Key Stats and Facts to Shape Your 2024 Video Plans
Video is rapidly evolving, driven by both technological advancements and changing audience preferences. As new platforms emerge and existing ones update their algorithms and formats, staying agile and innovative is crucial for maintaining viewer engagement. Key trends like the rise of short-form content and the growing value of authenticity over big budget productions are shaping how effective video content is created. In this article, we unpack key insights and statistics from trusted sources, including HubSpot, Wistia and Sproutsocial, providing a detailed guide on how to navigate these trends and connect with audiences in meaningful ways in the remainder of 2024.
Short-Form Content
One of the most significant trends is the ever growing popularity of short-form content:
Sproutsocial found that 66% of viewers will watch the entirety of a video if it’s less than 60 seconds long, and that short-form video delivers the highest ROI, and will secure more investment in 2024 than any other format.
These stats underscore the need for videos that are concise and engaging, and unsurprisingly, organisations have responded to the trend by creating more short videos: Wistia reports a 7% increase in videos under a minute and a 12% increase in videos between 1-3 minutes compared to the previous year.
Insight: To retain audience attention, short, impactful videos that deliver messages quickly and clearly are key.
Video Continues to Drive Click-Through from Social to Web
Video remains one of the most effective tools for converting social media engagement into website traffic. According to Sproutsocial’s report, 84% of people visit a website after watching a video about a product or service. This is a powerful statistic, especially when combined with another insight from the same source that 86% of consumers spend a quarter or more of their time on social media watching videos.
Insight: as consumers increasingly engage with video content on social platforms, the potential to drive traffic from social to websites is growing.
Enhancing the Mobile Playback Experience
According to Hubspot, 75% of viewers watch short-form videos on their mobile devices.
Providing subtitles or text-on screen is essential to ensure information is clear for mobile viewers who may not be using sound, and improves accessibility for all.
Insight: the prevalence of mobile viewing underscores the need for optimised playback features that cater to this audience.
Importance of Reinforcing Brand
Hubspot’s research shows that organisations that are consistently presented see benefits such as increased loyalty, an improved image, and a relatable identity that sets them apart.
Some top video tips include using custom thumbnails to attract clicks and set the tone of your video, adding logo watermarks to reinforce brand identity, and customising player colours and controls to ensure the video player aligns with your brand’s overall look.
Insight: adding additional brand touches throughout a video is now easier than ever and gives great potential uplifts.
Optimising Video Conversions
HubSpot’s research shows that for short-form videos (under five minutes), placing a clear call to action at the end works best. By engaging viewers fully before presenting a call to action, you can maximise the impact of your message and encourage stronger responses.
Insight: In short videos, hold off on your call to action until the end, ensuring your audience is fully engaged and ready to act.
Key Stats for Social Media Video Platforms
X
Sproutsocial found that:
93% of X videos are watched on mobile devices. Videos that don’t require sound, using closed captions or text overlays, experience 28% more view time and deliver 1.8 times the return on investment. Additionally, videos with minimal copy have a 13% higher recall and overall view time compared to those with longer text.
Insight: With mobile viewing leading the way on X, incorporating text-on-screen or captions is crucial for boosting engagement. Keeping text succinct and to the point improves recall, making your message more memorable.
Facebook ranks as the second most popular marketing platform after YouTube. Sproutsocial reports that mobile-first video ads—those specifically designed for mobile functionality—are 27% more likely to enhance brand lift and 23% more likely to improve message association compared to ads that aren’t optimised for mobile.
Insight: As with X, prioritising mobile-optimised content on Facebook is essential for enhancing brand impact and message retention.
Instagram offers powerful video marketing options, including Reels, Stories, and posts. Here’s where to focus according to Sproutsocial’s research:
53% of consumers prefer Instagram Reels over TikTok and YouTube Shorts, with Reels generating twice the reach of other posts. Additionally, more than half of Instagram users watch Stories daily, and 50% of them visit websites after viewing Stories, highlighting the platform’s strong engagement and conversion potential.
Insight: To optimise your Instagram strategy, prioritise posting videos as Reels and Stories. They not only engage users effectively but also drive significant actions like website visits and purchases.
TikTok
TikTok is quickly overtaking other platforms, having outpaced Instagram in user engagement in 2022, it is set to overtake Facebook by 2025. Despite the platform’s association with very short snippets of content, Sproutsocial found videos that were actually over 54 seconds long saw the highest views in 2023.
For organisations looking to connect with Gen Z, TikTok offers a prime opportunity. Focus on engaging content and formats like LIVE videos and dynamic ads, which are most popular.
Insight: Authentic storytelling resonates more with Gen Z than traditional promotion, making TikTok an ideal platform for genuine connection.
Video, and especially video on social media, continues to evolve rapidly. We hope this summary is a helpful reference tool as you continue to work to stay ahead in the remainder of 2024.
