Make Your Website Sticky

Transcription

1 By Using The Power Of Video By Kim Miller and Rick Smith WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: If you're ready to add video to your website, get resources and information now at & Panorama Studios and Video Marketing Resources Center

2 Do visitors click off of your site quickly, or do you catch their attention and keep them on your site for several minutes? You should know these facts, because the longer you keep visitors on your site, the more likely they are to buy the product or service you are offering. So how do you make your website really "sticky?" An easy interface, tons of quality content and nice graphics are all important. But without a doubt, the most powerful and popular way is by adding online video. Video has become the currency of the internet. It is now so popular and accessible, it accounts for half of all internet traffic. That's right! In less than two years video has gone from practically non-existent online to comprising half of all the content consumed each day. This is fantastic news for any business with a website and especially for businesses selling products or services online. Why? Because it's been widely known for decades that video is the most powerful selling medium there is. If you could learn how to incorporate internet video, just imagine the results you could drive piggybacking onto the most popular online content there is. We ve seen our business increase 200% in the last two years by adding video. One reason the use of video has grown is that the technology and processes for creating video for online distribution has become really simple. The cost it takes to produce online videos that sell and blast them all over the web is now so reasonable, practically any business owner can afford it. Need more convincing? According to some recent statistics, text only websites kept viewers on a site for an average of 42 seconds, while sites with good, appropriate video kept them there for almost six minutes. More than 70% of internet users now stream video each month. Worldwide, nearly 12 billion videos are consumed online each month. YouTube is now the fourth most popular site on the Internet, commanding almost 12% of global web traffic. Why should you care? Wouldn t you want your video to go viral on a site such as YouTube and have all that free exposure? Exposure equals traffic to a website, and traffic often translates into business. If You're Not Leveraging Video Yet, The Good News Is You Can Get Started Right Now! 1

3 You may be asking, How can someone like me add video to their site? You may want to start using video but you simply do not know where or how to get started. Let's discuss this further You can hire a video production company like ours (Panorama Studios at we offer our services to our local area. However, you may not be near us and there are many people who would like to try it themselves. As we said, it is easier than ever to do it yourself and there are many tools and good tutorials out there. A small budget needn't be a deterrant for you to start competing with larger companies. So You Want To Shoot, Edit And Produce Your Own Web Video You know you need to add video but you don't know what type would be beneficial in promoting your business. Here are some ideas: Tutorial Videos Do you have a product where a tutorial video would be helpful to sell it? For example, we recently downloaded a plug-in for a premium Wordpress theme we use. In the help section on their website, there was a step-by-step video on how to use this plug in and some things to watch out for if the plug-in didn't work. It was extremely helpful to us. We are much more likely to do continued business with this provider due to that simple video. They obviously want their customers to be sucessful in using their product, and that builds loyalty. You don't even have to put a person on camera for this. The video in the previous example was comprised by recording or making screen grabs of the actions you need to do on the computer to make the plug-in work. The marketing director did the voice over. Software such as Camtasia for the PC and Snapz Pro X for the Mac work well for these types of videos. You simply record the actions you are doing on the computer screen no camera needed. If you are going to do this, make a script of what you want to say and practice it a few times. Play it back and listen. It may be helpful to have others go through the video to see if it is easily followed. A note about delivery You don't need to be a professional narrator to do this sort or any other type of video. However, you should think about your delivery and what your audience will hear. When you play back your video, you will probably be appalled at how many times you say "um" or "uh" or another word like "like." We have a friend who interjects the word "anyways" into almost every sentence. I am sure he is unaware of that. Also watch for distracting mannerisms and vocalizations such as clearing your 2

4 throat, sniffing, clicking a pen, etc. and try to minimize these as best you can. While you don't have to be a professional, you do need to be understandable. Demo Videos Other effective demo videos that do more than use screen grabs can entail demonstrating the product you sell or showing a sample of your service. For example, if you are a guitar player, there are videos out there from guitar string manufacturers that show you how to restring a guitar. And of course, since you are at their sites, they make it easy to buy the strings from them. I have been learning guitar and am always searching for good tutorials and courses. I have discovered many teaching programs where the instructor gives a free short lesson on some scale progression or song. What a great way to see their teaching style! Consequently I have purchased a few of these courses due to these videos. What I have learned is there are many people offering such courses in different teaching styles. Some of them work well for one person but not another, so it is great to be able to try before you buy. Company Spokesperson Videos You often see videos using a company spokesperson to convey a message. These range from very high end productions to bargain basement no-budget productions, and they all have their place. There are several internet marketers out there now who give tips and pointers while they stand in front of whiteboards. Minimal editing is involved. They post these out on YouTube and drive the traffic back to their sites. They are finding it extremely effective in making a name for themselves and of course, making sales. Consider a simple animated slideshow. Sometimes still image slideshows can be very effective, especially with good supporting audio beneath. You Are There Videos A typical application would be a video of a tourist destination, hotel, restaurant or location. You could also take viewers to a manufacturing plant, doctor's office or factory. This is a good way to get people excited about your business and build excitement and trust. Have them meet the people they most likely will do business with, such as account executives. Testimonial Videos Placing testimonial videos from happy customers on your site is one of the most powerful things you can do to build trust in potential customers. People like to hear other customers tell about the satisfaction or success they have had with the product or service before they invest in it. 3

