May 11, 2021
Nathan Yerian
How much video does your website currently use? If the answer is very little, then my friend, this video is for you!
Obviously in 2021, if your website isn’t clearly communicating your value, not only is it not doing its job, it’s losing sales opportunities.
When a prospective customer comes to your website, they are looking for information, and if they don’t find what they are looking for fast, they are gone, possibly FOREVER.
Let’s face it, audience attention spans are shorter than ever. Add the intensified push for on-demand content and what you are left with is a perfect case for an improved message delivery vehicle for your website.
Of course video is the best option to maintain attention, increase retention and even move website visitors to action. But, what isn’t always as clear is which types of video should you create? Or, equally important, where you should use them on your site?
That’s what we'll cover as we explore the 5 videos every website SHOULD have.
Video can improve your visitor’s web experience by allowing them to absorb compelling information about your offering, which in turn increases your chances of landing your next customer. Keep in mind that these 5 video types work as a system on your website; each one leading a visitor further into their buyer’s journey, and if done right, leading to a purchase with you.
Let's get started with the first and most obvious video...
1. Your Brand Overview Video
Alright, let’s kick things off with your brand overview video. This is hands down the number 1 type of video that companies elect to create, and you may be surprised to find out, it’s probably the least valuable on this list for reasons I will get to in a minute.
In short, your brand overview video is your opportunity to quickly let a website visitor understand who you are, who you work with, and the value delivered in your products, or services. It is a quick introduction that lets the right visitors know that they are in the right place and gives them a bit of direction on where they may want to go next on the site as they look for their solution. Ok, so this sounds pretty good, so why did I say that it was the least valuable?
Although an overview video will absolutely help a visitor understand who you are and what you offer, at the end of the day, it is just an overview. It doesn’t specifically address a market you serve, or a specific problem you solve, or how you compare to other solutions in the market. Overview videos are generally broad in focus, which makes them void of the fine details a visitor will need to truly consider buying.
There are definitely benefits in creating this type of video, hence why it is on the list. BUT, marketers today need to drastically broaden their application of video and compliment their overview video with the 4 additional website video types we are about to explore.
When it comes to overview videos, they are best used on the home page of your site to maximize the number of new visitors that view it, formally introducing them to your brand. Our recommendation is to use it in the banner area of the home page and ensure that it succinctly answers the question of what you offer, to whom and highlights the benefits.
2. Product or Service Videos
In short, your brand overview video is your opportunity to quickly let a website visitor understand who you are, who you work with, and the value delivered in your products, or services. It is a quick introduction that lets the right visitors know that they are in the right place and gives them a bit of direction on where they may want to go next on the site as they look for their solution. Ok, so this sounds pretty good, so why did I say that it was the least valuable?
Although an overview video will absolutely help a visitor understand who you are and what you offer, at the end of the day, it is just an overview. It doesn’t specifically address a market you serve, or a specific problem you solve, or how you compare to other solutions in the market. Overview videos are generally broad in focus, which makes them void of the fine details a visitor will need to truly consider buying.
There are definitely benefits in creating this type of video, hence why it is on the list. BUT, marketers today need to drastically broaden their application of video and compliment their overview video with the 4 additional website video types we are about to explore.
When it comes to overview videos, they are best used on the home page of your site to maximize the number of new visitors that view it, formally introducing them to your brand. Our recommendation is to use it in the banner area of the home page and ensure that it succinctly answers the question of what you offer, to whom and highlights the benefits.
2. Product or Service Videos
Product, or Service videos are the easy button for a website visitor to understand the features and benefits of one of your individual offerings. This is your opportunity to stand out and hopefully eliminate the competition early in the buying process.
In a perfect world, your website has a video for every product or service that you offer. This way, when a potential customer is reviewing their buying options, they’re able to clearly understand the value of what you offer, which hopefully eliminates some of the competition who do not make their value as clear, or are readily available.
Obviously, these videos should be on their corresponding product, or service pages, generally in the banner area, or another area on that page that will receive a lot of attention, giving them the maximum potential to be consumed.
3. Comparison Videos
In a perfect world, your website has a video for every product or service that you offer. This way, when a potential customer is reviewing their buying options, they’re able to clearly understand the value of what you offer, which hopefully eliminates some of the competition who do not make their value as clear, or are readily available.
Obviously, these videos should be on their corresponding product, or service pages, generally in the banner area, or another area on that page that will receive a lot of attention, giving them the maximum potential to be consumed.
3. Comparison Videos
A comparison video is a testimony to how you are different from the competition. Stick up your product, or service side by side with the competition and show your audience why you are the only real option that should be considered.
If you have a lot of product options to choose from, creating comparison videos that explain the differences between your products may also help a buyer know which specific product is right for them. This can further eliminate obstacles to making a decision and helping you get to a sale faster.
Remember that the buying process is all about eliminating options. Your website visitor is already comparing your product, or service to the competition and maybe even evaluating your available options against each other.
A buyer left to their own devices will decide how a comparison plays out. Comparison videos are a great way to frame how a comparison should be conducted and give you the opportunity to present which product, or service should be used and when. This gives you the chance to present yourself as THE solution for the right buyer and not just another option.
This type of video should also be used on relevant product, or service pages. Because a visitor needs to already be considering the offering before this is relevant, it should exist below the main description and feature/benefit area (or if you are applying what you learn, below the Product, or Service video). This allows the visitor to understand the product/service fully before you offer a comparison to other buying options.
4. Conversion Point Videos
If you have a lot of product options to choose from, creating comparison videos that explain the differences between your products may also help a buyer know which specific product is right for them. This can further eliminate obstacles to making a decision and helping you get to a sale faster.
Remember that the buying process is all about eliminating options. Your website visitor is already comparing your product, or service to the competition and maybe even evaluating your available options against each other.
