Last year, we made over 500 videos for clients in the UK, Australia and Los Angeles. We also celebrated our 4th birthday – and became the self-proclaimed “Kings of Dental Video” (contenders to the throne are welcome).
Throughout that time, to make sure we’ve kept delivering cutting-edge content for our clients every time, we’ve had our fingers firmly on the pulse of the latest trends in the world of video marketing.
Based on our own experiences, and insights from marketing industry leaders, here are the trends that we think will define video marketing in 2023.
AI: rise of the machines?
With the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November 2022, AI tools have started to get a lot more attention from the creative industries. DALL-E and Midjourney are helping people create high-quality digital images, while AI-powered tools such as Synthesia and Lumen5 are helping people make and edit videos from scratch.
These technologies are sure to keep growing and improving, and they’re definitely worth keeping an eye on. While tools such as DALL-E are great fun to play with (and can already produce some brilliant results), we think AI video tools are currently very limited, and it’ll be some time before they fully replace human intuition – but we would say that, wouldn’t we?
(We asked ChatGPT for its views on AI video tools. Find out its thoughts – and ours – in this article.)
Influencers: rise of the humans
According to HubSpot’s 2023 marketing strategy and trends report, 89% of marketers who currently use influencer marketing “will increase or maintain their investment next year”, while many companies are planning to work with influencers for the first time.
Collaborating with influencers – especially “micro-influencers” with smaller, more dedicated followings and high engagement – can be a brilliant way to build trust in a specific niche, while benefiting from the added expertise of someone who knows their audience inside-out.
(Curious about how influencers could benefit your business? Take a look at our article on how influencer partnerships have revolutionised digital marketing.)
TikTok, don’t stop
Given TikTok’s ongoing success, and Instagram and YouTube adopting similar formats, it’s safe to say that short-form video will continue to be a super-effective way to connect (and even collaborate) with potential clients, especially when paired with a deep understanding of your audience – for example, through collaborations with influencers.
That said, long-form content will still be as important as ever: as leading Gen Z marketing agency Fanbytes observed, a combination of short-form hooks and “a longer-form approach to storytelling” creates sustained interest in your content, which increases awareness, referrals and, in the long term, puts a multiplier on sales.
(New to short-form video? If you’re looking for inspiration, check out our article on levelling up your TikTok game.)
Hard times? Think long-term
With the ongoing cost of living crisis in the UK, and some industries in Australia experiencing labour shortages and supply chain issues, some consumers and businesses could find themselves squeezed financially in the coming year.
Although people may be less likely to buy during downturns, a longer-term strategy reinforcing the quality and consistency of your product or service can help to reassure potential customers that you’re a safe investment who will be there when they’re ready to spend again.
(For a more detailed look at how to keep customers engaged during hard times, read our article on recession-proofing your marketing strategy.)
SEO? Video
According to HubSpot, after short-form video and influencer marketing, search engine optimisation is the third-biggest trend area that marketers will invest in this year. If you’re planning to boost your search presence, video should play a key role in your strategy.
As well as being the one of the biggest search engines on the web in its own right, YouTube is closely integrated with Google’s main search. Embedded videos on your webpages can increase the likelihood of your content being featured in “zero-click” results, as well as dramatically increasing customer engagement on your site – which is good for your customers, your search ranking and your bottom line.
Conclusion
From AI to influencers, from short-form video to long-term strategy, 2023’s shaping up to be a pretty exciting year. If you’re looking for video marketing that makes your customers feel what you feel about what you do, let’s talk. From concept to shoot, we can help to bring your vision to life.