When developing a video marketing strategy, several factors need to be considered to ensure you’re creating something well-suited for your target audience. These can include your audience’s biggest problem, their interests or their shopping habits.
One particularly important aspect is your audience’s age as it can have a significant impact on your video campaign’s performance. After all, different generations have different video consumption habits.
Generation Z, the youngest generation, was born on or after 1997, meaning that they have never been without computers or the internet. Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, followed closely behind with most of their lives involving some form of technology. However, generation X (1965 – 1980) and baby boomers (1946 – 1964) have known a life without technology and have developed slightly different habits as a result.
Here’s how to plan for these generational differences in your video content plan to ensure you make the most out of your investment.
Think of the device
Part of creating video for different generational consumption – especially animated video – involves knowing where it’s going to be displayed. This is because it can change the format and length of time the video is playing for.
For older generations, television is the most popular device used to view video content, followed by desktop and laptop computers. This means that your videos can be slightly longer and adapted to a larger screen as compared to videos that are meant for mobile consumption.
Younger generations prefer to consume all their content on mobile devices, regardless if they are in public or at home. This suggests the format of the video should work well on smaller screens. Also, the ’hook’, or the most engaging part of the video, should be within the first couple of seconds to ensure they don’t scroll past.
Focus on the preferred video platforms
A successful video marketing campaign also requires your video to be shown on the platforms that they’re most likely to be viewed on. This is important because it can affect the video format and length.
If you want to reach older generations, invest in video content that will work well on Facebook. This is because 90% of generation Xers and 96% of baby boomers use Facebook at least once a week as compared to 36% of Generation Zers.
In this case, you will need to create a series of videos with different sizes (or aspect ratios) and lengths to ensure it can be shown at every opportunity. This includes:
– 16:9 (horizontal) for regular feed videos with a maximum length of 240 minutes
– 9:16 (full portrait) for in-stream feed video ads with a maximum length of 15 seconds
– 1:1 (square) videos for carousel video ads with a maximum length of 240 minutes
To reach younger generations, you’re better off promoting your videos on social media channels this age group uses most often. For example, Instagram would be a great choice, as 74% of Generation Z and 71% of Millennials use this social media platform at least once a week.
For Instagram, there are different sizes that you can choose from, but it’s best to stick with a 1:1 or square format and a length of 60 seconds.
Tailor the message
Your video message can also have different results based on the generational expectations of modern-day communications. In general, there are certain practices that work well with animated video to help boost brand awareness and conversions, but depending on your audience’s age, you might need to tailor it slightly.
For example, Millennials are less likely to respond to a direct sales approach than older generations because of their experience with technology. They prefer more authentic messaging that is backed up by expert opinions. In fact, they are 44% more likely to trust the opinion of experts who happen to be strangers.
If you are speaking to older generations, then you might be able to play more into a direct approach that talks about a clear problem and solution.
Work with the right team
Above all, working with an experienced team that can help you create a video marketing strategy will give you the best return on investment. This is achieved by a thorough process that dives deep into understanding who you are speaking to even before the video production starts.
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