As a marketer there is something cathartic about starting a new year. You summarize what you learnt during the last year and get a clean sheet to start over with. After recharging your batteries over the holidays you get back to the office full of energy and vigor, looking to start the new year with a bang. In 2015, I bet that bang will be video marketing. Sure, there are a barrage of predictions about what will happen in the marketing world in 2015, everything from “digital analytics sophistication” to “convergence of marketing, public relations and advertising” to “visual storytelling”. And sure, it takes a complex mix of marketing strategies by companies to win, there are no silos when it comes to marketing. But I am certain that video marketing is the biggest shift we will see in the marketing world in 2015 and here’s why: 

• Video is everywhere

Email campaigns, Facebook newsfeeds, Twitter feeds, Youtube pre-roll ads, Instagram, Snapchat, digital signage in the public space, and everywhere else, video is simply everywhere these days. To be an effective marketer today is to use visual storytelling in an beautiful and compelling way. In todays market it’s simply a must, in 2015 video marketing is not even an option. Don’t get left behind. 

• Consumers want iT

  

Video Marketing in 2015 works. Period. Here are some stats: 82% of B2B marketers reported success with video marketing initiatives. And over 70% of respondents claim that video performs better than other content for producing conversions. Adding video to your website can increase customer conversion with 30-40%. The play button is quickly becoming the best converting CTA in your marketing arsenal. 

• It is getting (really) cheap

If you thought producing good looking videos was only for big brands with a massive marketing budget you need to readjust your expectations. Reaching your audience on social media is easier than ever, you most likely have an HD video camera with an arms length (hint: it’s your smartphone) and putting together a professional video is both cheap and easy with Shakr.

• Instagram reins

Just look at this picture. At the moment, Instagram is blowing Facebook and Twitter out of the water. This Forrester study clearly shows how superior Instagram is to its two competitors. With Instagram for business getting closer and closer to a full launch, getting up to speed with your video marketing skills is more important than ever. Here is 9 tips for optimizing your Instagram videos.

• Analytics will take a big step

  

With companies such as Vidyard and Brightcove leading the way in terms of video analytics and management, you can now get deeper insight into how your videos are doing. For years new marketing technologies have made it easy to track the engagement of your digital audiences and track the performance of your marketing efforts. This trend will continue with video marketing in 2015 as marketers look to extract greater insights from their video productions.

To me it’s clear that video marketing in 2015 is a big part of the marketing mix and it’s easier than ever to create clean, professional looking videos on the cheap. How are you planning to use videos in your marketing efforts in 2015? Leave your comments below!

Also published on Medium.