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Scaling Animation Production Without Sacrificing Quality: A Guide
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90 Seconds
3 years ago・15 min read
3 years ago・15 min read
We sat down with our team of industry-leading creatives, designers, customer experience and growth experts to forecast what 2022 will bring in terms of industry trends in the video creation world. Where brands should be focusing their efforts, how to ensure video gets the maximum ‘bang for its buck’ and content is fresh, relevant and delivering results – here’s what we’re forecasting.
From Tiger King to the Year of the Tiger, as we enter year three of the global pandemic, in addition to the rise in hand sanitiser sales, Covid-19 has brought an exponential rise in online video content consumption. In fact, in 2020 69% of consumers increased their online video consumption, with the average person predicted to spend 100 minutes per day watching videos in 2022¹, continuing its skyward trajectory. But exactly what content will people be ingesting this year and how can brands get ahead of the curve and ensure their content is fresh, relevant, driving results and delivering ROI?
While the pandemic brought a wave of uncertainty with marketing budgets swallowed back up as businesses were hit by the subsequent financial crisis, in 2021 we saw healthier budgets reinstated and strong ROI when it came to video spend. In 2022, video will remain a key priority for marketers, with 93% stating it’s an important part of their strategy for 2022 and 91% saying the pandemic has made video content all the more vital for their brand². 96% of video marketers are planning to maintain or even increase their video spend in 2022 – roughly by 25% according to the IAB – and why not? With nine out of 10 consumers wanting to see more videos from brands and businesses in 2022, it’s the smart thing to do³.
As a marketing medium, video can reach audiences and deliver results like no other. Social Media Week recently revealed that emails with the word ‘video’ in the subject line are opened on average, 7% more than emails without it and come the end of this year, video streaming will make up more than 82% of all consumers internet traffic⁴.
Moving visuals are processed 60,000 times more quickly than text⁵; they’re more emotive, engaging and can communicate ideas in a way that words simply cannot. Insivia found that viewers retain 95% of a message when ingested via video, contrasted strongly with just 10% when read. But it’s not just about message retention – marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users and generate 66% more qualified leads per year, according to a recent WordStream study… The takeaway is clear: video should be a paramount component of your marketing strategy to reach audiences, influence customer interaction and drive purchase behaviour.
Given its importance, getting it right is essential. As the premiere video creation platform, we work with over 4,500 of the world’s biggest brands and as such, are uniquely placed to advise on how to ensure your video is optimised for results in 2022. We sat down with our team of industry-leading creatives, designers, customer experience and growth experts to forecast what 2022 will bring in terms of industry trends in the video creation world. Where brands should be focusing their efforts, how to ensure video gets the maximum ‘bang for its buck’ and content is fresh, relevant and delivering results – here’s what we’re forecasting.
Long form – the new short-form?
In short, it depends.
Up until recently, short-form videos have been preferred by consumers. Fifteen-second television advertisements are about 75% as effective as 30-second ads and come considerably cheaper in terms of airtime. Short-form is here to stay; however, with the pandemic fundamentally shifting the way we consume media and podcast popularity skyrocketing – rising 25.7% per annum and expected to do so until 2027⁶ – we are now seeing an increasing appetite for longer-form video.
Long-form content provides refuge from our chaotic lives; instead of dealing with the day’s stresses by zoning out and mindlessly scrolling, we’d rather feed our minds and become engrossed in something entirely different. In a world of constant notifications and omnipresent availability, immersive content can feel like a welcome break; in 2022 we’ll have more patience and a desire to ingest heavier video in terms of length. But to make the most of its marketing strategy, a brand must consider its aims, audience, and the platforms on which it communicates. For example, a 2015 study from Harvard University found sustained attention improves over time, peaking at age 43, yet 93% of podcast listeners – irrespective of age – stay turned for the duration of each episode, demonstrating that content that is relevant and engaging will always hold our attention.
But pick your platform wisely…
Facebook and Instagram favour short-form content – 15 seconds or less is preferred in terms of ensuring viewers watch until the very end. Video ads that are 15 seconds or less are also eligible for Instagram Stories and Facebook in-stream placements. Facebook also revealed that while most people will watch videos to the end if they’re 15 seconds if a brand wants higher engagement, then two to five minutes is the ideal length.
With LinkedIn, the ideal length depends upon your objective. A video under 30 seconds has a 200% lift in completion rates, whereas longer videos tend to be more effective with lead generation⁷.
Given YouTube, the world’s second-most popular website after Google is a network built solely on videos, it comes as no surprise to learn that this platform has greater flexibility and adaptability in terms of video length. Most recently videos of around 10 minutes have proved to be most popular according to The Verge.
As ever, with all platforms, the first few seconds are vital.
