2024 is here, and with a new year, comes an opportunity to revitalize your video marketing strategy to truly help connect people with your brand.
We are in a time where the digital landscape is controlled by visually appealing content, ranging from engaging 15-second reels on social media to purpose-driven storytelling ads. In this landscape, incorporating video content has become crucial for businesses to thrive. A recent statistic sourced on LinkedIn tells us that 88% of consumers have been swayed by a marketing video to make a purchase. The power of utilizing video to engage with your audience is undeniable - and we’re going to help you get started.
This blog dives into important shifts in video marketing from 2023 to 2024, covering everything from the uptick in live video and smartphone-made content to the growing significance of purpose-driven and emotive storytelling. Read along as we discuss these trends and help you stay in sync with what's working!
Smartphone Content
The days of needing fancy gear and a huge budget for social video marketing are over. Even big brands are now using smartphones to make content that feels more real and relatable. Apple's 'Shot On iPhone' legacy campaign proves that videos shot on a smartphone can be just as powerful as traditional media. Social media influencers are also using high-quality smartphone videos to create connections with their audiences, sometimes even better than the pros. Brands are catching on that this authentic, real-life content sometimes connects better with viewers than big flashy ads. So, if you're worried about not having the right equipment, here's a tip: all you need is some inspiration, a storytelling goal, and the phone in your hand.
And don’t forget vertical video optimization. Because everyone is using smartphones more, it's important to make videos that fit the screen vertically. Why? Vertical videos take up more space on your phone, making the experience more immersive.
Short Form Videos and Micro-Content
The popularity of short-form videos, epitomized by platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, is set to continue its upward trajectory. Attention spans are shrinking, and marketers need to deliver their message quickly and creatively. Creating engaging micro-content that captures attention within seconds will be crucial for successful video marketing campaigns.
This :30 campaign video for "My SBCC" includes the full story of why a viewer should consider an education that begins at Santa Barbara City College, and culminates in a career.
How long should your social video be? (according to Hootsuite)
Best Instagram video length: 1 minute
Best Instagram story length: 15 seconds
Best Instagram reel length: 15 - 60 seconds
Best TikTok video length: 7 – 15 seconds
Best Twitter video length: 44 seconds
Best YouTube video length: 2 minutes
Best LinkedIn video length: max 30 seconds
Best Snapchat video length: 7 seconds
Best Pinterest video length: 6 – 15 seconds
For the "My SBCC" digital ads, we utilized the vertical video format, shorter form videos and captions to reach viewers on their smartphones. You can learn more about our campaign here.
In short… no matter how long your video is, the key is to grab people's attention in the first few seconds. If you catch their interest right away, chances are they'll watch the whole thing. So don’t have the best moment for last - play your best cards upfront.
Creating your Emotional Storytelling Brand
The power of emotional storytelling is timeless, and it continues to be a driving force in video marketing. Brands that can evoke emotions, whether through humor, empathy, or inspiration, generally create deeper connections with their consumers. In 2024, expect brands to put even more effort into creating stories that resonate emotionally and stick with you. In a recent AdWeek article, Warren Jolly, the CEO at adQuadrant expresses that she sees "the 2024 creative trends being driven by a blend of personalized storytelling, immersive technologies and ethical advertising. Agencies will increasingly leverage insights to craft highly personalized narratives that resonate deeply with individual consumers, moving beyond broad demographic targeting."
So, how do you create emotional storytelling?
There are many different forms of emotional storytelling, so choose the one that you think will best communicate your brand authentically, while creating that emotional connection. Whether it's your founder’s story of how they got to where they are, your employee stories, your customer stories, or a more inspirational story that connects to your company/brand.
Once you've created your story, it's time to think about how to share it. You can choose images and text or go for a video that can be used on your website, social media, or in ads (this option is ideal!). Design also plays a crucial role here. It ensures that the visual style matches your customer's preferences and aligns with your brand.
If the goal of branding is to stand out in your customers' minds, emotional storytelling can be a potent tool. If your customers are emotionally driven and you nail a story that pulls the right heartstrings, you're on your way to making a lasting impact (and reaching those KPI's).
Optimization Across All Platforms
Save time and maximize the potential of your video content by repurposing it across all of your social channels. Your behind-the-scenes content can become a LinkedIn post, your storyboards can become a before and after social media post, and your scripts can be reposted into a blog post - the possibilities are endless.
Pros and Cons of Using Artificial Intelligence in Your Video Marketing
Pro: Use AI for brainstorming
AI tools can help you brainstorm blog and article topics, give you general keywords, gain insights into customer behaviors, and help with writer's block.
Stuck on a caption? Need inspiration for a blog? Lost creativity for a script? Need subtitles for an already-created video? Use an AI text generator to get the ball rolling. Everyone gets stumped or loses steam - instead of dwelling on it, AI can help minimize that lull by giving you options and opportunities to keep creating.
