Personally, all I know about online videos is that I like watching them.
As a copywriter I spend so much time writing and editing words, that when I watch a video – for research purposes, obviously – it’s a welcome break to the content of a site. They tell me what the company do before I’ve even had the chance to read about it. And if they’re done well, then I start to value the importance of an organisation. That’s when I’ll start reading. I’m just one of the average internet users who watch 186 videos in a month (true story), so it’s unsurprising that site visitors are 84% more likely to buy your product if there’s a video on your site.
1. They are sparkly
Think of your website visitors as magpies. I know that’s what I am when I visit a page. I instantly go for the video because it’s like a sparkly piece of information. Therefore I’m spending more time on the site, and I am told by the video why this is potentially a good thing. Considering the average internet user spends just 1 minute and 12 seconds on each of the 2,417 sites they look at a month, the fact that a video can make them stay on your site for up to 2 minutes longer, is a pretty big deal.
2. They showcase your best work
As the the site owner, you can pick the projects you’re proudest of. You don’t even have to spend a long time explaining how you completed them. Sometimes just a snapshot of people enjoying what you’ve made, using it, making it their own, is what your clients want to see. They don’t want to be told what to do, they want you to empower them to do what the people in your video are enjoying.
3. They can split up content
If you don’t think your site visitors want to read big chunks of text, which in truth no quick-scanning, market-savvy customer does, then a video is the perfect way of minimising the word content by replacing them with a video. You don’t even need interviews or a script to do this, sometimes just showing is better than telling, and videos do this better than pictures. After all, 60% of viewers prefer video to text.
4. They drive focus
If you’ve got a corner of your website that you don’t think is getting enough attention, put a video on it. The play button is ever so tempting for regular site surfers, even if they’re not sure why they pressed it in the first place, if your video is good, they’ll know by the end of it that they want your product. If you’re selling something you know others can’t do without your help, then showing a client how you can do it for them puts them instantly at ease.
5. They add audio, colour, and personality
If you feel your website is quite one dimensional, then there’s no better way to add your personality to it than by using a video. Your website will probably have a set colour theme, which your photos will most likely reflect, but you don’t have to stick to in your video. The music you like, and what fits with the timing of the video, all brings out the personality of your company.
So if you’re still unconvinced by the marketing power of videos, I’ll just throw a link to one in for you to play with … to see what our video victorious Production Team have been up to, click here!
References: Three Motion – online video stats
