The Rise of Mobile Viewing
By 2020, more than 80% of what Americans view online will be video content.(1) In 2018 75% of the video content that we’re seeing is being viewed on a mobile device (2) and in this year, 2019, the number of smartphone users is expected to pass 3.3 billion people globally (3). The way video is influencing social media mainly through stories which include live video as the primary use.
Stories
“Stories” are the most popular feature on social media right now as users want something temporary to show off what 
they were doing that specific day, but not wanting it to be permanent on their profiles. This feature is most popular on Snapchat and Instagram, although Facebook also has the story feature as well. Stories get the most out views and interactions when they include video, storytelling, text and other images (gifs, emojis.)
Instagram and Snapchat are two of the platforms that use video, and with these two specifically, they have influenced the use of “vertical video.” This is more common because of the accessibility of taking a quick video and posting it for followers to see. Viewers also want to be able to watch a video that they don’t have to change the way they are holding their phone, especially if they are using live video.
Brands on Social Media
One way that live videos have become so relevant and highly used is that it creates a sense of trust between brands and their consumers. When a consumer can be taken “behind the scenes” of a company it allows consumers to see the people who are behind the brand and show them the company culture. In today’s social media society, people want to see and hear what the brands they follow believe in-values and ethics, and even politics so they can support a brand that is in line with their beliefs and values as well. Brands should take a stand on current issues because it is important that stories are told in a way that makes people feel connected to your brand.
Social media is continuing to grow every day and with that people are going to expect more out of what they can do from just their phones. Another thing that
people want from their brands is for the brands they follow to connect them with more people. Social media holds a high power that builds people’s expectations, like easy accessibility to all spectrums. For example, consumers want to be able to connect with similar people through brands that they follow. That then requires brands on social media to be more honest with who they are. If brands are legitimate as a company, they attract specific people, which then can connect consumers of similar interests.
Real People, Real Connections, Real Success
Real people are the key to genuine relationships and having live video accessible on social media is a way to power these real connections. People prefer to live action video over professionally animated videos. One reason being, as mentioned before, it makes people feel more connected to your brand when you see real people doing real things. This is also because if a company was using an animated ad that appears on the series of Instagram stories, it throws off the aesthetic of what the viewers are used to seeing, which is mainly live video.
While social media’s use is increasing it is essential to stay in the loop and up to date about what’s most creative and liked by consumers. If done well with engaging and exciting content, live video can increase the trustworthiness and relevance of a brand which is a significant win for the brands that can.
Sources:
(1): Business Insider, June 2017
(2): eMarketer, Feb 2018
(3): vpnMentor & NewZoo.com, Sept. 2018
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