Enhancing a Website With Video
It’s no coincidence that best of breed business websites nearly always incorporate video components into their online messaging strategies.
Today’s Internet users crave online experiences, and video gives businesses a unique resource for engaging and retaining the attention of site visitors. When used correctly, online videos can provide a range of benefits, not the least of which is increasing the amount of time visitors interact with your brand online.
Website Video Essentials
The hang up with video is that it’s not the same as other online messaging mediums.
At Walker Sands, we understand the risks that are involved with posting inferior and poorly strategized video content on our clients’ sites. Our team of web design and marketing professionals works with our clients to produce high quality videos capable of achieving real results. How? By adhering to a set of fundamental rules for enhancing websites with video:
- Messaging. Most online content can be tweaked and adjusted over time. But that’s not how it works with video. Once a video has been produced, it’s set in stone. Although it’s possible to re-message and reshoot, cost concerns make revisions prohibitive. Before we integrate video into a client’s site, we work closely with the client to nail down the messaging.
- Timing. Except for rare instances when video is essential for closing a sale, video should be the last thing that is addressed, after you have experienced success in site basics. Stellar content, SEO, site navigation, conversion mechanisms — until those elements are in place, the effectiveness of video will be limited, at best. Most importantly, make sure your website video strategy aligns well with other elements of your overall marketing strategy.
- Quality. Have you ever seen a first-rate business website with video that looks like it was shot by a third-grader? Unfortunately, we have. It doesn’t make sense to invest in a great website and then go cheap on video production. High quality video adds value to your brand; inferior videos cheapen it.
- Video SEO. Website video can be search engine optimized, just like text on a web page can be optimized. If you are not familiar with video SEO tactics, work with a partner who knows the ins and outs regarding how to get a video to rank in the search engines and on YouTube.
- Syndication. Limiting video presence exclusively to your site is a rookie mistake. By distributing your video through various syndication outlets, you expand your brand’s online visibility and drive traffic back to your website. If you’re not sure where to start, the Walker Sands team can help identify the best syndication outlets for your video content and place your videos on sites that deliver maximum exposure and return for your investment.
Walker Sands is a premier Chicago online marketing company and web design firm. If you’re thinking about introducing video into your online strategy or if your current website videos aren’t meeting your expectations, let’s talk about how we can use video to improve your brand’s online presence.