Have you ever wondered what makes a video so compelling? Why, for instance, is YouTube so popular? Why does YouTube have 1.9 billion users worldwide? Why is it one of the most popular social media platforms? What drives people to watch one billion hours of video on YouTube and generate billions of views?
Here’s a look at the psychological effect video has on us, and why video production is so powerful for businesses and marketing:
The psychology behind videos and video consumers
What makes videos so engaging? Why do we, as a race, prefer video to any other medium of digital communication? About 500 hours of videos are uploaded every minute on YouTube alone; how can people not be bored with videos?
1. Humans process images faster than text
There is a commonly cited statistic that our brain is capable of processing visuals 60,000 times faster than text. That has never been proven, but it does justify that visuals are more engaging and more powerful than other forms of communication. Sixty-thousand might be an exaggeration, but there is definite proof that we do process images faster than text. An MIT study shows that the human brain can identify images in 13 milliseconds. Now, combine this with audio and with moving images, and what you have is a powerful tool.
2. Video stimulates more than one sense
One of the most powerful advantages of video production is that it stimulates both visual and auditory senses to their fullest through bright colours, relatable dialogues and very specific and relatable images. All these combined influences our behaviour, spark nostalgia and can even instil emotions like curiosity, happiness, longingness and fear.
FAQ: How can emotional responses that are evoked by a video help a business?
A marketing video that can evoke emotional responses by viewers fuels a passion and a bond for the brand that the video markets. An emotional response forces a viewer to watch an advertisement with more seriousness, engagement, and eventually, pushes them to take action – invest in that service or product.
3. Video creates concrete associations
Video production has the power of creating a strong association between a viewer and a particular brand. Successful video production will succeed in creating this association. However, concrete associations do not happen instantly. It takes several repeated viewings to associate a brand with a video or vice versa.
FAQ: What kind of emotional responses are instilled by a video?
Associations with video production can be either emotional, physical, or even an association between a viewer’s pain point and a solution marketed via a video.
4. Video helps you remember
Think of a time you watched a video and didn’t think much of it. Perhaps it was a video of a particular brand of shoes. There was nothing special about the shoes, and you wouldn’t really buy it for yourself. But then, you suddenly see everyone wearing these shoes. You hear people talking about everywhere around you. Sounds crazy?
The truth is, two things happen here on a psychological level. Firstly, your natural selective attention kicks in without you even realising it. This makes that video stand out subconsciously. Second, your confirmation bias kicks in, which confirms that you are seeing those shoes worn by everyone. Cliched as it sounds, this is the power of video production on human psychology.
So, there you have it – the powerful psychology behind video production.
FAQ: But how does this translate into how businesses use this powerful tool to attract potential customers and retain existing ones?
The rest of this blog answers this question in its entirety.
The power of video production in business
Did you know that 62% of businesses use YouTube to post video content? Today, more and more businesses are turning to YouTube as a channel to reach out to existing customers and expose themselves to potential customers.
A high-quality video production acts as a powerful medium to communicate a company’s message and invoke a viewer’s interest to a point where they take a call to action.
Video has the power to help shape brand perception – and that’s probably one of the most powerful capabilities of video production.
1. Visualise your brand story through video
Tell your brand’s story to attract the attention of your customers. A video reiterates your brand story, so you are always on your existing customers’ mind. Through quality video production, you can also introduce your brand story to a large pool of potential customers and increase lead generation.
2. Use different types of video production to tell your brand story
The rise of digital technologies has contributed to the growth of different types of video productions. Music videos, infographics, corporate videos, animation videos and short films are just some of these types of video production.
Businesses can choose a video production that can best catch their viewer’s attention while at the same time, advertise the brand.
3. Corporate videos can serve a variety of purposes
Corporate videos can be used to train new hires and existing employees on a business’ product/service or the company’s culture.
The videos can also be used as promotional videos to promote a business’ product and/or service.
Training demos can be imparted via corporate videos to the sales teams. Demos on how to use a particular product or how to sign up for a particular service can be distributed to customers and potential customers.
Corporate videos can also be used to impart information about a business to stakeholders and leaders of the company.
FAQ: Besides the different ways a corporate video can be purposed, are there any other advantages to a corporate video?
A corporate video is cost-effective because once it is created, it can be uploaded and shared online at no extra cost.
