Ever wonder how we got here? We're not talking about the evolution of the human race but of video marketing. Watching online videos a few hours a week has become a common activity throughout the world. In a way, our need to consume video content and thereby connect with people, brands, communities, and pretty much everything under the sun, humanizes us. In this post, we discuss the journey of video since the time of the internet.

A very brief history

Today, when we speak of videos, we mean online videos. The internet has changed video as we know it. Television commercials are still around but they constituted 'video' even until the early 90s. That changed when a band called Severe Tire Damage hosted the first online live streaming concert on June 24, 1993.

Two years later, Microsoft launched ActiveMovie, a streaming media technology now known as DirectShow and not long afterward, Macromedia Flash (the now-retired Adobe Flash) introduced a new level of interactivity. The entry of music sharing network Napster in 1999 allowed people to share videos easily. But it was still a bit of a drag as few homes had internet connections back then and a full-length movie could take days to download.

The noughties brought high-speed internet and social media sites like Friendster, MySpace, and Facebook. YouTube was born in 2005 and is today the second-biggest social media platform, behind Facebook.

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YouTube ushered brand video marketing

Apart from the potential inclusion of a video on a brand's official website, businesses did not give much importance to video content. The creation of videos was costly, and consumers lacked the necessary technology, such as high-speed internet and smartphones, to efficiently consume the available video content.

The introduction of YouTube changed this landscape, offering a platform for both consuming and creating videos, allowing users to share their content widely. With the increasing prevalence of webcams and advancements in mobile phone cameras and connectivity, YouTube quickly emerged as the central hub for online video content.

The first video on YouTube titled 'Me at the Zoo' featured the platform's co-founder Jawed Karim standing before elephants at the San Diego Zoo. A few months later, Nike's YouTube video

featuring the footballer Ronaldinho became the first to surpass a million views on the platform. The video marketing revolution was underway.

Recognizing YouTube as a searchable visual content library, Google, being the leading internet search engine, made the logical decision to acquire it in 2006. Subsequently, brands adapted by syndicating their existing content and developing video content tailored for YouTube, which eventually played a crucial role in their SEO campaigns.

In 2007, Google allowed brands to purchase advertising space on YouTube, aiming to monetize the platform and offer brands a more measurable return on investment (ROI). This move further solidified the business case for brands to prioritize content specifically designed for the YouTube audience.

Video and live streaming on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Video content is the top format marketers leverage on social media. Live streaming and options for digital marketing video production have evolved continuously on top social media networks.

A brief history of live streaming on Facebook

In 2015, Facebook launched the Mentions app for live streaming. It was initially introduced to enable celebrities, influencers, and verified users to share live videos with their followers. Live Video for All arrived a year later, expanding live streaming to all users and enabling anyone with a Facebook account to broadcast live videos. That year, the social media giant introduced the Live API, allowing third-party devices and software to integrate with the platform for live streaming. This led to more diverse content creation and improved the overall live streaming experience.

In 2017, Facebook introduced support for live 360-degree videos, letting users explore live environments more interactively. Then came Facebook Live Reactions and Filters to make live streaming more engaging. Users could apply augmented reality (AR) filters to live videos.

2020 was the year of Facebook Shops and Live Shopping, aimed at the burgeoning eCommerce market. It integrated shopping features into live videos to allow sellers to showcase products and sell them directly during live broadcasts. In 2021, Live Audio Rooms emerged to enable users to host live audio conversations and discussions. It was the year Facebook rebranded to Meta and announced its intention to focus on the metaverse and immersive technologies.

How has video marketing on Instagram changed?

The massively popular photo and video sharing website introduced video functionality in 2013, allowing users to share short videos, up to 15 seconds in length, alongside the traditional photo posts. In 2016, Instagram expanded video length to 60 seconds and introduced an algorithmic feed that prioritized content based on user engagement.

In 2018, Instagram launched IGTV to challenge YouTube for mobile. IGTV allowed users to post and watch long-form videos, up to 10 minutes long, and for verified and larger accounts, up to 60 minutes. But it wasn't a hit. TikTok, which launched two months later in the U.S., found more favor, and short-form videos became a rage. Instagram then came out with Reels to challenge TikTok. Instagram Reels' reach in accounts for up to 500 followers is a whopping 892%!

AI revolutionizing video marketing

AI-enabled tools are making the content creation process more efficient, enhancing personalization, offering in-depth analytics, and improving the overall effectiveness of video campaigns.

AI applications can transcribe video content automatically, enhancing its searchability. Furthermore, AI algorithms play a role in creating pertinent tags and metadata, thereby refining the discoverability of the video. AI tools can autonomously produce and edit videos using predetermined templates, reducing the time and cost linked to video production.

The human touch is irreplaceable

Advancements in online video marketing were born out of human ingenuity and creativity. Even as artificial intelligence and emerging technologies integrate into the digital marketing video production and marketing process, human planning, creativity, and oversight will remain indispensable. To learn more about how AI amplifies human effectiveness at our agency and what that means for your video marketing campaign, get in touch with us soon.