alternative outlets for content could potentially have its downsides in the long run. He added: “We have to be really cautious towards the big channels. So much of the revenue and budgets are going into Facebook and Google. It is important to be really mindful about the power they bear on us. Martin Sorrell calls them ‘frenemies’.”

Finally, Gillen touched on the ongoing issue of transparency and metrics. He believes brands must do everything they can to measure effectiveness to ensure they are not wasting time or money on ineffective platforms and content formats, though he admits it can be challenging due to the statistics served up on social platforms.

He said: “When we look at impression numbers and reach numbers, we try to see how people have been impacted. You might have reached 10 million people but, how many people have viewed it? With Facebook, if you’ve been counted in as three seconds, is that good for you? Probably not. But if the view is something like 20 seconds out of 30 seconds in video then that’s potentially good.”

Video has been central to content campaigns for some time now, but last year saw the arrival of another major marketing trend: influencers. Contiki Social Media and Influencer Manager Natalie Siagian revealed in late January how the use of celebrities and other high-profile figures who have access to large audiences should not be seen as a silver bullet for engagement success.

There are around 500 million tweets posted every single day, so the scope for a targeted influencer campaign is considerable, but Siagian said it should never be a substitute for high-quality, relevant content. She added: “If you are looking at influencers to solve all your problems, that’s not going to happen. But if you are looking at influencers to communicate a message to reach a new audience, you must make sure you’re being smart about it.”

Annie

24/Oct/2016

Video marketing is becoming huge, with content strategists increasingly using this medium to gain momentum and interest through their campaigns. However, it is vital to recognise that the first five seconds of a video are crucial for maintaining interest. If a brand is unable to hook a viewer immediately it risks losing some business, so it’s essential to focus on video openings.

New research from Cisco suggests that over 69 per cent of content could consist of video by 2017. This shows that the video marketing approach continues to excel; however, it also indicates there will be far more competition than ever before, meaning that videos must be expertly curated if they’re to keep consumer attention. Users are becoming extremely fussy over what they watch during their precious time, so companies need to catch them during the first five seconds, otherwise, people will simply move on. If it’s a small firm they’ve lost interest in, they may well forget that brand name forever.

There are numerous reasons why the first seconds are vital. For example, research has shown that the average attention span has shortened. In just 15 years, it has dropped from 12 seconds to 8.25 seconds. It now means that human beings have an attention span less than goldfish; which has an average of nine seconds. With it being harder to catch and keep people’s attention, brands must now offer some form of instant gratification.

Viewers need to be hooked instantly if they’re not to click back and forget about a brand. To do this, video needs to speak to the consumer directly and answer any questions to confirm they’ve found the information they’re looking for. When a consumer knows they’re in the right place, they’re more likely to stay around. In addition, the first five seconds of a video can be used to set the tone – not only of the content to come – but the brand overall. There are many ways to do this, including voice tone, visual style and music.

Finally, all video content must spark curiosity. Most consumers will not stay around long enough to watch the entire piece if it doesn’t make them wonder what’s to come. Five seconds is not a lot of time to work with and it’s a huge challenge to get any form of complex idea across. However, by hooking viewers and making them curious about the content, people are more likely to stay for longer. One good tip is to open with a question they’ve asked themselves; thereby indicating the content has the answer. Alternatively, outlining a common situation they may find themselves in and indicating that the video will have solutions is a good option.

Video marketing is set to continue growing in appeal over the coming months and years. It is, therefore, essential for content strategists to start honing their expertise in this space. With falling attention spans, hooking consumers immediately is of growing importance, especially if brands are to get people to watch an entire video, regardless of its length.

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Young people spend 47 minutes a day with video on smartphones

Look beyond video and influencers to ensure content continuity

Content marketers must focus on first 5 seconds of video