VIDEO PRODUCTION TRENDS Q1 - 2019

2019 is already underway and plenty of clients, agencies and partners are asking what are the current trends for 2019?

The video production landscape is always evolving and changing and more and more this change is rapid, sudden and unpredictable.

That said, here are just a few of the more fascinating ways in which video production is evolving for Q1 of 2019.

VERTICAL VIDEO CONTINUES TO RISE

More than 75% of all online video content in 2018 was viewed on a mobile device.

With the majority of amateur and consumer video captured for personal use on social media sites by users smartphones being shot vertically, brands have continued adapting their content to this upright format with varying degrees of success.

Further underlining this transition is the rise of IGTV (Instagram's vertical video platform) and the continued popularity of Snapchat and Instagram stories (as well as Facebook's attempts to capture this market), all of which account for millions of vertical videos uploaded daily.

Brands in Asia who wish to engage hard to capture millennial audiences in a mobile-driven society are using concise bite-sized videos on platforms like MeiPai and WeChat that embrace this format.

Video content with a ratio of 9:16 has several distinct advantages that aren’t immediately apparent.

The first is that vertical video offers a better user experience for users by being formatted to the way they are used to holding their smart phone (vertically)

Secondly the vertical format fills a viewer’s entire phone screen thereby reducing distractions or options for clicking elsewhere (they are therefore more engaged in the content for the duration of that content).

Another benefit of this format is the screen’s limited width which allows for only one point of focus per frame.

While that can provide a creative challenge for some creators or marketers who are inexperienced with the form, it also presents them with an outstanding opportunity to capture and maintain audience attention and to develop storytelling methodologies that embrace the format fully.

Vertical video is expected to play a major role in the way we interact with content in 2019.

As the popularity of this format continues to grow, you can expect to see forward-thinking brands and creators capable of thinking clever with content making plans to execute a vertical video strategy in Q1.

CINEMAGRAPHS TAKE HOLD AND CAPTURE BRAND IMAGINATION

One of the most simple but effect creative trends that will continue to gain traction online in Q1 of 2019 is the rise of Cinemagraphs.

If you are unfamiliar with the term Cinemagraphs (like the one featured above) are mostly still photographs in which a subtle and repeated or looped movement occurs within a certain part of the image.

Cinemagraphs are easily made using image editing software to composite a series of photographs or video recordings into one seamless loop.

In many ways they are similar to a gif, but the fusion of photography and film creates the illusion that viewers are watching some form of animation.

Today, we’re seeing wide use of Cinemagraphs in a range of digital marketing mediums including social media, emails, websites, and digital ads.

Cinemagraphs offer more excitement than photos without the complexity of a full video, additionally smart content creators and agencies are adding cinemagraphs as an added value item to many of their clients as a way to extend audience engagement across more of their social and digital channels.

To create a truly impressive cinemagraph requires creativity but its one more tool content creators and brands will use more and more to tell visual content stories in 2019.

LONG FORM CONTENT

Despite many agencies and marketing and communication managers believing the widely supported suggestion that modern audiences have a massively short attention span and can't bare watching content longer than 1 to 2 minutes there are a growing number of smart companies using long-form content and seeing amazing results.

It might surprise you to know that on Facebook videos of a 3 to 4 minute duration are actually more popular than those of that suggested shorter duration and have higher levels of engagement.

Most traditional marketing videos are between 15 seconds to 2 minutes in length while long-form content often runs closer to 10 to 30 minutes (has to be truly amazing to keep an audience watching beyond 30 mins).

Whether or not a video is long-form depends on the quality of the content and its ability to capture and maintain and audiences attention and the average run time of its distribution channel.

(Image above is from one of GE's 8 minute videos that has attracted 348,096 views, 1.2k likes)

This style of video content provides a number of strategic benefits that counter prevailing theories.

Long-form video offers a capacity for storytelling that creates an opportunity to connect with an audience emotionally.

In an environment where consumers can easily compare prices and reviews online, the connection these videos foster is vital to establishing a sense of trust.

Below are just two great examples of this form of longer form content that smart brands and their agencies have used to connect with and build audiences:

Longer videos also provide important advantages to finding qualified leads.

People who invest time in a 10+ minute video are more likely ready to convert for a business.

The extra time people spend interacting with these videos naturally results in an SEO boost.

Planning to create long-form videos is considerably more intensive than most advertising projects and my advice would be to seek out a suitably experienced agency or content creator to partner with when creating this kind of content.

Long-form content has a bright future in a world where video continues to dominate online. Consumption of the format has risen year to year despite the fact most online videos are 9 minutes in length.

It’s a sign for agencies, production companies and content creators working with brands, companies, organisations and institutions of all shapes and sizes that not all are afraid to explore bold new territory.

LINKEDIN VIDEO

For better or worse depending on your perspective and the kind of video that populates your feed, video is seeing a significant and steady rise in popularity here on Linkedin.

In 2018, only 38% of marketers shared video on the B2B site despite the fact that 75% of them rated it successfully.

In one year, LinkedIn video posts generated more than 300 million impressions on the platform.

They also earn an average of three times the engagement of text posts.

Plus, early findings from LinkedIn’s beta program show that LinkedIn native videos are five times more likely than other content to start a conversation among LinkedIn members.

As more people turn to the site for video marketing there are several key areas to examine.

The first is a Linkedin user’s profile where videos can be featured to provide introductions and overviews.

Secondly there are those using LinkedIn video for their daily posts and seeing significant views and rise in their followers due to the persuasiveness of the format.

A great example is String Nguyen who is one of LinkedIn's top voices. Below are a couple of examples of the types of videos she shares on LinkedIn (these are from her YouTube Channel):

Another area where video will have an impact is Linkedin Publishing, the site’s dedicated space for contributors to provide long-form content.

This area requires that posts contain a minimum of 400 words but when combined with video it can be used to provide demonstrations and webinars.

Lastly, it’s important to keep a close eye on Linkedin native video.

Publishing video content on the site once required users to use Youtube or Vimeo, but Linkedin is now hosting videos directly on the platform.

“Native video” is video that is uploaded directly to LinkedIn or created on the platform itself.

Unlike embedded videos, LinkedIn native video autoplays in-feed, which is more likely to grab attention. Metrics show that Facebook native videos garner 10 times more shares than linked videos, a boost that likely also holds true for LinkedIn native videos.

Linkedin is a mostly untapped resource when it comes to effective video marketing.

We can expect to see this activity grow as more people become aware of its potential.

CONCLUSION

In 2019, video is expected to account for 80% of all internet traffic.

These staggering video trends show no signs of slowing.

As the amount of video content continues to rise above all other forms of marketing the real challenge for brands and creators will be creating content that stands out among the clutter.

With the rise and rise of video many brands are still failing to create meaningful strategies around how they will develop, create and distribute relevant video to their audiences.

Many are buying into the hype offered by online video platforms but the end results are often bland, poorly executed, uninteresting and will fail to stand out against the more creative executions developed outside of this sausage factory ecosystem.

Staying creative and in the loop and partnering with agencies, production companies and quality creators with distinct and unique voices will ensure your brand is prepared for the next-gen landscape of video production.

STILL NEED MORE HELP?

Reach out to me and the team at APV! We’d love to talk to you about how we can help you understand more about how to make amazing content that connects your story to your audience!

Thomas J Elliott is the Senior Producer/Director for APV an advertising agency specialising in video and animation with offices in Wan Chai Hong Kong. 

He is a winner of numerous international awards for video and animation and the author of five books on visual content.

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