What Video’s Rapid Rise Means for Your Association

Thanks to improving internet speed, online video, once considered a clunky, unsatisfying experience has gone mainstream—in a big way. Consider these findings from comScore, Inc:

• Internet users viewed on average 19 hours of video in the month of December.
• Nearly 85 percent of U.S. internet users have viewed online video.
• The average online content video is 5.4 minutes long, and the average online advertising video is 24 seconds.
• Video ads account for 22.6 percent of all videos viewed at last count and 1.9 percent of all minutes spent viewing video online.

And according to eMarketer, video is the fastest growing online advertising unit—up 54 percent in the past year alone.

These stats are dramatic increases over levels seen just a few years ago. Beyond the increase of internet speeds mentioned above, much of this increase in video adoption is being driven by the large amount of content coming online. From mainstream TV and movie options, to made-for-the-internet video channels, it is becoming easier than ever to find compelling video content to keep you in front of your computer.

So what does this mean for your association and its members? It means several things, and several new opportunities for you:

1. More personal connection with your members: When association leaders deliver videos about hot topics, the impact carries more weight than when delivered via any other member communication channel. Keep videos brief. A 3-5 minute video from the executive director explaining an important or controversial topic will have far more engagement with members than an email or press release.
2. New ways to connect at events: Not all members can attend every event you hold. But all members should have the opportunity to know what went on at your events. Video can be used at your event in numerous ways: live or recorded sessions, daily recaps, exhibit hall tours, just to name a few.
3. New ways to market: Whether used for recruiting new members or increasing signups for an event, video rises above other communication channels as an attention-getter. Video has a long shelf life, and many of the items mentioned here can be reused as teaser content to encourage new member signups. National Community Pharmacists Association recently used video in a novel way by asking its speakers to submit short videos about their session.
4. New ways to educate: Training and education are far more effective when there is a visual aspect. Attendees have greater focus, and big-picture concepts are often easier to grasp visually.
5. New product demonstrations: Many of your suppliers would love (and would pay) to have the ability to get a video demonstration of their product or service in front of you audience. Since the engagement factor of video is arguably better than it is for any other medium, the value of a product demo is increased for both the member and the supplier.

Making all of this possible, of course, is that creating video content is easier than ever. Technology has come downstream, allowing anyone with a smartphone the opportunity to produce reasonably good video. Services such as Naylor’s Association TV provide a wide array of options for your larger projects and also can help with promotion, distribution and monetization of these efforts. Whichever path you choose, keep in mind that if a picture tells a thousand words, video is worth a million.

About The Author

Marcus Underwood is vice president and general manager of NaylorNet, the online media solutions division of Naylor, LLC.