Video Marketing Statistics 2021: What The Numbers Say (Updated) - B2W

There’s a good chance you’ve seen this ad for Dollar Shave Club:

This hilarious YouTube video single-handedly defined the company’s success in 2012, bringing it more than 12,000 orders in the first 48 hours alone. And the rest, as they say, is history. In 2016, Unilever bought Dollar Shave Club in a $1 billion all-cash agreement. 

This is just one of the countless examples that demonstrate the power of videos. 

And this is exactly why every business owner should get serious about investing in video marketing, especially today in 2021 when video consumption is at its all-time high.

But first, it’s a good idea to get a grip on the key video marketing statistics in 2021 so you can get your strategy right.

Here’s an updated list of video marketing stats for 2021.

Usage Trends and Behavior

• 82 percent of global internet traffic will be made up of video streaming and downloading by 2022. (Source)

There’s no dearth of opportunities for businesses and brands to tap on this traffic that’s always hungry for more video content.

It’s essential that you scale up your video production to stay relevant today and going into tomorrow.

• Video makes up a third of all online activity. (Source)

And this level of video consumption, already dominating consumers’ screen time, is expected to grow further. In fact, in the coming years, watching videos will be even more popular than reading articles.

• People spend 88 percent more time on websites that have videos. (Source)

Videos enhance the engagement factor of websites. They also provide choices to visitors; if they don’t want to read something, they can watch a video instead.

So adding a video to your website isn’t just a gimmick or afterthought. It’s a strategic move that can increase the session duration of visitors, positively affecting SEO as a result.

• On average, people watch 16 hours of videos a week. (Source)

This used to be television. But this has changed, with fewer people watching TV now (especially teens and young adults), and spending more time watching online videos. 

“16 hours” is a weekly average of overall consumers. When talking about Gen-Z, this number would be much higher. 

• 80 percent of users can recall a video ad they watched in the past thirty days. (Source)

This is one of the key stats about video marketing that underlines just how important (and rewarding) it is to have a good remarketing strategy.

Not everyone you’re targeting will convert. But you can re-target them with relevant content within a month, either on the same platform or via an omnichannel approach.

The chances of them converting are much higher then, since they already remember you because of the video ad. 

• 93 percent of brands say they got new customers because of videos they published on social media. (Source)

Social media platforms aren’t just meant to drive engagement and build communities. The right video can inform and educate people about your products, subsequently increasing your sales.

Animated product videos can be of great help here. Connect with an animated video production company to get your first video made.

• Women spend 40 percent less time consuming online videos compared to men. (Source)

So if your business primarily targets men, your chances of driving engagement and conversion with videos are much higher. But this doesn’t mean that videos aren’t a good fit for a female audience. You only need to personalize the video and make it more relevant to grab and pique attention.

• 75 percent of all online videos are played on mobile. (Source)

This is among the video marketing statistics and deepening trends that you cannot afford to overlook. More people now access the internet from their phones than from their desktops.

This is a key insight because people’s expectations and preferences vary when they are consuming videos on a mobile phone than on their desktop.

So make sure that your videos are optimized for mobile devices. 

• 75 percent of people prefer watching videos horizontally; 25 percent prefer watching videos vertically. (Source)

Delivering consumers what they prefer increases the conversion rate. It also paves the way to various benefits, including higher engagement.

Do A/B testing to determine whether your audience prefers videos horizontally or vertically, and then produce future videos accordingly.

• Videos under 2 minutes in length get the most engagement. (Source)

There’s no such thing as the “ideal” length of a video. It varies based on the type of industry you’re in, your message, and other factors.

However, it is true that most people prefer 2-minute short videos. Anything beyond that, up to the 6th minute, risks losing the viewers.

After the 6th minute there’s less of a drop because, by that point, viewers have committed to watching it to the end.

