Integrating Video Into Website Design for Better Results

The statistics for online video growth are mind blowing.

According to data released by ComScore, who used their Video Metrix analytics tool to measure the proliferation of online video views across the US in January 2012, 181 million Americans watched more than 40 billion videos in the month.

*A video is defined as any streamed segment of audiovisual content, including both progressive downloads and live streams. For long-form, segmented content, (e.g. television episodes with ad pods in the middle) each segment of the content is counted as a distinct video stream.

However, these top line statistics only really tell us that there is an opportunity and that it is very real. But for a typical small business how can you actually integrate video into your design to get better results?

We will take you through some examples of videos that we think work well on the pages of a site that they have been placed and for the purpose that they have been produced.

With the average internet browser spending just 8 seconds on a site before dropping off, you need to capture their attention fast, and create engaging content to keep them on the site longer. In today?s fast paced world where we don?t all have the time or inclination to read reams of text, video (if used effectively) has been proven to be hugely powerful.

We have produced videos for over 1000 businesses and in some cases we have not seen fantastic results but in the vast majority of cases video does help enhance the user experience enough to improve bottom line sales performance.

Here are just a few specific examples of the improvements that our clients have seen in website performance over the last year using video:

• Virgin Holidays saw a year on year 30% uplift in seat upgrades, which translated to ?3 million revenue
• A credit card company got a 10% increase on take up for a corporate card
• National IT Learning Centre doubled their online sales conversions
• A hotel group had a 170% increase in room upgrades

Where videos have failed to achieve an improvement in performance it was almost always down to the strategy behind the video not being closely enough aligned to the businesses unique proposition.

Video content has the power to capture and engage a target market in a way that no other media has before, and businesses are always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to persuade customers to purchase their products and services. For this reason, creative and professional videos are becoming increasingly popular in web design today.

The visual communication of messages and ideas is constantly being improved as new designers up the game. Video is just another tool in the web designer?s toolkit that will help you achieve the most effective communication of your message.

Video is perfect for communicating ideas in a compelling manner. Of course it needs to be done well, but a human being explaining something often beats a textual explanation. Every website has been created for a reason and if you can verbalise that reasoning then you can communicate it visually.

So ? starting with the Homepage

If we take the homepage of a website as a starting point, bearing in mind the need to capture attention quickly ? a simple ?walk-on? video as an introduction can present heaps of information in just 30 seconds ? equivalent to half a page of text. Which do you think is more attention grabbing? Visitors will see a ?Perfect Pitch? every time, and a friendly human face. All the statistics mentioned above were achieved with just a 30 second overlay presenter.

You can see a web presenter live on the website of the National IT Learning Centre ? here is a screenshot with the presenter on the top left but you should visit the site to see how the video interacts with the design.

Product Pages

Videos are also a great way to gain awareness about a product, particularly if the product is complicated, conceptually new, and/or, digital. Take an example of a customer who has just bought a new camera and wants to learn more about its special features. The customer is far more likely to prefer learning about their new camera whilst watching a video tutorial.

It is important your product pages have all the information the visitor could possibly require to make a purchase ? if the visitor doesn?t have total faith in the product and how it will be of benefit to them ? they will not buy. Nothing is more confidence-inspiring than seeing something virtually ?in-the-flesh?. A great example of this is the use of video on fashion sites.

Compare these two pages:

ASOS?s Lingerie page which includes no video ? although they are using video to fantastic effect on their other product pages.

and Knicker Picker who have a controllable demo video.

Imagine being able to see the garment in your own size, exactly how it fits from all angles and the movement of the fabric. Would you put more trust in the former or the latter?

About Us/Testimonial pages

Businesses can use video to reassure customers and alleviate fears. If you were considering having plastic surgery and didn?t know anyone who had undergone the procedure, then you would likely to want to watch a video about the surgery before committing to it!

In this day and age, constantly advancing technology and the Internet mean that we have the capacity to witness virtually any event across the world, in real time, whilst being thousands of miles away. Given that this capacity exists, we have placed a lot of trust in what we actually witness for ourselves, as opposed to what is just reported back to us. Therefore, actually watching a cosmetic procedure is likely to reassure in a way that reading about the same procedure might not.

Of course, a website for plastic surgery is just one example, but the point is to look at any fears or boundaries the target audience may have, work around it and inspire confidence.

Hubspot are another example of a business using video well. Take a look at the sales video from their site, which quickly helps users to understand what problem they can help you to solve.

Whilst on the subject of reassurance, it?s important to think about testimonial videos too. A testimonial video is a fantastic way of giving potential clients a chance to hear from those who have loved working with you.

Written comments can?t compete with hearing and seeing someone?s passion and appreciation for what you?ve done for them. A testimonial video shows potential customers that the business values past and existing customer?s feedback and has the added benefit of differentiating them from their competitors!

Here are a few good examples of a business using customer testimonials well.

Video can also be a great way to show a company?s personality. People like to buy from people. Take the visitors on a tour around the office/factory/showroom and show them real, likeable individuals ? not just members of a cold, faceless corporation. If you are able to create a sense that the organisation is not only the expert in its field, but also has a passion and love for what they do, it will come across as an irresistible force.

Of course, every website will have specific goals and requirements, so it is a case of looking at where and how video can be used most effectively for you ? these examples are just the tip of the iceberg. I would wager, however, that there is not a single website out there that would not benefit in some way through integrating video. It may be for SEO purposes, increased conversion rates, reduced bounce rates, product demonstration? the key is to work out which part of the site you think would benefit most and then get hold of some great, engaging video content!

Author Bio:

Neil Davidson is the Founder of My Web Presenters, who are a leading Video Production specialist. My Web Presenters work with businesses of all sizes to create and market compelling and emotive video that helps them to communicate with their specific audience.

Source: http://videointerweb.com/2012/03/21/integrating-video-into-website-design-for-better-results/

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