With print readership down, news organizations continue to look for new ways to engage digital and mobile audiences.
One of the more popular and creative strategy to do this is with video.
Digital news companies, such as Buzzfeed and the Huffington Post, are leveraging the power of online video to reach massive audiences and become household names. In July of last year, Buzzfeed generated more than 1.9 billion views across its main video platforms.
Meanwhile, Facebook’s autoplay function has helped the social network deliver four billion videos per day in the United States and eight billion videos globally – a 100% increase in just seven months. Many of these videos showcase local, national, and global news.
Credit: Digital News Report
And online video is only going to get bigger.
The Ericsson Mobility Report stated that online video will grow 14x during the next five years. Meanwhile, Cisco predicted that videos will account for 75% of mobile data traffic by 2020.
The 3 Types of Online News Videos That Today’s Consumers Want
With the explosion of online video, it’s no surprise that publishers are shifting their focus to digital engagement.
In a Reuter’s survey, 54% of leading editors, CEOs, and digital leaders called “deepening online engagement” a top priority. To do this, they are turning to video. Seventy-nine percent of the survey’s respondents are investing more in online news videos this year.
They especially want to meet consumer demands for the following types of news videos:
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Live Streams of News as it Happens
More consumers are turning off their televisions and turning to the Internet to get live news. According to a Reuters study, live streams are popular for both scheduled events and big, breaking news stories.
The study found that all genders and ages watch news via live streams. In particular, 64% of “News Lovers”, or highly educated consumers who are twice as likely to pay for and share online news, watch live streams. One of the main ways they access online news is through social media.
Reuters predicts that in the near future, all breaking news events will be covered by live, online video – from multiple angles and in high definition.
Credit: Digital News Report
Short News Clips
In the United States, 66% of consumers access short news clips that add drama to a story. These clips include breaking stories, eyewitness testimonies, interviews with experts, or a reporter’s analysis of a story.
Mobile News Videos
Mobile devices with reliability connectivity are feeding the demand for online news.
According to Reuters, 46% of people in the U.S. and U.K. watch online news videos on their smartphones at least once per week. Meanwhile, 41% of people under the age of 35 say their smartphone is their main source of news.
When it comes to delivering mobile news, publishers must keep in mind that consumers hold their screens upright 94% of the time. Vertical videos will fit their screens much better than widescreen videos.
Why One-Size-Fits-All Doesn’t Work With Online News Videos
Another key consideration is making unique videos for different mobile devices and audiences. According to theMediaBriefing, “Online news video is no longer about producing one piece of film to go on your website or TV channel. You need different formats, versions and clips that are appropriate for different platforms, apps and social media networks. This is vital – to engage with the widest possible audience – and there is a massive potential audience here.”
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Expanding Your Video Reach
Video consumption is high and a proven method for publishers to grow their audiences and increase revenue. However, adding news videos to your content and advertising mix – or taking your current videos to the next level – requires an investment in staff, training, and technology.
Mediaspectrum can help. Our platform has been architected to provide media companies with a unified feature set that handles their complete digital first publishing requirements, including video. All from a single, browser-based environment that is accessible from any location or device.
Are you taking advantage of video opportunities? Contact us today to learn how.
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