NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Animoto, the online video creation application that makes it easy for anyone to create professional videos, today launched its 2016 Social Video Forecast. The report examines how two types of marketers -- professional marketers and small- and medium-sized business owners (SMB owners) who are responsible for their own marketing -- are embracing the overlap of social media and video. Nearly two-thirds of all marketers are planning to incorporate video in their campaigns for the coming year, and investment in video promotion on social channels and talent to support it will increase across the board.

The report was compiled from a survey of 1,000 professional marketers and 1,000 SMB owners. To illustrate the results, Animoto also published an infographic and video detailing these findings, available here.

This forecast comes on the heels of the 2016 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, released last month by Social Media Examiner. The Social Video Forecast builds on that report, detailing priorities for marketers and SMB owners, and where they will focus investments in social video to gain a competitive edge.

"Social video has become a must-have for businesses of all sizes," said Brad Jefferson, CEO of Animoto. "While professional marketers are leading the charge in terms of where and how much to invest, small business owners are not far behind. That is a testament to the growing ease and affordability of video distribution on social media platforms, as well as consumers' inclination towards video content."

"This year, we've seen social networks such as Facebook prioritize video content and optimization like never before," said Mari Smith, Facebook marketing expert and social media thought leader. "This prioritization, paired with the rise in video consumption on nearly every social network, has made it impossible for marketers to ignore the importance of consistent video creation and promotion. Animoto's forecast underscores that 'social plus video' has truly arrived."

Social video defines new era in marketing.
Video has reached new heights in marketing, with 84 percent of marketers and 55 percent of SMB owners saying they created or commissioned a marketing video in the past 12 months. As marketers see return on their video investments, they plan to invest further.

• 60 percent of marketers and more than half of SMB owners (55 percent) say video marketing is a "must-have" to stay relevant.
• 76.5 percent of professional marketers and SMB owners who have used video marketing said it had a direct impact on their business.
• 63 percent of marketers and SMB owners will increase investment in video next year.

For video marketers, Facebook dominates and YouTube holds strong.
Facebook remains the powerhouse marketing platform, even as professional marketers begin to adopt and invest in newer channels like Snapchat and Instagram. YouTube also remains a stronghold for marketers, and is gaining in popularity with SMB owners.

• Facebook is the primary platform used by SMB owners and marketers for sharing and distributing video content. Both marketers and SMB owners rate its effectiveness more than eight times higher than any other social platform.
• Of SMB owners and marketers who plan to spend money on social media in the next 12 months, two-thirds plan to promote video on Facebook, more than any other channel.
• YouTube is the second most popular platform for sharing and distributing video content for both SMB owners and marketers. The report also projects that YouTube will see the most growth in paid video promotion by SMB owners over the next year. Instagram will see the most growth for paid video promotion among professional marketers.

Marketers are still looking for a competitive edge, experimenting with video on multiple platforms and hiring key talent.
The majority of marketers are still looking for a competitive edge when using video as a promotion tool. As newer social media platforms add video capabilities, marketers are evolving their strategies and testing new platforms. They are also investing in talent that can help them advance their social video capabilities in the next year.

• Almost a quarter of marketers (23 percent) say they are "behind" or "way behind" competitors when it comes to video marketing, while 40 percent feel that they are just "on par."
• Both marketers and SMB owners rate Instagram as the most impactful mobile-centric platform, though marketers are more likely than SMB owners to spend money to advertise video on Instagram in the next 12 months (27.4 percent of marketers plan to, compared to 17.4 percent of SMB owners).
• Both SMB owners and marketers also plan to invest in talent in order to be more competitive. Respondents said they view video marketing as a more desirable skill for their team in the next 12 months compared to email, design, and written marketing materials.

Methodology:
Animoto surveyed a representative sample of U.S. adult marketers and small business owners (owners of businesses that employ between 3 and 100 people) to learn about their social media and video marketing practices. The web-based survey was fielded April 25 through May 6, 2016 with a sample size of 1,000 marketers and 1,012 small business owners (margin of error +/- 3.1 percent at a 95 percent confidence level).

About Animoto:
Animoto's award-winning online video creation application makes it easy for anyone to create professional video. Used by millions of consumers, businesses, photographers, and educators throughout the world, Animoto is deeply rooted in the belief that making videos should be simple, cost-effective, and accessible to everyone. Founded in 2006, Animoto has offices in New York City and San Francisco. For more information about Animoto's apps for web and mobile, visit animoto.com.

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SOURCE Animoto Productions

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