With over two billion active users every month, and rated as the second most popular website in the world after Google, it’s fair to say that YouTube represents almost unlimited marketing opportunities. As far as video marketing is concerned, it doesn’t get any bigger. As always, the statistics tell the full story:
– 55% of marketers use YouTube, making it the most used video marketing channel in the world.
– Viewers watch over one billion hours of YouTube content every day.
– 62% of users access YouTube on a daily basis and 92% weekly.
– YouTube is available in over 100 countries, and in 80 languages.
– Over 500 hours of new video content is uploaded to YouTube every hour.
– 1 in 3 baby boomers go to YouTube for more information on a product or service they’re interested in.
– More than 70% of YouTube content is viewed on mobile devices, which aligns with the growing use of portable devices all over the world.
– YouTube was the fourth most downloaded iPhone app in 2020.
– Nearly 90% of marketers say they plan to use YouTube in their video marketing strategy in 2021 and beyond.
– YouTube mobile ads are 85% more likely to hold a viewer’s attention than TV ads.
– YouTube generated over five billion dollars in the third quarter of 2020 ALONE.
It’s important to note that videos posted or shared on Facebook, Twitter or individual websites often redirect to YouTube. This means a user is just one or two clicks away from the video-sharing platform, giving any promotion on YouTube an unparalleled level of reach. This is why it is the premium video marketing platform for influencing brand awareness and website engagement.
The key to capitalizing on this enormous global exposure is getting the ‘pre-roll video’ just right. This is the ad you see immediately before the YouTube video you want to watch. It could be a product video or the short version of a movie trailer; whatever form it takes, some pre-roll videos are able to be skipped after five seconds, while others have to be watched all the way through before the video content begins. It’s a rare opportunity to introduce your brand to a captive audience but in most cases, you have just five seconds to make a positive impression on the viewer before they are able to skip the ad. The first five seconds, therefore, must connect by conveying your brand and product or service in the most effective way. A lot of YouTube marketing is skipped during those crucial five seconds. So it’s imperative you nail your message straight away. However, if the viewer does skip, there is some consolation – the advertiser isn’t charged so the first five seconds of branded ad content is free.
This “five-second skip” scenario highlights the importance of doing YouTube marketing as well as you can. To be brutally honest, that means not doing it yourself. That five seconds is a golden opportunity to capture the attention of millions but you need to make maximum impact in no time at all – that’s why it’s best left to the experts.