Tres Miah, Creative StrategistIn my previous post, I wrote about the radical shift in Google algorithms. How this can dramatically effect your brand's content focus, and can threaten profits during this rapid transition into the virtual economy.The number one priority for companies in today's highly competitive, emerging virtual economy is to increase their brand awareness and grow their businesses. Mind share is at stake. Attention is the new currency. By 2019, 80% of the world's internet traffic is expected to be video content. Presently, 85% of companies utilize their video marketing strategy to great success in engaging their target audiences.Customers expect to be visually engaged by brands to build trust.Nearly half of consumers view companies that produce video content as experts on their product or service. Video provides the viewer with a sense of an emotional trust in a brand. They can get a more personal view of who you are and what you stand for in a way the printed word simply cannot,... Full Stop. Here are stats of brands' success with video...•350% increased consumption of video on SNAPCHAT •85% of Facebook video is watched without sound. •82% of Twitter users watch video content. •80% increased conversion when video is included within a landing page. •70% of top brand produce video regularly. •66% increase in brands using video from 2015. •65% of video viewers watch more than ¾ of a video.Which companies will be losers in the new virtual economy.The problem is many companies still lack strategic planning oversight in approaching video content development which prevents them from truly engaging their customers and driving revenue in their marketing efforts. This lack of strategic oversight will become a liability for brands that do not adapt to the radical shift in how content must be developed now in the emerging virtual economy.How should brands proceed?Strategically, the most progressive brands competitively moved forward and created a dedicated integrated video content strategy that is tied to their business goals and objectives. They understood that this new paradigm shift dictated a change in how they approached their brand strategic communications. And, that video is the key element in capturing mind share.They “get” that “attention” is the new currency that sustains brand growth in the new virtual economy. People's technological behaviors has changed once more with culture and do expect to be visually engaged with “relevant content” to earn their business and brand loyalty.Since brands now must publish content to build trust in this new world, video, when strategically invested, has proven to be hands down the best format for this mission. Companies that have utilized video content strategies to achieve company's goals and objectives - during this transition - have garnered success in sustaining their competitive edge by cementing their future brand equity. Two major brands scaling their video content efforts at present are WEST ELM and FOOD52.com.Strategic Planning for video equals success...The best companies have prepared themselves by incorporating video into their communication's strategic planning, the proper integration of it into their overall content marketing strategies across all touch points of the customer's journey. They treat video as a serious measurable entity and understand it is a vital tool in a continuous marketing effort to garner mind share and brand equity.Video is now undeniably a proven content must to increase brand awareness, equity and profits. It is no longer “an option” for any company that wants to maintain relevancy in this new competitive landscape. However, it all starts with video strategic planning, an integrated content strategy foresight.[author]About the Author: Tres Miah is a Creative Strategist focused on strategic planning, creative strategy and brand messaging for strategic communications and integrated marketing campaigns. His clients are global brands: VH1, Broadridge Financial and The New York Choral Society. Tres is an MTV award-winning producer for “Creative Excellence” and an expert on video content strategy. In his alternative life, Tres is a reped screenwriter. He has developed work for HBO, Showtime and his former haunt, VH1.[/author]