2015 Will Be the Year of Video Marketing

Today's marketers are using video to put the emphasis on showing. Video is the perfect format for quickly grabbing busy audiences' attention. It enables strong storytelling in a short but memorable format that viewers can enjoy and marketers can measure.

Facts tell, but stories sell, as they say. There is no better medium than video for storytelling.

Up until recently, most marketers have used video sparingly as a way to enhance their website, but very few have invested in it strategically as a way to improve the results of marketing and sales programs. That's about to change.

Here's what to expect from video marketing in 2015.

1. The play button will take center stage as the most compelling call to action on the Web

More than 70% of marketing professionals report that video converts better than any other medium.Video content is becoming a surefire way to increase click - through rates and digital conversions, and marketers are starting to take notice.

Simply put, the play button has become as the most compelling call to action on the Web.2015 will be the year that video becomes an integrated part of email marketing, content marketing, social, SEO, and demand - generation programs.

2. Video analytics and attribution will take the lead

Data-driven marketing is all the rage, and new marketing technologies have made it possible to track the digital interactions of online audiences and measure the performance of marketing programs. This trend will continue in 2015 as marketers look to extract greater insights from their marketing systems to improve results.

3. Video will become a strategic tool for lead generation and qualification

Videos can easily become active lead-generation tools. Adding an email gate to the start of a video or a lead collection form to the end will allows us to create new, well-qualified leads who are interested in the content. That information can now be tied directly to contact records in marketing automation and CRM systems, providing a qualified lead that can be tied back to actual engagement in online content.

Only video offers a reliable means of tracking actual engagement with content, and 2015 is the year that marketers will start to use these insights to their advantage.

4. YouTube will be a complement, not the focus

Though YouTube offers a very affordable solution for video hosting, it lacks the tools you need to make video an integrated part of your digital brand and content marketing programs, and it doesn't offer the data and tools you need to turn video assets into valuable marketing tools.

In 2015, more marketers will realize the importance of video as a part of their digital marketing and demand generation strategies, and they will come to understand that YouTube isn't the best way to optimize results.

5. Use of video analytics as part of marketing automation and CRM will increase

Although more than 70% of marketers report that video converts better than other content types, fewer than 10% are actually using video analytics to enhance lead qualification and customer insights. As more marketers use video to attract and engage their audiences, they'll quickly want to start collecting video analytics within their marketing automation and CRM platforms to turn data into results.

That step is critical to maximizing the value of video. It's what gives marketers the comprehensive insight into how prospects interact with the brand across multiple channels throughout the buying journey, and it also enables them to start reporting on video's impact on lead generation, pipeline development, and closed revenue.