In conclusion, there’s room for both. While short-form videos capture our fragmented minds, a recent study found that videos longer than 15 minutes account for 50% of all video engagement, yet just only 8% of content⁸; therefore, if done correctly, you can produce longer videos and get greater results. To get two bites from the same cherry, offer both.
Silent viewing
Sixty-nine percent of consumers are now watching videos with the sound off⁹ and 80% of people are more likely to watch a video for its duration if captions are available; including subtitles is essential to increase reach and add immediate accessibility.
With the pandemic shifting how we live and work, essentially from the same few square metres, silent video is the new normal. People now want to watch their videos without disturbing others – perhaps next to a sleeping baby or a partner on a conference call, in a busy café over their morning latte or on the commute to work, headphones forgotten. In fact, as many as 85% of Facebook videos are now played without sound, with a user watching a video with captions for 12% longer than an uncaptioned video¹⁰.
People rely on captions, so its imperative videos are created with this in mind, optimised for silent viewing. This also means that as brands look to localise content for a global audience, translations become far easier. With 90 Seconds, brands can do this intuitively in their work stream, easily adding and editing text to videos in minutes.
UGC – harness the power of your own network
In the same way, one has a quick search for reviews before booking a restaurant, trust from unbiased sources is far more naturally cultivated. Why? Because it’s authentic. Therefore, it’s no wonder that user-generated content (UGC) is some of the most relatable with millennials trusting UGC twice as much as content from brands, as revealed recently by AdWeek. Given TikTok’s boom this should come as no surprise – with 600 million users a day and revenues expected to exceed 1.2 billion for 2022, brands should look to harness the power of UGC as an integral part of their marketing strategy.
Social media platform, Socialbakers¹¹ revealed that the pandemic has resulted in a rise of what they refer to as ‘micro-influencer activity.’ Essentially, to get the most effective results, brands need to look to engage with more authentic, natural influencers who post “more relatable content that emphasises real-world human situations over aspirational and manicured posts.”Utilise your own network and ask customers or ‘micro-influencers’ to create and share videos using or reviewing your product or share testimonials of your brand. Combined, user-generated and professional video content increases brand engagement by an average of 28%¹², so if you’re looking to reach new audiences, position yourself as a leader and create strong connections with influencers, then it’s a guaranteed way to drive results. But it doesn’t just stop at connection – customers who end up on an e-commerce site through a UGC video are 184% times more likely to purchase and when they do, they’ll spend approximately 45% more¹³.
Customer testimonials have immense power; they help garner new business, foster trust and belief in your product, as well as raise brand awareness. 90 Seconds can do the legwork for you with our Customer Stories product, where we harness the power of your own network and customer base to create content that sings your praises without you even having to open your mouth… In a way that’s genuine, meaningful and effective – like this moving example from Hewlett Packard which demonstrates how, through HP’s 3D printing technologies, their customer, Unlimited Tomorrow has been able to change lives through the production of state-of-the-art robotic limbs.
Craving connection
Continuing in the same vein, authenticity is essential – people want to see real life, not just the clean, polished product. It’s relatable and engaging.
Consumer connection and cultivating an aura of authenticity can be achieved through UGC, but behind-the-scenes (BTS) content, as well as live video, can also help establish the important element of trust. And there’s an appetite for this content too. According to Livestream, 87% of people want to watch more videos online if built with BTS content, as it adds a lighter touch and humanises a brand which is essential for garnering customer loyalty and building trust. Conveniently, this type of content is often cheaper and simpler to create given the ‘rough and ready’ vibe is essential to the genre – and according to Instagram, mobile-shot Stories ads outperform studio-shot ads 63% of the time¹⁴. Cost-effective and ROI effective, win-win.
At 90 Seconds, we’re seeing growth in demand of approximately 30% for what we refer to as ‘Customer Stories’ and ‘Case Studies’, with an increasing number of brands choosing to share more personalised, authentic and light-touch videos with customers to connect on a more intimate level.
Consistency is King… especially with Continuous Creation
On average businesses post 18 videos in a month¹⁵. To some, that might seem a lot, but if you’re sharing on social media, algorithms favour the constant and consistent voice. Post daily to maximise organic reach, which is capped by various platforms; posting each day ensures you’re consistently maximising your organic reach.
If you’re new to video and this figure is daunting, consider this – businesses and brands that created just 51 videos (or more) grew from 13% to 46% in 2020 alone¹⁶. With 90 Seconds Series brands can continuously create and publish content, sharing on social media, directly from your work stream. The tool enables creators to capitalise on all footage, ensuring nothing of value ends up on the cutting room floor – instead, you’re left with multiple pieces of content, tailored to specific needs, audiences and platforms. Couple this with other elements of your video marketing strategy, such as UGC, or Customer and Inside Stories content, and building this consistency is more than achievable.
