By Ken Turley

Every self-storage owner wants to find that next tip or trick that will help his business gain an edge over the competition. That edge often comes in the form of advertising or marketing. Over the last decade or so, marketing has taken a completely different path for most businesses. Instead of phonebook listings, newspaper ads, fliers, etc., companies are now focusing energy on online marketing techniques to drive consumers to their websites. These techniques commonly include search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing and blogging, just to name a few.

Another strategy that’s become effective is video marketing, in which the simple goal is to engage the viewer and create a feeling that will influence him to act, whether that’s filling out a form to learn more, renting online, sharing the video on social media, or many other positive actions beneficial to your business. Many companies now have dedicated YouTube channels to market their products, offer tutorials or answer frequently asked questions. They also share these videos across their various social media channels, which allows them to promote their business to a wider audience.

Video Dominance

If you need convincing that video has become a major marketing tool, consider these key statistics from “29 Big Video Marketing Statistics for Media Brands,” published by ReelSEO.com:

• 68 percent of marketers believe original, digital-video content will be as important as original television programming in the next three years.
• In the United States, YouTube reaches more 18- to 49-year-olds than any broadcast or cable TV network through mobile devices alone.
• During prime time in the U.S., more 18- to 49-year-olds tune in to YouTube than the top 10 TV shows combined.
• In 2016, more video content will be uploaded in 30 days than all three major U.S. television networks have created in 30 years combined.
• It’s estimated that mobile video will account for 75 percent of total mobile data traffic by 2020.
• Users are watching 100 million hours of video on Facebook every day.
• 55 percent of people in the U.S. watch videos every day.
• Google Preferred, YouTube’s premium content offering, reaches more people in the U.S. on mobile devices than all full-episode players, like Hulu or Netflix, combined.
• In 2020, video will account for 23.2 percent of marketing spend, compared with 17.7 percent in 2015.
• The average Internet user spends more than 16 minutes watching online video ads every month.
• The average click-through rate of video ads is 1.84 percent higher than any other digital format.

Short Attention Spans

As you can see, video content is a major draw in our society today, but why? Well, for starters, while society is filled with many innovative and brilliant people, the average attention span of a human is only eight seconds thanks to mobile devices, social media and other channels. To put that into perspective, goldfish have an attention span of nine seconds. Today’s marketers need to cater to an impatient and somewhat dull society. The best way to do that is by using video as a main source of content on your website. Here are three reasons why it works:

1. Videos convey your message quickly. Videos can get right to the point better than any other media or content structure. There’s no reading bullet points or boring articles like this one—just key information on demand.

2. Videos keep viewer’s attention. High-quality videos connect with viewers and keep their attention using audio and visual effects. This reduces other distractions and enables the viewer to pay attention to a video’s core message. This is pretty much the same idea as turning on cartoons for a child or using a laser or something shiny to distract a cat.

3. Google loves videos. In today’s Internet world, Google is king, and to be successful, we need to follow its rules. Google has come out with numerous articles and updates urging people to utilize “media-rich content” to enhance the viewer’s experience. Websites that demonstrate good video practices usually rank higher in Google searches and receive more relevant traffic as a result.

By Mike Wuerthele
Monday, December 12, 2016, 09:54 am PT (12:54 pm ET)

Amazon has made a recent change to video distribution methods, with the company adding Apple Safari HTML5 support on macOS, making the browser fully compatible with Amazon Prime Video streaming without plug-ins for the first time.

Before the implementation of the change over the weekend, Amazon Prime Video required installation of the problematic Microsoft Silverlight plugin for playback of streaming video in Safari. The implementation is still not perfect, with video playback capped at 720p resolution.

Based on AppleInsider testing, the current versions of Chrome and Firefox still have better AirPlay Mirroring options, as well as not having the artificial 720p resolution cap.

In April, Amazon made the Prime Video subscription available to those not choosing an Amazon Prime subscription. The Prime Video plan is available for $8.99 per month. This includes all shows and movies, as well as HD, UHD (4K), and HDR video quality options.

A full Amazon Prime subscription is cheaper, at $99.99 billed annually.

HTML5 will give users reduced power consumption, faster page load times and improved security as compared to Adobe Flash Player

Google has finally decided to ditch Adobe Flash player and is switching over to HTML5 by default. Google had promised back in August that it would be ditched Adobe Flash with Chrome 55.

HTML5 will give users reduced power consumption, faster page load times and improved security as compared to Adobe Flash Player. The new change disable Adobe Flash Player for users unless there is an indication that they want Flash content on specific sites. Eventually all websites will be requiring permission from the user to run Flash.

“HTML5 by Default and the associated user prompts will be introduced gradually as follows. The feature will be rolled out to users over a few months. HTML5 By Default will be enabled for 1% of users of Chrome 55 Stable in the next few days. The feature is also enabled for 50% of Chrome 56 beta users. With Chrome 56 stable in February, we plan to enable it for all users,” Google said in a blog post.