It is easily measurable through view counter and channel subscriptions that make it easy to track the success of the video’s content.
A video puts a company ahead of the competition by increasing search engine optimisation.
A business can widen its reach by creating a video and putting up on a social media site like YouTube. With over 700 million YouTube videos shared on Twitter alone, a business can extend its reach dramatically.
A video can encourage customer engagement more than any other form of communication. According to Forrester Research, 20% of website visitors read written text, while 80% of visitors will view a video.
4. Videos can position you as a leader
Statistics show that companies that use a video on their website homepage have 53 times more chances of appearing on the first page of a Google search result than a site without a video. So, if you use a video on your website’s homepage to promote your business, the video alone can put you ahead of the competition on the world’s most-used search platform.
FAQ: How can a video be used on a website?
Here are some ways videos can be effectively used on a website:
- As a homepage background video just above the fold of the screen to give visitors a true sense of what the company does, or even to highlight a unique differentiator of a particular aspect of the company.
- Include a video resource library. This will be a place where viewers can find a video that is organised and searchable in a quick and easy manner.
- As a homepage explainer video which is found further down the page than a background video. This video is used to give viewers a sense of what the company is and how it can solve a customer’s pain point.
- On product pages, when there is loads of content that is hard to digest. Businesses can keep their customers and potential customers’ interest alive by providing videos that contain bite-sized information or short snippets of easy-to-digest information.
- Case studies and video testimonials that are genuine have a greater impact than a written testimonial or case study because viewers get to see the satisfaction of a happy customer rather than simply read it.
- On the recruiting and hiring page to help potential candidates to better understand the company’s culture and team.
5. Widen your reach with videos
- 95% of online adults between the ages of 18 and 34 are like to follow a brand via social networking.
- 90% of people say they discover new brands and products on YouTube.
- 71% of consumers who have had good social media communication and service with a brand are likely to recommend it to others.
- 63% of customers expect companies to offer customer services through social media channels.
- Approximately 55% of marketers share video content on LinkedIn, and this number is set to rise to 65% by 2021.
- In 2015, YouTube said there were 40 billion all-time views for branded content. That means video marketing is not just nice-to-have but a must-have for all businesses who want to reach out to consumers. 87% of marketers plan to include YouTube in their marketing strategy this year.
- Videos increase social shares.
All the above statistics prove one thing – social media is a vital marketing tool for businesses.
FAQ: How can a business use video production on social media?
Businesses can use video production for social media to:
- Grab the audience’s attention because it is easy to consume.
- Driver conversion rates when they are powerful and push viewers to take desired actions.
- Videos can be re-purposed to send out unique messages on social media.
- Videos can be used to share breaking news such as new features added to a product or the introduction of a new product. This can have a bigger impact on your audience.
6. Improve search engine optimisation with videos
Search engines are looking for engaging content – content that gets and keeps a viewer’s attention. Nothing entices more views and longer page views than video. Get the best out of search engine optimisation when you use videos along with compelling headlines and descriptions that register in searches.
FAQ: How to use video to increase search engine optimisation?
When a video is added to a business’ website and its YouTube account, the business’ visibility and opportunities to show up on searches is greatly increased. Added to the business’ social media sites, the video can ensure even greater chances of being found.
7. Build trust and credibility through video production
We have established that videos are the perfect way for a business to create a personality for the company as well as its brand. This alone can help a business to connect with its viewers and earn their trust.
FAQ: Will adding more videos help build more credibility and trust?
If a business adds more videos to educate and inform its customers, it will successfully build more trust, and this trust has a very high chance of translating into sales.
8. Videos add a human element to your brand
Videos allow a business to portray the brand for what it is – without any extra thrills or frills. The realness allows audiences to connect with the brand in a very authentic way. Content can be delivered in a transparent and comfortable way. People like to do business with a brand they like and trust.
FAQ: How can a company add a human element to its brand via a video?
Adding a human element to a brand through video can be extremely powerful. Some ways to do this are:
- Add behind-the-scene footage
- Add Q&As
- Get experts to share knowledge
Summary
There is no doubt that video production can have a powerful impact on the human mind. This directly translates into numerous advantages for businesses – no matter their size or industry, as we have seen from this article. Businesses that do not make use of video will fail to gain the numerous advantages that businesses that use videos have. Any business that wants to lead, break grounds with its customers, and get ahead of its competitors must begin using video.
