The Importance of Video on Social Media

A recent study by Brightcove confirmed what many in the field of marketing already know: social media is a space where many consumers interact with brands. What many will find more interesting, however, is the fact that many of those who use social media to follow brands spend most of their time watching videos. In fact, 74 percent of those in the survey reported that there was some connection between branded video content and their purchasing decision.

Consumers are very high on video right now, with 31 percent of those in the survey listing it as their favorite type of social branding, making it the most popular. This popularity is largely due to ability consumers feel video has to really educate them about a particular brand, with 79 percent saying video is the easiest way for them to get to know a brand.

“In recent years a clear trend favoring video content on social media has emerged—especially as social giants like Facebook have moved to ensure video is prominent within the consumer news feed,” said David Mendels, CEO of Brightcove, in a news release. “We’re at a point now where the billions of daily views and millions of viewing hours represent a significant opportunity for brands striving to engage with their audiences online. But it’s not without its challenges.”

Those challenges that Mendels is alluding to are in the way that brands create video content. There is still a struggle to successfully walk the line between informative and dry, entertaining and cheesy. Consumers can often be turned off if they feel a video is “trying too hard.” Nevertheless, it is clear that video on social media can be a valuable asset for brands to leverage. Marketers everywhere should be looking for ways to integrate video into their campaigns as much as possible.