2017: A Video-First Year
The start of the year is usually the time when individuals take a pause to look back at the year that was, and plan their next steps for the year ahead. The same applies to most businesses. It is the perfect time to set goals, adjust strategies, and assess what will work.
For those in the digital and mobile industry, several agencies and organizations have already released their forecasts for 2017 which can be used as a guide to develop strategies for rest of the year. Wence Wenceslao, Group Head of Rising Tide, predicts that video will continue to grow in 2017 and brands will do more video-first strategies. And this is the consensus—2017 will be a video-first year.
What does “video-first” mean?
According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, video-first means that video will always be the priority. A staunch advocate of the video-first approach, Zuckerberg believes that video will be the most consumed digital content. In fact, he is pushing his company to put video “at the heart of all
[their] apps and services.”In 2016, Facebook Live and Instagram Stories were launched and became instant hits. Meanwhile, 2017 is off to a good start with the recent launch of Instagram Live. In the future, Facebook is planning to roll out a video home tab or maybe a separate app for videos. Live 360 is also a possibility. The creation of more platforms for video content is an indication that developers and innovators like Mark Zuckerberg are placing big bets on video.
What does this mean for brands and agencies?
For brands and digital agencies, this is a sign that videos should be at the forefront of their content strategies. The battle for customer attention in the digital arena is getting more competitive by the day, and pushing for video-first strategies is a great way to engage more audiences (It is important to note that Facebook’s algorithm has already been altered to give priority to videos in the newsfeed).
Of course, maintaining the elements of good, watchable video is still important:
- The content must be compelling (and it should capture attention right off the bat);
- It should work even without sound (possibly with the help of text overlays); and
- It must be mobile-ready.
However, with the rise of new platforms such as Instagram Stories and Facebook Live, brands should learn to adapt and adjust their video creation strategies to better suit these channels. It doesn’t hurt to be creative especially when the possibilities are endless. Years ago, no one would’ve guessed that vertical videos, 360 videos and live videos were possible. So now, stay ahead of the curve and start shooting.
Are your interested in riding the new wave forward in video content creation? Email us at contact@13.229.113.77
