Before this crisis—back when ‘2020’ signaled nothing in particular—people joked about the return of the Roaring ’20s. Well, it’s not a joke anymore. Trapped indoors for over a year, people are desperate to get back out again—to eat and drink, shop and travel, make up for lost time, literally. Brands and marketers are united in their belief that with restrictions loosening and vaccinations ramping up, we’re about to witness an unprecedented explosion in consumer activity. The National Retail Federation has predicted the most substantial jump in retail spending in nearly two decades, and marketers are upping their budgets accordingly. Here at AnyClip, we’re excited, too—because if trends hold, video will be essential to this resurgence.
As reams of research have confirmed, COVID-19 has changed shopping patterns forever. As the rebound takes effect, brick and mortar retail can expect a boost, but the real surge will be online. Over the past year, tens of millions have migrated to online shopping, and now—finally—they have something to shop for. Parties, trips, nights out on the town, a return to office and school – it’s all around the corner. An influx of engaged, enthusiastic consumers presents a major opportunity for digital retailers, and those who make the most of it will inevitably do so through video content. No marketing tool is more potent; none more effectively keeps consumers on-site, or better ensures a purchase. It’s no coincidence that, as of 2020, shoppable videos have surpassed display advertising when it comes to generating click-throughs and conversions.
The coming free-for-all presents an opportunity not just for sales but for data—a richer, fuller sense of what works and what doesn’t. At AnyClip, we think a lot about what video, effectively analyzed, can tell brands about their business. What content is keeping people watching? What content is generating sales? These are questions we look to answer, frame-by-frame.
These kinds of insights can—among other things—inform video production, which will also be increasing in the coming months. Production has been slowed or stymied since March 2020—shot in makeshift living room studios or with iPhone or laptop cameras; assembled by regularly-tested skeleton crews working six feet apart. Precautions will still be necessary, but as production becomes less onerous, and as insights start piling up, what we’ll see, ideally, is an ever-more-responsive feedback loop. More people shopping means more people watching videos; more people watching videos means more data; more data – with the right analysis – can mean better-targeted content; and better-targeted content means increased revenue.
In the coming months, we’ll be paying close attention to all of this, continuously working to refine our methods—to mine and surface the data to help propel your business forward.
