Deciding to have video on your website is just the beginning. Use this quick guide on purposes, placements and filming techniques to put your company's benefits into clear focus.
The explosive popularity and recent growth of video on the web has been well documented. In a 2007 study conducted by Advertising.com, 62 percent of consumers said they regularly view streaming video content online, and according to the Online Publishers Association (OPA), 44 percent of consumers have taken some action as a result of viewing an online video ad.
The advantages of video are clear; it's a way to differentiate your website from competitors, it allows companies to leverage existing marketing investments such as television commercials or taped speeches and it addresses the large percentage of consumers who are visually oriented and will almost always choose to watch a video rather than read.
But, like anything new, few precedents have been set in terms of how to best utilize video to your company's advantage. Following are some recommendations for types of video and where to put them:
- Welcome video from the president, CEO, general manager or other spokesperson. This video should tell visitors what they can expect to find on the website, and why they should stay and look around. This type of video should be placed on the home page, and it should be short, to the point and upbeat in nature. The goal is to make visitors feel comfortable and to establish a personal connection.
- Videos of personnel, key managers or heads of departments. People are interested in watching other people. Companies should use this natural interest to give key personnel the opportunity to introduce themselves and tell a little bit about their department or product/service sector. These types of videos should be on the various department pages, or in the “About the Company” pages. The goal is to further educate visitors and encourage them to make direct contact.
- Videos of current "specials." Whether product or service oriented, these can go on the home page or on the appropriate sections of the website that showcase the products and services in question. In effect, producing short videos is like having an online, targeted commercial. Another good idea is to incorporate a “web only” special that makes your website visitors feel like they are getting an extra special deal. These types of videos should be changed or updated frequently and be close to a link or text that is a call for action to visitors.
- Leverage existing commercials or other marketing videos. If your company has television commercials, it's obvious that you should maximize your investment by placing this footage on your website. If company personnel give speeches at a conference or conduct a sales seminar somewhere, make sure that they are filmed and a video highlighting key points of their presentations is produced and loaded onto your site. The goal is to reinforce branding and marketing messages.
- Videos of the facility/offices. If you have a nice workplace, show it off! For one thing, an attractive or large facility exudes a level of professionalism that secures in the customer mind that you are able to deliver what is promised, and that you're not operating out of a garage somewhere. Also, displaying pride in your company promotes enthusiasm in the customer's mind.
- Videos of happy customers and other testimonials. “They say” always carries more weight than “we say,” so if at all possible, get some videos produced of your happiest customers and load them onto the site. The goal is to convince customers that choosing your products or services is a smart decision!
Online video options (hint: anything but YouTube!)
Now you know where to put videos on your website, you may be wondering how to get it there.