• 92 percent of people watch videos with the sound turned off. (Source)

This means that using a voiceover in your video can often be a waste. Therefore, it helps if your video is understandable with or without audio.

• Personalized videos enable 35 percent higher viewer retention in comparison to non-personalized videos. (Source)

This is one of the video marketing stats for 2021 that isn’t surprising. 

Personalization is one of the most effective inbound marketing strategies that almost guarantees better results.

• By 2022, live videos will account for 17 percent of internet video traffic. (Source)

Live videos are increasing in popularity. They are raw, engaging, and provide a human side to a brand.

Almost every top platform now offers a live video option. Make sure you have a defined plan to incorporate this option into your marketing strategy to stay prepared for the future.

• 55 percent of people watch online videos every day. (Source)

Videos deliver a mix of entertainment and utility value, usually both. Especially on platforms like YouTube. This means there’s already an audience for your videos, all you need to do is provide them with relevant content.

• For two-thirds of consumers, short videos are the preferred method of learning about products. (Source)

Even if you’re using video to explain your products or services, it needs to be brief.

Work with a good video animation company and create interesting product explainer videos of the right duration and unlock better ROI.

• Due to the pandemic, 96 percent of consumers have increased their online video consumption. (Source)

This is one of the latest video content marketing stats.  Under lockdowns imposed in many countries, people were left stuck at home with nothing much to do other than getting entertained by videos. 

Social Media

• Social media posts that include videos get 48 percent more views. (Source)

This is one stat about video marketing we’ve known for a while now. And if you do social media marketing, you would be aware of this as well.

So tag a relevant video in more of your social media posts for higher discovery.

• 15 percent of all content on Facebook in 2020 was video. (Source)

Facebook loves videos. And if you have been using this platform for a while, you would know it too.

Videos perform consistently well on Facebook. 

• Facebook posts that include videos have the highest organic engagement. (Source)

Higher engagement results in greater reach, which in turn further boosts engagement.

The end result is better brand visibility, conversion, and ROI.

• Facebook profiles that have more than 100,000 followers have 71 percent of video content. (Source)

This highlights a couple of things: First, even the biggest names know that videos work amazingly well on Facebook to drive traction.

Second, to amass such a big following, these accounts have extensively used video content.

So if you want more followers, videos could be one of your safest bets.

• 85 percent of videos on Facebook are viewed with sound turned off. 

So while you’re making videos for Facebook, keep an emphasis on visuals and not on audio. Your video should make sense even on mute.

• Instagram posts that include videos receive twice as much engagement. (Source)

Instagram has come a long way from being a photo-sharing app. It’s now a hub for videos too. In fact, videos perform better on Instagram than static images.

• 7 out of 10 users swipe up on Instagram Stories of brands to access links. (Source)

You can use Instagram stories to drive traffic to your website or specific landing pages. With this option, the sky is the limit. 

If it’s something interesting and relevant and conveyed properly, many people will want to access the link.

• YouTube is a favorite platform to consume videos online for 65 percent of viewers. (Source)

YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world. It’s also the most preferred option for people when it comes to consuming videos online.

So, having a dedicated YouTube marketing strategy should be a top priority for brands and businesses.

• YouTube uploads 500 hours of fresh video content every minute. (Source)

Read that again. Five hundred hours of videos are uploaded on YouTube every minute! And despite this, the demand for video is still greater than the supply.

• The average length of videos that rank on YouTube's first page is 14 minutes and 50 seconds. (Source)

Long-form videos work wonders on YouTube. But with YouTube Shorts, the platform is equally great even for shorter-form videos now.

This means that it’s important to bear in mind the right length for the videos you want to publish on YouTube.

• 17 minutes and 31 seconds is the average time spent on YouTube every day. (Source)

When you look at the average time Gen Y and Gen Z spend on YouTube, this number is higher.

• 40 percent of shoppers made their purchase after discovering products on YouTube. (Source)

YouTube is a fantastic product or brand discovery platform. With the right video, like an animated product explainer video, you can effectively introduce your product to the audience and drive conversion with a defined CTA.

