OPTIMIZING VIDEO MARKETING PERFORMANCE
Video is proving to be one of the most effective types of content marketers are using to achieve their objectives. However, challenging obstacles continue to hinder video marketing performance.
What strategies are overcoming these obstacles and optimizing video marketing performance?
To find out, Ascend2 and our Research Partners fielded the Video Marketing Strategy Survey and completed interviews with 280 marketing, sales and business professionals from around the world. We thank them for sharing their valuable insights with you.
The charts in this edition of the study titled Video Marketing Strategy Survey Summary Report represent the average of all market segments responding to the survey. Specific market segments from the survey are reported on separately and exclusively by our Research Partners.
This research has been produced for your use. Put it to work in your own marketing strategy planning and presentation materials. Clip the charts and write about them in your blog or post them on social media. Please share this research credited as published.
View the entire report with charts here!
Table of Contents
- Most important objectives
- Achieving important objectives
- Most challenging obstacles
- Effectiveness of videos used by type
- How effectiveness is changing
- Difficulty of video creation by type
- Resources used to create videos
- Effectiveness versus difficulty
- Uses of technology in video marketing
- How budgets are changing
MOST IMPORTANT OBJECTIVES
Video is an extremely effective communications tool for engaging and educating customers, and to increase brand awareness – the top objectives of an effective video marketing strategy. Achieving these objectives establishes a foundation for increasing leads generated and conversion rates.
ACHIEVING IMPORTANT OBJECTIVES
Video marketing is rated very successful at achieving important objectives by 25% of companies and another 60% rate it somewhat successful. A total of only 15% are struggling to achieve success with video marketing.
MOST CHALLENGING OBSTACLES
Lack of an effective strategy is the most challenging obstacle to video marketing success according to nearly half (48%) of companies surveyed. A strategy with sufficient resources and budget to produce compelling content are critical to successful outcomes.
EFFECTIVENESS OF VIDEOS USED BY TYPE
About half of marketers consider customer testimonials, explainer or tutorial videos, and demonstration videos the most effective types of video content used. The most effective type of video your company uses will depend on its unique marketing situation and objectives.
HOW EFFECTIVENESS IS CHANGING
Video marketing effectiveness is increasing for 87% of companies, with about half of that saying the increase is significant! This change in effectiveness is considerable compared to other marketing methods and reflects a fast growing rate of video marketing adoption.
DIFFICULTY OF VIDEO CREATION BY TYPE
Lack of compelling content is a top challenge for video marketers due in many cases to the degree of difficulty required to create some types of content. The most difficult types of video content to create are customer testimonials, project reviews or case studies.
RESOURCES USED TO CREATE VIDEOS
92% of companies outsource all or part of their video content creation which provides access to skills and production resources not available in-house. A relatively high 22% outsource all video content creation compared to 8% that effectively create video content entirely in-house.
EFFECTIVENESS VERSUS DIFFICULTY
Explainer or tutorial videos, and demonstration videos are nearly twice as effective as they are difficult to create. Conversely, project reviews or case studies are much more difficult to create than they are effective. These are important considerations when planning types of video to use.
USES OF TECHNOLOGY IN VIDEO MARKETING
Planning an effective video strategy includes making the best use of technology. While using technology for content creation is required, reporting and analytics is optional but enables accountability for the effective outcome of video marketing efforts.
HOW BUDGETS ARE CHANGING
As previously stated, effectiveness is increasing significantly for a very large share of companies (43%). However, a much smaller share (18%) of budgets are increasing significantly. This shows that spending is not the primary factor for optimizing video marketing performance.
Methodology
Ascend2 benchmarks the performance of popular digital marketing strategies and practices using a standardized questionnaire, research methodology and proprietary 3-Minute Survey format. Findings are examined in a quantitative context by experienced analysts and reported objectively.
This survey was conducted online from a panel of more than 50,000 US and international marketing, sales and business professionals representing a range of demographic roles, channels and company sizes as follows:
Number of Employees
- More than 500: 36%
- 50 to 500: 18%
- Fewer than 50: 46%
Role in the Company
CEO / COO / CMO / CSO etc.: 30%
Marketing VP / Director / Manager: 47%
Sales VP / Director / Manager: 4%
Marketing or Sales Staff: 12%
Other: 7%
Primary Marketing Channel
- B2B: 78%
- B2C: 22%