Video content is consumed now more than ever before. Regardless of the size of the business, both startups and established companies utilize video marketing as part of their marketing strategy. Since the advent of digital marketing and the evolution of social media platforms, videos have gained significant popularity in the digital world. The impact of videos on consumer behavior has led to an increase in the production of vertical videos.
What is a Vertical Video?
Every day, marketing experts work hard to make these videos more impactful, user-friendly, and engaging. Vertical video is specifically tailored for smartphone users to enhance their experience and amplify the video’s impact. It is created in a vertical orientation, with the height of the frame greater than its width. Vertical video is displayed on a full screen without the black bars on both sides of the screen, as shown in the below image.
Rise of Vertical Video
When you recently created a video of beautiful scenery or checked one of your social media apps this morning, did you hold your phone vertically or horizontally? It probably was vertical orientation; as most of the time people hold their phones vertically. That’s how vertical videos became prominent.
Vertical videos have not always been popular. In fact, horizontal videos were common when people primarily viewed video content on televisions or desktops. With the increased use of mobile phone devices, consumer preferences have shifted. Vertical videos were once considered inconvenient and less prominent. However, visual content consumption has evolved with the rise of digital platforms. Now, 94% of people hold their devices vertically.
Benefits of Vertical Video
Vertical videos have created new opportunities for marketing experts and content creators, as there is a growing need for video marketing due to its significant impact on audience decision-making and buying behavior. Consequently, businesses are now focusing more on video production. Portrait videos offer several advantages that can help businesses engage their audience better. A few benefits of it are listed below:
Device Compatibility
Vertical videos are compatible with smartphones and can be easily accessed on any smartphone device. As the name suggests, they can be viewed on a mobile device without the need for screen rotation. With the ease of holding the phone upright, users can perfectly view a video on the full screen.
User Preferences
What is the point of creating something that is not preferred by the user or targeted audience? Businesses’ main focus is on their users’ choices. The audience prefers portrait videos because they’re easy to watch on smartphones. Holding a phone vertically gives it a more natural feel, which creates a seamless viewing experience and enhances user engagement with the content.
Social Media Trends
All major social media platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram utilize vertical video formats. TikTok, with over 1 billion monthly active users, primarily features portrait videos. Instagram engages users through Instagram Stories and Reels, with 1.4 billion active users. This indicates that these social media platforms have successfully made an impact on their audience through video content.
Also read: A Guide to Social Media Video Production for Businesses
Reduce Distraction
A vertical video covers the full screen of a smartphone without any space for irrelevant content or black bars, enhancing users’ focus. Watching a video on full display eliminates the chances of users’ distractions.
Space for Innovation
Portrait videos provide more space for content creators and brands to innovate and create. Have you ever noticed Instagram stories and reels have plenty of space to add details about their content? Good content creators use this space efficiently to convey their message and share to-the-point information with their viewers through innovation and creativity.
Ease of Creation
These videos are easy to create without any additional effort, as the vertical position is the default orientation of a device. Vertical formats are often used for capturing spontaneous moments because of the natural way of holding a smartphone.
Cost Effective
Vertical video can offer greater cost-effectiveness compared to square video, attracting more customers with the same marketing budget. According to a study, the cost of 1000 impressions for a vertical video was $0.52, while for a horizontal video, it was $0.85.
Broader Audience and Higher Engagement Rates
Portrait videos tend to reach a broader audience as compared to horizontal videos. A study shows that, when compared to a horizontal video, a vertical video reached 58% more people with the same campaign budget of $200. They are 4 times more engaging than a square or a horizontal video on Facebook.
Ease of Sharing
Vertical videos are more interactive and can be easily shared across diverse platforms due to their compatibility with social media platforms and smartphone devices, making it convenient for content creators and businesses to share their content with viewers worldwide.
Attention Grabbing
Upright videos are more attention-grabbing as they cover the entire mobile screen and enhance the viewer’s experience, resulting in a greater attention span.
Conclusion
In conclusion, businesses can enjoy various benefits from vertical videos. They are powerful for engaging and creating a significant impact on the audience, leading to an immersive user experience. Given that user preferences are constantly evolving, businesses and content creators need to stay up-to-date on audience preferences and the latest marketing trends. Need expert advice to shoot vertical videos for your brand? Check out FX Productions Canada, one of the best video production companies, which is known for creating the most innovative and cost-effective videos.