• Posts on LinkedIn that include videos get shared 20 times more than other formats of content. (Source)

LinkedIn posts have greater reach as is. But posts with videos are on a whole different level. They get shared more, they are engaged with more, and they are more impactful.

• Videos of 30-90 seconds in length work best on LinkedIn. (Source)

Much like other social media platforms, short-form videos do great even on LinkedIn.

People engage with short videos more on LinkedIn.

• Tweets that include videos get 10x more organic engagement in comparison to tweets that do not have videos. (Source)

When scrolling through the feed, you will notice a lot of tweets with videos, compared to tweets that are text-only. And there’s a reason for this. Including videos in your tweets can increase your organic reach and engagement.

• “TikTok” and “Tik Tok” combined are the 3rd most common search query on YouTube (Source)

A lot of people want to watch TikTok videos on YouTube. There’s a lot you can do to leverage this trend. If you publish videos on TikTok, you can republish those videos on YouTube after optimizing them for the keywords “Tik Tok” and “TikTok”; or even create compilations of TikTok videos for YouTube.

• There are more than 100 million monthly active users on TikTok US. (Source)

Still not serious about TikTok? Still think it’s a fad?

You’re missing out on the biggest opportunity in recent times to build brand identity and reach more people organically.

TikTok is the hottest social media app today. And every brand must have a distinct TikTok marketing strategy (especially the B2C brands)

• TikTok as a brand is recognized by 89 percent of people in the US. (Source)

This stat alone highlights the cultural impact this social media app has made.

• The majority of the TikTok users in the US are below 30 years of age. (Source)

If your business targets a younger demographic, TikTok is the best platform out there.

Not only younger people are using this app, but they are also spending a lot of time-consuming videos on it.

• 50 percent of the top-performing ads on TikTok have an emotional appeal. (Source)

TikTok is much more than just about dancing and casual videos. And this is one of the TikTok video marketing stats that highlight this very well.

A lot of video ads on the app have an emotional touch that appeals to a large audience segment.

So, if you’re considering spending on TikTok ads (which you should), be thoughtful of the type of videos you produce.

• When it comes to consumer spending, TikTok ranks as the second-biggest app (only behind Tinder.) (Source)

A lot of users aren’t just casually watching videos on TikTok. They are extensively invested in the app, content, content creators, and brands.

Moreover, they are financially able. So with the right videos—like, say, an animated product explainer video with a relevant CTA—you can convert people on the platform to buy your products. 

• Marketers post organic videos and video ads primarily on YouTube (88 percent), Facebook (76 percent), and LinkedIn (66 percent), with Instagram (65 percent) trailing behind on the 4th spot. (Source)

If you’re confused about which platform to focus on, you can follow suit. Many marketers prioritize YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn when it comes to video marketing.

Interestingly, Instagram is in the 4th spot.

Conversion

• Conversion can increase by up to 80 percent if the landing page includes a video. (Source)

Even a small addition-- like an embedded video on your landing page-- can make a big difference in conversion. So if you’re selling a product, consider adding a product video on the page.

A video animation company can help you with a great animated product video that can bolster your conversion.

• Videos increase the time spent on a page, say 83 percent of video marketers. (Source)

This is one of the well-known video marketing stats.

And it makes sense! If you include a video on any website page and if people wait to watch it, it will automatically boost session duration. This will subsequently send positive signals to search engines, improving your search ranking.

• Video marketers enjoy 66 percent more qualified leads every year as compared to their peers. (Source)

Be like video marketers. Prioritize videos in your inbound marketing strategy.

Tap on the power of videos to amplify your value proposition, connect with the audience, and drive higher engagement.

• Video marketers grow revenue 49 percent faster than marketers who don't use videos. (Source)

This is one of the key video marketing statistics you shouldn’t ignore if growing revenue, quickly at that, is your primary goal.

