62% of customers want more video from brands, especially Gen Z and high earners

If you’re talking to customers and want them to listen, say it with video.

A new survey of 2,000 adults in the U.S. and U.K. examined how consumers prefer to receive communications from brands. Among the top takeaways was the desire for video, with 62% of respondents saying they want more video from brands. Gen Z and high earners wanted video even more (79% and 78% respectively) and were more likely to want those videos to be personalized, interactive and customizable.

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“Companies think they’re using video to its full potential, but most aren’t using it to communicate with current customers, despite consumer demand for it”

Other top findings include:

• 52% of respondents name email as their preferred communications channel. However, this is driven primarily by older consumers and trending downward. Twice as many Gen Xers said email was their favorite channel compared to Gen Z.
• Video shines when it comes to communicating complicated information. Respondents were 3.5x more likely to prefer video when a brand needs to explain something complex, such as details of a new program or service they signed up for.
• Compared to generic videos, personalized videos make customers 4x more likely to stay customers. This preference remained true even for respondents who preferred text over generic video. This group ranked personalized video as the best content to make them feel valued and likely to recommend the brand.

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Growing demand for advanced video tech among Gen Z and high earners

Perhaps the study’s most surprising finding is the similarity in preferences between two of the highest value consumer segments — Gen Z and high earners.

For example, while most people who responded said they wanted personalized video, zoomers and high earners wanted it the most. Compared to other demographics, they were also more likely to want advanced video functionality like interactivity and user customization.

• Gen Z and high earners were 40% and 61% (respectively) more likely to want personalized video.
• Gen Z and high earners were 59% and 47% (respectively) more likely to want video interactivity.
• Gen Z and high earners were 69% and 33% (respectively) more likely to want videos they could customize.

But despite consumer interest, video, particularly advanced video, is severely underused as a communications tool. Nearly 75% of respondents say they rarely or never receive video from brands.

“Companies think they’re using video to its full potential, but most aren’t using it to communicate with current customers, despite consumer demand for it,” said Yotam Benami, Idomoo CMO. “That untapped demand — especially for advanced video functionality among high-value demographics — is an opportunity for brands to capture attention and improve their CX.”