The way we consume content on the internet is always erratically changing. However, there has been a recurring pattern in the consumer market — the surge in video content consumption and its impact on consumer purchasing behavior. A whopping 82% of people have been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a video.
Brands recognize the potent power of video content and use it to alter the target audience’s perception of the world around them. Learning how to optimize video for mobile devices can help you reach a larger audience and fully utilize the power of suggestion. This blog will break down the mobile video revolution, its impact, and tips to optimize video for mobile-first audiences.
The Mobile Video Revolution
With every thumb scrolling on a smartphone, video content has become the Milburn Pennybags of digital media. Gone are the days when watching videos meant streaming them for long hours or downloading big files that may corrupt your system. Today, we carry our screens in our pockets, and the revolution of mobile video is far from over.
With TikTok dance trends and YouTube vlogs about travel and food, mobile video consumption has consistently gained traction. YouTube suggests, over 70% of watch time happens on mobile devices. This shift has transformed how content creators and marketers approach video production. The use of hashtags and attempts to stay relevant through ongoing trends has wrapped the world around the fingers of social media. Let’s take a closer look at the impact it has had on the content market and consumption.
The Impact: What’s Changing?
The ability to consume content on the go from our mobile phones has significantly changed the way we create and consume content. A notable shift is the preference for shorter, more engaging videos. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok started the trend of bite-sized content that quickly captured viewers’ attention.
Additionally, the vertical video format that they brought with it has now become a part of the status quo, as it’s designed to fit the natural orientation of smartphones, unlike traditional horizontal videos. This change has forced even the most popular video streaming website and app, YouTube to adapt and support vertical videos into their user interface.
Optimizing for a Mobile-First Audience
To optimize video for mobile, you need to keep into consideration several key factors that will play a crucial role in how your video content is consumed:
Keeping it Crisp: the growing trend of byte-sized video has significantly shortened the attention spans of mobile audiences. To keep your audiences engaged, it is important to keep videos short and crisp. If the video seems too long, it may urge the viewer to swipe away, irrelevant to its content. It’s best to try and convey your message in 30-60 seconds!
Focus on the First Few Seconds: How you start your video is crucial to retaining your viewers’ attention. Eye-catching visuals or compelling hooks are likely to retain your viewers’ attention. However, it is recommended to refrain from using unrelated content to wean your viewers in as they might not appreciate the clever trickery.
Vertical Video Formats: Platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and even LinkedIn now prioritize vertical video content. So make sure you optimize videos for mobile consumption by prioritizing the vertical video format.
High-Quality Thumbnails: The first visual that can make or break your viewers’ opinion is your thumbnails. It answers the question ‘to watch or not to watch’ your video. Your thumbnail must be visually appealing to entice viewers to click on it and represent your content as accurately as possible.
Subtitles and Captions: Mobile users tend to occasionally watch videos without the sound on. This may be due to various reasons, like not wanting to be a public inconvenience or simply to avoid drawing attention to themselves. Adding subtitles and captions helps get your message across even in silent mode. In addition, this practice is also considered mindful for those who are hard of hearing.
Optimize for Different Devices: Your video may look appealing while editing on a big screen, but will it transition just as well to a smaller screen? Maybe not! It is recommended to test your content on different devices to guarantee a consistent experience.
The Future of Mobile Video
The future of mobile video is bright and full of possibilities. Vertically aligned videos tend to fare better on social media algorithms than most other forms of content, making them the ideal choice for posting. Advancements in AI and machine learning are enabling apps to personalize the viewer’s experiences with video recommendations. AI-processed recommendations make it easier for users to streamline content tailored to their interests.
Additionally, technologically advanced concepts like Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are already making their way into mobile video content. They offer viewers a more engaging and immersive experience and soon enough they’re likely to dominate this area of visual content on social media content.
Why Mobile Video Optimization is Important
Optimizing video for mobile is crucial for several reasons:
Increase Your Engagement: Mobile-optimized videos are more likely to capture and retain your viewers’ attention. This helps increase your watch time and boost the likeness of viewers who will engage with your videos.
Wider Reach: A majority of internet users access content via mobile devices. Optimizing video for mobile audiences would allow you to maximize your reach.
Improved User Experience: Videos optimized for mobile consumption, provide your audience with a convenient experience. This will reduce the likelihood of them scrolling mid-video due to poor quality or formatting issues.
Higher Conversion Rates: Well-optimized, engaging video content will reflect your conversion rates. Whether you are trying to increase sales, generate leads, or simply boost brand awareness. Optimizing the video to provide a seamless experience is likely to convince your audience to respond to your call to action.
Competitive Advantage: Optimizing video for mobile compatibility provides a competitive advantage by broadening your reach and increasing your engagement capabilities. It tells the social media algorithms that you understand and cater to the preferences of modern viewers and that your content will keep their audiences engaged.
Video content consumption is dominated by mobile viewers, demanding the need to Optimize video for mobile consumption. A Mobile-first approach to curating content is highly fruitful in the current consumer market. You can effectively curate content designed for mobile viewers by focusing on short, engaging content, well-adjusted in a vertical format to increase the traction of your content and reach wider audiences.