Video marketers already enjoy better and faster results. You can too!

• Video is the best content format that brings the highest ROI, say 40 percent of companies. (Source)

CRO specialists know this well and beyond. Be it with performance marketing or inbound marketing, they rely extensively on videos to boost their ROI.

• An e-commerce page that includes a video records at least a 50 percent increase in the average order value. (Source)

There are many ways to increase the average order value. Including a video on a product page is one of the simplest of ways.

• Videos that are less than 90 seconds in length have an average retention rate of 53 percent. (Source)

“How long should my videos be?” This is a common question many ask when starting with video marketing.

The length depends on what you’re trying to achieve, as well as the distribution platform.

If retention is your biggest priority, 90-second videos work best.

Marketers

• Videos deliver good ROI, say 89 percent of video marketers. (Source)

With so many marketers saying that it’s good for ROI, you cannot go wrong with your investment in video marketing.

At large, you will only see good results.

• Videos help generate more leads, say 83 percent of video marketers. (Source)

Looking to make your lead generation strategy more impactful?

Videos could very well be your ultimate answer.

• Videos increase traffic to the website, say 87 percent of video marketers. (Source)

Increasing website traffic doesn’t have to be so difficult. 

Videos can bring you referral traffic from social platforms. Plus, they can also drive you significant traffic from SERP.

Indirectly, videos also help with SEO, improving your search ranking and bringing you more organic traffic.

• Videos rank as the #1 form of media used by marketers as a content strategy. (Source)

This doesn’t mean texts don’t work anymore. However, with changing consumer behavior, videos are more relevant now. They are, in fact, the most used form of media for marketers.

• In B2B, 71 percent of marketers use video marketing. In B2C, 66 percent of marketers use video marketing. (Source)

Contrary to popular belief, videos are as effective for B2B as they are in B2C. It’s time to shatter the image that B2B engagement must be serious and formal and boring.

In the end, everyone loves videos, and video marketing statistics overwhelmingly back up that sentiment.

• Marketers have only 2.7 seconds to get the attention of their audience through videos. (Source)

Videos grab attention very quickly.

But your videos can also lose attention quickly if you’re not careful.

If you don’t hook your audience within the first few seconds of your video, people may form a perception about that video and leave.

So whether you have an in-house team or you’re working with an animated video production company, make sure the starting of your videos is remarkable.

• 17 percent of marketers think video marketing is expensive, which is why they don't use them. (Source)

While this number isn’t huge, it’s still considerable.

So when creating your video marketing strategy, it’s important to keep in mind the budget aspects as well.

• In 2017, 82 percent of marketers said videos are a critical part of their strategy. In 2020, that number rose to 91 percent. (Source)

More marketers believe in videos now.

That “91 percent” will only increase in the next couple of years, pulling more marketers on the bandwagon.

• COVID-19 has made videos important for businesses say 91 percent of marketers. (Source)

Videos should be an integral part of your inbound marketing strategy. In the backdrop of a pandemic, this is more important than ever.

With video consumption higher than ever and with all video content marketing stats highlighting its relevance and effectiveness, not investing in video marketing would be the biggest mistake of B2B and B2C brands.

• In 2021, 96 percent of marketers plan to stick to their video marketing budget, and even increase their spend on videos. (Source)

In these challenging times when businesses are struggling, maintaining your investment in video marketing, and even increasing the allotted budget, is a great idea. It is one of those things that will help your business bounce back quickly.

Final Words

These are some of the most important video marketing stats for 2021.

If you found these video marketing statistics insightful, feel free to share this post with your friends on social media and spread the knowledge.

Are you still looking for reasons to double-down on video marketing? We’re guessing, probably not!

Give your inbound marketing strategy a complete overhaul. Prioritize videos atop, make a data-driven video marketing strategy, and see your marketing ROI scale to newer heights.