Psychology of Video: Why Video Marketing Works

We recently conducted a survey with US consumers to better understand their motivations and processes for researching and ultimately patronizing small businesses. The survey was revealing in many respects, none more so than consumers' preference for video.

In fact, 50% of consumers said seeing a video of the business and/or its products/services would make them more likely to patronize the business.

Importance of Video When Patronizing Small Business

Furthermore, when it comes to the various types of content consumers engage with, video is the second most frequently engaged medium behind social media posts.

Frequency of Content Consumption by Medium

It's clear that consumers want video content from small businesses and that has a material impact on the likelihood of them ultimately patronizing those businesses. Why is that? In the following article, we explore the psychology behind video to better understand why it's so effective.

Since video marketing was invented in 1941, it’s become an effective marketing tool for all businesses. A study in 2023 confirmed that 91% of business owners utilize video marketing as a strategy to grow their business.

But why exactly are video ads so effective?

Videos can communicate important information in a short period of time and more effectively evoke an emotional response. As a small business owner, connecting and engaging with your audience emotionally can be the best recipe for converting viewers into paying customers.

But to get the most out of your efforts, it’s crucial to understand the psychological impact of videos and why they matter.

How Video Marketing Works

Businesses use video marketing for many different reasons, from building customer rapport to educating potential customers on their services.

But ultimately, the purpose of video marketing is to gain more customers. With 2.6 billion digital video viewers on YouTube alone, there are a lot of growth opportunities for businesses that understand the impact of a great video.

"Unless our words, concepts, ideas are hooked onto an image, they will go in one ear, sail through the brain, and go out the other ear. Images go directly into long-term memory where they are indelibly etched."

Dr. Lynell Burmark, Ph.D.

How Video Marketing Affects People Psychologically

Content marketing offers many different forms of engaging with an audience. While different formats like articles and infographics have their own individual impact, video marketing can encompass a variety of powerful tools all at once.

One of the reasons why this medium is so successful is its ability to elicit an emotional response from its audience. When people feel connected enough to respond emotionally and empathize, they are much more likely to buy a product or use the services of that company than to work with a company that they know nothing about.

Next, we'll discuss the top 4 reasons why video marketing sparks emotion.

Video marketing sparks emotion through efficiency, empathy, dopamine, and color.

Visuals Speak Quicker Than Words

A study by 3M Corporation found that visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than words. Our brain processes visuals in just 13 milliseconds.

The part of our brain used to identify images can do so nearly instantanously, while the part of our brain that deciphers text takes more time to process. With the average attention span being only 8 seconds—shorter than a goldfish's—it’s no wonder videos are so effective at sparking our attention.

Not only do videos spark our attention quicker, but they also allow us to retain 95% of the information afterward compared to only 10% of the information we retain from text.

Here's a great example that emphasizes the fun, safe, and transparent experience your dog will have while you are away.

Now, let's take a look at their Google Ad:

camp-bow-wow-text-ad

Which ad is more effective for you? Was the text ad able to hold your attention span long enough to understand all the services they offer? Did the video ad bring more joy to you and make you think of your pets?

When looking into video marketing, these are great questions to ask yourself to find what might be supportive and valuable for your business.

Another study found that humans were more likely to believe in the credibility of a brand or service when they viewed testimonials given by customers rather than having to read about it on a website. This is because ‘seeing’ is always better than assuming that many customers believe in the company or brand.

What better way to show potential customers why your product or service is worth it? That’s why getting your customers to record video testimonials is preferable to sending them via text.

With technology making everyone’s lives easier every day, recording remote video interviews is also easier than ever. You can send your customers a list of questions and have them record a remote video testimonial through a single link that can be accessed from any device.

Facial Expressions Generate Empathy

Studies have shown through evolutionary history that humans can empathize and mirror expressions when seen from another living being. When we see someone express an emotion, cells in our brain called mirror neurons are triggered, causing us to imagine ourselves in their position or even experience the same pain or anxiety just from seeing it on someone’s face.

