They say a picture says a thousand words, but what about videos? Given the fact that they’re basically multiple still pictures combined together to engage the audience, we gotta say they’re definitely priceless.

Businesses of all sizes have been using videos to promote their brands for quite some time now. Creative styles have evolved, interactivity has grown, and distribution channels have emerged.

With billions of people online all the time, video has become more crucial than ever in the marketing world. Marketers have made it a major part of their online and content marketing strategy, seeing how video provides numerous advantages you don’t get from written content.

In this article, we’ll talk about why most marketers prefer using videos over text, what makes it more impactful, along with several tips on how you can also incorporate video into your strategy. Let’s dive in! 

So, Why Is Video More Effective Than Text?

Did you know that our brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text? That fact alone is enough to tell us why videos will always be more compelling than plain text. 

Here’s further proof: 

Image source: HubSpot

People would rather watch a short video about a certain product than reading the script used in that video. Not only will they be entertained with what the video has to offer, but they’ll be saving a lot of time skipping long lines of sentences. 

Even 59% of senior executives agree, saying that if both text and video on a specific topic are available, they’ll most likely pick the latter. 

Now for the more in-depth part, here are seven reasons why video beats text any day:

1. Video Keeps Viewers Engaged

Videos get 1200% more shares than text and images combined. 

That’s because they have the power to evoke strong emotions that encourage viewers to comment, like, and share. The better the content, the more interaction it receives. 

If done correctly, videos can take information and make it easier to interpret in just a short amount of time. With nearly 90% of the information transmitted to our brains is visual, it’s no wonder why people tend to be more responsive to videos. 

Below are several tips on how you can fully engage your audience with video:

• Spark curiosity by selecting the most interesting bits of the video and synthesizing them at the beginning.
• Incorporate storytelling to create a compelling narrative for your video content.
• Use eye-catching visuals to get your point across to your audience as quickly as possible.
• Write an engaging script but keep it short and sweet
• Ask your audience what they want by interacting with them directly in the comment section.
• Take advantage of live videos by hosting Q&A’s, launching new products or events, doing an office tour, or doing a product demo. 

2. Video Drives More Traffic to Your Site

Video is a powerful SEO tool. Brands that use video content often find themselves at the top of search results pages. 

86% of marketers say that video has helped them increase traffic to their website, while 84% were able to generate leads thanks to video. 

Over 70% of marketers claim that video produces more conversions than any other type of content. 

What’s more, Cisco found that online video will make up more than 82% of all consumer traffic by 2022. 

Search engines are now taking videos more into account, ranking them higher more than ever. When your video is being shared by viewers or linked back to your web page, it creates an inbound link, which is a major factor in your SEO ranking. More inbound links in your site makes it look more authoritative to Google. 

To optimize your videos for searchability and visibility, follow these tips:

• Use a captivating thumbnail image

Think of your thumbnail image as a book cover or your website’s homepage. It should be relevant, compelling, and appealing to the eyes.

• Insert transcripts

Video transcripts not only make your videos accessible to everyone, but they also make your videos more scrapable by search bots due to the additional text found on the page. 

• Focus on video title and description

As with written content, the title and meta description play a role in ranking. Create an engaging video title and description, and research relevant keywords so that you’ll be able to target keywords that people typically look for. 

• Make the video the focus of the page

If your video appears to be hidden, or that users need to keep scrolling until they can finally see it, it can result in low plays and play rates. Plus, just like people who don’t want to waste their time hunting for a video, search crawlers are unlikely to waste time indexing a hidden video.

• Embed the video you aim to rank first on the page

Google usually indexes only one video for each page. That said, if your page includes multiple videos, make sure that the video you want ranking first should be placed at the top.

3. Video Grabs Attention Effectively 

What gets your attention whenever you’re scrolling through a site? Is it a paragraph of text, static images, or a magnet-like video? 

Well, since our eyes are attracted to movement, videos definitely draw attention, and they do so effortlessly. However, not all videos have that “it” factor, especially now that people’s attention span is increasingly shrinking. 

