ReGen Strategic
On average, Facebook videos are shared 89 times more than any other online content.
In 2020, video posts got 59 per cent more engagement than other posts on social media and of course TikTok, a video only sharing app, is now the fastest-growing social media network of all time.
So why are there still so many organisations that don’t use video as a way to communicate to their audience?
Here are five reasons why video is the superior online communication tool.
- Video engages audiences
Video is at the top of the virtual food chain. Unlike any other medium, it has the ability to include all other visual and auditory content.
The science behind why this is so engaging is called dual coding. Dual coding means providing an audience with verbal and visual representations at the same time to allow for knowledge to be processed in ways that reinforce each other.
When auditory senses alone are stimulated, it is said people retain about 10 per cent of what they’re told, but when both visual and auditory senses are stimulated, that number goes up to about 70 per cent. Therefore, your video audience is more likely to walk away understanding your message.
- Saves your audience time
If you have complex information, a video is one of the easiest ways to condense that information and deliver it to your audience in a clear and engaging way.
Infographics and visual aids help speed up the explanation stage. It’s a bit like when you are assembling IKEA furniture or can’t work out your new Google sound system at home; instead of reading the instruction booklet you look to the 60-second YouTube video of someone who has already spent an hour researching it.
- Video prompts shares
This is probably one of the most important reasons we should all be considering video. It promotes more social media shares than any other medium. If you are looking to broaden your audience, video is the way to do it.
Videos, if relatable to an audience, are a great way for people to express themselves and share information. The most shared videos are usually the ones which evoke some sort of emotion. Authentic video shares result in your message having far greater reach.
Videos also produce better search engine results, meaning they have a better chance than a written article of reaching audiences who search a keyword. This is simply because there is less video content online, compared to text content.
- You control the narrative
Creating your own video provides you with control over your narrative. When trying to reach a large audience, traditional news media remains important but you can’t always regulate the message.
Creating your own video allows you to have complete control over what you put out and, thanks to social media, this is now more viable than ever before.
- Video incites action
And lastly, because video has been shown to be more compelling it’s more likely to motivate a call to action. Say, for example, you use a speaker in your video. The audience can see the person who is asking them to take this action. This builds trust and again allows for more relatability.
Video isn’t as complicated as many believe it to be, and the investment almost always pays off. So next time you are planning your communication strategy, consider video.
CGM produces video content including animation, case study and testimonial videos, profile and event filming.