Who do you trust online? Is it brands, your friends, members of your
community? Who influences you in what you buy, endorse, follow or like?
Would you prefer to be guided by a search engine algorithm from Google
or by a friends 'Like' on Facebook or a 'Follow' on Google+?
Most of us now use community or consumer sites in one way or
another, whether that's to check on hotel reviews via Trip Adviser, or
simply using YouTube to check out the latest 'choon' from a band playing
at a local venue. Other peoples' comments already influence our
decision making process in one way or another.
In our increasingly lazy society do you think that video is going to
outweigh our capacity to actually read online? Would you sooner watch a
video to tell you about the latest innovation in digital cameras, or
read a 3,000 word article? If brands get it right, video can convey a
must buy, a not-to-be-missed opportunity, or even a life-style choice –
you simply just have to connect with the viewer.
Let's face it most people only have time to read simple sound bites or
chunks of information. We read the news online in summary form rather
than buying a tabloid. Most people can only be bothered to write in 'txt
spk' rather than formulate a full sentence in any media, let alone text
messaging.
How much do you think video is going to influence our daily lives, our
choices and our endorsements? Personally I strongly believe in the power
of the visual and interactive engagement through video. In fact the CEO
of YouTube recently claimed that 90% of all Internet traffic will be
video in less than 5 years’ time. We are already seeing brands becoming
more aware of this, by placing advertising at the beginning of music
videos and film trailers. They can already see a benefit in this type of
interaction.
However, this will largely be dependent on the rollout of strong Wi-Fi
and broadband connections. The use of mobile and tablets will increase,
leaving the use of laptops and PCs behind. So the demand for on the move
video and TV streaming will become more relevant.
At the end of the day, people still sell to people. It is about making
brands more human and engaging with their audience by using video and
clever online interactivity. The continued use of personalisation
through digital marketing will enable much more connection.
Sadly we are living in an increasingly listless age and although video
will be an important influencing factor in marketing in the future, I do
wonder if we will suffer as a result? Will we somehow lose the human
touch and become more isolated in our virtual worlds? Let's hope not.