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Content marketing has changed over the years, with a heavy shift to video content. We see it on a day-to-day basis and it’s all around us— on our phones, on billboards and even on our Instagram feed.
Videos have the ability to convey information both visually and auditorily, making them easier to consume and understand. The combination of sound and graphics achieves what words or still images alone cannot do. As a result, videos are very engaging which makes them great storytellers.
Videos are highly shareable because they make information more digestible and concise. On Twitter, a video tweet is 6x more likely to be reposted than a photo tweet. A study also states that consumers are more likely to click on an online video ad than the usual banner ad.
Marketing Essentials in the 21st Century
Social media has become an essential aspect of the modern marketing mix and is something not to be overlooked. It’s important for businesses to have a strong presence on social media platforms if they want to survive in the ever expanding online marketplace.
Social media is a tool many marketers use. According to a research by the Social Examiner, 86% of marketers claim that social media is an integral part for their businesses and 75% reported a significant increase of traffic. More than 50% marketers who utilized social media marketing for 3 years experienced an increase in sales.
Being active on social media helps businesses connect with their customers— whether it’s answering customer enquiries or simply starting a simple conversation. A research states that 42% of Twitter users expect companies to respond to their questions in an hour.
Using social media for marketing is also an economic alternative compared to putting up a billboard, printing out leaflets, or even being mentioned at a local radio station— all of which are only accessible to people who happened to tune in. Social media eliminates barriers such as distance, making reaching out to your audience easier.
Although social media marketing is no replacement for traditional marketing, it is an effective channel for businesses looking to broaden their reach.
Instagram has evolved from its humble beginnings. Nowadays, the platform is one of the most popular social media platforms with their billion-strong user base. Around 51% of Instagram users visit the platform on a daily basis and as much as 35% check their feed more than once in a day, a testament to their appeal.
When Instagram met Video
Instagram has been experimenting with video since 2013, when they released video sharing for users. They started small with video posts limited to 15 seconds, later expanded to 1 minute.
As Snapchat exploded, Instagram gave temporary content a try with “Stories” in August 2016. Instagram “Stories” allows users to record and post clips that disappear after 24 hours. Now, users can view and save stories after 24 hours when they put these clips in their Highlights (located in their profile).
In November 2016, Instagram also launched live video where users can livestream or broadcast live on Instagram for up to an hour. Followers who missed the broadcast can save the live video and put it on their profile.
Instagram TV?
June 2018 was a huge month for Instagram when they announced the launch of their latest feature— IGTV. In plain sight, IGTV is a video platform similar to Youtube where users can upload videos up to 10 minutes or even an hour for accounts with a bigger following.
IGTV is available for anyone with an Instagram account. The feature can be accessed through the Instagram app or through their standalone app by tapping on the TV icon.
The format of videos in IGTV is what makes them different from other platforms. Unlike most videos, IGTV videos have a vertical format, taking into consideration how people usually use their phone.
From short clips to an hour long footage
Big brands didn’t waste much time releasing content on their IGTV channels. Chipotle made its IGTV debut with a short clip showcasing their vast selection of burritos and salads to go. Netflix went the long route and posted an hour long footage of Cole Sprouse, the Riverdale actor eating a burger to promote the TV series.
Nat Geo took a similar route to Netflix and released their episode finale of “One Strange Rock” which ran 47 minutes long.
Although the examples above may seem intimidating, don’t let it stop you from using IGTV. There are numerous amounts of small businesses using the platform to connect with their audience by uploading tutorials, product demonstrations and Q&A sessions.
For more information about IGTV, check out this infographic below!
Andre Oentoro is one of the co-founder of Milkwhale, an internationally acknowledged infographic production agency. He helps businesses increase visibility on the internet with visual data and well-placed outreach campaigns. Read more on his latest guide to Viral Infographics and learn how to get the most value out of your website’s traffic.
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