How to Engage Customers and Prospects with Video

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Only a few years ago, a website with video was perceived as being advanced beyond the website design curve. Today, they are so conventional that any company selling a product or service without a video appears to be out of touch.

However, like any e-marketing strategy, a video that is poorly designed and screams of amateurism will produce more pain than gain. We have all gagged and laughed at company clips where the video production obviously took place in someone’s home with kids’ voices in the background, dogs barking, etc.

On the other hand, a well-conceived video with eloquent and attractive presenters can boost sales and stimulate product and brand awareness. Particularly with e-commerce websites, it’s not whether video should be part of the strategy, but how to design a video with a message that generates positive and measurable returns.

How Important is Video Today?

We live within a heavy video-consumption culture. According to a recent well-designed study of website activities by Invodo.com:

35% of consumers watch product videos “all the time” or “most of the time” when shopping online, and 32% responded “some of the time.”
57% of respondents indicated they have more confidence in products with accompanying videos and are less likely to return them after purchase.
71% agree that a video makes it easier to understand how a product works or looks compared to text or photos.
51% state that a professionally produced video is critical or very important.
41% of shoppers are more likely to share videos than photos or text. Only 12% are less likely.

e-Marketing Strategy Suggestions for Video

We know that successful video content stimulates traffic and increases conversion rates. What are the criteria public relations firms use to define success? How do you maximize return on investment?

Avoid auto-play – Most professionals advise against setting the video to play without site visitor interaction. Instead, create quality content to compel the user to initiate the video. They’ll be much more likely to complete the viewing cycle.
Video length – The run time for most product centric videos should fall within a ninety second to 2½ minute window for optimum consumption. Obviously, “how to” videos will run longer, depending on the complexity of the process.
Provide good infrastructure – The entirety of the website must be constructed with a cohesive and focused delivery. Sites that are randomly assembled will appear scattered and will fail to achieve conversion goals.
Outsource video production – Since the goal of any e-commerce site should extend beyond the immediate sale to social media sharing and link building, professional development is nearly always cost effective.
Re-purpose videos – A quality video will prove valuable beyond its designed use. Still images and other applications will extend from a single video shoot.
Create emotional bonds – Good e-commerce videos should establish a connection between your company and viewers that transcends any written copy or still photo. At the end of the run, viewers should feel connected to your company and become ambassadors of your products.

After developing a quality online production, the next logical step for many e-commerce companies is extending the use of the video for local or national television distribution.

Here is the best news of all: While most e-commerce companies have a wide range of quality video production and promotion options, relatively few are using them to maximize their web presence. Those who undertake this proven strategy rarely regret the time or financial resource commitment. They gain a competitive edge to help establish higher sales and better rankings.