Want to drive more traffic to your website? Of course you do!
As business owners, we’re all looking for ways to increase our exposure and find more brand ambassadors. And we’re always looking for ways to tweak our websites to put our products in front of a larger audience.
Over the last few years, and especially during the pandemic, using video as a marketing tool has increased dramatically across the country. But if you haven’t made the leap, you may be asking yourself, “Is this really going to make a difference for my business?”
That’s why we’re providing this simple guide to some pros and cons of adding video to your company website and making the investment to include video in your marketing. With these facts in mind, you’ll be prepared to decide if video is right for you and your business or organization.
Pros of Video for Websites and Social Media
An investment in video can be used over a wide range of platforms
There is a dizzying amount of digital platforms from which you can advertise and gain followers, and nearly all of them offer the capability to post video content. Using video marketing has become increasingly more popular, so it’s important to invest in creating high-quality content.
Before you get too overwhelmed, remember that the video content you invest in is useful for a number of different platforms. From Facebook to Instagram to LinkedIn, your investment can go a long way to connect with your target audiences in the digital spaces where they spend most of their time.
A simple way to deliver your message
No matter your product or service, a high-quality, compelling video can deliver a message or describe your company in a simple, straightforward way. These videos can be used to demonstrate a product (a suitcase with several compartments and features, for example) or explain complex information about your brand.
New visitors to your site from search engines
The algorithm Google uses heavily favors video. So much so that websites with video are 53 times more likely to rank higher in Google’s Search Engine Results Pages than those without.
Showcasing a video on your websites helps search engines because they increase click-through rates, have higher retention rates, and build backlinks from people sharing videos rather than text documents.
Engaging and entertaining content
Entertainment is everywhere, and the video on your website has the capability of being both informative and entertaining. You’ll find many brands have moved to this strategy. One company that has used this strategy with wild success is Dollar Shave Club. When the company launched in 2012, it prioritized creating simple, informative content that was very funny and got many people talking. After just 48 hours from posting its new videos, Dollar Shave Club had 12,000 sign-ups for their service.
Visual experience
Today’s consumers reflect the way our broader culture has progressed with shorter attention spans and busier schedules. With the rise in video features like HD and innovative animation, the viewing experience for your customer watching an effective video has the power to hold someone’s attention and present more information faster than long, descriptive writing.
Increased traffic with new content
Content is king in today’s marketing, and continually changing video that is engaging and entertaining can keep customers visiting your site. New video content can also continue adding to your SEO success.
Video can build rapport with your customers
Visibility is a premium in today’s marketplace, and you need content that will set you apart from your competitors. With a wide range of options and styles, video allows for a number of creative ways to showcase your brand, products, and the personality and character of your company. We all want to create loyal brand ambassadors, and video provides a great way to create that human connection.
Video on your website is on-demand
On-demand video has become the standard for people watching non-live event programming. With video on your website, your content becomes on-demand as well, further incentivizing an investment into high-quality video. Unlike traditional sales methods, your content is more convenient for your potential customers to view.
Homepage videos increase lead conversion
At the end of the day, it’s all about converting visitors to your website into customers. According to EyeWideDigital, having video on your website can increase your conversion rate by 80 percent.
Cons of Video for Web and Social Media
While there are plenty of benefits to adding video, there are some downsides to consider.
Expense
You don’t want to put an average or below-average video on your website to promote your brand or product. That means you need to be willing to invest in a high-quality video that reflects the high-quality service your customer can expect. That also means a commitment to creating new videos in order to keep your content on your site fresh and new.
Increased workload
Along with the expense, great content videos take time to create. Working with a production company may be worth the time in the long run, but you will need to devote extra working hours to do this well.
Annoy your customers
We all have different tastes. What seems funny or interesting to you may fall flat with visitors to your website. Consider bringing in new perspectives on what styles of content will resonate with the audience you hope to connect with.
Videos not working across multiple platforms
This can definitely become a potential headache. You’ll want to use the video content you invest in as many ways as possible. You will, however, need to be sure the formatting works on each different platform and maintains the image and feel you’re hoping to create.
Video and Media Production for Website and Social Media
If you’ve never taken the leap into including video as a part of your marketing content, it can seem overwhelming at first. However, with some guidance and knowledge from experienced advisors, you can make the investment that works best for the needs of your business.
At Smarketing, we believe in creating a robust marketing strategy that makes the most of the tools at your disposal that leads to more sales and more growth for your business. Our team of experienced strategists and creators will walk you through a marketing plan that will lead to difference-making results.