John CarterJohn Carter

Video is expected to make up 80 percent of all Internet traffic by 2019, according to a study by information technology and networking giant Cisco.

Humans can read on average 200 words per minute but can comprehend video at 30 images per second.

Try flashing a picture in front of someone for one second, then show 200 words on a page for the same amount of time. You can guess how much more information will be retained by looking at the picture.

Studies have shown that consumers prefer to watch a video about a product or service by a ratio of four to one.

Consumers prefer to watch a video about a product or service by a ratio of four to one.

Over 60 percent of initial impressions now occur on mobile devices, often on a five-inch screen. Would you rather read or watch on a screen of that size?

Mobile spend by digital marketers was up 69 percent year-over-year in 2016, according to IgnitionOne’s Q4 Digital Marketing Report. Also, mobile interactions in Q4 2016 grew by 25 percent while desktop decreased by 13 percent. Desktop still holds a slight lead though at 54 percent of all visitors.

More than 60% of marketers and small business owners plan to increase investment in video marketing in 2017.

Many successful businesses, however, are still not using professionally scripted and produced video marketing content, referred to as concept video.

Technology has had a big impact on the production of engaging video, cutting the cost by 50 percent compared to 10 years ago.

Script and concept are key to success. Don’t hire a video production company, instead hire a marketer/writer that produces commercial video.

Your script and produced video should hit the following marks:

1. Grab the viewer’s attention immediately – this is not a “one-size-fits-all” proposition, shoot for your immediate market.

2. Build trust – if the customer trusts it, they’re likely to buy/engage.

3. Build emotion – remember that buying decisions are made with emotion.

4. Explain the winning or losing proposition – make it very clear what the viewer will gain if they buy/engage and what will be lost if they don’t.

5. Make it easy to buy/engage – clearly, explain or show how to buy/engage with you.

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John Carter is president of Potomac Digital Group, a script to screen video production agency in Alexandria, VA.