2021 Video Marketing Trends to Look Out For

Following on from our video marketing trends for 2020, it’s already time to for us to cast our eye forward to the new year ahead.

2021 is already proving to be an exciting time for video marketing, as advertisers and online platforms find more inventive ways to drive results for companies across industries, in the face of heightened restrictions.

At The Animation Guys, we’ve already seen first-hand how effective video marketing can be across a variety of industries, including charities, insurance firms and fintech. Check out our list below to see what video marketing 2021 trends to look out for this year…

Social Video re-cuts and re-posts

Being stuck inside for large swathes of last year meant that social media became an even more important tool to communicate with friends and even family members throughout 2020. As such, we’ve all been tagging friends in the conveyor belt of photos, memes and gifs across the web.

It seems that no one is using just one digital platform anymore, and the appetite for almost every form of video content is alive and kicking. It’s still imperative to create video content that reflects your brand, and to capitalise on that increased ‘opportunity to see’ value that lockdown brings.

That’s why this year, it is more important than ever to reformat your content across numerous social channels to reach a wider audience, whether that is short form, long form, animation or otherwise. It isn’t enough anymore to just have the same 16:9 video pinned to the top of your social channels.

Check out our case study for premium beer brand Leffe’s new product ‘La Légère’, where we put all of this practice into action, and completed a variety of tactical and impactful social animated ads for their campaign.

WFH content (podcasts, zoom, events going virtual)

For 2021, we also expect to see an upturn in professional working from home (WFH) content. As we’ve become more accustomed to the ‘new normal’, zoom and skype calls have gone from family quiz nights and business meetings to a fully-fledged interview tactic for primetime TV shows such as The Graham Norton Show and The One Show.

On top of that, some industries are being forced to adapt to continue, as the restrictions continue. None more so than the events industry, which for the time being will now replace physical conferences with virtual substitutes. It’s fantastic to see events continuing, but it’s also important to not shy away from the pitfalls that user generated content can bring with it. Shaky, poor lighting or low-resolution footage can be difficult to work with, but easy to understand on-screen animation can alleviate a lot of the hardship for all involved.

LinkedIn ramps up video offering!

One of the final frontiers for social video and live streaming up until recently was LinkedIn. Both ‘LinkedIn Stories’ and ‘LinkedIn Live’ were introduced towards the end of 2020. As we continue to navigate a drastically altered lifestyle, we predict that these new products on the platform will take off and become commonplace within a business’ video marketing strategy.

Training Videos

You don’t need us to tell you that video content production is at an all-time high. Lots of outside entertainment outlets continue to be shut, as all consumers continue to stay safe at home. So, not including video in your 2021 video marketing strategy is becoming harder and harder to justify.

Animated training videos or explainer videos are a fantastic way to capture your consumers, through both auditory and visual channels. As a HubSpot study recently revealed, 4 times as many people would prefer to watch a video on a product, rather than read a description about it, when making a purchasing decision. If that stat didn’t surprise you, then how about this one: Google found that 70% of YouTube viewers use the platform for help with a problem they’re having with their work, studies or hobbies.

There are important ‘best practices’ to consider though. Make sure the video resonates with your audience and adds value for them. Unfortunately, a lot of businesses don’t have the time or the skillset to create the right video content, and that’s where The Animation Guys come in. We can help you every step of the way with a thoughtful, mapped out strategy for your video.

Keep checking back on our blog page as we discuss these latest video marketing 2021 trends and others as they emerge throughout the year. If you’d like more information on how to use video marketing to raise the profile of your brand, or advertise a product or service, get in touch and let’s chat!