With 2018 well underway, I took the time to ask a few of my colleagues and Tellyo customers what they feel is in store for social video this year.
Here are their thoughts and predictions:
“2018 will see a direct-to-audience offering become the norm, in which social is fully accepted as a mainstream video channel to reach and engage audiences. For top-tier sports or major broadcasters, such an offering will complement and extend the reach of existing content, engaging younger demographics effectively and providing further touch points for fans and viewers. In the case of niche sports, this will be the year to choose a direct offering as a primary channel, with a comprehensive content schedule around all events and key moments.
There’s no doubt that technology has changed what is possible, even if you have more limited resources. What we’ll see across the board is better video production and content, more experimentation and innovation, and a richer experience for audiences when content is shared directly with them. Those organisations that succeed will achieve constant exposure and greater engagement, with this having a positive effect on revenue.”
“To succeed online in 2018, it will be important for sports clubs, leagues and federations to continually evolve with the social video production technology they use and the platforms they choose to partner with.
For federations like ours, the year ahead is further opportunity to ‘do it yourself’ – to push forward with the production and distribution tools that provide us with the autonomy to create highly engaging content. It’s this content that positively impacts how fans experience our tournaments and brand globally, be it via a live stream or a social media video clip.”
“2018 will be the year in which broadcasters and producers push for more from the technology available to them. This is being driven by viewers’ expectations of the technology and their desire to experience truly high-quality digital streams.
While live streaming will only grow in popularity, 2018 will also see it evolve. With all the major platforms now offering users the chance to live stream, producers and broadcasters will adapt in the coming year to prevent audiences from tuning out as the ‘live’ novelty wears off. We’ll see a more holistic approach to social broadcasts take shape, with social media, video clips and multi-device considerations increasingly playing a role.”
“While more and more people consume video content through social media and smartphones, this is both an opportunity for marketers but also a challenge to grapple with in 2018. Over the coming year, this challenge will need to be taken head on, particularly as engagement with video will increase in tandem with consumption.
As a result, there will be a spike in demand for solutions that can deliver video content to different platforms simultaneously. Marketers will want confidence in the way they can manage multiple video formats across platforms, eyeing the frictionless engagement that this will bring. Essentially 2018 will be the year in which marketers get complete control of how video is presented for mobiles and social media platforms with suitable APIs.”
“2018 will see us make much more of social media-friendly short clips of our skaters, mountain bikers, BMXers and wakeboarders. This sort of content sits well with the ephemeral content that our younger audience loves nowadays – such as the short-lived social video clips that you see on social media platforms.
During our 2018 World Series, we’ll also continue to mix clips with live streams. This way we can recreate the live experience of our events online, amplifying the excitement and buzz at each event, and so reaching and engaging with more people across social media.”
Have we missed anything? Feel free to tweet your thoughts and predictions to us @TellyoTV