Pro: You should use AI for small manipulations for image enhancement
AI Image Fillers like Generative Fill in Adobe Photoshop have become efficient tools for enhancing and refining images. It's particularly useful for small manipulations of existing photos or artwork. Need to expand a photo or switch backgrounds quickly? Consider it done. Their ability to make these adjustments while preserving the authenticity and integrity of the original content is truly amazing. However, we have to remember that the goal is to enhance the content, not to create it entirely. Plus, these programs are not flawless, without carefully assessing the changes, you could end up with a wonky edge or misshapen tree, making your original content seen as disingenuous or inauthentic. There is a delicate balance between the thriving technological advancements that AI is providing and the artistic integrity of the original piece of art or content. AI should be considered a valuable ally in the creative process without compromising your brand's voice or the artist's vision.
AI programs and when to use them
Generative Fill in Adobe Photoshop - This is a powerful tool for when you need to quickly generate content within an already created or shot image. It's especially handy for filling large areas with complex and realistic details, such as skies, landscapes, or textures. For example, if you have a blank canvas and want to add a realistic sky, you can use generative fill to create a natural-looking sky based on the patterns and colors of the current image. This feature is beneficial when manual painting or creating those objects or additions would be time-consuming, allowing for efficient and simple design enhancements.
Left - original | Right - Extending with Generative Fill
Sora - This is a text-to-video AI program. This is best used when you need to generate high-quality, short-form videos based on text prompts that simulate real-world interactions. It interprets your prompts relatively accurately, generating characters with movement and emotions, and can create multiple shots in a single video. However, this is a new program and has a lot of limitations, including challenges in accurately simulating complex descriptions and struggles with specific effects, details, and descriptions.
Chat GPT - AS stated above, ChatGPT is great for brainstorming and understanding a topic. It can assist in completing a thought, answering questions, generating captions, and crafting conversations in your tone and voice.
Of course, there are countless more programs out there and more are popping up everyday.
Con: Don’t ONLY use AI
While AI becomes more and more prevalent, it's crucial to avoid letting it take over your brand. Human connection is more important than ever, with audiences naturally gravitating towards content made with genuine human touch. Excessive reliance on AI can make your company seem robotic and impersonal, raising concerns about authenticity and trustworthiness, even bordering on perceptions of being a scam. While AI is a convenience tool, we advise using it sparingly to maintain an authentic and credible brand image. In a recent article from AdWeek, Monica Ho the CMO of SOCi confirms the need to mix AI with the human touch stating, "While AI is a powerful tool, it still requires human oversight. For example, we’ll see content creators transition into more of an editing and curation role, collaborating with AI to easily produce content that resonates with target audiences."
Con: Factual information and plagiarism is prevalent when it comes to AI
AI text generators pull information from other data that’s been created/written/made already. This means that the content, even if reworded and rearranged, originates from other sources. The best way to avoid plagiarism? Use the information then rewrite or recreate it in your own words. This will ensure that you're using the feature to help with time management and brainstorming but that you’re still keeping your content original.
Con: Lack of creativity and originality
AI is great for facts, data, and quick bursts of information, but it’s not the space for creativity and originality, especially when it comes to marketing and storytelling. Only we can create authentic, emotional content that resonates with our audiences on a more personal level.
Con: AI isn't perfect
Sure, it’s easy to trust a machine that gives you immediate results based on what YOU said to create, but remember - they are pulling from information from a vast variety of sources across the internet. It could give you false information, information based on bias, and even completely made-up information. You can’t just copy and paste and assume it’s going to be exactly what you wanted, you still have to comb through every word, phrase, image, video, transition, image, etc.
What's Trending? Sustainability, Inclusivity with Authenticity
In 2024, we are going to see a shift in content towards 2 hot-button topics: sustainability and inclusivity. However, transparency builds trust with your customers and too many companies promise certain practices and fall short. If you are completely (sometimes brutally) transparent about your sustainability and inclusivity goals, your customers are more likely to trust your brand.
According to a report by Unilever, "33% of consumers choose to buy from brands that they believe are doing social or environmental good, and 21% say they would actively choose brands if they made their sustainability credentials clearer.”
That said, consumers and your audience have a sharp eye (and ear) and are expecting you to be authentic as a brand. Greenwashing and diversity-washing aren't going to build brand loyalty if they feel forced or disingenuous. Don't jump on the bandwagon to trends that are inauthentic for your brand - your audience will know and they'll likely call you out on it.
Let's Do This
Heading into 2024, the world of video marketing is full of chances to build strong connections and make your brand stand out. Whether you're creating content with your smartphone, telling emotional stories, or using AI the right way, there are many ways to shine. Be sure to listen to your audience, create smart content, and be real and open. Let's make 2024 a year of authentic stories, eye-catching visuals, and real connections with the people who matter most to your brand growth.
Lure Digital. An award-winning video marketing agency in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles that is dedicated to creatively connecting people to your brand. Connect with us to create award-winning content for your brand.