Seven online video trends to look out for in 2016

Twitter Inc’s Parminder Singh says brands must strategise early for digital marketing success in the New Year

  • Published On Jan 6, 2016 at 07:07 AM IST
By Parminder Singh

Online video is changing the way companies in India interact with customers and drive business results. 2015 has seen the emergence of exciting new ways of creating, consuming and connecting with customers through video. Video views on Twitter have grown 150x in the last 12 months and 2016 is going to be an exciting year for marketers and brands looking to embrace video. Below are seven key trends on how video will continue to transform the internet in 2016 and beyond. #7VideoTrends

1. Be the broadcaster

Viewers have come to expect real-time raw action rather than a polished performance. When something exciting happens around us today, people will share their experience live via mobile, with others in the moment. As we move towards live streaming broadcasts from anyone, anywhere in the world, brands should leverage realtime, authentic content to show and tell. A live stream event takes precedence and can win over eyeballs where viewers might have previously taken the "will check it out later" approach. YesBank (@YesBank) was the first ever bank that gave users the option to watch the live broadcast of Yes Bank's annual results on Periscope, allowing followers to interact with the live broadcast as it happened. Today, over 40 years of video are watched every day on Periscope.

2. Share first

Whether it is to a few family and friends or the whole world, people are looking for a seamless way to distribute amazing video content they find. For example, 43 per cent of Indian users will immediately show a video they found on Twitter to friends and family on their mobile device. Marketers should start the conversation with video and watch the engagement accelerate.

3. Create content instantly

From fun visual experiences to live moments you want to share, it all begins with a story you want to tell. Sometimes, multiple short clips will tell a better story than a long video. In fact, short stories encourage viewers to watch clips multiple times which can drive greater brand results. Marketers can add a dimension of interactivity with the wide range of GIFs, Vines and conversational video formats to choose from.

Cadbury 5 Star (@Cadbury5Star) created several Vine videos with their iconic brand ambassadors Ramesh and Suresh using Vine to share cricket lessons during the ICC World Cup. The brand generated several Vines where the duo created a funny side to excelling in cricket. The Vine videos emphasised the concept of being lost after eating a bite of 5Star.

4. Think audio optional

Autoplay videos will be the norm as social media platforms move towards more seamless, media-forward, rich media consumption experience. Make your video stand out by building "audio optional" video content and let your video message come to life with or without sound. Oreo (@OreoIndia) used Twitter's native video to show users the different recipes they can create with Oreo with a 30 second highly engaging and visually appealing video. The video message and content comes to life even if you don't opt for audio.

5. Make views count

50 per cent of the video ad impressions globally are actually never seen (MOAT Analytics via eMarketer, Q4, 2014). To maximise return on video investment, brands need to dive deeper into two measures of social media platforms: content discoverability and 100% viewability standards. For example, 1 in 4 Twitter users are more likely to discover a trending video first over the average consumer. (Source: Research Now, 2015)

6. Connect when it matters

Marketers can reach their target audience more effectively with the growing treasure trove of user insights. With relevant demographics and interest attributes, brands can target and engage with specific audiences during key moments, when it matters.

Reliance (@RelianceGroup) created a video encouraging Indians to pay tribute to the efforts of the Indian Armed Forces on India's 69th Independence Day.

In this way Reliance Group set the stage for patriotism with its Twitter campaign targeted at India's Twitter users with a timely and effective message. The video encouraged users to click a selfie while saluting the brave heroes of the Indian Armed Forces on Twitter using the hashtag #SaluteSelfie.

7. Explore app marketing with videos

There has been a seismic shift in the way users utilise mobile apps. Whether it's music, games or entertainment, people are spending more time consuming content on apps, driving superior engagement and value for businesses. Get the best of both worlds by utilising video to allow your audience to get a glimpse of what your app is about.

Video is an incredibly powerful tool for storytelling and lends itself well to innovation for both B2B and B2C brands alike. Stay on top of the video trends from the get-go, and 2016 could be your trending year.


The author is managing director for India, Southeast Asia, Middle East and North Africa at Twitter. Views expressed are personal.
  • Published On Jan 6, 2016 at 07:07 AM IST
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