Consistency is essential for building brand trust and engagement, and Continuous Creation ensures that businesses maintain a steady flow of high-quality content. By streamlining workflows and leveraging pre-set templates, Continuous Creation enables teams to produce videos efficiently and align them with brand messaging across all platforms. This approach eliminates gaps between campaigns, keeping audiences engaged with fresh, relevant content. It also allows businesses to adapt quickly to new trends while maintaining the consistency needed to reinforce their brand identity over time.
Animation
Animation brings a creative power and emotion to videos – it captivates eyes and holds them hostage, more so than text and imagery. The benefits are multiple.
Animation can help break down complex ideas into simple, digestible messages enabling understanding and staying in customers’ minds and memories. Such as this example we produced for Bupa Australia on establishing a healthy home office… Making ergonomics engaging is no small task, but through the power of animation, we were able to communicate their messages in a way that captivates attention.
Animation can more easily convey emotions, given the fact that an illustrator must exaggerate them artistically for them to land, again, making the message more memorable. A prime example is this vibrant Animation we created for 99designs to complement their 2022 graphic trends article.
They’re also an SEO powerhouse as most search engines favour video, with users staying on a website longer when animation is in use as it tends to take longer to watch. People spend twice as long on pages with videos, therefore it’s not surprising that those that include them are about 53 more likely to rank on Google’s first page¹⁷. A subsequent benefit of this uptick in ranking is that it enables you to grab further traffic – according to Wix, approximately 157% more. In turn, with that increase in traffic, studies by WordStream have found that having a video on a landing page can boost conversion rates by up to 80%. In short, animated videos on your homepage are a quick win in terms of SEO, brand awareness and customer conversion.
A final reason animated videos are on the rise? In this global marketplace, animated videos are inclusive and accessible to all – they don’t depict one race, region, or age over another, meaning you avoid exclusion. Also, less budget is needed for localization. They appeal to all, no matter where in the world you may be located.
Shoppable
Videos have been making their way into e-commerce since 2009 when YouTube first rolled out its ‘click to buy’ feature. The format isn’t new, but its reputation as a magic bullet marketing tool is growing, with a whopping 380% more clicks generated for calls-to-action if consumed via video¹⁸.
130 million Instagram users tap on shopping posts every month – commonly featured in the Stories section – so if you’re not producing shoppable video and have a product or service to sell, you’re missing out on revenue. Instagram cite that 58% people say they have become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in Stories, with 50% having visited a website to make a purchase after seeing a product or service in their Stories. And given the potential Instagram advertising reach of 1.16 billion users, there’s a significant chunk of change to be had¹⁹. Quite simply, shoppable video needs to be part of your video strategy in 2022.
Video is arguably the most effective marketing tool available for brands today. Nothing delivers results like the moving image and as the premiere video creation platform, no one delivers video like 90 Seconds. We take the legwork out of creation for you and provide a seamless partnership, from creation to distribution to optimisation and measurement through our video intelligence software.
¹ Zenith Media: Online video viewing to reach 100 minutes a day in 2021 – Zenith (zenithmedia.com)
² Wyzowl: What Video Marketers Should Know in 2021, According to Wyzowl Research (hubspot.com)
³ IAB: IAB Video Advertising Spend Report
⁴ Cisco: Service Provider Network and Technology Services – Cisco
⁵ Zabisco: Zabisco | Portfolio (visual.ly)
⁶ Grandview Research: Podcasting Market Size, Share | Industry Report, 2021-2028 (grandviewresearch.com)
⁷ Best practices for video ads | LinkedIn Ad Tips
⁸ Twentythree.net
⁹ Verizon & Publicis: Verizon Media Says 69 Percent Of Consumers Watching Video With Sound Off (forbes.com)
¹⁰ Digiday: 85 percent of Facebook video is watched without sound – Digiday
¹¹ Socialbakers Q1 Trends Report Highlights the COVID-19 Impact on Social Media Users and Brands (prnewswire.com)
¹² Comscore: https://www.comscore.com/Insights/Press-Releases/2012/3/comScore-Study-Finds-Professionally-Produced-Video-Content-And-User-Generated-Product-Videos-Exhibit-Strong-Synergy-in-Driving-Sales-Effectiveness
¹³ 75 Staggering Video Marketing Statistics for 2021 (wordstream.com)
¹⁴ Instagram for Business on Instagram: “Did you know mobile-shot stories ads have a 63% chance of outperforming studio-shot ads? Optimizing stories ads for mobile can help…”
¹⁵ 2021 Marketing Statistics, Trends & Data — The Ultimate List of Digital Marketing Stats (hubspot.com)
¹⁶ The State of Video 2020 | Demand Metric Report (vidyard.com)
¹⁷ Our Videos Dramatically Increased Our Visitors’ Time on Page – Wistia Blog
¹⁸ 2021 Inbound Marketing Stats on the Power of Call-to-Action Buttons (protocol80.com)
¹⁹ Instagram Stories: Create quick and memorable content | Instagram for Business
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