Why video is taking over the web

If a picture is worth a thousand words, video is truly priceless. A short clip, even just 20 seconds long, can rapidly communicate a vast range of information and directly increase sales. As computer aided design and digital media make video production more affordable, video advertising is taking over the web and drawing thousands of new customers to Portsmouth businesses.

Product demonstrations boost sales

Shooting a short video to explain how a product works and list its key features can boost sales even if the video is only ever seen by customers already viewing the product on your website. This is because video gives potential customers the impression of a hands-on experience and answers questions you didn’t know they had. For example, a video demonstration of a backpack will reassure the customer that it is the size they want (even though you’ve listed the dimensions in centimetres and inches and added the internal volume) and that it has useful pockets / good zips / looks comfortable / is a pleasant colour. Our experienced videographers can shoot a dozen or more of these product videos in a day, making them a low cost option. Once shot, the videos can be shared on social media and searchable sites (like YouTube) drawing in new customers at no extra cost or recut to use in video advertising.

Creative videos spark conversations

Sharing your expertise and ideas is a great way to open a channel of communication with your existing customers and to draw new followers to your social media channels. As an example, a plumbing supply company might shoot a series of simple how-to videos dealing with common household problems authoritatively and add a few more jokey and quirky videos, such as creating a  child’s toy from pipes. Each type of video will draw new voices to the conversation and many of those visitors will look to the originator when they’re ready to buy.

Conventional ads transition from web to TV

TV advertising remains a valuable option for many businesses. Video advertising can now serve double duty, with the same material being cut and recut for different markets. For example, a single shoot might produce a TV add, a very short web-clip for online video advertising and a longer informational video for your website.

A few good hits

We can all think of videos shot for nothing on a camera phone that have gone viral and had millions of views. Some videos are so popular their success becomes newsworthy, and we wind up seeing them on the evening news or a popular quiz show as well as splashed all over Facebook. While break-out hits often make money for the company that hosts them (YouTube or Vimeo, for example, who sell ads around the video) they rarely make money for the film maker. By contrast, an unboxing or a product review may have only had a few hundred hits, but if each of those resulted in a sale the ad investment would have been well worth it. The video will also remain relevant as long as the product is on sale, drawing in new buyers without additional work.

Getting your video seen

You may only need a few hundred views to make your video worthwhile, but how do you get it to the right people? SEO (search engine optimisation) applies to video sites like YouTube as well as general search engines like Google, so technical details such as choosing a good, clear title and writing a captivating description which contains appropriate keywords are important. Video content should be also integrated with your overarching marketing strategy and promoted in your other channels and on social media.

For more information about how to use video effectively or to commission your own live or animated video, contact boxChilli today.

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