WHY YOU NEED A WEBSITE VIDEO
If you aren't using video on your website, you're missing out on an excellent opportunity to improve your web presence and increase visitor engagement. Adding a website video lets you quickly and effectively communicate with your visitors and gain their trust. You've undoubtedly seen the statistics on how much people watch online videos and prefer them over static content. But did you know:
- People spend 2.6X more time on web pages with video than without, improving SEO value and reducing bounce rates.
- Last year, videos were shared on company websites more than any other destination, even more than on social media!
- 86% of video marketers report that having a website video increases traffic to their page.
So once you realize you need to add video content to your website, how do you know which videos are the most effective and where to include them on your site? We'll start you in the right direction with ideas on what website videos to create and the do's and don'ts of utilizing them in your marketing strategy.
WHAT WEBSITE VIDEOS WORK BEST (AND WHERE TO PUT THEM)
As the benefits of website video become more apparent, businesses are increasing their use of homepage videos. The homepage is the first thing visitors see, and a high-quality video can engage viewers right when they enter your site. Homepage videos are incredible assets for building a fast connection with your target audience and are a digital marketing must-have for your website.
That being said, there are several types of video you should consider using. These website videos offer different advantages and can be used on your website homepage and other pages, including Product and Service sections, Support Centers, About Us pages, and even Career sections. Let's touch on some compelling website videos you can create and review a few valuable tips on where and when to use them.
DO create the following website videos:
Introduction Videos-
As we mentioned, introduction videos are a terrific asset. Their main job is welcoming visitors to your website. For this reason, they are most valuable when placed on the homepage, but they can also be effective on an About Us page. They allow viewers to know who you are and what you offer immediately. Introduction videos can establish further interest in your company and inspire visitors to stick around.
Introduction videos are so valuable that Levitate Media has an entire article on exactly why your company website needs one.
These videos should only be about a minute long and so must quickly establish your company's tone. They should intrigue the customer and draw them to investigate your site further. Your introduction video can guide them toward specific pages that offer more details or attempt to secure a sale. Most importantly, they should have a bold call to action that encourages visitors to follow your lead.
- DO Use it on your homepage
- DO Keep it around one minute
- DO Include a strong CTA
Product or Service Demo Videos-
Customers want to understand your product or service before they commit to it. Therefore, these videos aim to show your product or service in action and provide potential customers with all the information they need. Though often used on a homepage, they are equally effective on your support page, where they'll give people answers to product-based questions without a customer service call. Also, they are an obvious fit for your website's product/service section.
Here is an example of a great product video we made with Apollo Smart Packaging that clearly shows the product in action and its unique benefits.
Product and service videos should explain what you offer in great detail and highlight what problem that item solves. Be as informative as you can without being boring. You want to capture your visitor's full attention rather than lull them to sleep. Keep the video between 1 and 2 minutes. Try having individual videos for each service you offer or each item in your product line.
- DO Use it on your support page or product/service page
- DO Keep the video short but detailed
- DO Stick to one video per item rather than a lengthy overview
Explainer Videos-
Explainer videos… explain things. Specifically, they describe something about your business. They can focus on the general purpose of your business or just a tiny part of what you do. Rather than getting into particular details, though, you want this video to be an overall view of how and why your business can help the viewer.
Check out this fun short animated explainer video made for Pavlov Media.
These videos should be less than 2 minutes. They can be fun and work particularly well as animated videos. You should embed them on the homepage "above the fold" so viewers don't have to scroll down to find them or include them on your product/service or about us pages.
- DO Keep it "above the fold"
- DO Keep it short (see a theme here?)
- DO Give animation a try for this one
About Us/Culture Videos-
Visitors to your page want to put a face to your name. They want to learn about the real people your company works with and trust what your brand represents. These website videos must be passionate and can include how your business started, what kind of team you employ, or how your work benefits the community. You want to convey personality, emotion, and humanity behind your team and brand.
Watch this About Us video for Forma Therapeutics, which suits both About Us and Career pages perfectly.
These videos should be warm and welcoming. They can be longer than the other videos so far- up to 2 or 3 minutes long. Keep in mind, About Us and Culture videos should focus on telling your story, not just creating conversions or selling. Obviously, these videos are great to embed in your About Us page. But think about putting them on your Careers page to give potential employees a view of who they'll work with.
- DO Use on About Us and Career pages
- DO Keep the video under 3 minutes
- DO Be sure to convey warmth and humanity
Case Study Videos-
Like a Testimonial video, a Case Study provides social proof. Visitors may need help to trust a business. Showing real clients who validate how well your company helped them solve a problem is critical to gaining that trust. Though both videos can showcase powerful testimony, a Case Study tends to be more in-depth, potentially containing ways to implement your service or product and even including data to quantify your company's value.
This Case Study video made for the Arlington Drive Project shows how facts and human emotion can create a powerful story.
These website videos should be a mix of facts and human emotion. They should feel authentic and not overly rehearsed. Case Study videos make great middle-of-funnel content and are especially useful for B2B sales. Because they are lower down in the funnel, they can be about 5 minutes long or more. You should embed them on product/service pages and blog posts, but consider creating a slideshow gallery or section of your website just for them.
- DO Put several of these on one page if possible
- DO Make them up to 5 minutes long
- DO Ensure authentic testimony
4 Website Video Do’s (And 4 Don'ts)
WEBSITE VIDEO DO’S:
- Take the easy way. You can display your video by uploading it, using code to embed it in a video player on your website, or easily linking an already uploaded video from a hosting platform like YouTube, Wistia, or Vimeo. This easy method is compatible with almost all content management systems and will make your content available on large platforms with millions (or billions) of users.
- Add a button. Create a button on your page to load a pop-up marketing video when clicked. This can be more pleasing to the eye on a crowded or busy website and provides a subtle call to action for the visitor.
- Include a background video. Running a background website video will draw a visitor's attention and create an immediate impact. According to Forbes, including a background video in the hero image of a landing page can increase your conversion rate by 80 percent.
- Make your videos accessible. You want everyone to be able to enjoy your website video. Include subtitles, descriptions, or transcripts with the video. This will ensure better engagement and increase your ranking in search engine results.
WEBSITE VIDEO DON'TS:
- Skimp on high-quality. Your web presence will not improve with a low-quality video. You want your website video to add to your content, not detract from it. Think about lighting and sound when making videos, as they can significantly affect the outcome. If you want professional quality, you might consider hiring a video production company.
- Forget about mobile viewers. These days, most online traffic is from a mobile device. Optimize your website videos for mobile users and consider trying vertical videos. They take up more real estate on mobile view, which makes it easier to view and increases total watch time.
- Neglect where your audience is. Publish your video according to your visitor's journey and their action on your website. If you trigger your video based on a visitors' actions, you will increase KPIs such as play rate and watch time.
- Create slow load times. Make sure your videos won't slow down your load time. Visitors get frustrated and may leave if a page takes longer than a few seconds to load. You can use a third-party video hosting tool to help with this. Also, check out this free Google tool to check your page speed.
CREATING AN EFFECTIVE WEBSITE VIDEO
Having videos on your website is undoubtedly an important asset. However, knowing what website videos to use and where they are best suited requires a little finesse. Hopefully, these tips will get you on your way to building a website with videos that let your business grow.
And if you're still unsure where to start, reach out or book a meeting with Levitate Media for professional guidance. Our skilled team is excited to help you create effective website videos!
