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How Online Video Consumption Has Grown

Written by LESA on .

Watching online videos is one of the most popular internet activities worldwide. Improvements in technology such as cell phones and access to WiFi have helped make watching videos a significant part of the online experience. In fact, as of 2021,  an average person is predicted to spend 100 minutes per day watching online videos.

We take a deeper look at why videos have grown astronomically in the last few years.

Why Video?

Video is a versatile and engaging form of content that not only gives us a real-life picture of what is going on, but also is easy to share across multiple platforms. Consumers prefer video content due to it’s digestibility, entertainment and engaging nature. With the combination of video and sounds, there is nothing videos can’t do.

Additionally, video is now very accessible to anyone with internet access, both to watch and to produce. Although there is a trend towards higher quality video, anyone can hop onto their mobile device or laptop and create their own video in just minutes. Almost all of the major social networks worldwide have made videos a huge part of their platforms, making it easier to upload, view and share video content on their respective websites and apps. One video content creation app, TikTok,  has taken the world by storm in just a few years

The Story of TikTok: How It Took the World By Storm

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn have been the dominating forces in the social media space for quite some time. Although many thought that these would be the popular choices, a new form of social media emerged that took the world by storm: TikTok.

What is Tik-Tok? It is a shot-form video-sharing app that allows users to create and share 15 second videos on any topic. It is a fundamentally different app than American’s have used before, as video is the only type of content that is shared on the platform. As of February 2021, TikTok had 1.1 billion active users worldwide, proving that video popularity is only set to grow in the future. To put in perspective, Facebook has been around for about 17 years, with 2.89 billion monthly users. TikTok has grown enormously in a short period of time making it one of the hottest apps on the planet.

In fact, not only has it grown tremendously in a short period of time, but the apps statistics continue to prove why video is so effective and engaging. The average TikTok user spends 52 minutes a day watching videos. This even surpasses the average time spent on YouTube, which is 40 minutes per day.

The Benefits of Online Videos

Videos and growing in popularity each year, and seem to be what consumers prefer online. We have highlighted the numerous benefits of videos below:

  1. Videos Entertain and Inspire: People enjoy watching videos! Video content is invigorating and helps consumers feel connected and inspired.
  2. People Watch Online Videos To Relax: Many people are able to escape from their day-to-day lives by watching video. In fact, a 2018 study reported that videos have helped viewers feel more calm, less stressed and less sad.
  3. People Watch Online Videos to Learn: Videos not only simplifies concepts by visualizing them, but it shows learners how something works in the real world. The ability to show products or services through a video is a great way to improve learning outcomes. In fact, viewers retain 95% of a video’s message as compared to 10% if reading it in text.
  4. Videos help display nonverbal communication: Body language and tone play a huge role in converting messages. Videos have the ability to extend beyond verbal and nonverbal communication, by including visual aids like images and footage, which help strengthen the mood. The simple aspect of a speaker being visible makes video all the more accurate and effective.
  5. Videos Prompt Sharing: Internet users are naturally more inclined to share videos. They are quick, concise and relatable- all key components of being share worthy. The data shows it too, as social video generates 1200% shares then text and images combined.

How Should Businesses Leverage Video Content?

The future is video, and numerous trends continue to prove that. The rise of Tiktok and other social giants converting into video sharing platforms is one key indicator that consumers prefer video. As well as many businesses around the globe are starting to use video marketing to convey messages to consumers. In a competitive business environment, your business is missing out if you are not utilizing the power of video.

Why Car Dealerships Need To Consider Video in 2021

Video is a highly effective form of content and its popularity has gone hand-in-hand with the rise of social media. Despite the fact that so many of us consume online videos on a daily basis, many car dealerships  still aren’t using video as part of their digital marketing strategy or aren’t seeing the best results.

The automotive industry is shifting rapidly, as many consumers are researching cars online opposed to visiting the car dealerships in person. Videos are an excellent way to capture attention while educating and engaging with your audience. Numerous car dealerships are shifting to video tactics to capture online traffic, so if your car dealership is not using video, you are likely missing out on converting leads into customers.

LESA Video Solutions: Video App for Car Dealerships

We know video. LESA is the #1 provider of full-motion video in the automotive dealer industry.

LESA is the largest dealer video inventory provider with 85K+ vehicle video views daily on our dealers’ internet destinations — Dealer Sites, YouTube, Facebook, Cars.com, AutoTrader and more.