If your video doesn’t appeal to a viewer in eight seconds or less, consider them as good as gone. Because we don’t want that happening to you, we’re giving you three tricks that can capture your audience’s 8-second attention span:

• Use cover photos that will get instant clicks

The video cover is the first thing people see before hitting the play button. It’s one of the reasons that will make them click. Choose a still shot that can attract eyes on social media, particularly something that can be regarded as “eye candy.”

• Keep your audience on their toes

One way to hook your viewers to watch your video from start to finish is by having each frame enticing them into discovering more details about the topic. Your video should make them think “tell me more” after every frame. Don’t be predictable.

• Make your point as soon as possible

Since your goal here is to command your viewer’s attention for at least the first eight seconds, you should be able to make your point as early as you can. For example, you can start off by saying, “So you’re interested to learn the basics of video marketing, looks like you’re at the right place.” 

4. Video Improves Brand Recall

It’s impossible to retain all the information we’ve read on a website without going over them again. With videos, however, it’s a different story.

Studies reveal that viewers retain 95% of a video’s message compared to 10% when reading the text. This explains why more and more businesses are choosing video content over text.

Viewers retain 95% of a video’s message compared to 10% when reading the text.

Videos are much more memorable since people are more likely to recall a story than a list of facts. They allow marketers to produce the message they want to get across into a short yet concise narrative that will engage their audience in a way that text can’t achieve. 

With videos, you can easily convey your personality and make a lasting impression on your audience. Your audience won’t have the time to read lengthy sentences explaining your value proposition, but a quick and upbeat video certainly can.

5. Video Incites Action

With video having the ability to elicit strong emotions through visual and auditory cues, it doesn’t come as a surprise that it motivates people to take action.

According to KISSmetrics, videos with calls-to-action generate 380% more clicks than other CTA options like written text or buttons. 

That’s why you should always include one at the end of every video to guide your viewers to take the next step – be it to sign up for your newsletter, avail of your free service, or share the video.

6. Video Is Easy to Create

As we’re now living in the age of technology, creating a video on your own has become extremely fast and easy. No longer do we need expensive, high-end video equipment to record a video. DSLR cams and smartphones, especially the latest models, are the way to go now.

Editing videos is no longer an issue either. Hundreds or maybe even thousands of video editing software and apps are available to download or buy. Using such resources makes it easier for you to enhance your raw footage and export them.  

Keep in mind that every editing app or software will be different, and there are certain features you’ll want to look for. Most of them offer a free and paid version. See to it that you can do these things without having to pay for a premium version:

• Either import videos from your camera or film them from the app itself
• Either save the video to the app’s cloud service or to your camera roll
• Add music
• Add text and common shapes at the minimum
• Slow down or speed up the video by 1-2x
• Export video with at least 480p quality
• High-definition exports
• Scrub through the video while you’re editing it
• Multi-track editing and timelines
• No branded watermark
• Professional transitions between shots

7. Video Shows Your Human Side

Unlike text, video allows you to be more personal and authentic, making you more relatable to your audience. It helps you stand out and create a deeper emotional connection with your viewers, as you’re showing them that you’re more than just another faceless brand.  

So, how do you humanize your brand with video content? Here are a few tips:

• Feature your employees so that your customers will finally be able to put a face to a name.
• Show behind-the-scenes to walk your audience through and give them an inside look at what normally happens in your day-to-day operation.
• Share real-life stories to provide a more personal touch.

Are You Ready to Use Video Marketing to Boost More Sales?

It goes without saying that video will always beat text.

Whether you need more organic traffic to your website, higher audience engagement, or increased brand awareness, incorporating video content into your marketing strategy is your best bet.

About the author: Shay Berman is the founder and president of Digital Resource, a full-service digital marketing agency located in South Florida. Shay’s clear-cut approach to internet marketing has driven his clients’ businesses to new heights and allowed Digital Resource to land on the Inc 500 list two years in a row and be named as No. 49 on Entrepreneur magazine’s Entrepreneur 360 list.