7 Reasons Why You Need a Website Intro Video
According to Unbounce, having an intro video on your website landing page can boost your conversion rate by up to 80%.
Now, we may be biased when we say that we think video marketing is the most effective content strategy for your business, but the stats certainly don’t lie.
In this article, we will explore the efficacy of a website intro video, giving you an insight into what makes an effective one for your marketing strategy.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
So What Is a Website Intro Video?
A website intro video pretty much does what it says on the tin: it finds itself in the form of a brief, direct, introductory video that conveys to the viewer everything they need to know about your product, service, and/or company. This type of content simultaneously establishes your brand’s intended tone and style.
Incorporating an intro video into the layout of your website (especially your homepage) can be an effective way to get your visitor’s attention. After all, video as a medium can give audiences a better experience far beyond the capacity of the written word. Ultimately, they allow you not only to tell a story but bring your company to life in a mere matter of minutes.
How To Create a Stunning Website Intro Video
In case you are still unsure about the capacity of the website intro video as a super tool (seriously, did you miss that 80% stat?), we have compiled a list of tips and tricks for creating an impressive video that will be sure to generate leads and encourage audience interaction elsewhere on your website.
1. Make sure you have a clear objective
It is a minor waste of your time to create a video for the sake of having a video on your homepage. If your website intro video is irrelevant, it will simply turn potential customers away.
Remember: always be savvy and focused.
What do you want to communicate from your video? How will it encourage further action from your potential customers?
Your video purpose could really be about anything, but here are a few pointers to get you started:
- To meet your talented team
- Introduction of your company values
- Explanation of your products and services
- A behind the scenes sneak-peek about how your product is created or how your service runs
If your video has a mind of its own and rambles on & on & on, it will cause your brand to appear sloppy, unprofessional, and, worse, aimless. Sticking to the point is essential.
2. Keep it short and sweet
This follows on neatly from our first point. Keeping the length short is imperative when it comes to website intro videos. In fact, according to TheNextWeb, it is the thumbnail and, more so, the length of the video that will determine whether people watch it at all, or the very least until the end.
To maximize your video’s impact, it’s simple: Keep. It. Short. That is, between a minute and 90 seconds long. Research by Wistia states that the average human sustained attention span is 20 minutes. But for online videos, it seems to be about 60 seconds. Who knew we were so easily distracted?
3. Keep it consistent with your overall branding
It is highly important that your website intro video is consistent with your previous patterns for branding, as well as those sprinkled throughout your webpage. They should naturally function as a reflection of your brand image, appearing as a seamless transition into your world. It certainly should not stick out like a sore thumb or be seen as a one-hit-wonder within your space. Always produce videos, whether it be a website intro video or one placed anywhere within your marketing campaign, that are true to yourself and true to your brand.
4. Have an authentic & human approach
As humans, we are grappled by transparency and honesty. Empathy is a superpower that encourages human connection and should not be underestimated in any industry. People want to work with people, a concept sometimes difficult to combat in today’s digital age. We are more likely to remember how a post made us feel when consuming content, over appreciation of pretty visuals. It’s essential to be both consistent and flexible to human connection as much as we can when creating any type of content.
Website intro videos are a suave way to humanize your brand from the get-go since they give you the capacity to run wild with an expression of your personality. Why not use behind-the-scenes clips of your employees enjoying their work or have senior managers talking directly to the audience about their company experience? Putting faces to your brand encourages emotional connection.
5. End your video with a call-to-action
You may think that you have created the most memorable and eye-catching introduction video on the internet. Still, the truth of the matter is this: if visitors are even slightly confused about what steps they should take once the video has finished, your hard work has all been in vain. Sorry.
As we have mentioned before, it is essential that your website intro video has purpose. Otherwise, the audience will be left hanging, confused, and feel inclined to leave the page. Now, we should all know that that is not a good marketing eventuality for any business.
No matter what type of action you want from the visitors (whether you’re a non-profit organization calling out for donations or a tech company hoping to get people to purchase your newest product), just ensure that your call to action is explicitly stated by the video’s end. At Animation Explainers, we even host packages whereby you can include an embedded call-to-action button within your video.
6. Give your audience a choice
Nobody appreciates being forced into doing something. Who wants to be spoon-fed your company’s vision? The answer is nobody. It is always more effective if your audience decides on their own to click on your video and watch it for its duration themselves.
For this reason, you may consider turning off autoplay so that your video ceases to automatically play as soon as one clicks on your page link.
We have all been in a multi-tasking situation when our web tabs are getting a little out of control and video audio starts playing. Trying to find out which tab it is coming from can be like trying to navigate through a maze, and by the time you find it, you are subconsciously irritated by the brand.
Don’t let this be you. Really, just don’t do it.
If you give your viewers the opportunity to glance over other content that your landing page has to offer, they are likely to click play on your website intro video all by themselves. Encourage them along the right path with visual or directional cues within your written content.
7. Quality is key
It should be of utmost importance that you give your audience the best possible representation of your brand from the start.
This video is not just for another day’s social media post. This video must be your pride and joy, the apple of your eye, the pinnacle of your website. A low-quality website intro video is a grave mistake that will immediately kill your brand perception. Ultimately, amateur content suggests amateur capabilities.
Poor-quality videos are ineffective and can have a detrimental effect on your marketing campaign since they will naturally deter potential client engagement. Research by Brightcove suggests that 62% of consumers are more likely to have a negative opinion of a brand that has shared a low-quality video. Let’s face it: if you’re succumbing to this error on the very page first visible to the consumer as soon as they click into your website, you are going to cause some serious damage.
To ensure you are producing a high-quality video suitable for your introductory page, take note of these few tips:
- Pay attention to lighting
- Avoid noise feedback while filming
- Purchase a high-quality recording camera
- Those within the video must be smart and well presented; the surrounding area must be tidy
- Make use of a tripod to ensure steadiness of the camera
If this is the first time you are looking to make a website intro video, it may be unlikely that you possess the above-mentioned equipment to create such a professional website-worthy video.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is where Animation Explainers come in. *drops mic*.
Wrapping Up
Now, we’re hoping that this blog has made you realize the importance of the website intro video. A website without one is like peanut butter without jelly, right? It can really pack a punch in terms of audience engagement and, when done correctly, inspire calls to action in them. Customer conversion is the ultimate goal, and we really can’t emphasize enough how much the website intro video can give you a helping hand along the way.
If you’re looking to spice up your marketing strategy with a website intro video but find yourself without the time and means to do so, get in touch with us at Animation Explainers! Our dedicated team of creatives would love to hear all about your upcoming project. Schedule a call to discuss your video with us today.
