Launching a product is as important as developing one. There’s no use in developing an awesome product without quality content to back it up, and 3D videos are kicking in as one of the top digital content trends. Making quality content depends on aligning supply and demand. In other words, transmitting what brands offer, and understanding what users want.
Setting up an online store has set the focus on content. Content is everywhere: from product pages to ads. It speaks directly to consumers, but consumers change as rapidly as the available technology. That’s the reason why staying up to date on business trends is crucial to survive in the digital world.
Launching a product is all about:
→ Communicating your product’s value adequately
→ Creating conversation. Engage. Convert.
→ Capturing value
Is your business ready for the upcoming challenges? You may want to consider the latest digital content trends if you want your business to stand out before it’s too late (or before your competitors do!).
For a start, Content is NOT king. Customization is.
Graphic content isn’t about entertainment or creating unique art masterpieces. It’s about selling. Content transmits your product’s value and highlights its unique selling points. But what really makes a difference between reaching an audience, and becoming a real business option to it, is quality.
Quality content connects brands with target audiences and sparkles conversations. It triggers purchase and converts. Because selling is not (just) about clicks. It’s about providing context and showing situations people feel familiar with.
The fine line between awareness and consideration is usually drawn by how people find solutions to their problems. And product presentation is about showing it in action.
Furthermore, launching a product is a long and complex process requiring many strategic actions to draw attention and build trust. Failing to do so is a sure path to hanging the “out of business” sign.
3D Videos and other digital content trends
3D Videos
Great to increase product value before it even goes live.
Often used on Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, and other platforms, 3D videos allow making a quick product presentation where design and functionalities are highlighted.
Omnicharge Off-grid 3D animation produced by Content2sell.
3D used to be about product close-up simple shots, 360º and exploded views. Well, not anymore. The focus is now on the context and showing the product in action in a colorful, consistent way.
Poolan Vape 3D animation produced by Content2sell.
Computer animated videos can be used combined with real life videos, and mix 2D and 3D to highlight product features.
Take a look at OPPO X 2021’s teaser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_anAn45Bg
OPPO X 2021 campaign.
This is especially interesting on product launches when a product brings new features or ideas to the market and consumer education is needed. 3D animation videos will play a key role there. Furthermore, it’s quicker and cheaper than lifestyle videos so you have content ready to hit the market. And on top of that, 3D animation videos represent perfectly the product and thus can enhance the launch even before it’s ready.
And that’s exactly what Content2Sell does.
3D product videos let users see all features at once and create expectation. And therefore, leads. Analyzing those new leads will also show who like your product better, so you adjust your strategy and optimize your campaigns properly.
3D Ads
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Nissan and Adidas Swirl campaigns
On summer 2019 Google launched Swirl, a new 3D immersive ads format. The immersive experience allows zooming and rotating a 3D model of products created after an image and processed on the cloud. That gives users a real feeling of what’s in front of them.
Google sets the pace, and putting Swirl within everyone’s reach will definitely make 3D ads popular and extend their use. In fact, Google Shopping is over two years old now, and set its bet on content personalization, which happens to be right on time, as explained below.
3D technology is not as exclusive or expensive as it was before, and it can be highly profitable given the size of the global market.
Not too long ago this was limited to certain technology and a number of savy professionals, but it’s going BIG.
3D ads have a long way ahead: they allow a realistic perception of products; they are more likely to engage, and can potentially increase CTR and sales.
3D product frames
3D frames are product boxes embedded on websites. Users can zoom, rotate, and get a realistic view over a 3D render. But a better real-time 3D quality and faster loading times captivate the eye, create the first interest, and generate excitement and expectation.
New DJI Mini 2.
They also allow highlighting details like materials and lighting in a very realistic way. They help users knowing what to expect, and give brands more trust.
Now, imagine how 5G will potentiate this, with faster connections and cloud-based technology.
Fashion and furniture companies are starting to use Augmented Reality and 3D frames on their websites with amazing results.
In fact, SAP’s Global Ecommerce Foundation Report – 2019 states that 95% of the surveyed people preferred interactive 3D to video playback. Moreover, engaged customers buy more frequently with 3D technology.
This will definitely affect the way people relate to brands, and suggests that better product presentation will build more trust around brands.
90% of the information we process is visual. That’s just how humans examine the world.
Multi-formatting
Omnicharge Off-grid indiegogo campaign designed by Content2sell.
The world is now visual, and it’s especially mobile. Mobile makes it easy to create, adjust, format and share information.
All content needs to be formatted for different apps, mobile devices, and social platforms. Companies using omnichannel strategies know this is time-consuming.
3D Planning is not new, but the multi-formatting part is, as the new generation of tools makes it easier and quicker to create fully-responsive, high-quality content. Thus it makes it easier to offer the same customer experience across all sales chan
nels and devices. Try __________
Multi-formatting has become one of the most relevant conditions to play in major leagues.