Starting January 2017, Google Chrome users will be prompted to run Flash on a site-by-site basis for websites they visit for the first time. However, by October, users will have to give permission for Flash to run on any website they visit.

Read: Gboard comes to Android, replaces Google Keyboard

Adobe Flash Player has been an important part of web browsing for a long time, and helps the production of animations, games, etc on websites. However, Adobe Flash is also responsible for performance issues and unstable browser experience, often leading to unresponsive web pages.

Google isn’t the only company that is moving on from Flash content. Last year, Facebook started running all videos on its website in HTML5 by default.

BII

See Also

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BI Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, spoke with Ron Yekutiel, CEO of Kaltura, to get his insights on the emerging world of online video.

Kaltura is a cloud video company that provides both platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS). The conversation touched upon the growing pervasiveness of video, and how the medium will eventually permeate at all levels of society.

Kaltura’s strategy is focused on three segments: Media and telecom, enterprise, and education. Yekutiel explains that each of these three segments is growing fast and will continue to for a number of reasons: 

• Media and telecom. Half of this segment consists of distribution and publishing solutions for publishers and large media companies; the other half consists of delivering a complete TV experience on the web, both on-demand and live. Yekutiel believes television will be the biggest market in cloud video, as internet TV opens the doors to new subscription and advertising opportunities. He estimates over-the-top (OTT) providers will reach $31 billion in revenue by 2019, doubling 2014’s level; and by 2021, US subscriptions on video on-demand services will reach 140 million, or around 40% of the country’s project population. This expected growth is why we’re seeing cable, satellite and telecom companies buy up content businesses right now.
• Enterprise. This refers to video solutions used within a company. Large corporations often employ white label video solutions – a kind of “corporate YouTube” – for communication, collaboration, on-boarding and training. Enterprise video is set for growth as employees become more and more video literate, especially as millennials make their way into the workforce. This effect will be magnified as people live longer, and work longer. More than this, Yekutiel anticipates video will become an increasingly essential communication tool in the future. As people spread geographically and work on projects across borders – and not to mention from their homes – he expects 90% of work to be carried out through video. 
• Education. Hundreds of schools in the US and around the world are integrating video into their learning systems. Yekutiel expects video to become increasingly important as the education paradigm evolves. E-learning and remote (distance) learning – where classes and lectures are conducted over the web – will become norms. So too will notion of the « flipped classroom, » where students do most of their learning online, and come into the classroom to engage in the concepts with the guidance of a teacher. The growing cultural focus on lifelong learning will also drive video’s growth in education and the enterprise.

If 2015 was the year that brands and advertisers embraced online video, then 2016 will see the medium take the next step as live streaming takes off.

Live streaming video refers to broadcasts in real time to an audience over the internet. While the concept of live streaming has been around for years, mobile-first video platforms with user-generated content have just recently begun to make serious waves thanks to improved video quality, faster broadband speeds, and enhanced mobile technology.

Online video has become a key part of the strategic business model for both brands and marketers as they seek more innovative ways to capture consumer attention. Creative live streaming video initiatives and campaigns are a way for companies to cut through the digital clutter and have emerged as the medium of choice not only for person-to-person sharing, but also for business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) communication. 

Brands are increasingly using live streaming to reach audiences. Its importance has grown significantly thanks to substantial investments by social platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and Twitter to build and enhance their live-streaming platforms.

And advertising dollars are likely to follow. 88% of agency respondents stated that they “might” or “definitely will” invest in live stream video advertising over the next six months, according to a recent Trusted Media Brands survey.

BI Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on live streaming video that examines the eruption of online video from the perspective of both consumers and advertisers and assesses how live streaming is emerging as the medium’s next catalyst for growth.

Here are some key points from the report:

• Live streaming video will further accelerate streaming videos overall share of internet traffic. Streaming video accounts for over two-thirds of all internet traffic, and this share is expected to jump to 82% by 2020, according to Cisco’s June 2016 Visual Networking Index report.
• Live video’s value comes from its unique ability to add an authentic human element to digital communications. As a result, brands are leveraging three main streaming methods to connect with their viewers: tutorials, product launches, and exclusive and behind-the-scene footage.
• Advertisers will continue to invest heavily in online video, especially as live streaming video gains traction. Already in the US, digital video ad revenue reached $7.8 billion in 2015, up 55% from 2014, according to figures from the Internet Advertising Bureau.
• While live streaming is still in its early stages, brands are leveraging micropayments, mid-roll video ads and direct payments from social platforms, to monetize their live streaming videos.
• The success of live streaming video hinges on brands overcoming a lack of measurement standards in the space, as well as changes in social media sites’ algorithms that affect what content users see.

In full, the report:

• Examines the eruption of live streaming video.
• Explores the differences between platforms that host live streaming video.
• Breaks down successful approaches from both brands and publishers.
• Discusses unique monetization opportunities live streaming presents.

To get your copy of this invaluable guide, choose one of these options:

1. Subscribe to an All-Access pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you’ll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. » START A MEMBERSHIP
2. Purchase download the full report from our research store. » BUY THE REPORT

The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you’ve given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of live streaming video.