A buyer left to their own devices will decide how a comparison plays out. Comparison videos are a great way to frame how a comparison should be conducted and give you the opportunity to present which product, or service should be used and when. This gives you the chance to present yourself as THE solution for the right buyer and not just another option.
This type of video should also be used on relevant product, or service pages. Because a visitor needs to already be considering the offering before this is relevant, it should exist below the main description and feature/benefit area (or if you are applying what you learn, below the Product, or Service video). This allows the visitor to understand the product/service fully before you offer a comparison to other buying options.
4. Conversion Point Videos
Your web visitor has seen the benefit of working with you and is about to raise their hand and ask a question, request pricing, sign up for a demo, or even make a purchase… they just need a little nudge and reassurance that they are making a good decision. That’s where conversion videos come in.
Think about it; anyone on your landing, or conversion page already knows who you are and what you are offering. They are at a fork in the road. They will either initiate contact with you, or they won’t. As marketers, we need to do everything in our power to ensure that they do.
Your conversion point vidoes need to empathize with your potential buyer’s challenges, show that you understand where they are coming from and that you can help them get to where they want to be. They need to understand what the next steps look like and then, and only then can you reasonably ask them to take the step... with you.
These videos are dedicated to landing, or conversion pages. If the point of a page is to encourage a form to be submitted, a call to be placed, or a purchase to occur, these videos will increase your rate of success.
5. Case Study Videos
Think about it; anyone on your landing, or conversion page already knows who you are and what you are offering. They are at a fork in the road. They will either initiate contact with you, or they won’t. As marketers, we need to do everything in our power to ensure that they do.
Your conversion point vidoes need to empathize with your potential buyer’s challenges, show that you understand where they are coming from and that you can help them get to where they want to be. They need to understand what the next steps look like and then, and only then can you reasonably ask them to take the step... with you.
These videos are dedicated to landing, or conversion pages. If the point of a page is to encourage a form to be submitted, a call to be placed, or a purchase to occur, these videos will increase your rate of success.
5. Case Study Videos
And now, the most valuable video you can have on your website, and possibly in your entire marketing arsenal… [drum roll] Case Study, videos!
Let’s put it this way, any content where your customer is presenting your value for you is Solid Marketing Gold.
These videos tell the story of the challenges your ideal customers faced, how they selected you as the best option and ultimately, what results they saw after becoming YOUR customer.
The goal is to collect success stories from your customers that tell the perfect informational and emotional story of why you are the best option in the market.
Sure, people need information about what was purchased and the results that followed to make a decision, but this video format provides so much more! Every one of your customers was challenged by something. They had a problem that they needed to solve and when YOU solved it, there was an emotional relief. That emotion captured on camera is something your competition can’t fake. It is a real competitive advantage. Buyers that want to experience what your customers have experienced have NO OTHER OPTION but to become a customer.
That is the power of case study videos!
Now where to put them! These should be used in as many places as possible! Because they tell the story through the whole buyer’s journey, they are relevant to every visitor that matches your ideal customer profile that comes trying to solve their problem.
Use case study videos on the home page, the associated product, or service pages, the associated industry or market page, hell, even create a “success story” section on your website so they can live on their own section of your site. Trust me when I say that they can be that important and effective.
If used correctly, these 5 website videos will help you seamlessly deliver a perfect presentation of the information your website visitor needs to become a customer. They work as a system, each one connecting with a buyer at a different stage of their journey and giving them everything they need to move to the next stage.
Used as a system and these videos will help you attract, convince and convert your ideal customers faster and more efficiently.
Using a website video system like this will also help you improve the quality of the sales leads coming from your website. By providing this depth of information you are more quickly allowing visitors to qualify themselves as a potential customer.
Let’s put it this way, any content where your customer is presenting your value for you is Solid Marketing Gold.
These videos tell the story of the challenges your ideal customers faced, how they selected you as the best option and ultimately, what results they saw after becoming YOUR customer.
The goal is to collect success stories from your customers that tell the perfect informational and emotional story of why you are the best option in the market.
Sure, people need information about what was purchased and the results that followed to make a decision, but this video format provides so much more! Every one of your customers was challenged by something. They had a problem that they needed to solve and when YOU solved it, there was an emotional relief. That emotion captured on camera is something your competition can’t fake. It is a real competitive advantage. Buyers that want to experience what your customers have experienced have NO OTHER OPTION but to become a customer.
That is the power of case study videos!
Now where to put them! These should be used in as many places as possible! Because they tell the story through the whole buyer’s journey, they are relevant to every visitor that matches your ideal customer profile that comes trying to solve their problem.
Use case study videos on the home page, the associated product, or service pages, the associated industry or market page, hell, even create a “success story” section on your website so they can live on their own section of your site. Trust me when I say that they can be that important and effective.
If used correctly, these 5 website videos will help you seamlessly deliver a perfect presentation of the information your website visitor needs to become a customer. They work as a system, each one connecting with a buyer at a different stage of their journey and giving them everything they need to move to the next stage.
Used as a system and these videos will help you attract, convince and convert your ideal customers faster and more efficiently.
Using a website video system like this will also help you improve the quality of the sales leads coming from your website. By providing this depth of information you are more quickly allowing visitors to qualify themselves as a potential customer.
BUT, it also works in reverse, enabling visitors that should NOT be your customer to more quickly disqualify themselves. With more of the right people qualified and more of the wrong people disqualifying themselves before they get to your sales team, your lead quality, along with your close rate will increase.
You have a choice to make; either be the source of your ideal customer's information gathering process, or allow your competitors to fill that void. What will you decide?
You have a choice to make; either be the source of your ideal customer's information gathering process, or allow your competitors to fill that void. What will you decide?