5 Slideshow Videos I have also been to websites that had movies composed entirely from still photographs and graphics, with artfully chosen transitions. Depending on your business and message, a lot can be said in a beautifully arranged slideshow with an inspirational musical background. This is just an overview of a few applications of video you can use. Be creative, the list is endless. You Don't Need Fancy Equipment Producing your own video can be done at many levels. From using your webcam or cell phone to using professional equipment in a studio, a quick search on social media sites such as YouTube, Vimeo and Vitter, to name only a few, will reveal all the different types of video productions out there. You will need to decide what will work for your message. Important Considerations for Hosting Your Videos If you don't expect massive traffic, you can place the video file on your current web server if it is a modern, robust service. Most web servers can deliver a moderate amount of web video without problems, although you will likely experience some minor stumbling. For high demand traffic you will want to place your video files on a dedicated video server such as Akami. These machines are optimized for the demands of dishing out lots of high bandwidth video without problems. Consider Your Audience And Dress Appropriately This is where it is really important to think from the viewer's perspective. If your audience is BMX riders then wearing clothes, headwear and talking in the lingo will be okay. If your audience is accounting professionals, casual dress may not project the image you want. You may be perceived as not professional and most likely those type of individuals who are looking for that type of service won't contact you. Along these lines, think about hairstyles and facial hair. Five'o clock shadows may be sexy if you are selling a type of youthful fashion but not as professional on a doctor specializing in geriatrics. The same goes for extreme hairstyles and make up. Location, Location, Location. Location should be a carefully thought out decision. While you don't need to have a studio in which to shoot, it is important to not have 4

6 a distracting or inappropriate background. I have seen online videos from marketing professionals that looked like they were in a messy dorm room. Or others where they were shooting outside and the wind was blowing the spokeperson's hair all around. Again if you are at the beach and promoting surfing products or services, this may be acceptable, but if you are a corporate CEO for a finance company, this may be the wrong location. The location should say something about the person or their business. Scientists look right working in a lab setting, people expect doctors to wear white coats, and musicians are usually around musical equipment or recording/stage settings. Selecting the right location and clothing helps build credibility. The Equipment So let's say you want to tape someone or something to put on your website. Where to start? Oddly, even the word "tape" is becoming outdated, as many of the least expensive video cameras today don't use tape anymore. They record to solid state chips or hard drives inside the camera body. Cheap, Simple And Good Flip Video produces the hottest items in the camcorder market today, the Flip Ultra and Flip UltraHD. These sleek camcorders look no different than digital cameras and are small enough to easily fit in a pocket, purse or backpack. These nifty devices save the video to an internal chip so there are no moving parts, nothing to change, and unlike camcorders that use compact flash cards, nothing to lose. Both models offer up to a full two hours of recording capacity, a bright two-inch transflective screen for no-glare viewing even in direct sunlight, and an innovative AA rechargeable battery pack that can be conveniently recharged through the camera s built-in USB arm. These cameras are priced between $100 t $200. They could not be easier to use. Just point and shoot. Flip Video camcorders are the world s first with on-board software to enable editing, organizing, and seamless video uploading to websites. Even the built in microphone does an impressive job for for what it is. When you're ready to upload to your computer, simply flip (hence, the name) out the USB connector and using the provided software, transfer the video clips as simply as transferring a file. Then upload to a website or import into your favorite editing program and away you go. Folks, it just doesn't get any easier than this. Moving On Up OK, the Flip Video cameras are not for everyone. For those wanting higher quality and more options, you will want to move up to either a consumer or prosumer camcorder. The camcorders today offer amazing value. For around $300 and up you can get a quality camera that will either record to DV tape, a memory chip or internal hard drive, will have options for adding a more professional microphone, 5

