We live in an age where Netflix, YouTube and other online streaming services are changing viewing habits.
Video is used to elicit emotion, to inform us, entertain us and to inspire. But video does more than that. It is affecting how we consume, without you even realising it.
Video Is Affecting How We Consume
Let’s take tourism as an example. The world is seemingly shrinking as travel becomes less expensive and easily accessible. In the last few years, “set-jetters” has become a new phenomenon; the trend of travelling to destinations that are first seen in movies.
According to Trip Advisor (2017), 1 in 5 global travellers visited a location because they saw it on a television show. As pop culture increases more than ever, so does entertainment-motivated tourism.
The benefits are especially great in countries such as New Zealand whose tourism is thriving due to Lord of the Rings. Set jetting practically saved Iceland’s economy as it saw a 386% growth in tourism from 2010 to 2018, owed heavily to Game of Thrones.
The Rise Of Video On Social Media
Still, consumerism can be seen as a fairly obvious effect of video. Television has whole shows dedicated to selling products.
But with the rise in video on social media, an interactive and collaborative platform has been set up, which has influenced the way people behave. ‘How?’, you might ask.
No video marketing campaign had a greater social media outreach than the Ice Bucket Challenge that was the craze of 2014. It is estimated that over $110 million was donated to charities fighting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – proof of the positive effects of video.
Impact On Journalism
Finally, let’s discuss the profound impact video has had on journalism. While the use of video to relay news is not a new concept, it is certainly true that we are experiencing a unique transition as video is being relied on more and more to tell stories and engage audiences.
Whether it’s the addition of the Snapchat Discover feature or the creation of Facebook Live, video is changing the way we create and absorb information. Most recently, BuzzFeed announced their emphasis on video content with the separation into two groups: BuzzFeed News and BuzzFeed Entertainment.
Although not everyone wants to admit it, this trend is pushing people to watch more, read less. Why spend ten minutes reading an in-depth article when you can get a surface level understanding of the story in a sixty-second video?
Video Teamed With Technology And Data
All of this is just the beginning. In our opinion, video in isolation is not King (or Queen). Video teamed with technology and data is King.
Marketers must be prepared to bring together the magic of marketing and the science of technology to create powerful and relevant marketing campaigns.
Relevant Marketing Campaigns
If you can balance a passion for technology, data and creativity at the same time, you’re on track for a successful 2018 and beyond.
