Back in 1996, Bill Gates rightly declared that “content is king”. In his forward-thinking essay, he stated that “The Internet also allows information to be distributed worldwide at basically zero marginal cost to the publisher. Opportunities are remarkable, and many companies are laying plans to create content for the Internet.” Fast forward to 2024 and content creators continue to embrace the remarkable opportunities at their disposal.
The evolution of content and the way in which people use the internet has seen the crown pass from content in general to video content. YouTube has an astounding worldwide following. Every day, people watch one billion hours of video on YouTube and 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. Video newcomer TikTok has 689 million monthly active users worldwide. Its rapid growth since its launch in 2016 has seen 2 billion downloads globally. In short, people love video content.
When thinking about your website content, video should be top of the list. There are numerous reasons to incorporate videos into your website.
Here are 5 ways that video content can offer huge benefits to the performance of your website:
1. It is attention-grabbing
Most people are visual learners. The human brain is able to process images faster than text and 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual. Since we are drawn to visual stimuli, video content is more likely to attract viewers to your website than others with static content. More importantly, these viewers are likely to stay on your site much longer.
There are so many websites out there, many doing very similar things. It is easy for a customer to scroll past or leave a website knowing that another option is a mere few clicks away.
Video is a great way to inject some personality into your website, the benefit of which is twofold. Firstly, you can release your creative flair with videos that stand out from the crowd. Videos are an easier medium in which to really show your brand persona. Secondly, trust is vital to secure initial and repeat purchases. People buy from people and since you can’t meet them face to face, your website is the next best thing to show them that you are a brand they can rely on.
Making your website stand out with video content will increase the chances of customers clicking on your website and, more importantly, staying there.
2. It’s memorable
The way in which our brains retain information means that video makes it easier to remember the message. Have you ever read a page of text only to get to the bottom and realise you have taken none of it in? There is a reason for that; studies have found that viewers of a video retained 95% of the message and just 10% of the same message when reading text.
People enjoy watching videos. It is a quick, easy way to disseminate information. It has been humorously suggested that a single minute of video is worth about 1.8 million words. We are inclined to agree. You are able to get across lots more information in a short, engaging video than in a body of text.
If you want to convey your message effectively and efficiently, video content on your website is the way to achieve it.
3. It’s what customers want
Recent research shows that 84% of people surveyed said that they have been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand's video.
Video can be utilized in many ways on your website to communicate information. Popular ways to incorporate videos are explainer videos, guides, and announcements. A consumer survey found that people are four times more likely to watch a video to learn about a product or service. However you use video on your website it will serve to enhance the user’s experience and keep them on your site longer. Research shows that 88% of marketers find an increased dwell time on their website when using video.
Research has found that “the average user spends 88% more time on a website with video than a website without one.”
You only get one chance to make a first impression and your online presence is yours. The online marketplace is a competitive landscape - building confidence in your brand and products is imperative. YouTube is the most popular online video property in the United States by a considerable margin. This is a clear indication that video will reach a large demographic including the younger consumer who is more likely to share video content that they find interesting or helpful.
To enjoy more traffic, reduced bounce rates, and increased conversions, product and explainer videos are a fantastic addition to your ecommerce website.
4. It has technical advantages
Video content is regarded highly by Google. By having video content on your website, you will be improving your chances of moving up the rankings. Videos are proven to keep customers on your website for longer periods of time. This increased “dwell time” improves chances that Google will view your website as trustworthy and thus be awarded a higher ranking.
In order to be indexed by Google, video content has to be placed thoughtfully and with intent. It isn’t enough to simply add a video to your website. The relevance to the page will be assessed by the Google crawlers or bots that index your site.
Moreover, it is important that your video is easily accessible to both your users and for Google indexing. Place it near the top of the page and make sure it has clear, relevant accompanying text to make the content accessible for all visitors.
5. It works across all of your channels
Video content on your website can and should be shared across your other platforms. Video on social media enjoys around 10 times more engagement than images alone. This in turn will boost your reach and increase your potential customers. Social media can be time-consuming if you are constantly needing to create content. It is however a necessary part of your digital marketing strategy with 54% of social browsers using social media to research products and services. The bonus here is if you have invested in video content for your website it can be utilized wherever else you have a business profile.
High quality videos that can be shared or snippets shown on your social accounts will save you lots of time in creating your social content plan. The great news is, video content is easy to create. You don’t need to be a Hollywood director to produce thoughtful pieces that your customers will be interested in.
There is no doubt that any website that is going to compete in the digital world should have well placed, relevant video content included throughout.
If you are looking to add video to your website but aren’t sure where to start, we can help. All of our website designs can incorporate video flawlessly.
We work with you to develop a website that not only meets your requirements but enhances your online profile – video is just one of the many ways to do this. Get in touch today to find out more.
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