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Trends can be fascinating, often emerging unexpectedly from creative minds eager to explore new challenges. While some trends, like nature photography and the increasing demand for video content and mobile-friendly websites, are here to stay, others—such as planking and the Harlem Shake—rise and fall quickly (thankfully!).
As a video creator, you’re constantly exposed to trends in both your professional work and everyday life. Keeping up can be tricky, especially when many trends vanish after just a few weeks, potentially wasting your time. To help you stay on top of what’s important and ensure your content remains fresh and relevant, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 video trends that are set to dominate in 2024.
Ready to level up your content? Here are the video trends you’ll want to watch out for this year:
1. Vlogging
Vlogging has evolved significantly from its early days as a simple source of entertainment (remember how odd it seemed to see someone talking to a camera in public just a few years ago?). In 2024, vlogging is poised to be one of the biggest video trends. However, modern vlogging is a far cry from its humble beginnings. Becoming a successful vlogger now requires more than just good lighting and a pleasant voice.
Today, vlogging is all about sharing your global adventures with your audience. It’s like a travel video but with a personal touch. This mix of captivating visuals and authentic stories is what makes vlogs so attractive. Viewers enjoy exploring the sights while forming a connection with the creator, which leads to a loyal audience for your content.
2. The great outdoors
The great outdoors is making a huge comeback in the media, becoming one of the top video and photography trends for 2024. Many videographers are eager to explore remote locations worldwide to capture breathtaking visuals.
While this content isn’t new, its popularity continues to soar. Every outdoor video inspires more creators to chase their adventurous dreams, fueling the trend even further. Brands are also jumping on the bandwagon, sponsoring trips and paying creators to feature their products in these captivating videos.
3. Non-horizontal videos
The launch of IGTV in mid-2018 brought a major shift in video creation, with many predicting that vertical videos would become the new norm. However, the initial excitement faded, and a year later, the platform started supporting landscape videos as well. Still, IGTV and social media have had a significant impact on how we create, share, and consume videos.
While most videographers still prefer shooting content horizontally, they’re now experimenting with different creative styles for online sharing. Vertical and square video formats are set to be one of the biggest trends of 2024 as creators aim to stand out in crowded social media feeds. These clips are often shorter, cropped versions of full videos available on the creator’s website or platforms like YouTube or Vimeo.
4. Drones
Since ancient times, humans have dreamed of experiencing the world from a bird’s-eye view. Today, that dream has become a reality, all from the comfort of our homes, thanks to the rise in popularity of camera drones. Drones have quickly become a favorite tool for both photographers and videographers.
Drones are particularly valuable in video creation for capturing wide shots, such as establishing and long shots. These shots help creators set the scene and showcase breathtaking vistas. The unique perspective and stunning visuals make drone footage one of the most popular video trends of the year.
5. Hyperlapses
Hyperlapses are similar to timelapses, capturing photos at set intervals. However, unlike timelapses, hyperlapses involve continuous camera movement over longer distances.
Although hyperlapses were a major video trend around 2014, they’re making a strong comeback. If trends can return, so can hyperlapses!
Initially gaining popularity thanks to advancements in smartphones and powerful photography apps, hyperlapses are now being used professionally in event, commercial, and travel videos. This technique allows creators to tell more engaging stories and stand out in today’s crowded video landscape.
6. Live Streaming
Live streaming took the internet by storm after Facebook Live launched in 2016. While the initial excitement may have faded, live streaming has remained popular and solidified its place in the industry, with its full potential still to be realized. As creators continue to explore new ways to use live streaming, it’s set to be a top video trend in 2024.
Live streaming has become a favorite tool for creators to connect with their audiences in real time, offering opportunities for live Q&A sessions and sharing tips. Streams are often announced a few hours in advance to build anticipation and ensure a strong turnout.
7. Educational videos
Online learning has gained massive popularity across various fields, and this trend is continuing to grow. While educational videos and tutorials have been around for years, 2024 is witnessing a surge due to a new wave of expert instructors.
Social media now enables professionals from all industries to share their expertise worldwide and build strong followings. Many of these experts are creating online workshops and video courses to offer more in-depth lessons. With tools like Wix Video, they can easily sell subscriptions and educational videos directly, bypassing the need for third-party platforms.
8. Ephemeral stories
Ephemeral content on social media has played a key role in expanding video creation among non-professional videographers. Platforms like Instagram Stories give creators across various fields the freedom to experiment with video without the pressure of producing content that meets portfolio standards. Since viewers don’t expect these short-lived clips to be as high-quality as those on main feeds, creators can share spontaneous moments.
Often, ephemeral videos are used for sneak peeks, unfinished clips, and quick updates, keeping audiences engaged and in the loop. With engagement now being crucial in creative fields, this type of content has become one of the top video trends for 2024.
9. Muted videos
Even if you spend hours selecting the perfect free music for your videos, keep in mind that many viewers will watch without sound. Just a few years ago, ignoring audio would have been unthinkable, but today it’s the norm on social media. This shift started with Facebook’s autoplay feature, which plays videos silently by default—a change quickly adopted by other platforms.
While muted videos aren’t necessarily a trend, adapting to this viewing style will be crucial in 2024. Start by planning for silent viewing during the shot list stage, so you can keep audiences engaged even without audio. If your video contains spoken parts, be sure to add subtitles. This not only keeps viewers hooked but also ensures accessibility for people with hearing impairments.
10. Search Engine Optimization
If you’ve already set up a video website, you’re probably familiar with SEO. If not, try one of these free videographer website templates and create your site once you’re done reading this.
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, ensures that your content appears on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. While SEO initially focused on written content, AI has now enabled Google to find relevant video clips to display as previews in search results.
Ranking at the top of search results gives creators a huge boost, making SEO an essential video trend. To make your videos easier to find, use relevant keywords in the title and description, and add a transcript if there’s any spoken dialogue.
Curious about SEO? Check out this video SEO guide for an in-depth look at best practices.
Conclusion
In 2024, the world of video content is more dynamic than ever, with trends constantly evolving how creators engage with their audiences. From immersive drone shots to interactive live streaming, the rise of educational videos, and innovative formats like vertical and square videos, there’s a trend for every type of storyteller. Embracing these top video trends can help you stay relevant, connect with viewers, and take your craft to new heights.
As we move forward, keep an eye on these trends and think about how they can add value to your content. Adapting to these changes can help your work stand out in the crowded digital space, building a loyal and engaged audience. Here’s to a year filled with creativity, innovation, and impactful video content!