7 and some even have a built-in light for working in dark spaces. There are scores of cameras available in this range. If you stick to Sony, Canon, Panasonic, JVC, and other well-known names, you can't go wrong. B&H Photo Video is one of our favorite sources for equipment. The sky is pretty much the limit with regards to how much you can spend on a camcorder. The more features you want, such as interchangeable lenses, variable frame rates and other options, the more you will pay. The equipment and technique you will shoot will really depend on the type of video you wish to put on your site (or put on YouTube to drive traffic back to your site) Sound Is Half The Picture You've probably noticed that "tinny" sound most home movies have, and the way the background sounds overwhelm the main subject. That happens when you rely solely on the built-in microphone. It isn't picky about what it hears, and the louder the source, whatever that is, the more it will be the main thing you hear. Plus your hands handling the camera, or the wind outside can create a lot of noise. Try taping a speaking on stage while diners around you are clinking forks and knives on dinner plates and you'll know what we mean. For professional sound you will want to add external microphones. Lavalier mics (wired or wireless) are placed on the "talent" and give a sense of presence. They will make a 200% improvement in the sound of the person speaking over a built-in mic. They don't have to be expensive: you can buy a simple lavalier mic at Radio Shack for $26.49 online. I use $300 lavaliers, and I have to admit this Radio Shack mic isn't bad at all compared to them. It isn't as good, but at that price it is a great value and I would use it in a situation where the mic was in danger of getting wet or damaged. If you do want a more professional lavalier, the Sony ECM 44-B is an industry standard and can be had for $220 at B&H Photo Video and other places. These mics sound great and will last a lifetime if treated with respect. Shotgun mics can be used on the camera, on a boom pole or a mic stand. Contrary to what many people think, a shotgun mic does not amplify or reach out to get the sound in front of it. It works by ignoring the sounds to the side and behind it, to varying degrees depending on the design. These work great when you need to isolate a speaker or actor but cannot use a lavalier mic. You can spend thousands of dollars on a top end pro model, but good quality can be had in the $200 - $500 range. B&H Photo Video sells our favorite shotgun mics from Sennheiser and Audio Technica for under $250 - $500. Light It Up! All video cameras love light. Most cameras today will operate fine in darker situations, such as an indoor room without a lot of windows, but you will improve 6

8 the shot immensely if you add light to fill in shadows, add a sparkle to a person's eyes, and bring out the colors of a scene. Like microphones, lights can be cheap or very expensive, and unless you plan to shoot professionally there is no reason to spend a lot on lights. Simple worklights will work in many situations. A person at a desk could be lit with a desk lamp pointed at them. The camera doesn't care if the light costs $1,000 or $8.00, so be creative. You can get ornate with lighting diagrams (that's the cool patterns the light throws on the wall behind the subject), but the point is to light the subject so as to fill in shadows (or create them, for mood effects) and to give the camera enough light that it doesn't drive the gain up and cause graininess in the image. One of the challenges of lighting is that what your eye sees is not at all what the camera sees. Your brain evens the "color temperature" of light out, but the camera cannot do that. When you adjust it for tungsten light, the kind that you get from stage lights or a traditional light bulb, it will see daylight as blue. If adjusted for daylight, it would see tungsten as deep orange. So you may have to add colored gels to the lights to balance everything out. To keep things simple, when shooting indoors with tungsten as the main light source, try to eliminate daylight unless you want the blue effect (this can be quite nice, when done artistically). So You Want To Be An Editor? Editing software has become affordable and easier to use, you just need a willingness to learn some good techniques and a little computer savvy. For PC Users Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9, priced a little over $50, is a fun, easy way to create movies. Digital video editing tools add professional pizzazz with transitions, titles, and special effects including green screen. You can quickly format movies for online use. They have free tutorials available on their site. MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 15 is another affordable option around the same price. The comfortable interface, advanced automations, and handy assistants guarantee great results. For Mac Users imovie can't come at a better price, it's FREE! As part of the ilife feature on all new Macs, imovie brings you movies that aren t a production to make. From throwing together a few video clips to fine-tuning every edit, it offers drag-and-drop editing. It is a fun and easy way to make movies, even if you ve never edited a single frame before. 7

9 Final Cut Express 4 at $199 ($99 with upgrade) really lets you edit like a pro with advanced moviemaking power at your disposal in the Open Format Timeline. You can add dynamic titles and graphics using LiveType. Final Cut Express 4 delivers all the tools you need to make great movies. It does have a higher learning curve than imovie, but it comes with more functionality. A note about editing One thing we have noticed with new editors is a tendency to use all the bells and whistles at their disposal, especially when it comes to transitions and text and titles. However, it is better to stick with one or two types of transitions and fonts for continuity throughout your project. This will give your video more of a polished and put together look. A great practice to get into when you are watching television, specifically commercials, is to tune into what the camera operator and editor has done. You will get so many good ideas that way, not only for editing and shooting but also for unique and interesting ways to get your message across. And you will discover what you don't want your video to sound like. By making a little extra effort and paying attention to details, it is easy to improve the quality of your video far beyond the average, and you don't have to spend a lot of money to do so. Conclusion This is a very quick overview of what you will want to consider at all levels of video producing. If all of this seems overwhelming and high production values are your goal, you may want to call a professional. You'll find several resources on specifically to get you started. Go to the resources page and you will find sources for software and hardware. You ll also find tutorials, books and membership sites from many successful businesses who've discovered the power of marketing with online video and teach the techniques to others. If you have a video ready to use but just don't know how to put it onto your website, we offer that service as well. We also offer consulting to those not in our area. Please call us at or visit let us know how we can help you make your website "sticky" by incorporating video, quickly and inexpensively. 8