It has been established that in 2022, 82% of all internet traffic will come from video content.
This is because videos help to increase engagement on websites. They also give a unique value that other forms of content cannot give.
The impact of video content was highly felt during the Covid-19 pandemic.
During this period, people spent more time online watching videos that would help take their minds off the gloom of the pandemic.
More people made videos to entertain and educate others, making the depressing phase more bearable.
Video content has soared since then. A lot of people have become wealthy through creating video content.
Businesses now see video content as an important tool to increase engagement on their websites.
Therefore, mastering the best ways you can use videos to grow your website is in order. This article will teach you well-grounded tips on how to do this.
Why Is Video Content Important?
The hype about video content is not unfounded. There are solid reasons why video content stands tall above other types of content.
While having high converting service page designs improves website engagement, creative videos are even better.
Research shows that 86% of businesses now use video as a marketing tool.
Find out below why businesses have favored video above other forms of content.
Video is a Combination of Different Content Forms
Video is a good inbound marketing strategy because it is a combination of different types of content.
A video contains words, images, music, animation and other content forms. This factor makes it more potent and popular than individual types of content.
With video, you get the combined value of the other content forms.
Video Comes in a Variety of Forms and Structures
Video has an exciting variety of options to choose from.
We have explainer videos, 2D animation, intro videos, and motion graphics, among others.
You can explore different types of videos depending on your audience and product.
Video is More Accessible
People find it easier to watch videos than to read text thereby making it accessible to more people.
In addition, not everyone can read but everyone can understand a well-made video.
Also, people have different languages and this can be a barrier to words.
However, with videos, this barrier is broken and everyone can be reached regardless of the language they speak.
Little wonder videos go viral faster than other forms of content.
Video Delivers More Information in a Short Period
The time it will take to explain a concept in words is shortened with the use of videos.
The message you will need a thousand words to express can be delivered within a few seconds of video.
Therefore, video saves the time of your audience.
An internet user will prefer to watch a 30 seconds video than spend 10 minutes reading the same message.
Tips for Using Videos To Increase Engagement on Your Website
Create Original Videos
Originality is one of the first tips you should master while creating videos for engagement.
There is a lower possibility of your videos getting engaged or going viral if you are reusing other people’s videos.
When you create original videos, it is fresh in the eyes of your audience and they are more fascinated.
That is not to say you can’t use other people’s videos if it will boost engagement.
You can recreate a video by doing a cover of it creatively to improve your website and boost engagement.
Just ensure you’re not violating any copyright laws.
Take Advantage of Text to Speech Technology
With the evolution of artificial intelligence, text to speech technology plays an important role in creating engaging videos.
With this technology, you can add voice-overs to your video.
This will make your video easily understood by your audience and increase engagement on your website.
If you want to have a competitive edge and increase engagement on your website, consider adopting the text to speech technology for your videos.
It usually involves you uploading a text file from your device unto a speech app of your choice, selecting your preferred voice and picking a speed.
Create a Homepage Explainer Video
For better engagement from the visitors to your website, consider creating a homepage explainer video.
This video should quickly explain what your organization or product is about.
Many visitors rarely read the long ‘About’ page; a short video will pass across the message more effectively.
This video should describe what your business or product is about and how your visitor can benefit from it.
Having such a video on your website will give you more engagement than having just the traditional ‘About’ page.
Tell a Story
Videos are powerful engagement tools but not bland or plain ones.
Educative and informative videos become more effective when they tell stories.
People want to watch videos that tell stories they can relate to.
They don’t want to spend their precious minutes watching long boring text and pictures or animation that just pass information.
Go the extra length with your video content if you want to increase engagement on your website.
For example, you can tell a story about your brand.
Let your visitor know why you do what you do and what impact you’re making in the world.
Show your audience why they matter to your business.
Make them feel like a part of your brand through engaging videos that tell relatable stories.
Invest in Quality Videos
One of the most important criteria your video content must fulfill is quality.
It doesn’t matter how creative the script is, if the video quality is poor, the purpose is defeated.
No one wants to watch a poorly made video, no matter how interesting it is.
The quality of your video plays a huge role in determining the amount of engagement you get on your website.
Video quality also has to do with the time it takes for your video to load.
Good quality videos load fast and reduce the bounce rate of visitors on your website.
Poor quality videos, on the other hand, increase bounce rate.
Remember, the attention span on the internet is short.
Do thorough research on how to make quality videos and follow best practices. If it is outside your turf, get professionals to help.
Any investment you make on producing quality videos will yield good ROI.
It is important that you do not compromise on quality if your goal is to increase engagement on your website.
Use Annotations, Visual Cues and Call to Action
Video annotation involves tagging or labeling video clips.
When you annotate your videos, it becomes easier for computers using AI-powered algorithms to recognize objects in videos.
Annotation promotes a deeper understanding of the video.
Visual cues control where viewers look in your videos. They include symbols and signs that help viewers focus on the intended message. They make videos more effective.
Call to action or CTA helps visitors take concrete action on your website, thereby increasing engagement.
When the video tells viewers to click on a link to move to the next step of the user journey, you’re building more engagement for your website.
Make Videos with Human Hosts
Much as animations and other AI-powered videos have their allure, you should consider using human hosts in your videos.
There is a human connection in these videos that cannot be duplicated by AI.
People relate better to content when watching and listening to a fellow human being.
Human-hosted videos are more appealing, leading to greater engagement on your website.
Keep Your Videos Short
Much as it has been established that videos are an effective tool for engagement, long videos are not.
Marketing videos should be short and straight to the point.
Putting out videos that are too long can discourage your audience and make them stop watching before your message is delivered.
The attention span on the internet is very limited and you should keep this in mind when creating video content.
It is recommended that marketing videos should not be more than two minutes. Anything more than that can be counterproductive.
Start Using Videos to Increase Engagement on Your Website Today
Video is one of the most potent forms of content out there.
This is because it combines different forms of content, is easily accessible, comes in a variety of forms and structures, and delivers more information in a short period.
To use videos to increase engagement on your website, ensure you create original videos, take advantage of text to speech technology, and create a homepage explainer video.
Other ways you can improve the traffic and activity on your website include telling a story with your videos, investing in quality videos, and making videos with human hosts.
The use of annotations, visual cues and call to action (CTA) has also proven to be very effective in growing website engagement.