Make Your Website Videos Count

An inviting website will build interest in your business and increase conversions. Adding videos to your website is a proven way to make it more attractive. Well placed, interesting videos engage visitors and spark interest where regular written text cannot. A recent Forbes Advisor article quoted, “Including videos on a website can increase time spent on page by 88%.” While many businesses include videos on their websites, some don’t perform as well as they could.

Here are some tips to make videos work for your business:

Video Content and Placement

The homepage is a good place for a video describing your business, product offerings, and credentials. These work well for increasing brand awareness. Place specific product demos and reviews on product pages. Product demo videos build trust and allow viewers to get as close to the “touch and feel” element as they can. Other types focus on tutorials, testimonials, new products or services, employee introductions, awards and ads for special sales. Some businesses use pop-up thank you videos when a visitor signs up for a newsletter or makes a purchase. These might include information about customer service or offer discounts for future purchases.

Visual Appeal

The video should be short; no more than 2 minutes or so and have visual interest. Use friendly, common language that appeals to your target audience. Show products in the background or cut to product images. Talk as though you are with the viewer. Anticipate questions and answer them in the video. Briefly mention business credentials or experience, and include a call to action, such as where on the website to find more information or how to contact the business. Offer an incentive, such as access to the company newsletter, free estimates, or whatever works for your business.

Some ideas for videos include:

• Product demos or tutorials. If applicable, show it in use so viewers can picture it in their home.
• Video testimonials of satisfied customers.
• Announcements of upcoming sales or special events.
• Educational videos on topics of interest to your target audience.
• Information about community events.
• Product or service comparisons with competitive or substitute products.
• Videos of special interest to the target audience, such as food prep videos for grocery stores, safety tips for sporting goods, or author interviews for bookstores.

Make Sure the Video Loads Quickly

Visitors won’t wait for a video that’s slow to load. Optimize your website so each page and all videos load quickly. Your website designer can help you design each page for fast load times.

Make sure your videos will appear quickly on mobile devices. Limit the amount of small text so mobile users can see all your content easily.

Videos on Social Media and YouTube Drive Traffic to Your Website

While keeping visitors engaged when they visit your site is important, it doesn’t mean much unless they are able to find it. Drive traffic to your site by using social media to your advantage.

Include your video on YouTube as well as all your social media channels. A brief description and title will help the search engine increase your search rankings.

• Videos on YouTube show up more often on Google searches lately. Be sure to include keywords when you post on YouTube to help get your video found.
• Link videos back to your website so visitors can learn more about your business.
• Don’t forget about the videos after you post them! Read and respond to comments. Engaging with viewers builds credibility and gives valuable feedback.

You don’t need to hire a professional to make effective videos. Experiment and create interesting videos using your phone’s camera. You will improve over time and will want to change your videos occasionally to keep interest high. Videos let you express your business’ personality. Include content that you know will appeal to your target audience and convey familiarity easier than by text alone.

Wheaton Website Services will work with you to design a website that represents your business to attract and keep customers. We can optimize your website to accommodate videos and place them effectively. We provide website hosting, website design and website development to hundreds of clients across the globe. Contact us to find out more.

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