Most experts would agree that when it comes to world wide web, content is king. You can waste your time on various optimizations and introduce revolutionary marketing techniques, but in the end it all comes down to the content you have on your website. Is it powerful enough to attract your audience and keep it there?
Well, it all depends on the medium you choose to present that content to the users. According to a study conducted by Jakob Nielsen from the Nielsen Norman Group, people read only 20% of web content. Keep in mind though, that this is a study from 2008. Chances are that now, ten years later, people read even less. So, how do you get through to people who don’t actually read? Just think about it – if a picture is worth a thousand words, how much do you get from a short video?
Popularity of Video Marketing
The popularity of videos on the internet has significantly grown in the past few years and, according to various sources, this trend will continue in the future. In fact, Cisco predicts that by 2021, 82% of all internet traffic will consist of videos. That’s quite a figure and holds one clear message – if you’re still not using videos to promote your services or products, you should get in on it now. In case you’re still not convinced, here are just a couple of reasons why implementation of videos will, undoubtedly, increase your conversions.
SEO Boost
Obviously, a huge percentage of the websites on the internet are hostages to Google and its ranking system. Over the years, it has become a standard and most businesses do their best to honor its demands and reach the legendary first page in search results. Although only a few people in the world know exactly how Google’s search engine algorithm works, it seems to always be in tune with ongoing trends. It rewards rich content, high-quality images and, of course, videos. A company called Forrester published a study back in 2009 that analyzed the influence of videos on a webpage’s ranking. The results revealed that an indexed video is 50 times more likely to appear on the first page than any plain old text. Simply put, videos improve your SEO simply by existing.
Brand Strengthening
Of course, SEO isn’t the most important thing in the world. Sometimes it’s better to just focus on the company itself and create a memorable brand. There is something called “brand bias,” which states that people are more likely to visit a company whose name they recognize in the search results than the top result whatever it may be. That is an interesting phenomenon that you should always keep in mind.Where does video fit in here? Quite simply, videos are perfect vehicles for branding and they’re a lot more engrossing than regular text. Branding includes creating a visual identity for your company and what better way to do it than through a short, memorable video ad? Add a bit of humor to it and your brand is off to a flying start.
Impressions
Besides all this, videos also seem to work on a psychological level. Having a video on your webpage makes your business seem a lot more trustworthy and reliable. A company called Animoto actually conducted a research on this matter and found out that 58% of consumers think that a company is more trustworthy if it has a video presentation, while 71% of them think that a video leaves a positive impression of a company.So, how do you make a video that will make you seem more professional and trustworthy? First of all, be natural. People love to see the human side of every company. Secondly, make sure your tone is light or humorous throughout, so as not to scare the potential customers. Lastly, present your product or service as clearly and as simply as possible. There is no need to overburden them with complexity. Of course, if you run out of ideas at some point, go ahead and explore the competition to see what are the some of the best examples of video designs out there. They might inspire you to do something even better.
Video Making Tips
Now, all of the elements mentioned above should result in one thing – more conversions for your company. However, you still need to make those videos, so we’ve compiled a list of useful tips to keep in mind at all times.
- Transcription – We’ve already said that videos are great for SEO, but it’s usually a good practice to offer a transcription of the video as well to further improve your ranking.
- Positive Thumbnail – It may seem trivial but choosing a positive and welcoming thumbnail for your video can make a lot of difference. People rely on their first impressions, so use it to your advantage.
- Humor – A company that takes itself way too seriously will appear rigid and unwelcoming to potential customers. A little bit of humor will get you far.
- Keep It Short – There is absolutely no need to drag things out when you’re making a company or product presentation. Explain as much as you can in a couple of minutes and wrap it up. Some viewers will give up at the very beginning if they see it’s a long video.
- Target Audience – Before you make any videos, do your research and find out who your target audience is. If you discover that there are a couple of different groups among them, make separate videos for all of them for maximum effect.
- Call to Action – Don’t forget to end all your videos with a call to action where you summarize everything that was said and tell the viewers what they should do next to support your company.
Time to Press Record
Now that you know all this, it’s time to make your first video and improve your SEO, strengthen your brand, draw in more customers and, of course, end up with more conversions than you’ve ever had. The first step is always the most important one.
