Video messaging has become a popular and reliable form of communication around the world. There’s been steady progression from text to images to video as technology has improved over the last two decades. Now is the time for video to shine, and marketers are now creating more dynamic campaigns that share video content across websites, emails, and social media platforms. One of the relatively new strategies to emerge is video messaging.
To increase audience engagement and generate new leads, companies are choosing more direct customer communication pathways. SMS messaging services have been around for a long time and are available on most phones today. Most consumers are familiar with how to interact with text messages, and video simply adds a new medium for sharing your brand’s voice over a channel your audience already uses. In this post, we’ll explain what video messaging is, why it’s important, and what role it can play in modern marketing campaigns.
What Is Video Messaging?
Video messaging refers to the sharing of video content using a text messaging service. For marketing purposes, most companies share messages with the standard Short Message Service (SMS) compatible with nearly all phones today. A business can simply collect someone’s phone number during the customer intake process or at another point in the sales funnel and invite them to opt-in and receive SMS messages. An alternate form of texting is called Multi-Media Messaging Service (MMS) and is used by many popular texting programs like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
- SMS Messaging – A text-only format limited to 160 characters.
- MMS Messaging – A multimedia format that allows for embedded images and videos directly in the message.
Using a messaging service to send videos gives companies several benefits over other traditional platforms like email and phone. In most cases, a video message should be kept to a length of 30 seconds or shorter to maximize viewer attention.
The Benefits of Sending SMS Text Videos
A marketing campaign may include direct messaging to accomplish many important objectives. Some common examples include product promotions, sale announcements, advertisements, and the management of customer appointments. Recent improvements in technology and internet speeds have made video a preferred method of communication in many settings. Marketing teams that are considering video messaging should keep the following benefits in mind.
- Quick Responses. An SMS message is delivered directly to someone’s smartphone and is likely to get immediate attention. In fact, SMS messages have a 99% open rate, with 90% being opened within the first 3 minutes. There are few platforms that offer an opportunity for such high engagement in a short time.
- Efficient Delivery. Whether you’re sharing a video clip or link, video messaging is a very efficient form of marketing communication. Videos hosted on sites such as Vimeo and YouTube will be automatically optimized for mobile viewing, making it easy for your audience to view your message. When producing your video messages, always consider the capabilities and limitations of mobile devices regarding screen size and audio quality.
- Relevant Messages. Because people must opt-in to a company’s request to send SMS messages, this audience is already primed for your content. Like email marketing, video messages will be delivered to people who are interested in hearing what you have to say. Video content also creates a more immersive and personal experience as compared to text messages.
- High Engagement. As mentioned above, video messages have high open rates, allowing you to have confidence that your information is being seen. Many companies use URL shorteners when sharing video links to help track engagement from different clips.
The Potential for Video Messaging
Text messages are an efficient way for businesses to make new product announcements, share information about upcoming events, or confirm appointments. The inclusion of a video can improve communication clarity and get a customer interested in an offer with a compelling call-to-action (CTA). Videos are also an excellent medium to employ when launching a contest or other program that requires audience participation. Many businesses also provide tutorials and instructional videos using screen recording tools during production. The options are nearly limitless, and each video can be fully customized based on the needs of your target audience. Video messaging combines the best qualities of video content and SMS messaging into a single marketing solution.
Video messaging is an accessible and direct form of communication that’s an excellent tool for marketing. A company can achieve greater customer engagement by leveraging video messages with their audience. The growth of video messaging is likely to continue in the years to come, and businesses can use them to share high-quality and engaging videos with customers worldwide.
