According to the latest eMarketer forecast, mobile video consumption will grow by 5 minutes this year. Also, in-app video consumption will increase by 10 minutes compared to the previous year. It seems like video consumption keeps growing and this is good news for publishers.
Why is video consumption skyrocketing?
Video was already one of the most popular formats for content consumption before the pandemic. When Covid-19 forced most of the world’s population to stay at home, a high number of mobile users switched from web to in-app consumption. And once users are in a video environment it’s easier to keep watching one piece of content after another. Sometimes because users follow the app’s suggestions. Sometimes just because videos keep automatically playing.
Right before the pandemic hit its peak, Cisco published its annual internet report. The white paper forecasts that almost 82% of global content will be video by 2022. This is related to other factors: mobility and connectivity. Both currently growing too.
So, to answer the question, video growth basically depends on technological advances and changes of habits and capabilities (attention span is very limited now). Also, let’s not forget that it is the most engaging format so far.
Why is this good news for publishers?
Video has many advantages. It catches users attention quickly. Going through a fairly long text could be hard and boring. Watching a video that automatically plays on a feed is pretty easy instead. So it’s an easier way to attract users and to increase engagement. This means, video is in principle easier to monetize than text.
However, publishers are not switching to video, but using it as a way to diversify their income. Also, as a powerful resource to amplify their content on other platforms.
But what else is video useful for? Have you ever tried to boost your website’s Google ranking? Well, video can help improve search engine optimization.
How can video help improve SEO results?
Think about a keyword. Any keyword. Now, this is what happens. For every keyword you can think about, there are millions of website results. However, how many videos? Thousands, that’s for sure. But, yes, you’ve guessed it. There is less competition, that’s why it is easier to improve your ranking by creating video content.
If we follow this logic, embedding a video on an optimized website, will boost its performance. Moreover, promoting the video on other channels will increase view time. Eventually, it will also attract more users to your site.
Not to mention that articles with embedded videos perform much better in terms of UX. This translates into more time on site and lower bounce rates. And if your content is more attractive and engaging, your traffic will increase too.
Why is video consumption growing?
Video is one of the most popular formats, even before the pandemic. It’s easier for users to keep watching one piece of content after another and follow content suggestions. It’s also a visual format that provides great engagement if done correctly.
Why is this video growth good for publishers?
As we explained, the video format is good to increase engagement, as it catches users’ attention quickly. It’s also a way to diversify publishers’ revenue and can improve SEO results.