It’s been widely shared that Cisco projects 80% of all content accessed on the internet will be video by the year 2019. And that stat is being used as a “big stick” to strike fear in the hearts of business owners.
Many people refer to that projection and tell my B2B colleagues, “Hey, you’d better pump your website and digital marketing efforts full of video! You don’t want to look out-of-it or be left behind!”
Hmmmm.
Maybe not so fast on that.
The 80% stat comes from Cisco’s annual Cisco Visual Networking Index™. In it, Cisco projects a slew of usage statistics on all sorts of access and usage of the internet for a 5-year projection. But only one of their myriad stats concerns video. Here’s that much-discussed quotation –
“Globally, consumer internet video traffic will be 80 percent
of all consumer Internet traffic in 2019, up from 64 percent in 2014.”
Now, here’s the part that people slide past – all that “consumed video” is dominated by online streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO, YouTube, and every other entertainment and media outlet you can think of. What the stat really means is that the computer & tablet & cell phone have replaced the TV as the way people consume their electronic entertainment! That’s all.
It has essentially NO IMPACT
on your B2B content marketing plans!
Now, don’t get me wrong. Video is a solid element in most companies’ content mix. Absolutely.
But, like most stats, you’ve got to know how the figure is derived and what it truly indicates. Don’t rely on others to tell you what it means. Here’s the link to the May 2015 Cisco Visual Networking Index™ => Cisco Visual Networking Index 2015. You can check it out for yourself.
So, what should businesses do about video?
Embrace it!
But only when video integrates
with your full marketing strategy.
You don’t have to abandon your writing, webinar, telemarketing, and other outreach efforts in favor of an “all video, all the time” approach.
Video is great for demonstrations of your product, teaching people how to use your product or system, relating powerful testimonials and success stories, and much more. It’s terrific for telling a story, creating an emotional tie, and illustrating how something works.
But remember, it’s only one element of your content and communications mix. Text still works!
People often prefer to read when they need to do research or to study a proposition. With the written word, they can skim and jump around and delve wherever they like. In many ways, the written word can be easier to use than video. It all depends on your audience, what you’re trying to communicate, and why. With this in mind, you can choose the best medium for the message.
Plus, it’s no secret that video can significantly enhance your Search Engine Results! But making that happen is a post for another day.
Just remember – verify “widely reported stats.” They may not be all that people are portraying them as.
And, use video! But only when it serves a strong and well-defined purpose in your overall marketing strategy.