2024: Current Trends and Anticipated Changes
The landscape of video marketing in 2024 is both dynamic and evolving. While current trends provide a roadmap for an effective strategy, it’s important to anticipate and adapt to changes. A notable shift is occurring in platforms like TikTok, who were instrumental in normalizing vertical videos, but now they’re pushing for horizontal formats and longer content in anticipation of expanding into TV. This pivot doesn’t guarantee a universal shift in user preferences but it does signify how these trends rapidly change – and why we need to keep up with them if we want our brands to be relevant.
2024 will see an increased emphasis on authenticity (Age of Aquarius?), and behind-the-scenes videos deliver a perfect example.
Brands are pulling back the curtain to show off their real teams and operations, building trust through transparency and human connection. These glimpses into everyday processes resonate with audiences seeking genuine brand stories.
Just think of why reality TV is so easy to watch! Documenting, rather than promoting (as Gary Vuynerchuk would say) is the best opportunity for a brand to connect authentically.
Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing video production, making it more efficient and accessible, despite all the red flags. AI tools can manage scriptwriting, editing, and even voiceovers, enabling smaller teams to produce high-quality content. This trend democratizes video production, allowing for more creative experimentation and personalized content.
All that said, you can’t get away with total reliance on this. The more lazy marketers rely on AI, the more audiences will crave authenticity. My recommendation is to use AI as an assistant, but never as the experienced expert.
Search Engine Optimization for videos is more crucial than ever. With the correct SEO strategies, videos can reach a wider audience through improved discoverability. This involves optimizing titles, descriptions, and transcripts, ensuring that content aligns with relevant search queries and audience interests.
As AI changes the search engine world, video content will become even more important, and especially when the video is done well – meaning that the content genuinely answers whatever a search query is after.
92% of viewers watch videos without sound, there’s a growing trend towards silent videos with captions. This statistic is likely limited to mobile users, but people watching videos on mobile devices over desktops or TV’s is still an overwhelming 75%.
The verdict is that most people watch videos on small screens and often watch without sound. The most important takeaway here is that your brand’s videos need to be visually compelling and set up with captions, or even embedded text.
Reference: Verbit.AI
So far, at the beginning of 2024, short-form videos continue to dominate. Knowing that most people watch their videos on their phones makes this fairly obvious, however, platforms like TikTok are beginning to push longer video formats. This shift reflects changing consumption patterns and opens new avenues for storytelling and engagement.
While the original seduction of TikTok was the constant waterfall of short videos creating a Dopamine injections straight to the brain, but it’s no surprise that they want to test out if longer videos help keep people on the app even longer.
Reference on TikTok’s Embrace of Longer Videos: CNN
While vertical videos remain popular, at least on mobile devices, there is an emerging trend for horizontal formats. Again with TikTok: they are pushing horizontal over vertical, rewarding the cooperative content with more views.
The word ’round the campfire is that TikTok is aiming for TV viewership – maybe their own subscription channel? Whatever the reason, it still remains to be seen how well the content creators embrace it.
Reference on TikTok’s Testing of Horizontal Videos: Business Insider
The use of smartphones (by the way, this is the last time I say “smartphones” ever – because I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a non-smart phone in anyone’s hands)…
Your phone’s camera for video production underscores a trend towards authenticity and ease of use. However, it’s important to recognize that professional video production teams bring a level of expertise and quality that smartphone cameras can’t match.
For example, a production company did a test, putting a $30k camera in the hands of a beginner and then a $600 video camera in the hands of a skilled cinematographer. The end result is that expertise always wins over gear.
See the video here: Skill vs Gear
Shopable videos are transforming the e-commerce landscape, allowing viewers to interact with and purchase products directly through the video. This trend capitalizes on the merging of retail and digital experiences, offering a more dynamic shopping journey.
User-generated content continues to be a powerful tool for authenticity. Encouraging customers to create content related to a brand garners a sense of community and trust. It easily provides social proof and relatable perspectives.
Partnering with influencers has been a gold-mine for many brands, because it’s far less costly and the reward can be outstanding, given the reach some of these social media content-creators have.
However, it requires careful selection to ensure brand alignment and audience resonance. Monitoring influencer performance is vital to ensuring that their content effectively engages and appeals to the target audience.
Interactive videos are gaining popularity, with features like clickable elements and quizzes that turn passive viewers into active participants. This goes back to #8 – Shopable Videos but takes it further.
As we embrace more augmented reality (Apple Vision Pro releasing Feb 2, 2024), there will be more opportunity for brands to interact in very unique ways with their audiences. This trend is particularly impactful among younger audiences, who seek more engaging and participatory content experiences, but it will extend to older audiences too as people show less interest in leaving their homes.
Live videos offer unfiltered connections and real-time engagement with audiences. They provide a platform for spontaneous interaction, fostering a sense of immediacy and authenticity that pre-recorded content cannot match.
A brand might bring audiences into the office to be part of meetings (back to #1 – Behind-the-Scenes Videos for Authenticity). It can also be a live Q&A with the CEO or lead designer or whatever role most interests your demographic.
Whatever way you do it, the goal here is to be real. To bring people in to something that they don’t see every day. And the end result is that you build committed fans rather than commodity shoppers.
As we navigate these evolving trends in video marketing for 2024, it’s clear that adaptability and innovation are key. From the rise of AI and the changes of SEO in video production to the nuanced shifts in content formats and platform preferences, marketers have got to stay agile.
By embracing these trends and anticipating changes, brands can create impactful, engaging video content that resonates with their audiences.
If you want to discuss more ideas for your brand’s video marketing, get in touch with us.
~Matt Abraxas
Creative Director, New Focus Films
References:
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