5 top video trends for 2020

Video is today’s premier communications tool.

“Look no further than the growing popularity of visual search and visual devices like Amazon’s Alexa Echo or Facebook’s new ‘Portal’ video device,” says videographer Lou Bortone. “Video is only going to accelerate this year, and it pays to get a jump on the hottest trends and tools.”

Here are five you can expect to see more of this year:

1. RIP the “like” button. Instagram is the latest big social media channel to limit the power of the “like” button—and that’s a good thing, Bortone says.

“We’ve become too obsessed with vanity metrics such as ‘likes’ or number of views on YouTube,” he says. “The only metric that really matters is engagement.”

Watch time is a good indicator of engagement. “That’s why you’ll start to see YouTube and Facebook algorithms focusing more on watch time this year,” says Bortone.

His advice is to concentrate on creating compelling content that keeps viewers on your channel. “Stop chasing ‘likes,’ and start trying to be more likable,” he says.