Whenever you’re in doubt, think about this: 89% of Facebook’s ad revenue comes from mobile.
Personalization
80% say they are more likely to do business with a company if it offers personalized experiences
Adidas gender personalized ads.
Machine learning is using this information for intelligent ad personalization, user-identification across devices and predictive analytics.
Personalizing content, products and communication is a key element to good customer experience.By building your content after that information, potential engagement increases enormously and brings conversions much closer.
What’s interesting about this is having a deeper knowledge on consumers, segments, behavior and buying patterns. That will provide better insights on, for example, who your personae really are, or what users’ experience is at all stages. The higher the optimization, the more engagement.
Live streaming
. 
Product live streams featuring Kim Kardashian.
Video feeds are proved to be a highly engaging resource for businesses. Whether it is to show the inside of companies, facing users’ questions, interviewing experts or making webinars, demos or promotions, live streaming has a large engaging potential. Not only they provide a closer look on brands, what they do and how they do it. They also encourage live interaction with their targeted audiences. That gives audiences the sense of proximity and being part of the change as it happens.
Most social networks are moving towards video feeds. The last one to invest on video feeds is LinkedIn. Instagram Stories and Facebook Video followed Twitter’s Periscope success.
There’s an explanation to understand this. On the one hand, the cost of producing video material has decreased substantially – everybody has a camera in their pocket. There’s larger bandwidth, and mobile technology isn’t anywhere close to stop growing. But on the other hand, live streaming is easier to produce, and provides quicker turnaround.
The use of live video has been on the rise for a couple of years now, and that has to do with trust building. People expect a one-to-one relationship with brands, and having their questions answered.
That has also cleared the ground for video influencers, who have taken an important role in promoting brand and product value.
- Facebook videos have increased 360% across everyone’s newsfeed (AdAge)
- Millennials prefer YouTube to TV by nearly two times (ComScore)
- LinkedIn is investing in video (LinkedIn)
- Facebook Live videos are watched 3x longer than standard videos.
- 85 % of Facebook video is watched without sound
Live feedback provides the necessary safety for product launch, creates expectation and helps solving concerns real-time. Is there a better way than live communication for brands to understand what their audiences want?
AI to increase productivity
Artificial Intelligence is also to be considered, as it’s changing not only our devices, but the way we use them. 3D product videos and 3D frames are a loud call to start implementing AI to increase productivity and support creativity. Quicker production in smaller time is the dream of a lifetime. Well, AI assisted tools like Pencil are making it happen.
Further, Adobe Sensei is able to make decisions based in thoroughly processed data. Displaying products based on users’ metadata, adjusting sales strategies and real-time experience personalization are just a glimpse, let aside its amazing intelligent graphic features. Trying and testing different creative directions has never been so easy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRj7m66ehSw&list=PL7Fkn3UclHZMv-xlq36rFjrhl31IRn8Rf
Adobe Sensei.
Winter seems to be coming for traditional content creation. The irruption of AI tools urges them to move along. Those who do not start adapting to AI will find themselves in serious competitive disadvantage.
Recap
The keys to a successful product launching:
- Stay aligned with launch objectives. Rather than an extra task on product launching, content is a tool for a well-defined purpose. Content is just as important as the product.
- Speed to Market: Innovation is all about speed and timing. Content has to follow the trends, because the digital world is now user-centered. The last thing you want is to be disconnected from your audience or assuming you know it. Staying out of date is a frequent problem requiring quick attention. It’s either you, or your competitors.
- Engaging content: Select and prioritize the content that will create conversation. Checking your metrics regularly will help you determine what works and what can be improved. Otherwise, your website will become a nice old picture on the wall (with lots of secret admirers).
Digital Content Trends in a nutshell
Content trends should always be taken as a whole, and the points explained above are nothing but different reflections of a wider shift happening everywhere, right now.
Reading between the lines of these content trends leads to some interesting conclusions showing the way to follow in the short term:
- Virtual photography turns out to be more economical than having a dedicated team, yet its profitability is much higher in the long term.
- 3D technology is time AND money saving. It allows advertising products at a large scale before even producing them, which increases ROI, CTR, and provides competitive advantage.
- 3D videos provide a closer look on products, reduce users’ questions and concerns, increase engagement and sales. They also provide more accurate expectations, which lowers down returns and refunds.
- Live streaming is taking over, and social media platforms are shifting accordingly. Not only they enhance the human side of brands, but also encourage communication and live feedback. Therefore, they have tremendous potential for flash promotions, product reviews and value-enabling events such as webinars and Q/A sessions.
All in all, we can see content trends are driven by psychological processes. Visual is engaging. But so is personal contact, and the feeling of being listened to. That’s where the internet, and especially e-commerce, seem to go.A closer look on products and a closer relationship with brands only leads to the basics of the human spirit: observation and trust.
