Having a video on the homepage of your website was described as being a luxury 10 years ago in the marketing world. Now all we hear from marketing research companies is that a video on your website homepage is now a necessity.
In this blog I will explore why it is so vital, and how you can start using video on your homepage to super charge your marketing.
Mobile has changed the landscape of website communication
The way we consume internet content has changed, over 56% of all internet traffic is now mobile. So mobile browsing is the dominant device for internet consumption.
Watching a one minute video on a mobile device is a much better experience than zooming and reading text on a homepage of a website. The rapid advancement in screen quality on smartphones has made consuming video content on them such a normal part of our daily lives.
In fact millennials consume more video content on their smartphones and tablets than they do TV!
People want to be able to be on the move and still consume content. Video allows this, as it is both visual and audible. So even if you take your eyes off of the video content to make sure you order the right latte in Starbucks, you still would of consumed the information audibly.
Here are some interesting mobile stats from http://www.smartinsights.com:
1) 80% of internet users own a smartphone.
2) 74% of people say they are likely to return to a company’s site in the future if it is a mobile-friendly site.
3) Mobile commerce will hit US$700 billion in revenue in 2017, a more than 300% growth over the past four years.
These stats are proof that we need to give users the information they need in a quick and entertaining way that will allow them to consume information on the go.
Thats why a video on your website homepage is the perfect way to do this.
Imagine owning a high street shopfront and customers walk into your shop, however you have no sales rep to engage with the customer, tell them about your special offers, or how you add value. You could be missing out on a whole load of sales right?
Thats why a short promotional video on your website homepage. Done to a high standard, explaining your value, and showing your credibility can lead to serious profitability.
What types of videos should I have on my homepage?
Ok so your sold on the idea of why its important to have a video on your website homepage. Now we can look at a couple of options that might be right for your business.
Motion Graphics or Animation
Motion Graphics or animation videos are a great way to get your message across with a strong call to action. The beauty of these videos is that there is no limit to creativity, we can come up with concepts that are literally out of this world and cost effective to make. They are great at making a company look bigger than it actually is, or transforming a mundane service into something full of life.
Here is one we produced for our client Marvelplumbing.com. This video has been a great tool in helping Marvel stand out from their competition and establish their values in a fun and engaging way.
Promotional video including client testimonials
It can sometimes be extremely reassuring and beneficial to future clients to see the owners of a business in the promotional video themselves, establishing how they service their clients and showing viewers a personal side to their company. It gives people a positive first impression, even before they have picked up the phone to talk to you. However we believe it is also very powerful to include client testimonials when possible. Peer recommendation is still one of the best ways to sell yourself. People will always trust happy clients more talking about how good you are, over employees or business owners talking about how good they are.
Here is an example of a promotional video we produced for No1 Fitness education, this video has really helped them convert more enquiries from their website.
So these are the two main types of video content that we believe will be very effective for most SME's. There are several other options as well. For example if you have an e-commerce business maybe product videos are going to work best for you.
However these are the two types of video that can work across many sectors and for many different sizes of business.
Make it easy for people to learn about and engage with your business, and make your homepage the best it can be with an awesome video on it! :)