It’s no secret that empathy is an incredibly powerful tool that allows us to think outside of ourselves and understand other people’s emotions. When applied to video marketing, sparking empathy from potential customers is important, as an empathetic response motivates people to take action, just as emotion does.

Here's a great example...15 seconds of all the feels courtesy of a smiling, happy baby and a proud new dad.

Here is another example. Watching the joy and wonder on these kids' faces creates a physical response that mirrors those same emotions. How could you not want to feel that with your children?

Let's compare that with their static text ad.

literati-text-ad

If you saw them side by side, which one would you be more likely to click on? Again, it's clear that video ads resonate with consumers and that facial expressions generate empathy.

Music Increases Dopamine Levels

Musc, when paired with visuals, is incredibly impactful. Studies show that listening to music activates the nucleus accumbens, which is the area of the brain that produces dopamine: the happy, rewarding feelings we receive after exercising or eating.

According to Facebook, 65% of consumers who spend 3 seconds watching a video will spend at least another 10 seconds thinking about what they saw. When we click on a video and a catchy tune is the first thing we hear, we get a hit of dopamine, and we’re more likely to stick around a little longer to hear more about the product.

Color Signals Specific Emotions

The psychological impact of color alone is also important to consider when it comes to video marketing. A study by Satyendra Singh determined that it only takes 90 seconds for customers to decide how they feel about a product, and 62-90% of that decision is based on the color of the product.

What different colors mean in marketing

For example, the color red is known to suggest anger, adventure, passion, and even spark appetite, which is why so many food brands use it. Blue, on the other hand, typically conveys feelings of loyalty or respect.

In videos, there are all sorts of elements to play with like the tone and setting which have different tints of color to it, ultimately eliciting a specific emotion from your audience that will influence decision-making.

Examples of Marketing Videos that Elicit Emotion

Now that you understand why video marketing is important and how your business can benefit from utilizing it, here are a few example videos to spark inspiration and ideas. Whether you want to create a testimonial video, an informational brand video, or a demo video, there are tons of tools to help you along the way.

The best way to capture an audience is through showing, not telling. It will be easier for people to relate to your video if you focus on showing how your services work and calling out common frustrations in order to spark emotion from them. These videos do a great job of presenting organized, emotional videos with a purpose.

Demo Video:

We love the example above. What could be more boring than a charging cable? But somehow, through the power of video, we're drawn to it.

Explainer Video:

If your company offers some sort of technology or software, an explainer video can be an extremely powerful tool in your marketing arsenal. As you can see from this video by Hiver, explainer videos allow you to easily share the problems your ideal customers face and how your solution solves them.

Testimonial Video:

A good testimonial video is especially powerful, as real customers who have had success with your product or service are usually going to be seen as more authentic and trustworthy by potential customers than any marketing or sales pitch.

Informational Brand Videos:

This is a great example, because it's not fancy, but it highlights the experience around the product in a way only video can!

The ultimate example of a video that transformed a company

27 Million views and counting...this video alone took a completely unknown brand and immediately turned it into a massive business.

Conclusion

Now that you know how effective videos are at evoking emotional responses and why that is such a powerful tool for business growth, you’re one step closer to applying the knowledge to your own business to reap some of the rewards we’ve discussed.

Whether you’re looking to increase site conversion, get more shares on social media, receive more Facebook comments, or more clicks on your emails, the best way to get there is to successfully connect with your audience. Understanding your customers a little more is certainly the right path to better engagement and hopefully a brighter future of making a strong impact on your customers’ lives.

Author's Note: This blog was originally published in April 2022 and has been updated to reflect current trends and data.

Psychology of Video: Why Video Marketing Works

How Video Marketing Works

How Video Marketing Affects People Psychologically

Visuals Speak Quicker Than Words

Facial Expressions Generate Empathy

Music Increases Dopamine Levels

Color Signals Specific Emotions

Top 5 Reasons Why Video Marketing is Important for Small Businesses

Videos increase conversion rates and sales

Videos are more likely to be shared and seen by potential customers

Google prefers videos

Videos lead to a good ROI

Videos Boost Email Campaigns.