B2B Video Statistics for 2021 — Does Video Conquer All?

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Weighing the evidence to decide whether now is the time for video in your B2B digital content marketing program? Should you jump into the fray? The short answer is YES.

If the B2B marketing video statistics for 2022 are any indication, it’s time.

Video’s steady rise in user popularity got a boost in 2020 as folks hunkered down, and that trend continued throughout 2021 and heading into 2022, even as the world begins to reopen.

At the same time, the current economic landscape remains a rollercoaster, and it’s led to cuts in budgets in marketing and beyond for some companies. That means businesses need to create the most engaging and effective content possible — to do more with less, if you will.

These conditions have increased the potential for B2B online marketing video content to deliver ROI across marketing, sales, and customer service in 2022. But don’t just take our word for it. The data support a case for brand video as a vital component of an effective B2B inbound marketing strategy.

We looked at a report from Wistia, a leading video platform for B2B marketers, to find insights on how businesses and viewers engaged with videos on their platform in 2021. We’ve also looked at a report from Wyzowl, who gathered statistics from a December 2021 survey for video insights from marketers and consumers. Let’s dig in!

What Do Video Content Trends Look Like in 2022?

Wistia saw around 16.3 million videos uploaded to its platform in 2021.1 While that’s down a bit from the approximately 17.1 million videos in 2020, it’s indicative that video isn’t going anywhere when you compare it to the stark difference between 2019 and 2020 — when uploads nearly doubled.¹

And those videos are being watched! From 2019 to 2021, video plays were up a staggering 77%, with the most plays in 2021 happening in the first quarter.¹

What can this tell us? B2B video marketing content is here to stay, and there are huge engagement opportunities for marketers who make video content creation a priority in 2022.

Most marketers — over 67% — are making videos weekly or monthly.¹ While most videos presented their content in under a minute, there was a year-over-year increase in videos between 30-60 minutes in length as well as those over 60 minutes.1 This could signal a rise in willingness to create and consume longer content.

What’s more, lead-generation tools are gaining steam within video content. Wistia found an increase in videos that use Annotation Links, which suggests that companies are nurturing customers through the funnel in less obtrusive ways with video.¹ Placing a Turnstile form mid-video served up the best conversion rates in 2019 and 2020, but that was the least effective in 2021.¹

Marketers who are paying attention have taken note of video’s storytelling superpower and recognize that all in one medium, you can show and tell, getting your point across to your target audience effectively and, often, quickly. With these stats, you can expect businesses everywhere to continue investing in video content this year and, perhaps, beyond.

RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Measuring Your Video Marketing Efforts

What are Marketers and Consumers Saying About Video Content?

Our partners at HubSpot cited the latest Wyzowl video marketing statistics to alert marketers of what they should know for 2022. The report includes answers from 582 unique respondents at the tail end of 2021.² That group of respondents is comprised of marketers and consumers, giving us a solid sample of what those on both sides of the screen are thinking and doing.

Here are 10 notable stats they found from marketers:²

86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool

92% of marketers say video is an important part of their marketing strategy

79% of marketers who don’t currently use video expect to start using it in 2022

64% of marketers say their 2021 and 2022 video marketing plans were affected by the pandemic

Explainer videos and social media videos were the two most common types

87% of marketers say their traffic has increased in part because of video marketing

94% of marketers say videos have helped their customers better understand their product or service

86% of marketers say video has helped them generate leads

93% of marketers say they’ve increased brand awareness due to video marketing

87% of marketers report a good ROI with video marketing

What about the consumers? Here’s what they had to say:²

96% of people have watched an explainer video to learn more about a product or service

88% of people have been convinced to buy something by watching a brand’s video

73% of people say they’d prefer to watch a short video when learning about a product or service

People watch an average of 19 hours of online video per week (an increase of one hour since the previous year)

People watch an average of over 2.5 hours of online video each day

While there was no distinction between B2B versus B2C viewers in the Wyzowl report, businesses can still file these statistics in their memory banks to see how people are responding to video content. After all, a business isn’t an autonomous entity! There are real people at the helm, and they’ll be looking for content about your product or service.

Social Media and Video Content Work Hand in Hand

It’s widely known now that over 1 billion hours of video are watched daily on YouTube across the globe.

When considering distribution channels for B2B marketing video content, social media is no longer just an option — it’s an absolute must.

LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter — the top social networks — have helped companies build brand awareness, distribute fresh content, and even attract and recruit skilled workers in a shrinking labor pool. They’ve improved their functionality to offer higher-quality video streaming and more interactive features to help advertisers connect with audiences.

RELATED: Why and How Manufacturers Should Use Videos in Recruiting

Many B2B buyers and potential new hires are evaluating companies’ content in their decision-making process. LinkedIn in particular is a great place to make B2B connections, as they boast 810 million members and 58 million companies with accounts on their platform.³ That’s a lot of potential to connect with other businesses using engaging video content!

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Now’s the Time for (Lights, Camera…) Action

Video has not only continued to play a major role in driving business performance, but it’s become a vital tool that’s useful at every step in your customer’s buyer journey as well. Video offers a starting point for learning about your product or service, getting to know your company culture, and much more.

Have you put off incorporating video into your B2B inbound marketing strategy? If so, now’s the time to start — or risk being left in the competition’s dust. Wistia anticipates businesses ramping up video efforts and budgets even more this year.¹

We can help you get started. Check out our exhaustive library of video marketing resources, all specifically tailored to the needs of B2B marketers in complex industries. Naturally, our resources feature videos you can watch, too!

It’s important to keep in mind that working with an efficient, expert team can actually help your marketing video production investment achieve greater ROI — while saving time and making the absolute best use of your resources, from internal personnel to budgets.

So, if you’re looking for help creating appealing, compelling video content that supports your B2B inbound marketing strategy, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Weidert Group. We’re ready to help you create content that attracts, engages, and delights your audience — and that generates leads and drives sales.