Digital Marketing in 2016

2015 saw some incredible growth in the use of video content by marketers in both B2C and B2B markets. But more importantly, it also saw some staggering shifts in how marketers are using video and the kinds of results it’s helping them generate.

No longer just a tool for brand awareness, top marketers are now using video throughout the funnel to better engage and educate prospects, enhance lead scoring and nurture streams, and boost overall conversion rates. Now that marketers are getting comfortable with video as a content medium for both brand and demand, the real fun begins.

Here are my top 5 predictions for video marketing in 2016, and what you'll want to consider as you plan your year.

1. Video Puts Email Marketing Back on the MAP

Email marketing is a critical component of most modern marketing programs, but many marketers are starting to see diminishing returns and falling click-through rates. Everyone’s inbox is inundated with messages. It’s hard enough to get a response from someone expecting your email, let alone from someone who doesn’t know you and is wary of a sales pitch. Video has been proven to be a highly effective way to cut through the clutter and boost engagement in email marketing campaigns. A 2015 GetResponse study of one billion emails found those containing video had a 96% higher click-through rate than those without. And for more advanced marketers, the use of 1-to-1 personalized videos in email marketing campaigns can boost click-through rates by 200%-1500% (more on that later!). In 2016, we’ll see marketers embrace these lessons, which will not only improve email marketing performance but also return email to its important spot as a lead generator feeding data into our marketing automation platforms. 

2. Video Goes from Passive to Interactive

Last year we saw a significant increase in the use of interactive videos to create two-way conversations with digital audiences and to drive more engagement in content marketing programs, particularly in B2B markets. In 2016, marketers will start leveraging interactivity at scale and will start to use embedded forms, questionnaires, surveys, and other types of interactive elements to pull viewers into the story and to gather additional interest and intent data. 2016 will also see the rise of “choose-your-own-adventure” style videos that will enable viewers to self-select their content journey and create a customized learning path without having to search for different content assets. The key for marketers is to build an interactive experience that fits seamlessly within the video so it doesn’t detract from the video experience itself.

3. Let’s Get Personal

We all know that personalization is a huge trend in digital marketing. From the early days of adding a name to an email to modern techniques for dynamic personalization of content, the data proves that personalizing both the content itself and the content journey can have significant impact on results. In 2016 we'll see the rise of 1-to-1 video personalization, offering a huge opportunity for innovative marketers to stand out from the crowd and get noticed by their prospects.