In 2022, video marketing is more essential than ever. 86% of businesses use video advertising as part of their digital marketing strategy, and 80% of global internet traffic this year will come from downloading and viewing video content. We implement video in your strategy, contact us for more information.

For marketers, it is essential to stay on top of video marketing trends. This year brings a number of new developments: soundless video, virtual reality, personalisation, campaigns created with smartphones... and much more.

1. Short-format videos

This video marketing trend started to take shape in 2020 thanks to TikTok and, two years later, all video platforms were updated to support short-form videos. In addition to TikTok and Instagram Reels, we now also have YouTube Shorts, a vertical video format limited to 60 seconds in length.

Short-form video generated the second highest ROI for B2C marketers in 2021 and is the area where marketers plan to invest the most in 2022. In addition, 32 % of them will use this format in their marketing for the first time.

Short videos are on the rise due to their ability to effectively convey a brand's message. Most users close a video after only 20 seconds, so there is very little time to capture their attention. Because of this, some brands choose to take this trend even further with ultra-short videos, such as Hefty's 6-second ads.

2. Videos that can be purchased

Shoppable videos shorten the customer journey by offering users the opportunity to purchase products directly from the video via a pop-up button. This button takes the user to a landing page where they can complete the purchase process. It is a similar format to shoppable social media posts, which have been trending for years.

Shoppable videos are very effective in increasing conversion and click-through rates, as they create a clear path to purchase and reduce friction. If the user is ready to buy, it is very easy for them to do so.

A great example of this video marketing trend is fashion brand Benetton, which used a shoppable video of one of its runway shows to take the audience directly from the catwalk to its product pages. Viewers can click on the models to view individual garments or click on the "Buy the video" button to view the entire collection.

3. 1:1 video personalisation

Content personalisation is not new in marketing, but until now it has hardly been used in video. With this new video marketing trend, marketers can produce personalised video messages that replace emails or phone calls.

On a technical level, the process of creating these videos is fairly straightforward, as it simply involves changing parts of the video to include elements such as the viewer's name. You can even create a video template and automatically integrate CRM data.

This personalisation allows brands to offer very specific solutions for each customer, facilitating purchasing decisions. In addition, ultra-personalised videos are much more memorable for consumers.

4. Live videos

Although the format existed before, live video exploded in the wake of the 2020 blockade. In that context, it was an essential way for brands to stay in touch with consumers. Today, it has become a favourite format for brands, influencers and viewers. While in-person interactions are making a comeback, the demand for live video continues to grow.

They have multiple advantages for brands:

• They are great for interaction.
• Users watch live video 3 times longer than pre-recorded video
• They are very cost-effective
• Once the video has been streamed, the recording can remain on the platform and continue to accumulate views.

5. Ephemeral video content

Over the last few years we have seen the rise of Stories, a format that is not only characterised by its short duration, but is also only accessible for 24 hours. This video marketing trend started with Snapchat and then spread to other channels, such as Instagram and Facebook Stories.

Ephemeral video creates a sense of urgency, as the viewer is motivated to watch it before it disappears. It also offers many possibilities to interact with the brand's customers, such as conducting polls or asking users to tag the brand in their own stories.

6. Video without sound

Autoplay sound banners are a very intrusive and annoying experience for users; so much so that 66% of people say they hate it when video ads play with sound automatically.

The alternative is videos without sound. 85% of Facebook users and 79% of LinkedIn users watch videos without sound. In addition, according to Facebook, videos that use captions increase viewing time by 12 %.

On top of that, studies suggest that soundless ads have a higher CTR and longer engagement rate than in-stream video advertising, making them an excellent trend to incorporate into your video marketing.

7. Animated advertisements

Animated ads are an easy-to-understand format for users who don't want sound. They are a more cost-effective and dynamic way of translating the classic concept of TV commercials to video. Spots of 30, 60 or 90 seconds that tell a short story using all kinds of emotions to relate to users,

Today, many companies use motion graphic ads to create content that is easy to understand and connects on an emotional level with their target audiences. For example, Slack uses this resource frequently to make impactful ads.

8. Videos produced with smartphones

Today, you don't need expensive equipment or big production budgets to produce great videos. It's possible to create great content with nothing more than your smartphone.

Influencers have contributed a lot to the popularity of smartphone-created videos, with content such as TikToks, blogs or collaborations with brands perfectly edited.

Even big brands are creating smartphone videos to make their content feel more authentic and identifiable. One of the best examples of this is Apple's #ShotOniPhone campaign, which asked users to submit their best photos taken with an Apple smartphone in exchange for the opportunity to appear in an ad or billboard. The campaign generated more than 15 million submissions.