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James Ashe, Managing Partner
A Matter of Influence: Using Video to Finalise Sales
According to a new study, 72% of consumers use video to help them make a purchase, highlighting the importance of considering video as part of your online marketing.
The research found that nearly three quarters of Brits used video to help with a purchasing decision, and most of those watched videos on YouTube to convince them to buy.
There are plenty of advantages to using video to sell a product or a service. Video traffic is continually increasing, and by using video, potential customers can see a product and its benefits up-close and in action before they go ahead and take the plunge.
The rise in ‘influencers’, such as bloggers and vloggers, also can’t be ignored as part of this study. These internet personalities build up trust with their followers and, in turn, become an integral part of daily life. Much like a review in a newspaper or a road test of a car, influencers offer third-party endorsements for the internet generation, and potential customers are frequently tuning into these channels to see product reviews and tutorials being given from someone they relate to.
So if you didn’t quite realise how big YouTube stars are becoming these days, then here’s an example that might surprise you! Zoella, whose real name is Zoe Sugg, is the UK’s top beauty and lifestyle vlogger and has a subscriber base of over 11 million fans. Alongside collaborations with brands like ASOS, make-up tutorials and fashion showcases, she posts monthly recommendation videos about her favourite products, clothes, TV shows and more.
Her ‘Chatty August Favourites 2016’ video already has over 1.2 million views despite only being released a few weeks ago, and mentions a mixture of big beauty brands and lesser known products. With a handy list of those products in the description, plus links to buy, loyal fans that trust her opinion are likely to click and spend. Videos like these will also stay on YouTube for years to come, whereas other social media marketing can disappear after just a short amount of time.
Of course, finding influencers that will work well with your brand can be a costly and time-consuming process, and it doesn’t work for every business. That’s why it’s good news that, according to the study, female buyers are also likely to seek out a video on a company website rather than just leave it to YouTube. There’s still great value in putting relevant video content on your website, and adding rich, engaging content like video is also helpful for SEO.
It’s predicted that 80% of all web traffic will be video by 2019, and using videos as part of your online marketing is becoming increasingly important. So whether your business is a luxury hotel, manufacturing company or accountancy firm, get those cameras rolling!
If you enjoyed reading this blog, check out some of our others:
- Facebook video generates more interaction than YouTube
- It’s not for me: the realistic approach to marketing
- How video could remedy your ailing Facebook reach
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