In the 80s video may have killed the radio star, but today it can be the lifeblood of your brand’s ability to generate social media interaction with consumers in a way in which no other medium can compare. Scroll through your own social media feeds and you’ll find endless examples of static text readily missed as your thumb goes into overdrive hurriedly swiping up/down, left/right in search of content that catches the eye. In fact, “90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000 times faster in the brain than text[mfn] 3M Corporation [/mfn].” This is where video truly has the opportunity to make a difference for you and your brand. Drawing upon the senses of both sight and sound, it’s the undisputed king of driving consumer engagement as users travel further down the consumer purchase cycle.

It’s All in the Num6ers

Leveraging video across a brand’s social media platforms is becoming more-and-more an integral part of where companies devote their marketing resources. In the year 2014, the average person possessed 4.6 active social media accounts. By 2018 that number had nearly doubled to 8.6. On Facebook alone over 500 million people are watching video content on a daily basis[mfn] https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2017/09/22/top-10-video-marketing-trends-and-statistics-roundup-2017/#7333f3e57103 [/mfn] all while YouTube has captured nearly 1-in-3 internet users globally who now call their platform home[mfn] https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/03/08/video-marketing-statistics [/mfn]. On those two social media networks alone, 45% of active users are consuming over an hour of video on average each and every week. On Twitter, 1.2 billion unique video views are being generated every day[mfn] Global Web Index Social Video Report 2019 [/mfn]. In fact, by the year 2021, it’s estimated that over 80% of total consumer internet traffic will be the result of video. We’re no statistics majors around here, but 80% is a lot. Want an even bigger number? 85% of internet users in the United States today spend some portion of their time watching video online[mfn] https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2017/09/22/top-10-video-marketing-trends-and-statistics-roundup-2017/#7333f3e57103 [/mfn]

Exercising Your Best Social Media Practices

So how do these numbers translate to exercising your best social media practices across your brand’s accounts? It’s all in the numbers. Only 14% of consumers have directly shared a brand’s post regardless of platform, hardly an astonishing number. Around 20% of those same users have clicked on a brand’s targeted content. Better yet, 35% of those users have watched a brand’s video. Want to get your message out most effectively to the masses? It’s video that reigns supreme, and it’s not just the stereotypical millennial crowd consuming this content as one might expect. 83% of adults aged 55-64 have watched video online in the past month. With nearly 40% of social media users following accounts from brands they’re patrons of and 25% of consumers newly following brands they’re looking to purchase from, social media is an ever-growing medium in which marketers are finding new and effective ways to target the consumers they wish to reach. Adding this to the fact that 58% of mobile users have made a purchase through their mobile device in the past 30 days, and you’ll find mobile-heavy platforms like social media are more-and-more having a revenue-generating impact on how brands sell to potential customers. In fact, 52% of users today are using social media to research brands and products prior to purchase[mfn] Global Web Index Social Video Report 2019 [/mfn].

The Devil Blocks Nada

It’s a marketer’s arch nemesis, a four-letter word in the making, the bane of many a brand’s existence. Ad-block. Nearly ubiquitous across most user’s search engines and mobile devices, this hyphenated, dare-not-be-spoken-in-an-ad-agency word has become the most effective tool in blocking out a brand’s paid messaging since the advent of the remote control decades prior.  With a mere click, users are able to install a simple piece of software that makes reaching the consumers you’re looking to target an often daunting task. It is here where social media’s trump card is truly played. Immune to the ad-blocker’s effects, users are left with no option but to exist within a world where organic and sponsored content congregate harmoniously together. It’s the digital version of singing Kumbaya around a campfire, at least to marketers and their clients that is. Couple this with the fact that the average user spends 2 hours and 19 minutes on social media platforms each day, and you can see why these platforms are fast becoming the go-to destination for brands and their agencies across the globe[mfn] Global Web Index Social Video Report 2019 [/mfn].

What Absolute Marketing Group Can Do for You

Right here in Fargo, ND, Absolute Marketing Group possesses a series of dedicated teams to take advantage of the industry trends you just read about. Since 1982 Video Arts Studios (now a part of AMG) has been on the cutting edge of video production in Red River Valley Region. Utilizing the most modern equipment found in the area, our team can turn the impossible into reality. Whether it’s on-site or off-site, our video team can create award-winning content your audience is sure to take note of. Our Digital Media Expert, Allison Grippe, has a myriad of experience utilizing our client’s marketing investments to most effectively target the audiences they seek to reach while maximizing their ROI in the process. With years spent delving into the digital realm, including designing a few apps you’ll find right there in your local Apple and Google Play Stores, she can guide your brand to new digital heights. Finally, with an experienced team of graphic designers capable of creating everything from the perfect Snapchat filter to animated content you won’t find produced anywhere else, Absolute Marketing Group has the tools and resources to take your business or brand to the next level. With a wide range of services like our Social Soapboxx social media subscription plan or monthly access via our GreenCast service to film cutting edge promotional pieces via the largest green screen between Seattle and Minneapolis, we can check all the boxes off for effectively targeting the consumers you want to reach. Fill out a contact request form today and schedule your free consultation with our team of marketing and video experts to find out how Absolute Marketing Group can take your brand or business from the cutting room floor to the masses.