Essential Video Trends: What to Watch for in 2024

The world of video trends is constantly evolving, creating new opportunities for businesses to engage with their audiences through captivating visuals and immersive storytelling¹²³. As we approach 2024, the demand for video content continues to soar, with brands exploring innovative ways to leverage this powerful medium¹²³.

From short-form video brochures and personalized video messaging to shoppable videos and user-generated content, businesses are tapping into cutting-edge video trends to drive engagement, foster brand loyalty, and ultimately boost conversions¹²³⁴.

This article delves into the essential video trends set to shape the marketing landscape in 2024, offering insights into short-form videos, live streaming, personalized video brochures, shoppable videos, and the rising influence of user-generated content (UGC)¹²³⁴. By staying ahead of these trends, businesses can craft compelling video strategies, captivate their target audiences, and unlock new avenues for growth in the ever-evolving digital realm¹²³⁴.

Trend 1: Short-form Videos

Short-form and ‘snackable’ video content on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts is expected to continue growing in popularity⁵⁶¹. With consumers increasingly consuming content in this format, short-form video has become a necessity for marketers⁶.

Key strategies for success with short-form video include:

• Creating attention-grabbing introductions to hook viewers⁴
• Keeping videos under 1-2 minutes in length⁴
• Focusing on faces to humanize the brand⁴
• Incorporating captions or text overlays for sound-off environments⁶⁸
• Leveraging trends, challenges, and interactive storytelling techniques⁸

As the demand for short-form video content rises, brands are adapting by:

• Optimizing for vertical and square video formats³
• Utilizing hyper-targeted micro-content tailored to specific buyer personas³
• Integrating interactive elements like polls, quizzes, and lead capture forms³
• Embracing user-generated content and influencer collaborations³

With the rise of short-form video, more content is being consumed without sound, so brands need to adapt by incorporating captions and context for “no-audio” tactics². Additionally, segmented video formats like horizontal, vertical, and square are becoming a necessity as viewers use a variety of devices².

Trend 2: Live Streaming

Live streaming is rapidly gaining traction, offering brands an opportunity to connect with their audiences in real-time. The live streaming market is expected to reach a staggering $247 billion by 2027, with live videos seeing 6x more interactions than regular videos on Facebook⁵.

Live streams provide authenticity and transparency, allowing audiences to interact with brands and influencers through features like live polls, Q&A sessions, interactive games, and challenges⁴¹¹.

Brands can leverage live streams for a variety of purposes, including:

• Product launches
• Q&A sessions
• Tutorials
• Behind-the-scenes content⁴

Platforms like Cincopa offer live streaming features that automatically save the stream to the user’s content library, enabling easy repurposing and sharing⁴. The US livestream shopping market is set to reach $35 billion by 2024, highlighting a significant opportunity for growth and innovation in this space⁷.

As the live streaming landscape evolves, content creators are exploring new strategies to engage their audiences:

• Streaming simultaneously on multiple platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Kick, and Rumble to reach a broader audience¹¹
• Collaborating with smaller, more specialized communities and micro-influencers as the market becomes saturated¹¹
• Leveraging AR and VR technologies to offer immersive and interactive content experiences like virtual concerts, gaming events, and meetups¹¹
• Utilizing ephemeral content like live streams and Stories to create a sense of urgency and exclusivity, driving engagement through FOMO (fear of missing out) tactics¹¹

Platforms like Switchboard Live, dubbed the “#1 Live Stream Management Platform,” enable creators to stream live video to multiple social destinations simultaneously, further amplifying their reach¹¹. As technology continues to evolve, live streaming will offer increasingly engaging experiences, with episodic live-streamed content building anticipation and fostering community¹⁰.

Trend 3: Personalized Videos

Personalized videos are rapidly gaining traction as a powerful tool for brands to forge deeper connections with their audiences. By leveraging data insights and automation tools, companies can tailor videos to individual viewers, creating a more personalized connection¹². Interactive videos that transform passive viewing into an immersive, engaging experience with ‘Choose your own adventure’ style videos and shoppable videos are also on the rise¹².

Moreover, brands are incorporating nostalgic elements like retro visuals and throwback soundtracks to create an emotional connection with audiences¹².

There is a growing emphasis on authenticity, with companies emphasizing genuine, human-centric narratives over sales tactics, including behind-the-scenes content and user-generated videos¹².

AI and machine learning are playing a pivotal role in this trend:

• Tools like Meta’s Make-a-Video and Google’s Imagen Video are enabling text-to-video capabilities, allowing for more personalized video creation⁵.
• User-Generated Content (UGC) is becoming interactive, with customizable ‘Living Videos’ that allow viewers to input information that updates the video in real-time⁵.
• 72% of consumers engage more with personalized messaging, and personalized videos can be used for onboarding, offers, customer service, and year-in-review recaps⁵.

Furthermore, shoppable videos are emerging as a powerful e-commerce tool, allowing viewers to make purchases directly within the video⁵. Personalized videos are also enhancing the customer experience, being used for customer service, renewals, and other touchpoints to provide a more human experience⁵.

Personalized video marketing can make a significant difference to a brand’s bottom line, as generic content continues to lose impact on consumers¹³. Using personalized videos on website landing pages can increase conversion rates, and integrating them into customer service CRM can build brand loyalty¹³.

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Trend 4: Shoppable Videos

Shoppable video content is rapidly emerging as a game-changer in the retail and e-commerce space. Retail media experts believe that shoppable videos will be the next frontier for retail media, with over 50% of ad agency professionals considering it the next big thing¹⁵.

