Content marketing is a fundamental cog in the wider digital marketing wheel, but the way content is being presented is changing.
For a long time, written content was king; from landing pages and supporting blog content, to outreach articles and in-depth guides – written content was how brands best communicated with their audience, and it worked. It still does work, but the way audiences consume content is changing.
Where people used to sit and read for hours on end, they no longer have the time to do so. Increasingly busy work schedules mean there’s a sense of urgency to every search query. Audiences want you to get to the point faster, meaning videos are becoming the favoured way of consuming content.
So, why is video content becoming so powerful, and what leverage does it have over written content marketing?
- Video content is more digestible
Although some people have the time and patience to read a 3,000 word article, most people don’t. When a quick answer or how-to is what the user is looking for, scanning over an article the length of a novella will likely cause them to bounce off the page. People want answers quickly, and videos allow that.
To strike the perfect balance between the two and still reap the SEO benefits that written content brings, a lot of brands are opting to summarise articles with short videos that cover the main points of the written piece.
In this sense, videos are becoming a supportive tool; they provide a more digestible option for those in a rush, whilst the written content below the video is there for those who have the time to read a more in-depth analysis.
- Videos improve conversions
The end goal for every business is to gain conversions, but doing so can be tricky. According to research, landing page conversion rates are increased by approximately 80% when there’s a video on the page. This is a huge increase and not one that can be ignored.
There are a few reasons why videos can impact conversions, with the main one being that you’re able to hold the user’s attention for longer. With a sleek, professionally-made video, you can instantly attract attention and keep it.
If someone clicks on your site and is greeted by a large chunk of text that has little to no formatting and no clear agenda, it can be off-putting.
- Videos are more versatile and memorable
In a world where you’re competing against countless other brands for user loyalty, you need to do everything you can to make sure your content is memorable. How many times have you heard someone say “I remember watching something about that”? Odds are, plenty of times, and that’s because humans are visual by nature and remember videos better than text.
Adding voicevers using text to voice generators, colourful and bold clips, catchy music and entertaining screenplay is far more likely to stick in someone’s mind than a lengthy blog post. If people can remember a video, they’re more likely to remember your brand and make a return visit, therefore boosting your customer loyalty and retention.
The great thing about videos is that they can be shared on just about any platform. Social media is a massive component in marketing and users are increasingly engaging with video content more than any other type, so producing content that can be shared in video-form across multiple channels is a good way to lure in audiences across all platforms.
AI-powered video content
For your videos to succeed, they need to be good; with this in mind, it’s worth looking at video software instead of trying to produce it yourself. Pictory is a good example, specifically if you want to combine written content with visual content. It uses AI to turn text into high-quality video using a combination of royalty-free video clips and music. You have the creative freedom to add your own voice-over, or you can let the AI do the work for you. This is a great option for those dipping their toes into video marketing but who don’t have the time or know-how to put together a Hollywood-quality video.
What’s more, this type of software allows you to keep your written content (it is still incredibly powerful in terms of SEO, so shouldn’t be discarded), whilst leaning into the latest marketing trend.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
