The 5 Dos and Don’ts of Integrating Video Into Your Website

Everyone wants their website to be more interesting. After all, that’s how we keep potential clients or customers on our sites longer. Give them something compelling to read – or watch – and they’re likely to browse a while instead of moving on to the next (and possibly more interesting) site.

For many, integrating video into your website can be one way answer to maintain interest in the things you offer. Certainly, video content works well for many site owners and can definitely be a way to capture traffic and to convert lookers to buyers.

By following some simple rules regarding the inclusion of videos on your website, you can avoid making beginner mistakes that might detract from your site rather than attract customers. At Watershed9, we’ve consistently been working with website owners to use video to their advantage and are happy to offer the dos and don’ts that we’ve developed from years of experience in the field.

The Dos

1. Keep it short – Truly, very few people are willing to watch a 10-minute (or longer) video on ANY website. If you can’t say what you need to say in less than 3 minutes, then find another way to say it, such as perhaps breaking the content into more than one video with sub-content. Website visitors have short attention spans, in general, so get to the point as quickly as possible.
2. Care about the quality – Don’t put up just any old homemade video on your website. Just as with the textual content, photos, and other things on your site, your video should look and sound professional. Consider using a seasoned videographer to get the job done right the first time or invest in some excellent editing software so that the sound is sharp and the picture clear. Remember, this could be someone’s first impression of your company!
3. Use text to support your video – Some search engines are unable to “index” a video (if it’s not indexed, search engines won’t pick it up), so you’ll want to add some text to go along with your video to be certain it’s recognized. You can even add a transcript for those who’d rather read than watch a video.
4. Also host your video on popular channels – Putting up video on your website is great, but you can get additional traffic by also posting it elsewhere. Consider perhaps YouTube or Vimeo for more exposure.
5. Provide value and education – You should aim to craft your video so that it educates current or potential customers or clients. You video should meet their needs first and foremost, not just entice them to click on the “purchase” link below. As such, be sure your video is not only about you and your product or service, but that it also offers something valuable for the viewer to take away with them.

The Don’ts

1. Don’t put your website video on auto-play – Think about it. Is there anything more annoying than landing on a website only to have videos start playing without any prompt. Usually, that’ll make you scramble for the pause button, eager to stop the sound (especially if you’re in a quiet space). After that, your irritation may prompt you to leave the page and not stick around and explore. That’s the last thing you want to happen as a website owner, so resist the urge to set your video(s) to auto-play. Your visitors can decide if and when they want to play it.
2. Don’t use too much video content – Keep it simple. Don’t load your homepage with three or four videos or aim to have video on each page. Sometimes, less is more – and that’s usually the case when it comes to integrating video into your website. One well-made video speaks volumes more than 5 or 10 hastily put together video clips.
3. Don’t give everything away in one video – A video is used to whet the appetite of a potential customer or client. So, don’t feel like you need to tell them EVERYTHING during your short video. Let it serve as an introduction and aim to make it enticing enough so that they want to stay on your site and look around for a while.
4. Don’t just put up any video. Strategize first. – Your video(s) should serve a purpose. That means you shouldn’t put up a video of your adorable daughter holding your top-selling item just because it’s cute. Brainstorm with your website developer regarding what kind of video and what topic will bring you the most traffic. It’s all about marketing and your video needs to be part of the plan.
5. Don’t exceed your budget – Videos are not the be all-end all of website building. If you can afford to include some quality video on your website, do it. If not, it’s probably not worth blowing your whole budget on video. Plan carefully and decide how much to spend, how to spend it, and where a video can do you the most good. Your website developer can help you with this task.

Do you have more questions about integrating video into your website? The professionals at Watershed9 can assist you in learning more about videos and how they can accelerate your business and help increase your bottom line. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call us at 604-337-1449.