The further emergence of video content

The Holidays are finally over. The new year is quickly kicking into high gear, and marketers are scrambling to find the biggest money making avenues for the next 12 months. However, after carefully analyzing the success seen by many organizations in 2011, the solution to higher impressions, sales and exposure may be video content.

Moving forward, the extent to which video content will impact the marketplace is up for debate. According to comScore Video Metrix, 184 million U.S. internet users watched online video content in October 2011 for an average of 21.1 hours per viewer. The study compared the numbers to October 2010, which found 175 million viewers watched video content for only 15.1 hours per person. It is safe to assume, that over the course of 2012, the numbers will continue to rise as consumers flock to video hosting sites, such as YouTube, Google Video and Metacafe.

Video content can come in a variety of ways. Marketers can create unique videos that appeal to a wide audience and then advertise that content on websites like YouTube. That technique requires viewers to watch the promotional video content prior to the video they originally clicked on. Another way businesses can use video content for professional gain is with social media. Marketers can create customer testimonials, promotional commercials and viral videos and then post the content on their Facebook or Twitter profiles. Viewers would be exposed to this content simply by logging onto their own social media accounts.

As more consumers find value in watching videos online, marketers will have more opportunities to target viewers and influence their future buying habits. In a recent Metacafe study reported by BizReport, young male consumers began to consider the computer as their main entertainment device in 2011. In fact, 39 percent of young male consumers use the computer for entertainment compared to 28 percent who use television and 14 percent who use video game consoles.

The study reveals how influential computers are in today's marketplace. Those who fill multimedia jobs may begin to turn their full attention to video content marketing online, as more demographics begin to use the computer as their main source of entertainment and information. What's more, mobile devices have become a standard accessory in everyday life for many people. These electronics can also access the internet, view video content and allow consumers to make purchases while on the go. As the world becomes even more connected, marketing through video content on websites like YouTube, Google and Facebook may help businesses begin to see higher returns on investments.

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