If you’ve been spending time on social media lately, you’ve probably noticed the majority of your feed is now video content. From TikTok to Instagram Reels to YouTube, consumer demand for videos has exploded, and brands that have adapted to this trend are the ones that will continue to reach consumers in our mobile-first world.
According to research by Wyzowl, nearly 70% of consumers say the current pandemic has impacted the amount of video content they watch online, with 96% of them saying their video consumption has increased. The vast majority of marketers (91%) have picked up on this and agree that video is more important for brands in light of COVID-19.
Why video marketing works
Simply put, video is more engaging than an image. They can convey more information and often evoke a greater emotional response from viewers, which is key to making a lasting connection with your brand.
A few more stats from Wyzowl about video consumption in 2021:
- Today’s consumers watch an average of 18 hours of video per week, over 2.5 hours per day.
- People are twice as likely to share video content than any other type of content (social media posts, blog posts, articles, product pages, etc.)
- 69% of consumers prefer to watch a short video to learn about a product or service.
- Branded videos have convinced 84% of consumers to buy a product or service.
As a marketer, it’s important to remember that consumers usually decide within a few seconds whether they want to continue watching an auto-play video that pops up on their screen. You need to use every second of that time to draw in your viewer and make them want to stick with it.
But it’s not just the length of your video you’ll need to consider. You’ll also need to think about mobile viewing habits, specifically where your target audience will be watching your ad. Is it on a smartphone or tablet? Which social networks will you be sharing it on? These are things you’ll need to plan out long before you begin creating your piece.
Planning a vertical video
Traditional television screens and laptop monitors have a horizontal, 16:9 aspect ratio. Smartphones and tablets, on the other hand, are vertically oriented, so users need to rotate their device if they want to properly view widescreen content.
That’s why MediaCutlet creates content with different aspect ratios to fit phone and tablet screens, and even plan out how the final product will look on specific social media platforms. What you post on Facebook is a different size and ratio than what you put on Instagram or LinkedIn, so during the pre-production process, you’ll need to plan out how to shoot and edit it so it shows up well across every platform.
When MediaCutlet collaborated with Snailz on a video campaign to market their salon booking, payment, and review app, mobile optimization was the first and foremost consideration – so much so, that they decided to create an ad that mimicked a typical mobile phone experience. For this ad, we mocked up a streaming text message conversation between two friends planning a trip to the salon to get their nails done. In just a few short seconds, the women had their appointment booked through Snailz.
This simple but relatable concept – along with the proper dimensional formatting – led to a highly effective campaign for Snailz. An approach like this really helps your target audience connect with an ad and makes it more likely that they’ll follow your call-to-action, whether it’s downloading an app or making a purchase.
Creating your vertical video ad
When conceptualizing mobile video campaigns, the MediaCutlet team first works with clients to determine who they’re targeting and what they want to see. Then, we come up with creative ways to achieve their goals in the shortest time possible. Keeping a video short ensures that users will stick around to the end. It can even give you the opportunity to create multiple versions that you can tailor to different audiences.
As with all marketing efforts, consistency is key in mobile campaigns. You shouldn’t expect to hit a home-run with a single campaign or video; you’ll need to build an audience first by consistently producing other types of valuable, engaging content. Do this, and by the time you start running video ads, you’ll see the conversions from views to click-throughs skyrocket.
Looking to create a vertical video ad? Contact us to learn how we can help with your mobile-first marketing campaigns.
