Introduction
The next big thing to dominate online is video, and it's already happening. Google bought YouTube for $1.5 billion dollars - if Google is willing to invest that much money in a video site that generated no revenue then I think it's time we as small business owners started to see the potential of video.
We're in the process of developing videos for all of our software products, but how can you as a small business owner use video to promote your products or services?
In this article I'm going to give you a few ideas and also reasons why you should seriously consider adding video to your web site.
Different Strokes for Different Folks
Different people prefer to learn and absorb information in different ways. Some people like reading text, others like looking at pictures and charts, and others like to watch videos or presentations. No surprises there.
So… wouldn't it make sense then that people buying your products or services may have different preferences as to how they absorb the information you present on your web site?
Me personally - I prefer to watch a product demonstration video first, then maybe try the online demo, then read a few paragraphs of text. You may be (and probably are) different, ditto for your prospects and customers.
The point I'm trying to make is that different people prefer to absorb information in different ways, so it's up to us as small business owners to take advantage of fast Internet connections and easy-to-use video editing software to give them a choice.
Text Versus Video
People buy from people, not web sites. You can use as much text as you want to describe your products and services, but as soon as you add a video presentation into the mix things change.
Your prospects can see you're a real company, operated by real people selling real products. They can see you and/or hear your voice and you're no longer just a website with a product for sale. You've become a tangible business and the video has given you credibility and trust that's impossible to get from a plain-text site, regardless of how fancy the text looks or how nice your logo is.
Also, depending on what you sell, it might actually be easier to demonstrate the product with a short video presentation as opposed to text. When I put together a 5 minute video presentation showing ArticleLive's integration with iSnare I found it much easier to demonstrate the product with my voice and by recording my screen than I did by typing out a few paragraphs of text.
Now, my voice is far from perfect, however the video got the job done: it's short, to the point and really gets the benefit of iSnare integration across in a way that is much more difficult to do using text and images.
So what about if you don't sell products online? If you sell services such as web design, you could put together a few short video presentations like so:
- How to choose a web designer
Why [your company name] is different
Customer case study #1
- Customer case study #2
You could then integrate these video presentations throughout your site as needed, maybe with a paragraph or two of text before each video summarizing the content of that particular video.
One other way to use videos would be to start a video blog. Each week you could record a short 1-2 minute clip in which you share tips or tricks relating to your particular industry. Just like a regular text-based blog these videos will boost your credibility and position you as an expert in your chosen field, resulting in word-of-mouth referrals and an increase in sales if done correctly and frequently.
How to Get Started
Firstly you need to decide what kind of videos you want to record: do you want to capture your screen and optionally add your voice over the top, or do you want to actually record yourself speaking in front of a camera?
If you want to record your screen and optionally add audio I would recommend Camtasia Studio by TechSmith. To record yourself speaking in front of the camera you can use any digital camera that records video - just make sure you get a tripod to keep the camera still and also make sure you record in a well lit room.
Once you've recorded your video you need to get it on your web site. If your video editing software can export the video as a Flash file with a built-in player then that's all you need to add it to your site. If not, you can upload the video to YouTube and use YouTube's video player (and bandwidth) to embed the video into your site.
If you're not comfortable recording videos or adding them to your site you can even hire a web developer for $50-$100 on eLance.com to do it for you.
Examples of Sites Already Using Video
I've been actively searching the Internet for companies who are successfully using videos to promote their products or services. Here are a few I recommend looking at if you have some time:
Conclusion
As you can see, there are so many different ways you can use video on your web site. Are you going to be an early adopter of online video to promote your products/services and grow your customer-base, or are you going to wait and let this opportunity pass you by?
Comment
For help with your online or conventional video production we highly recommend Trish Rosser and David Mimms of Video Atlantic Internet & Video Production. They are an Emmy Award winning production company in Virginia experienced in video, Internet and TV commercial productions. Please visit them at www.videoatlantic.com.