The State of Video

Do you ever find yourself reaching for your phone before your feet leave the bed? Well, youre not alone. According to ExpressPigeon, over 50% of smartphone users grab their device immediately after waking up.

And here begins what CNN notes as the 639 minute screen time that you and others around the US will spend consuming media each day. Of this 10 hour consumption time, nearly 60% of it will be spent watching videos. So, how exactly did we arrive here and what does this mean?

RewindLet us remember those early Saturday mornings gathered around the living room Mom and Pop in their pajama and robes, you snuggled in between the two of them, eagerly eating your magically delicious bowl of Lucky Charms. The television at the center of the room with the station switched to Americas Funniest Home Videos. The joy and thrill of home-made videos manifested itself through homes across the nationfathers with their video cameras out, eager to record every moment ranging from their sons first step to their daughters first words.

Labeling and storing each VHS as precious cargo to be revisited upon every birthday and family gathering.And then Valentines Day 2005 happenedThe dawn of YouTube (#client) led the charge of self-made online content that would forever change the game of home videos. Since its inception, the site has acted as an open platform to share not only your babys first steps but so much more.

The infamous Charlie Bit Me video was once the most viewed YouTube clip with over 850 million views.Fast ForwardFast forward to present day and we have what is now a growing industry of online influencers that have emerged from this idea of going viral and gaining traction online through views and subscriptions. There has become a series of notable YouTube stars that have turned their passions into performances and their performances into professions.

Since the rise of YouTube, other platforms have followed suit making video significantly more accessible and encouraging users around the nation to share both embarrassing and entertaining moments with the world. And the evolution hasnt slowed down. of all online activity is spent watching videos.

HubSpot, 31 Video Marketing Statistics to Inform Your 2017 StrategyWith this growing number, the trend to document any and everything has grown with it. At any given time, walking around college campuses, at sporting events and even during your daily commute you can spot a plethora of people with their phones out, selfie cameras on, in position and ready to capture the moment.ReplayStudies from Marketplace reveal that of consumers are more willing to buy products endorsed by non-celebrity bloggers over celebrities.

In addition to that, only 7. 4 percent would purchase something because they saw it on TV. Print and digital advertisements were also ineffective each was under 5 percent, the study concluded.

Brands now look to influencers to provide them with access to the growing number of social media users hungry for online self-made video content. YouTube gamer Evan Fong, Snapchatter Cyrene Quiamco, and Instagram fitness-expert Kayla Itsines are just amongst the few thousand of online influencers that reach an audience far past 20 million. The significance of this has only begun to manifest itself will grow exponentially from here.

The way that we consume media has come a long way from the days of Americas Funniest Home Videos. But in other ways, we havent drifted too far from the homemade VHS tapes. Brands must keep in mind that audiences still demand relatable content produced by authentic creators, just at a much higher quality