Harnessing the immersive power of video to amplify your reach and impact is a solid business decision. There are a million stats to prove it will gain you significantly more exposure, build your brand, and, on average, increase your sales by 50%.
But in a sea of video content, keeping your finger on the pulse and staying ahead of the curve can be key in nailing a successful video strategy.
Below, weâll run through the emerging video trends we see leading the pack this year.
But first, letâs recap what we saw in 2024-
The Biggest Video Trends of 2024
2024 wasnât just a year of new video trends; it was a year of new video milestones. What we saw last year will fundamentally change the future of digital media and video production.
Here is a rundown of some of the big ones we expect to continue in 2025
AI in All Things Video
AI is taking steps to revolutionize video production and digital marketing. As of now, AI is simply an assist, not yet disciplined enough to meet industry standards without heavy human intervention. But in video production, weâve seen AI accelerate in areas like scriptwriting, image generation, and voiceovers, all seamlessly integrating into existing workflows. In video marketing, AI is making quick work of targeted messaging, SEO, and even overall strategy.
The Scales Tip on Ad Spend
2024 was the first year digital video ad spend (social, online video, CTV/streaming) surpassed linear TV ad spend (cable, satellite providers), tipping the scales 52% vs. 48% or an estimated $63 billion vs. $58 billion. As people continue to turn to the internet as the sole source for all content needs, advertisers increasingly break norms with conventional ad strategies.
Short-Form Video = 90% of All Internet Traffic
TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, (and even LinkedIn Stories) are now the go-to for online scrolling. Faster streaming, more internet access, and increased mobile viewing also lend to quick-loading, short videos taking the reigns. Add to that the 8.5-second average attention span, and itâs easy to understand why short-form videos have 2.5x more engagement than long-form, and an estimated 90% of all internet traffic now comes from short, easy-to-consume videos.
Platform-Specific Content Creation
Gone are the days of posting a single video on YouTube, all social channels, and your website. 2024 saw a surge in platform-specific content creation. Not just adjustments in formatting (though there was definitely more vertical video than in years past), but completely unique content developed for individual platform audiences in channel-specific styles. Noting important stats, like that 92% of mobile viewers watch videos without the sound on or that the average TikTok video is 35 seconds, should factor into a comprehensive video strategy. In 2024, brands that tailored video for 3 or more platforms tripled their engagement vs. using a single video for all 3.
Download our full guide: Video Best Practices for Social Media
Interactive Sales Videos | Shoppable Videos
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram & Shopify have made it easy to one-click shop from video ads with product tagging and click-to-buy features. With a $23 billion dollar shoppable video market, those features will continue to grow and expand in 2025, and consumers will increasingly go directly from âwatchâ to âpurchase.â Shoppable videos eliminate the need to go to a website and then search for the item that interested you from the video. And every marketer knows that each added click required adds a percentage to buyer dropoff - making shoppable videos a game-changer. In the world of streaming and CTV, insanely advanced AI marketing from companies like our client, Ryff, is revolutionizing smart product placement and shoppable video ads to a much broader market in even more places.
What To Expect In 2025
Not all trends are created equal.
First and foremost, our advice is to ensure your video reflects your brand and speaks to your audience. If youâre leveraging video trends to expand your reach and increase your views, consider the longevity of your investment.
If your video is a long-term company video and not campaign-specific or short-term, avoid trends that might get dated quickly.
These are the 2025 video trends that are on the rise, and we donât think theyâll disappear anytime soon.
More AI
Even though expansive AI applications in video production and digital marketing still canât meet industry standards (and require the direction of a creative human mind), we do expect to see advanced development in AI animation, ad targeting, and video personalization/customization in 2025.
+ More AI Ethical Considerations
Amid the recent backlash to companies like Coca-Cola for the AI generation of âreal peopleâ in their holiday ads, there is an underlying demand for an ethical line to be drawn regarding AI and video. We expect that line to be drawn in 2025 (and likely crossed, debated, and potentially redrawn.)
Long-Form Video
Even though short-form video clearly fits our current digital attention spans and media consumption habits, there is a growing resurgence of long-form video. Viewers seem willing to invest more time in highly informative or immersive narratives. It could be the need to connect on a deeper level, to devote focus to something worthy, or our inherent draw to emotional storytellingâbut whatever the reason, long-form video is getting back in the game in 2025.
Sourcing Digital Assets in Bulk
When sourcing video, the norm is to work per project or campaign. 1 shoot = 1 video. Weâre seeing the shift to a new model that fuels creative for the whole year by working with a company (like us) to build a full database of usable assets (ads, website videos, photography, graphics, snackable bites, social content, etc.) from a few strategic shoots. These shoots focus on a wider range of digital resources that can be used in multiple campaigns and diverse channels to achieve both sales and marketing goals throughout the year.
Authenticity, Real People, & User Experience
In digital marketing, you compete with millions of ads that hit users on every channel and platform, all day, every day. When the average attention span is under 9 seconds, itâs HARD to connect. To cut through the noise, people turn to authentic reviews, testimonials from real people, and user-generated content. This will continue to be the go-to for consumers and information seekers and where B2B & B2C companies should look to invest in 2025.
Drone Videography & Aerial Footage
There is something wholly captivating about a bird' s-eye view. Whether itâs the scale of an industrial project, the beauty of a park or tourist attraction, or seeing a crowd from above, aerial footage makes exhilarating videos, and viewers love it.
As drone technology advances, more marketers are incorporating it into their content strategy (*40% in 2025!). Drone videography can capture views and angles in places traditional cameras simply canât. It can add unique perspectives and a dynamic value that can set your video apart from competitors.
Layering aerial footage with animation can drive a point home with hard-hitting impact (and extra wow factor, to boot.) Check out our award-winning video with Nextracker, which did just that!
Ready to get ahead of the curve with your video content? Whether youâre looking for stunning views from above, curated video for every platform, or a comprehensive strategy to fuel your creative all year - contact us to get started & make 2025 your most successful year yet!
