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Video Myths Busted

At VideoElephant, we speak with publishers every day. Today, we thought we’d share some of the top myths we hear in our conversations and hopefully bust them, once and for all.

K.C. McLeod
K.C. McLeod
May 17, 2024
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Video is too expensive

Nope. While this may have been true in the early days of web video, we now have a host of technologies and services that make a robust video strategy possible at nearly any budget.

There are many ways to increase video - and boost performance - without breaking the bank:

• Use video creation tools: Leveraging SaaS solutions such as Wochit and Wibbitz, any organization can quickly and easily create and distribute professional-quality video.

• Repurpose existing content: Using existing content from your library is a quick and economical way to create “new” videos. For example, you can cut a single long video into a series of shorts, then use the clips to accompany relevant content across your digital properties.

• License additional content: Engaging with a provider of rights-cleared content is a cost-effective way to offset production costs, fill in gaps in your programming lineup, and sate audiences’ growing appetite for video.

Video is a nice to have, not a necessity.

Not true! If you’re looking to expand your audience, improve engagement, lengthen average sessions, augment revenue, and in every way make your content more compelling, video is an imperative. Consider the following:

• When questioned about content formats on publisher sites, Gen Z and young millennial consumers indicated their top choice is short-form video.

• In just three years, the share of U.S. adults who say they regularly get news from TikTok has more than quadrupled.

• Every video on your site increases the amount of monetizable ad inventory

Only the top story should have a video

Wrong again. While one video is certainly better than no video, every story without one is an opportunity lost. From an increase in traffic to longer session times, video is an incredibly effective way to improve aggregate performance.

Here are a few ways to increase the amount of available video:

• Repurpose articles as videos: With text-to-video generator tools, you can turn written articles into engaging video in minutes.

• Expand your use of video across verticals like culture and home. These verticals hold people’s attention the longest.

• Create video-first landing pages: With an easy-to-navigate hub for snackable video, you can keep audiences engaged and on site longer.

• Leverage carousels to keep already-engaged users on site: once a viewer clicks and watches one video, they will often stick around for several more.

Embedding videos from social media platforms works fine.

Uh, not really. The videos play but you’re leaving money on the table.

• You’re unnecessarily sharing revenue with video platforms

• The social media site may pull traffic away from your site with related videos

• You lose control over branding

Video ads will annoy my audience

Not true! The days of autoplay and other annoying ad formats are over. Today’s video ads more relevant than ever.

• IAB policies reward less intrusive, more relevant ads

• Advances in programmatic advertising and video ad formats are making ads less bothersome

• AI tools also improve relevance

Making vertical video for social media just isn’t worth the effort.

Not true, vertical works best for mobile, and most people watch videos on their phones. So don’t miss out.

• Some social media platforms like Instagram require vertical video, and that’s too valuable to sacrifice, and the largest Insta audience is 18-34.

• Almost two-thirds of time spent on mobile phones is watching videos

• Vertical video provides a more natural mobile viewing experience

• Premium video libraries like VideoElephant offer thousands of vertical videos on every subject imaginable to keep your users engaged

Building a video strategy is complex. VideoElephant can help!

With the world’s largest premium video library, a multichannel distribution network, and a team of passionate video experts, we are the ideal video solutions partner for organizations looking to build their brand, engage their audience, and grow their business.

Contact us if you’re interested in learning more about how VideoElephant can help.

K.C. McLeod
K.C. McLeod
SVP of Business Development

K.C. spearheads the Business Development team at VideoElephant, and was the first U.S. hire. With a robust 15-year tenure in media, he has navigated diverse landscapes including digital publishing, music video, and feature films, fostering extensive expertise.