If your goal is to increase the revenue generated by your website or blog then video is a tool you should most definitely consider. Video is being used online more and more and we are reaching a stage where video is no longer a luxury; people expect it. Take the analogy of two candidates applying for the same job (in this case, your website and a competitors website are the two candidates). Both have exactly the same qualifications and experience… except one of them has a video explaining their benefits. Who is going to get the job? The answer is the one with the video.
Video has qualities that engage viewers far more effectively than static websites displaying lots of copy. Video is visual which is an immediately convenient factor; people prefer passively watching video to putting effort into reading large amounts of text. Also, video is emotional. If used intelligently it will set off emotional triggers in your audience which could be the difference between a sale and someone leaving your website.
Here I have looked at some long-term and some short-term ways that video can help to increase website revenue and offered some handy practical tips for harnessing these to your advantage.
Long-term benefits of video content
1) Branding
Video, if used well, can do wonders for the profile of your brand. Using video on and off your website will make people more aware of your brand. It will make you visible. Not only will it make your visible, it will make you memorable. This will have a long-term impact on how people engage with your brand.
Brand awareness means that visitors will reach your website with a set of preconceived ideas about what you have to offer. If they like you, they are more likely to buy your product or service.
Tip: Make your video content as original as possible. Also, make sure that your branding is included in your video (this should also include your web address). Any videos you produce should be part of a wider video marketing strategy which should include a distribution plan that involves sharing your videos on sites like YouTube and other social networking platforms.
2) User engagement
User engagement is about your ability to retain visitors once they have reached your website. It is also about how you manage to clearly direct these visitors to the place that you want them to go. You can measure how visitors engage with your website by looking at your bounce rate, pages per visit and the length of time that people stay on your website or webpage.
Video has two major advantages in terms of improving engagement. Firstly, you can decide the emotional response you want from your visitor and then create a video to evoke that particular response. Secondly, video allows you to present your visitor with visual solutions their problems.
Tip: Customer testimonial videos or vox pops reviews of products will engage the emotional faculties of your viewers. Also, they have the potential to answer any practical questions your viewers might have.
– Vox pops style review of a retro iPhone case
3) Trust
Video is a great way to build trust with visitors to your website. Video is a tool that should be utilised as a way for customers to get to know you. The more they know you the more they will trust you and the more likely they are to buy from you. There are different ways that video might inspire trust from a viewer.
Video can be used as a way to ‘train’ your customers in how to use your products or your services. Again, this will impact on trust (and of course sales) because it is a way for the customer to get to know you and they will appreciate the extra advice.
Some research has suggested that conversion rates are improved by the mere presence of video, even if the visitor doesn’t actually click to watch the video! (http://www.reelseo.com/videos-sell-products-watch/)
Tip: Create a product demonstration video. A product demonstration is the best way for your customer to see their potential purchase in action and will answer a lot of their questions quickly. It is another chance for your customer to get to know you and the fact that you have been transparent about what your product can do should inspire trust.
– Product demonstration from the cooking with Jack Show
Short term benefits of video content
1) Conversion rates
Video improves conversion rates. Let’s look at some evidence:
• In August 2010, Comscore reported that visitors to retail sites who watch video stay an average two minutes longer on a website and are 64% more likely to purchase than other visitors.
• In December 2009, ReelSEO reported that Zappo’s had an increase from 6% – 30% in sales for products with video.
• Ebags have reported a 138% higher conversion rate on product detail pages when a customer clicks on a video.
There are a range of video types that you can use to improve your conversion rate:
Product review videos: these are persuasive, practical videos that could help an uncertain visitor make up there mind about whether or not to proceed with a purchase.
Customer testimonial videos: these are more emotional and the goal of them would be to demonstrate to your visitor that other people, just like them, have bought your product and benefited from it – and that ultimately you can be trusted.
Screen capture videos: these are useful for demonstrating software. For example, they could be used to train your customers how to use some of your software. They could also be used to demonstrate the quality of a computer game for example.
Web presenters: these use green screen video technology to place a web presenter on your website. This innovative approach allows you to choose a presenter best suited to your product and brand. Web presenters engage your visitor as soon as they reach your site, reducing your bounce rate and improving your conversion rate.
2) Landing page success
For video to be useful it needs to be used strategically. Consideration should be given to the content of your video. Your video needs a purpose and needs to contribute to a bigger picture goal. The perfect video is useless if it isn’t thoughtfully placed. If you have invested in PPC or other online advertising, you should be looking to use video on your landing page to increase engagement and improve your conversion rate.
Tips: Make sure that your landing page video content is entirely relevant to the link or advert your visitor clicked to get here. Video that is professional, short and concise is generally more effective. Use your video to echo the call to action you are aiming for on your landing page.
So, as you can see, video is very sticky and has the power to dramatically increase the time that visitors spend on your site and your conversion rate.
While video is only one trick in your box of tools to improve your marketing campaigns, it is an extremely important tool and has fast become one of the most effective. Not only is video a great way to engage visitors when they are on your website, it is also a fantastic way to drive visitors to your website in the first place. For this reason, it makes sense to be part of a wider marketing strategy that includes an in depth distribution plan and regular monitoring and evaluation of your achievements.
By Guest Author –Neil Davidson is the Founder of My Web Presenters, who are a leading Video Production specialist. They also run a fantastic video marketing blog giving loads of free tips and ideas on how to make and then market your video content.
