In 2016, the growth is set to be phenomenal. As reported by Forbes, it is predicted that 80 percent of all Internet traffic will be to videos by 2019 – and a significant portion of that growth is set to happen this year.

Quite simply, the extent to which brands invest in video – and use it well – will become a very visible marker separating the leaders from the laggards.

The “State of B2B Video Marketing 2015” report from Regalix Research revealed the size of the shift, with 84 percent of marketers surveyed stating that they expect their video marketing budget to increase in the next 12 months.

Whilst 70 per cent of respondents confirmed that their companies already invest in video as an integral part of their content marketing strategy; citing brand awareness, lead generation and establishing their thought leadership credentials as the key business drivers, this still leaves almost a third of B2B companies as mere spectators. So what’s the blocker?

Unsurprisingly, the cost of content creation is the primary barrier to entry. According to the report, 57 per cent of those yet to invest said that lack of budget had thwarted investment plans.

The reassuring news is that latest editing tools have made the production of quality video content much cheaper – and besides, you simply don’t need to put all your cash into top broadcast quality content. In fact, it’s far smarter to mix it up. The leading brands know how to leverage different formats of videos for each channel, utilising Vlog or Vine video for social and higher production branded content for their websites.

However, the fact that 46 percent said it was a ‘”lack of an effective video marketing strategy” that held them back is far more illuminating. So what’s the mindset?

It’s time for B2B marketers to finally bury the myth that it’s all crazy cat videos and that video is the preserve of consumer brands – and time to ditch the idea that your CEO will laugh you out of the room.

According to the Spiceworks report on the rise of video marketing, more than 80% of senior executives watch more video than they did a year ago, and three quarters of executives are watching work-related videos every week. And given the choice, 59% of executives said that they would rather watch a video than read an article. Yes, B2B buyers and marketers are human, too!

Did you know that video can transform the fortunes of a humble email campaign? Video content increases open rates, increases click-through rates, and reduces unsubscribe rates in email marketing. And did you know that the word ‘video’ in the subject line increases open rates by 19%?

Yes, that means that it pays to integrate your direct marketing strategy with digital and social media operations to deliver compelling video content to customers and prospects on every stage of the buying cycle.

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