In 2014, Social Media Examiner, the largest social media online magazine in the world, predicted that videos would become the content platform of choice. In addition, video segments like podcasts would hold their own as a separate form of content, driving social engagement as a primary means of achieving a company's online marketing objectives.
Venture Beat News reports that the battle for supremacy in video marketing is on YouTube and Facebook. These online giants are expected to square off for domination, and through YouTube currently holds the title, statistics suggest that Facebook is a worthy contender, and is expected to mount a serious challenge in the coming years.
YouTube may have more views on all devices, but Facebook has a higher number of video views via desktop, according to comScore. As at September 2014, Facebook could boast an estimated one billion video views per day. It would seem that despite YouTube's almost limitless traffic source potential, current trends still favor Facebook.
This is likely due to one very simple factor - content discovery. Typically, users go to YouTube to watch videos (other than to upload their own personalized videos). On the other hand, Facebook curates videos for users, showing up in news feeds based on what its algorithm decides you may want to see. So now, many users are beginning to see Facebook as a suitable video source.
News reports featured by Tech Crunch indicate that this was a deliberate move by Facebook so as to gain a competitive edge. By overhauling its video analytics, users can view videos based on relevance from their likes and interests. So what do all these mean for the social media marketing strategies of businesses?
It may be time to begin looking at the possibilities of incorporating Facebook videos into your online marketing operations. Of course, this doesn't mean abandoning YouTube, but in trying to keep up with future trends and predictions, your social media marketing campaigns on Facebook could attract as much traffic as your social media marketing on YouTube.
Ensure that your Facebook videos are being fully optimized for online marketing. For example, providing users with quality inspiring videos-content that seeks to educate and entertain-improves the chances of viewers responding more positively to your call-to-action.
This transition may be way above your level of social media expertise, so it is always advisable to leave it to the experts. Entrusting your business' social media to reliable local online marketing firms can give you a more professional approach that helps maximize your online presence, and potentially expand your customer base.