Increasingly, we find ourselves suggesting and utilizing more and more online video for our client’s campaigns. Whether you’re using online video for a business introduction, product launch, customer testimonial, or tips and advice, it’s the most personal medium available. We love it for many reasons. Here are just a few:
1. Taking Offline to Online: With online video, all forms of media can instantly direct and connect consumers to video on multiple devices. Remember to use all forms of your advertising to accomplish this goal—if you’re doing print, show a QR code linked to video. If you’re using radio or TV, drive them online with a URL that’s easy to recall & spell—and connect prospects to your video for maximum impact.
2. On Demand: Online video is available any time, any where, on any internet-capable device. Accordin to comScore, 89 million people in the United States are going to watch 1.2 billion online videos today.
3. Emotional Connection: It not only helps branding efforts, it provides a personal, emotional connection. If you’ve seen someone in a video–then meet them in person–you feel like you already know them.
4. Improved Search Rankings: Using/embedding video on your web site can enhance search engine rankings. In fact, Forrester Research has found that videos are 53 times more likely than traditional web pages to receive an organic first-page ranking on Google.
5. More Qualified Leads: Using video as an sales tool to help your prospects learn more about your products/services can ensure that they are more educated before you call or arrive, thus better qualified prospects.
6. Higher Conversion Rates: Fifty-five percent of marketers report increased click-through rates in emails sent with video as compared to emails without video (StreamSend). And according to Internet Retailer, visitors who view product videos are 85% more likely to buy than visitors who do not.
7. Training: Training videos are an excellent way to provide educational insight for your customers and employees alike. Instead of continually repeating instructions for a task, shoot an instructional video once and it can serve as a resource moving forward. I just discovered a new tool called SnagIt that allows you to do video screen recordings for quick and simple training videos–love it! Unless something major changes with your process, systems or tools, only minor future updates are necessary.
8. Customer Testimonials: When your customers say it, it’s much more meaningful! Seeing & hearing the great things others say about you or your business is perhaps the best use of online video. A great video can capture their sincerity and enthusiasm.