Online video marketing is used by more brands to reach prospective customers and compete in a predominately digital marketplace.

Consumer buying behavior has changed, and more businesses are turning to online video marketing as shoppers increasingly rely on content-rich web-based platforms to research and buy goods and services.

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Not long ago, many businesses considered video unattainable—something only big companies with large budgets could afford.

But technology moves fast, and online video marketing is much simpler to implement than before, making it a viable option for even the smallest business today.

All it takes is a little ingenuity and forethought to use video content online successfully to market your business.

You can start where you are. Use it in simple, clear-cut ways to get in front of as many of your potential customers as possible. Then, show them what you offer, and convert those viewers into buyers.

What is Online Video Marketing?

Online video marketing is simply creating and using video content strategically across the web to promote your business.

Including it in your marketing plan ticks a lot of boxes. First off, video is highly effective for:

• Raising brand awareness
• Generating leads
• Increasing consumer engagement
• Creating enthusiasm for your brand.

And once you publish your video content online, it becomes easily searchable and shareable across the web—helping to boost your SEO.

Most Buying Decisions Start Online

The days when businesses ushered consumers through a lengthy sales process—sharing pertinent information closer to the end of the sale—are behind us.

Today, consumers do their research long before reaching out to a brand or business.

They look at many factors when shopping for goods and services and conduct most of their research online. And the tool they prefer and use most often before making a purchase or other important decision is video.

According to Forbes, 90% of customers say online video helps them make buying decisions.

Consumer Use of Website Video Increases

Video gives consumers a reason to engage with your website content longer while also providing businesses with the opportunity to meet consumer demand and provide more relevant information about what they can offer.

Users spend 88% more time browsing on websites that have videos. (Social Media Week)

Effective organizations will keep website visitors buying cycle in mind when they deliver and organize content on their site, according to David Meerman Scott, author of The New Rules of Sales and Service.

[ Read: 5 Simple Steps to a Practical Video Marketing Strategy ]

Explore places where video adds context and enhances other elements on your site. Then, decide where it will be most useful in the areas you’ve selected to:

Use video in critical places to:

• Showcase a product or service
• Share your brand story
• Describe a concept
• Generate a call to action.

When you create a better website experience for your visitors, you can engage them for extended periods and help them make decisions that lead to purchases.

The Biggest Shift in Online Marketing is Video

It’s hard to ignore the ease and frequency with which consumers now access and use online video content.

Use it skillfully, and you an expand your reach, engage more buyers, and set your business apart from your competitors on the internet.

Why is online video so popular?

Increases in broadband access, plus advances in mobile technology, have a lot to do with the rise in online video use and have been key to unlocking its potential.

These factors allow consumers to watch more videos while paving the way for businesses to provide more content to their audience in the format they use most.

Video is now more accessible to more people and comprises the majority of consumer internet traffic.

So, higher bandwidths—along with more plus better viewing devices—now make it possible for small businesses to use video efficiently to stand apart from their competitors across digital channels.

We’re a Hyper-connected Society

There are billions of devices connected to a worldwide digital hub today. Even if you wanted to go low-tech, it’s almost impossible.

According to a study from Deloitte, the average household in the United States today has at least seven devices in the home for viewing on-screen content.

Given that such a high number of these devices can deliver the information consumers search for in a matter of seconds, reaching your customers across screens is essential.

Small Screens; Big Opportunities

Today, with a phone in every pocket, people are consuming all content—especially video—at an increasing rate.

Online video use today accounts for more than 80% percent of all mobile traffic.

And 62% of consumers say they prefer to watch video content on a smartphone or tablet.

Devices with larger screens are helping to boost this mobile video consumption.

More Brands Expand Online Video Use

Now that barriers to entry like affordability are a thing of the past, more small businesses are turning to video and seeing its high return on investment firsthand.

Businesses with helpful information to share or a story to tell are better positioned for success when using it.

They’re adding online video content that shows how their products or services solve real problems for their customers. Many are increasing their use of video to help make a human connection with their audience and gain their trust.

[ Entrepreneur: Connect with Consumers by Getting Up to Speed on Video Marketing ]

Iconic brands such as Filson, Lego, and King Arthur Baking Company rely on video and use it—with great success—to tell their stories and strengthen bonds with their customers.

Rise in Online Video Use Expected to Continue

Consumer online video use has been rapidly increasing and shows no signs of slowing down. The pandemic accelerated video use that far outpaced the significant gains already expected.

As a result , businesses are going online, where more opportunities exist to reach and capture buyers’ attention. And they are providing relevant, timely, and helpful video content that wins over new customers.

So you can see, online video marketing is a viable option for businesses, both big and small, that makes it easier to stay competitive in a thriving digital landscape.

If you’d like to dive deeper, our article Video Marketing Strategy in Five Simple Steps will help you map out your online video marketing strategy. We’ve also added a FREE downloadable companion workbook that you can use alongside the article.

Have questions or need some extra guidance to get started? Just reach out, and we’ll be glad to help.