The B2B Marketer’s Wishlist for 2019? Video!

If you know a thing or two about Padilla peeps, it’s that we’re pretty obsessed with the media – especially utilizing the right media channels to make the most meaningful connections with the audiences who matter most. And no matter your product category, or if you’re B2B or B2C, we all want to leverage the right mix of media and content to connect with purpose.

As I take stock of the year behind and the year ahead, there’s one channel that continually emerges as the top choice for powerful B2B storytelling in today’s crazy media landscape. It’s video! Why? Video content drives engagement and can create powerful, emotional connections. It’s the preferred content type by search and social algorithms, and it’s sticky for users who are constantly inundated with content choices across their devices. And B2B marketers, especially, should consider the power behind this medium to help nurture customers through complex buying cycles.

No, video content isn’t for everyone, and it still needs to be considered in a larger content strategy. However, I’d argue that it needs to be in almost every brand’s storytelling arsenal. With so many possibilities for video content, here are two that have us excited.

Live Content to Deepen Connections with an Expanded Audience

Live content has skyrocketed over the past couple of years as the cost of entry has come down significantly. For B2B marketers, live content is an especially powerful way to connect with an often geographically dispersed audience base – and help them feel a deeper connection with your brand or products. Livecast major announcements, industry events, product demonstrations or internal celebrations – and leverage live content during and after an event. Need more help? Our friends at Wistia put together an awesome guide for live video success. Need some inspiration? Check out Padilla’s own live video series, Padilla POV, and stay tuned for several exciting broadcasts in the year ahead.

VR to Give Near-Real Experiences

360 degree video + inexpensive VR headsets like Google Cardboard open a whole new world of possibility for content marketers – offering a new way to create unique, immersive and interactive experiences through video. The tech has moved from a glitchy party trick to a legitimate content medium, and savvy marketers are quickly utilizing 360 videos while they’re still fun and novel.

And sometimes, the best use of 360-degree video can help folks just get away from the chaos of the season. We say, go ahead and take a SELF[ISH] moment to yourself.

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