Before video doorbells were must-have gadgets, doorbells used to simply make noise. Then came the powerful combination of video and IoT. By layering IoT video surveillance on top of these products, homeowners could not only hear when someone was at their door, they could interact with their device and see who is there…and even talk to them! 

By engaging with live video feeds or recordings from their doorbell, homeowners are getting exactly what they want – a high-quality, easy way to stay connected to the things they care about most. When done right, video paired with IoT does exactly that. 

Just how engaging is video surveillance in IoT? And what factors are must-haves in a successful connected video solution? Let’s dive in. 

Video: The Ultimate Engagement Tool 

Smart doorbells are just one example of the many IoT products that have been transformed by video, and it’s not just device manufacturers that can leverage their power. Video has the power to elevate services already available, as well as create new ones. 

Why video? It’s simple – video surveillance offers a level of engagement that no other medium can. The ultimate goal of a successful consumer IoT product is to provide consumers with a beneficial purpose they otherwise wouldn’t have access to. 

According to a Wyzowl survey, 89% of people say a video has convinced them to buy a product or service and 51% say they are more likely to share video with their friends than any other type of content. The survey also found that people watch 17 hours of online video content per week on average. 

The IoT market reflects video’s influential power as well. Research firm Parks Associates reports that networked cameras and smart video doorbells will “continue steady growth due to persistent popularity and clear security use cases,” with a projected $3.8 billion in sales revenue by 2027. 

Unlocking the Benefits of Video Across the Board 

 The possibilities for video in IoT extends far beyond doorbells and security cameras. Everyone from consumer device manufacturers, to insurance carriers, energy companies and beyond can tap into the power of video to drive additional user engagement in their app. By pairing video with other products like smart sensors, consumers are now able to: 

• Be notified and see when kids are coming or going from school 

• Check the work done by service technicians in the household 
• See when packages are delivered 
• Combine video and lighting to create smart energy solutions, such as an auto-dimmer based on the brightness in the home 
• Enable the use of video in auto-insurance claims, enabling an insurance claim to begin  

How can video streaming augment existing Smart Home device experiences? Take a birding app for example. This app may provide avid birders the opportunity to log their findings featuring text and photos. But imagine if users could also pull in video of their sighting, perhaps even real-time feeds pulled in from IoT-enabled birdfeeders or similar devices. Adding video allows users to add sound and interactive elements to drive a community experience. 

Formula for Success for Smart Home Devices

 In a world where you can get everything instantly, including video streamed on the go, why wouldn’t you want to be connected to your most important assets from anywhere? Video is a powerful tool in creating a seamless, fast, and easy customer experience for any app or product looking to differentiate their offering. The key is building it successfully with an intuitive experience in mind for users.

To be successful and drive engagement, video solutions must be: 

• High-quality 
• Easy to integrate with other devices 
• Fit use cases consumers care about most 

While these factors create the “full package” for engagement in connected devices, some companies may decide it’s not worth their time or budget and ditch the project altogether, leaving valuable consumer benefits and business insights on the table. 

Pepper Makes It Easy 

Pepper’s turnkey Platform as a Service (PaaS) can help. Pepper has the expertise and teams already in place to hit the ground running and enhance your app’s user experience with real-time video and add-on services. Partners can tap into our secure IoT platform, with any device and any protocol, to realize the benefits of Pepper’s feature set. 

The benefits don’t stop at the ability to integrate real-time video. Pepper offers upsell services that enhance the customer experience and overall engagement, while creating new revenue streams enabling partners to monetize over time. Through Pepper’s white labeled app, add-on services like video storage can be sold to end users through recurring monthly payments creating added value throughout the IoT journey. 

The power of video in smart home devices is undeniable. Contact Pepper today to make sure IoT roadblocks don’t get in the way of your next great product.