Vertical Videos: The Future of Video Marketing?
The emerging video trends of Instagram Stories, IGTV, Snapchat, and TikTok makes the vertical format more common than ever before.
In response to this, savvy marketers out there don’t want to sit idly and miss a thing out.
Then, they jump into vertical video marketing to reach more audiences and differentiate their video content from others.
And after years of becoming an emerging tactic, vertical video has now firmly made it into the mainstream.
In this post, we’re going to get more in-depth about this vertical format and how it makes the marketing results in any different.
Well, let’s dive in then!
Why Does It Rise Above the Clutter?
First thing first, it’s crucial to know where it started.
In essence, vertical video is rising above the clutter because there are some changes in the way internet users consume online videos.
To get you into more detail, look at the following reasons that make vertical formats becoming more mainstream than ever before below:
#1. Increased Penetration of Smartphones
The mobile phone has now become a leapfrog technology. More and more internet users are flocking to mobile devices.
That’s because the handheld is a much more convenient device to surf the internet everywhere they go. So, it’s no wonder that mobile device growth is skyrocketing each year.
Today, more than 1 billion people worldwide access the internet with their mobile devices. And the latest video marketing statistics say that users watch online videos at least 1.5 times more than through laptops or PCs.
With that massive growth, more and more marketers want to cater to billions of mobile users to expand their reach.
Therefore, they use a vertical format to give mobile users a convenient viewing experience.
#2. Most Social Platforms are Now Vertical-Friendly
From the second world’s largest search engine, YouTube, to the fastest-growing social media app, TikTok, they are now vertical-friendly.
Even popular social media like Instagram and Facebook value the vertical format with their Stories feature.
Considering there are more than 3.4 billion social media users worldwide, there’s a higher chance for you to reach more audiences and get them through the sales funnel.
That’s why with more and more social platforms supporting vertical videos, every smart marketer should make sure that they adopt the latest trends to stay relevant and relatable to their audiences’ ever-changing behavior.
#3. Internet Users are Idle
Internet users are identical, with short attention spans and “laziness.” They always want content that caters to their needs.
They’re also too fickle — which is just one click away from moving on from one content to another.
Now that most of them use their smartphones to access the internet, attracting them with mobile-friendly content is a must. And vertical videos are one of them.
With a video that appears full-screen on their smartphones’ screens, they don’t have to flip the video or tilt the phones. That’s where vertical video comes in handy.
When Should You Integrate the Vertical Format Into Your Video Marketing Strategy?
If you want to improve your social media video strategy, you might start considering the power of vertical video.
Buffer surveyed the impression of vertical video to their audiences and found that Instagram users mostly prefer vertical videos compared to other formats.
The result is:
“Vertical video resulted in 6 percent more 3-second video views and 187 percent more 50% total watch time views.”
With those fantastic results, more and more brands and social media influencers have embraced vertical videos as an integral part of their marketing strategy.
As a result, they’ve seen an increase in engagement and brand awareness in no time.
So, if you want to get better results on your video marketing efforts, you can use vertical formats on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Which Platform Is Best?
Each social media platform has its own demographics and preferences.
Therefore, it’s crucial to have a solid understanding of the behavior of social media users on each platform before you start your vertical video marketing.
According to Steve Weiss, CEO and co-founder at MuteSix, internet users on each social media platform noticed that the optimum video length across each platform varies.
Vertical videos with long duration are better suited for Facebook. That’s because the average user experience is usually three minutes per session.
On the other hand, Instagram users are most likely to prefer shorter-length vertical videos (they are under two minutes).
The reason is they tend to consume quick, straightforward videos on a daily basis.
Handy Tips on Creating Compelling Vertical Videos for Social Media
A compelling vertical video won’t only be able to grab your audience’s attention in a flash, but they will also hold it.
That way, they can focus on your content and perform your call to action.
Now the question is, how do you create a highly-converting vertical video?
Luckily, we have handy, quick tips for you that are so easy to follow:
#1. Understand Users Behavior on Each Platform
We’ve talked about this before. It’s essential to understand the demographics and users’ behavior on each platform so you can reach out to your target audience better.
Remember, avoid creating a one-fits-all vertical video. That’s because what works on Facebook doesn’t always work on Instagram. So, you better create a vertical video that fits in each social media platform.
Once you nail it, you’d be able to create a compelling vertical video that makes the users convert.
#2. Catch Eyes Immediately
There are tons of vertical videos uploaded on social media platforms every second. How does yours have a chance to stand out, then?
By grabbing audience’s attention from the first few seconds.
Try to include an eye-pleasing animation or something that either matches the color scheme, tone, or your overall brand personality.
Also, don’t forget to highlight your target audience’s pain points so they can relate to your video from the get-go and are convinced to watch it all the way through.
#3. Use Text and Graphics
You can use text to complement your visuals. It means using it in a space where there are black bars. This is the same for any graphics, emojis, or stickers.
They are so effective in creating engagement on your social channels and such a great way to push yourself creatively as well.
Text or typography can also make it easier for you to create a clear call to action that can lead to higher conversion.
Even the assumption that vertical format will be the future of video marketing strategy remains debatable, more and more marketers out there create ones to cut through the noise.
For more insights on vertical video marketing, take a look at our infographic The Ultimate Guide to Vertical Videos for Marketing [INFOGRAPHIC].
If you ever have a thought about vertical video marketing, please leave a comment below! We would like to hear about it.😊
