Over the past decade—since the genesis and subsequent ubiquity of video streaming platforms like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and a growing number of others—more and more consumers are favoring video over other forms of content.

This is hugely advantageous for brands willing to embrace video marketing.

A lot of people consider the job application process to be a one-way street: A prospective employee sends in their resume and attempts to impress an employer with their skills, their personality, or a combination of both. If they make a good enough impression, they get the job.

None of us are strangers to the term “company culture.” But it’s not just some fancy buzzword. It’s something that has a far-reaching impact, from how seriously job prospects consider working for you to how customers feel about giving you their money.

When it comes to building your brand, you can’t sleep on video content. At this point, continuing to do so could actually be detrimental to your growth. The video-centric future is here, and the data proves it.

In an episode from the fourth season of Seinfeld, Jerry is seated next to a fashion model named Tia. At her behest, Jerry opens the magazine he's reading to page 146, where he sees her posing, only a washcloth obscuring her otherwise naked body.

Our attention spans are shrinking.

No, seriously. We’ve all gotten really bad at staying focused.

Even as you’re reading this, your mind is probably inclined to wander. There are ads and Black Mirror episodes and emails and animal Instagrams just dying to snatch your attention away—and you clicked into this post willingly.

So imagine, then, what it’s like for your customers debating if they should pull the trigger on your product or service.

There’s no shortcut to successful digital marketing with content. The competition is fierce, and digital marketing leaders must have the ability to cut through the clutter of trends and focus on strategies that produce leads and ROI.

Video content is often expensive to produce. It can cost thousands of dollars for just a few minutes of professional-quality video. Plus, it takes tons of time to brainstorm creative elements, structure, plan, film, and finish post-production—not to mention the time spent promoting. That means you can only make so many videos at one time without blowing your budget.

These days, luxury buyers are researching products more and more before they buy—and not just the products themselves, but the companies who sell them, too. Luckily, this shift means that brands that invest in innovation, creativity, and long-term content assets for their online marketing efforts will reap the rewards.