Why You Should Focus on Mobile Video Content
By the time you finish reading this article, millions of Internet users around the world will have finished watching a video on their smartphones or tablet computers. Those same people will probably start browsing for the next clip to watch or to add to their online queue.
According to YouTube, 40 percent of its traffic originates from mobile Internet-connected devices such as tablets, smartphones and portable gaming consoles. In 2011, mobile YouTube users accounted for just six percent of traffic; in 2012, that figure climbed to 25 percent. According to Google, the parent company of YouTube, this amazing growth is expected to continue. Check out EVG’s YouTube channel.
By 2015, YouTube expects to see more than half of its traffic originating from mobile devices. Other major online properties such as Facebook and Twitter are also developing strategies to welcome the mobile masses.
Explaining Mobile Growth
One of the major reasons YouTube is experiencing a shift to mobile is the company’s significant effort to accommodate portable devices. They have done everything in their power to cater to these users and provide an almost seamless experience as they move from desktops to smartphones and tablets.
YouTube is not the only company going mobile. More than 70 percent of Facebook users check their status updates and timelines from mobile devices. Twitter and Pinterest are two other social networks focusing on mobile traffic, and they have also noticed a significant affinity among users toward video sharing.
Incorporating Mobile Video Into Content Marketing
Advertising and marketing agencies are rushing to adjust to the paradigm shift prompted by mobile video sharing. The experience provided by a short mobile video must be powerful and emotional to entice viewers to share with their online social circles. Without a doubt, mobile video is currently the most effective form of shareable content.
YouTube is focusing on engagement, and related videos and social interaction tools such as commenting systems go a long way in this regard. Online marketing experts are borrowing ideas from YouTube in the sense that they are incorporating mobile video in their content marketing campaigns. An example in this regard is Verizon Internet and the highly successful #fiosfootballgirl YouTube videos. The clips may be short on length but they are expansive on content, and they invite repeated plays and commentary; these are the keys to social engagement.
The entry-level strategy that online marketing consultants suggest is to create a YouTube channel for branding purposes. This does not always require video production, at least not in the beginning. For example, a mortgage brokerage firm can set up a YouTube channel that features news video clips that talk about real estate trends and interest rates. At the minimum, the mortgage brokerage should customize the channel with a background that showcases the brand. In the future, this mortgage firm may look into producing short videos introducing its services and explaining the applications process.
Michelle Smith – Guest Blogger – Freelance Writer
Michelle Smith is a freelance writer with a focus on social media and marketing. She can be found typing away on her laptop in sunny Boca Raton, FL. Michelle welcomes your feedback via email.
