While we are scrolling social media on our phones, checking LinkedIn on our laptops, gazing at billboards while driving, or noticing digital signage in shop windows while walking, we are constantly engaging with content.
Content has taken over the world, and since there is really no escaping it anymore, we are diving in and embracing it. We accept that this content-dominated culture is our new way of life.
But which type of content cuts through the noise? Which type of content makes you lean in and pay more attention?
What makes video content so effective?
By the end of 2023, the global digital video viewership is expected to reach 3.5 billion, and each person is watching, on average, 17 hours of online videos per week. Video marketing is one of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s toolbox to reach this growing audience.
To cut through the chaotic content landscape, brands need to engage people. They need to create content that consumers will connect with and care about. Content that elicits emotion and curiosity.
Video content does this better than any other type of content—text, audio, or still imagery. They tell stories that convey a brand’s personality and values. They bring a brand to life in a deeply immersive way within minutes.
Most video content on the internet today is short-form video, which is an excellent way to captivate audiences by breaking down and presenting information in less than one minute. A study that analyzed data from 729,000 public social profiles in 2022 shows that 66% of consumers are most engaged by short-form video content.
Brands can use video content for multiple purposes—to help their customers learn, shop, or relax. Regarding purchasing decisions, a recent study reported that 76% of its respondents said product and service explainer videos help and 69% said that video testimonials and reviews help.
Previously, high-quality video production was reserved for large corporations with big marketing budgets. There is still some truth to this, as corporations can commission work to professional video production companies.
However, the SMB segment now has access to video content creation software that allows them to create high-quality, engaging videos in house much quicker and cheaper than ever before.
AI-powered tools can help small businesses stay competitive
Video content creation software enables users to produce visually appealing videos by leveraging a combination of editing, special effects, and template features.
Users can create various types of videos, from training materials to cinematic clips. The software often provides tools for voiceovers, filters, animation, and overlays.
Many video content creation tools are now AI-powered to offer more creative autonomy to users. Some examples are AI-generated icons, voiceovers, transitions, and more. Some AI tools will even take inputted images and create entire completed videos. Others will create videos based on text prompts.
This all seems a little daunting, considering how much content is already out there. AI just makes it a whole lot easier to saturate the content landscape even more. But these tools are accessible to all, so if brands are not taking advantage of them, they are losing out.
G2 reviewers value user-friendly video content creation software
G2 recently launched a new category for Video Content Creation in October 2023. This category houses the software products mentioned above.
Before this new category, many of these products were listed under G2’s Video Editing category. However, as video software has evolved considerably in the past few years, there is enough differentiation between traditional video editing tools and video content creation tools to warrant a breakout category.
This rise in more accessible, user-friendly video editing and content creation tools has led more small businesses to try them out. Several reviewers of this software mention that if they have ever switched over from another tool, their primary reason was ease of use.
Most small businesses (probably all of them) do not have dedicated video production or design teams to create high-quality content. However, they still want to utilize video in their marketing efforts to compete with other SMBs or even enterprises—enter video content creation software.
When looking at the breakdown of video editing reviews by business segment, it is evident that the percentage of reviews left by small businesses has increased year over year from 2020 to 2023, as represented in the chart below.
In 2020, 66% of reviews were by small business users. So far, in 2023, 77% of reviews have been left by small business users.
Businesses that aren’t jumping on the video content bandwagon are missing out
People buy brands, not products. Videos are a powerful tool to express what a brand stands for. Brands are using video content to cut through the saturated content landscape.
With the accessibility offered by video content creation tools, there are benefits for all businesses—small, medium, and large.
Polish your editing skills with the 16 best free video editing tools of 2023.
Edited by Jigmee Bhutia
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by Anindita Sengupta
by Victoria Blackwell