Experts suggest that video marketing is one of the strongest ways of grabbing the attention of potential customers. That’s because video as a medium is more engaging than other means of communication, such as text or audio in isolation. And it’s all to do with human psychology.
The use of video on the internet continues to rise at a startling rate. According to communications giant Cisco, video accounts for 73% of global internet traffic and is predicted to rise to 82% by 2021. That’s why harnessing the power of video, and the psychology behind it, has never been so crucial in ensuring your brand and its products or services stand out.
A video tells 1.8 million words
Various studies have shown that people retain much more information in their memory when both their auditory and visual senses are stimulated. As much as 80% of our learning takes place through our eyes, meaning that we’re much better at remembering things we’ve seen.
As humans, we respond and process visual data better than any other type of information. Studies have shown that the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text. If movement and sound is then added into the equation, then the message you’re trying to get across does so much quicker.
They say a picture tells a thousand words, but Forrester research suggests that video completely trumps that and can tell 1.8 million words!
Creating an emotional connection
Video enables us to tell a story in a way which text and images alone cannot. Effective storytelling allows you to establish an emotional connection between yourself and the potential customer, and what it is you’re offering or selling.
That emotional connection is incredibly important and can be extremely powerful. When someone watches a video that provides entertainment or value to them then they are intrinsically more likely to accept the message you’re conveying – much more than a person only reading plain text or listening to audio.
Videos generate way more emotional cues than photos can. A video brings a whole new dimension to the viewer and enables us to tell an extensive story and appeal to the full range of human visual and audio senses. Video is so engaging, it has the power to tug at our heartstrings and captivate our attention.
Because video combines audio and visual messages, it can tell a more evocative and memorable story than anything else. Think about it, that’s why movies are so appealing and why they have the power to make us cry both tears of laughter and sadness. Video can evoke a huge range of emotions – sparking memories and nostalgia or arouse fear and curiosity.
The basics of producing compelling video content
Applying the psychology of video to your marketing campaign can help you create compelling content and map out a video marketing strategy.
Firstly, identifying a target audience is crucial. Content aimed at millennials may be significantly different from that aimed at retirees for example. Understanding what makes your audience tick is crucial in order to construct a story, accompanied by a suitable soundtrack, colours, branding and style.
Characters in the video that represent your target audience help build an emotional connection between your product or offering and those you’re aiming to reach. When people see others who look like themselves, it helps the viewer picture themselves using your product or service, visiting the place you’re promoting or taking part in the activity you’re planning.
When you’re seeking to engage with potential customers or clients, you’re aiming to build a physical and emotional connection with the viewer and establish a link between the solution you’re offering and how it can meet the needs, wants and desires of your target audience.
The stats behind the psychology of video content
To help reinforce the effectiveness of video content, here are some simple facts and figures from research into the psychology of video marketing:
- 52% of customers say that watching a product video gives them more confidence in making online purchase decisions (MarketingProfs).
- The average internet user spends 88% longer on a website that contacts videos than those without (MarketingProfs).
- Viewers retain 95% of the message being conveyed by a video compared with just 10% of those reading it in text (Insivia).
- 60% of website visitors would rather watch a video than read just text.
- Having video on the landing page of your website makes it 53% more likely to feature on page 1 of a Google search (Virtuets).
- 96% of B2B enterprises are engaged in video marketing with 73% reporting it had positively impacted their promotional results (ReelSEO).
To wrap it up
Using video in your brand’s marketing campaign has never been more crucial. If you’re a business in Hull, Leeds, or anywhere across the UK and are interested in our video production and marketing services, get in touch with us today!