With the rising popularity of video-based sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and the newly released Periscope (by Twitter), Internet users everywhere are proving that this form of media is the next big thing. The question is then, do you currently have one on your website, allowing you to join in on this trend and boost your favor among your target audience? And if the answer is no, why not?
Certainly, placing a video on your site takes a lot of consideration, as you have to think about what type of video it should be (product based, information based, or you explaining your passion for your small business). Plus, you have to shoot and edit it, which can take a bit of time and money.
However, taking this one tiny action could pay off hugely in dividends, and here are 12 reasons why:
- It opens you up to a wider audience. According to comScore, in one month alone, online viewers watch more than 52 billion videos. Yes, billion. So, why not create a video on one of the most watched sites and embed it on your home page? This will open you up to a wider audience, and one who is already on that platform anyway.
- It helps your target market get to know you. The three keys to marketing success are getting your client to like, know, and trust you. What better way to do this than through a video so they can physically see your mannerisms, fall in love with your charm, and get to see you as a person and not just an entity?
- It lets you showcase your company in a different light. If your video has some clips from your employees or the inside of your building, it gives your viewer the chance to see your business in a different light. It also helps them realize how complex what you do is, giving them greater respect for your work and work product.
- It gives you the opportunity to make a great first impression. When someone is looking for a new product or local service provider, their search generally begins online (85% of the time to be exact according to a Local Consumer Review Survey). This gives you an amazing opportunity to make a great first impression by providing a perfectly shot video that makes them want to do business with you.
- Videos can boost your rankings. The way search engines currently work, sites with videos tend to rank higher than those that don’t. So, by placing a video on your site, among using other key elements like good content and backlinks, kissmetrics says you’re more likely to “maintain a solid ranking,” making your company easier to find by the very people who are looking for it. Optimize your video and your rankings will improve even more.
- People like to share videos. Depending on what type of videos you put on your website, your viewers may decide to share them, giving you greater levels of visibility for very little cost. If this is your goal, just make sure you create media that people would be enticed to want their family and friends to see. You can do this by visiting YouTube’s trends dashboard, which may inspire your next video creation.
- It keeps your visitors engaged longer. If your website analytics reveal that people don’t spend much time on your site, videos are one way to change that. They give your viewer a reason to stay on your site for an extended period of time, which also gives you a greater chance to convert them from potential clients into actual customers.
- It helps you convey abstract ideas. Sometimes ideas are better explained with pictures or videos rather than words. This is especially true with businesses that are highly technical or complex in nature. Therefore, if you’re in one of those fields where this is often the case, a video on your website can help your viewers better understand who you are and what you do.
- It’s a good way to reveal new products or services. If you’ve got a new product or service in the works, why not make a mini-commercial and put it right on your website? Get your customers excited about what lies ahead, enticing them to want to purchase it the minute it becomes available.
- It gives your viewer a real-life view of your products and services. Sometimes people want to see a product or service work before they decide to take their hard earned money and invest in it. Videos allow you to give them that option, increasing the likelihood of a buy once they see how great the product or service is.
- It’s a great way to showcase a testimonial. Video testimonials can be pretty powerful as it turns your praise from lifeless words into a voice filled with passion. Foster Web Marketing credits video testimonials with being more effective than written ones, thanks to them seeming more legitimate, while also giving the viewer someone that they can relate to. Someone who may be just like them.
- It satisfies viewers who don’t care to read. By placing a video on your website, you cater to your viewers who aren’t too fond of or stimulated by reading. There are many types of learners that exist, and this particular media helps you connect with those who are more visual in nature.
What do you say? Are you ready to put one or more videos on your site?
If you already have, I’d love to know what positive things having an online video has done for your small business. Please share them below!
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