top video marketing trends in 2023 and beyond
Video ads are today’s most effective method for businesses to reach their target market and promote their products or service.
During my SMX Next presentation we discussed three new trends in video. This helped to create a deeper discussion about the importance of data and analytics, as well as targeting and optimization.
Let’s review some key strategies, questions, and thoughts from the presentation.
Vertical video is on the rise
Every year, I strive to find the most valuable impression within our ad space. Since many years, I have always searched for the answer to YouTube Skippable Ads. You don’t have to pay for users until they view 30 seconds of an advertisement (or if they engage with the video, they complete it).
Recently, however, I have changed my mind. Vertical video is my favorite impression on the internet today.
Advertisers will need vertical video in 2023 because of the following three ad types.
You can run similar ads on all three platforms from a creative perspective. Each platform has its own targeting which makes them more effective in driving quality users.
- Ecommerce: Reels would be my recommendation due to the integration with Instagram shops. TikTok is my favorite due to its popularity, audience and engagement opportunities.
- B2B: I recommend starting with Shorts. This will allow you to easily transition from the ad to the YouTube channel and engage with more content. You can also leverage the power and analytics of Google Ads and Analytics, to show ads to people who have shown interest in your brand or indicated intent via Google Search and/or YouTube.
TikTok B2B
Marketers are often concerned about using TikTok to B2B. Is it effective when targeting executives?
The short answer to your question is “yes”. The longer answer includes some nuance.
Targeting executives is easy. We can assume that these busy people aren’t necessarily on TikTok. However, those who relay key messages (partners or assistants, managers, etc.) to these executives would be the ones relaying this type of messaging.
TikTok doesn’t need to reach the target in order to be successful. Instead, the product, messaging, and creative must attract the target audience to act – to learn more about the product and to increase the impact so that they can pass it on to the executive.
TikTok is a powerful tool for brands. However, it’s more effective for certain people than others. The platform is working on tools that will help B2B marketers, such as the following:
- Hashtag targeting – For the first time we can harness the power of search intent to target specific keywords that users have searched for or tagged.
- Lead generation campaign: Reduce friction by allowing users convert directly from an advertisement to your CRM using a maximum survey of 10 questions.
- Video length – Organic length has increased from 1 minute earlier in the year to 3 minutes, and I believe that 10 minutes would be next as TikTok aims to capture more time than YouTube.
- Influencers – While this tactic is not specific to a product, it has been proven to be an advantage. For B2B, product integration can be a great way to leverage an influencer who has a large following.
Jumping on a video trends vs. creating compelling ads
Another question that the audience asked was “Is it better for you to jump on a trend or create a compelling advertisement?” from a video perspective.
You should test both the budget and the results to understand the impact. There is no right or incorrect answer. I will just use my best judgement.
These are some points to keep in mind:
- A larger brand will have more success with video trends. This is because your existing audience will be more willing to follow the trend and help it grow. You are searching for a home run, which can be rare but not impossible, if you are a small brand.
- A compelling ad is a great choice for small and large brands. It is designed to grab attention and persuade the viewer to take action. Appealing ads can reach a broad audience.
Advertising’s future
Vertical video is the future of advertising. It is important to take a closer look at the platforms that offer these placements.
The Variable.Media team has been able to create a few more case studies since the presentation and collect data specific to these vertical placements.
YouTube Shorts
Anyone who is running YouTube ads should know this. Strong engagement, average rates of clicks (CPM/CPV), and longer viewing times are all indicators of our success.
It could be that the user is more focused on a story than the search tab or subscription tab.
TikTok
Although Hashtag targeting is effective, we are not seeing much scalability with B2B brands.
We have a great target audience, but we need to see growth in order to scale.
Instagram Reels
This placement is far more engaging than stories and the newsfeed, at a fraction the cost.
We use reels for most brands because we believe the audience is more likely to save, comment or share than to click through. This behavior has changed from newsfeed to stories to reels.
Maximize vertical videos in your advertising strategy
Video offers a unique way to reach large audiences across multiple platforms and increase engagement and conversion rates.
Businesses can use vertical video ads to effectively promote their products or services.
It is important to keep in mind that vertical video can have a significant impact on businesses’ goals and audience.
Three innovative video marketing trends to watch in 2023 and beyond
Here is the entire video of my SMX Next presentation.
Search Engine Land first published the post Top Video Marketing Trends for 2023 and Beyond.