These interactive videos allow users to click on products featured within the video and seamlessly navigate to the corresponding product page, streamlining the shopping experience⁴¹⁵.

The adoption of shoppable media has been primarily driven by social media platforms thus far. However, the potential for shoppable videos extends across various media and advertising channels, from social networks to connected TV¹⁵. The number of US shoppable media buyers is projected to surge from 2.1 million in 2021 to 4.1 million by 2027, a staggering 95% increase¹⁵.

While consumer adoption has been relatively limited, with only 26% of US adults expressing interest in shoppable commerce, younger demographics are showing more enthusiasm for this emerging trend¹⁵.

Brands are leveraging shoppable videos to create immersive and engaging shopping experiences:

• Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are pioneering shoppable video capabilities, allowing viewers to click on products and instantly access product pages⁴⁶.
• Video hosting platforms like Cincopa offer tools to add interactive elements like CTAs, lead generation forms, and annotations, transforming traditional videos into shoppable experiences⁴.
• Integrating user-generated content (UGC) into e-commerce platforms can potentially increase conversion rates, as real customer testimonials and user-created videos enhance product listings and marketing campaigns⁷.

Shoppable videos have demonstrated their potential to drive conversions, with a 30% increase in conversion rates reported for brands utilizing this format¹⁶.

As platforms like TikTok Shop and YouTube expand their shoppable capabilities, this trend is poised to revolutionize the e-commerce landscape, offering brands a powerful tool to engage audiences and drive sales⁶.

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Trend 5: User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content (UGC) is rapidly gaining traction as a powerful tool for brands to forge authentic connections with their audiences. Gen Z values authenticity and transparency, preferring user-generated content over highly produced videos⁵. UGC videos from customers offer a cost-effective, authentic way to reach wider audiences and build trust¹⁶.

UGC has evolved from social content to a distinct type of content creation used in campaigns⁶. User-generated content and influencer collaborations are driving more authentic, relatable brand storytelling³. With the rise of short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram, UGC is set to have its biggest year in 2024, as it allows brands to say more with less content, which is crucial given the short optimal video lengths on these platforms (30 seconds or less, 15 seconds recommended)¹⁷.

The impact of UGC on consumer behavior is undeniable:

• 84% of Millennials say that UGC sways their purchasing choices, presenting an opportunity for brands to tap into this market¹⁷.
• 93% of marketers agree that consumers trust content created by customers more than content created by brands¹⁷.
• Using UGC allows brands to communicate key messages and product benefits in an authentic way that builds brand trust¹⁷.
• Over 2023, many brands have shifted towards using more UGC content in their paid ads, with performance data showing UGC delivering CPCs around 50% lower than traditional branded content¹⁷.

UGC can be leveraged across a wide range of industries beyond just fashion, beauty, and homeware, as it acts as social proof to overcome purchase barriers¹⁷. Brands can use UGC for new product launches to quickly educate and inspire potential customers¹⁷. In saturated markets, UGC can help brands cut through the noise, as Millennial and Gen Z audiences actively prefer UGC over branded content¹⁷.

To maximize the impact of UGC in paid ads, brands should integrate learnings from their organic social teams and content that resonates well with their existing community¹⁷. Additionally, UGC:

• Makes a brand’s image more authentic and builds trust, with 79% of consumers believing buying decisions are assured by seeing UGC vs. influencer content¹⁸.
• Fosters a sense of community and increases engagement on social media¹⁸.
• Showcases real-world product usage and positive experiences, influencing potential customers¹⁸.
• Provides valuable insights into consumer behavior, performance, and trends¹⁸.

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Conclusion

The video landscape is undergoing a transformative shift, and businesses that stay ahead of these emerging trends will be well-positioned to captivate their audiences and drive growth.

From the rise of short-form videos and live streaming to the increasing demand for personalized and shoppable content, the opportunities for engaging storytelling and immersive experiences are vast.

User-generated content also continues to gain traction, fostering authenticity and cultivating trust among consumers.

As we move into 2024, it is crucial for businesses to embrace these video trends, even in the B2B space and adapt their strategies accordingly. By leveraging the power of video, brands can forge deeper connections with their audiences, drive conversions, and stay ahead of the competition. To take the first step towards harnessing the potential of video,schedule a call and explore how Curveball can help you integrate these trends into your marketing efforts seamlessly.

FAQs

How is video consumption evolving in 2024?

In 2024, it’s projected that 58.8% of the time people spend on social media will be dedicated to watching videos. This highlights the growing importance of video content across various platforms, including both user-generated content and paid advertisements.

As our social media feeds become increasingly video-centric, producing engaging and effective videos is becoming more crucial than ever.

What makes short-form videos so appealing?

The surge in popularity of short-form videos can largely be attributed to the shrinking human attention span. Research suggests that the average attention span has dwindled to just 8.25 seconds, significantly down from 12 seconds in the year 2000.

This decline in attention span makes shorter videos more appealing as they cater to viewers’ preferences for quick and engaging content.

References

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• [14] –https://www.muvi.com/blogs/top-video-streaming-trends/
• [15] –https://www.emarketer.com/content/shoppable-media-explainer-2024
• [16] –https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/15-best-video-marketing-trends-2024-stay-ahead-curve-yvvic
• [17] –https://www.impressiondigital.com/blog/ugc-trends-insights-and-examples/
• [18] –https://www.socialchamp.io/blog/user-generated-content/
• [19] –https://www.inbeat.co/articles/ugc-trends-in-2022/