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If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video should definitely be worth a trillion. Online video content has recently skyrocketed, making up 80% of all Internet traffic in 2017. Why? Because video increases conversion and engagement rates more than any other content. Whether you have an eCommerce store, a local gym or a freelance photo business, adding a video to your website can help turn visitors into enthusiastic clients. Moreover, if you take a look at your 3 year-old nephew stuck in front of his favourite YouTube channel, you’ll understand something crucial about videos: they are captivating. As a matter of fact, your visitors will stay an average of 2 minutes longer on your site if it has some video on it. Google’s algorithms will love this extra-time and will reward you with a better rank in page results on search engines.

Engagement, conversion and SEO: looks like we’re holding the magic wand to promote your business online. Two questions should be popping up into your head now. The first, ‘how can I showcase videos on my site?’ Glad you asked, because lucky for you, our websites support video content. The second question, ‘which kind of videos should I use?’ Sure, you can put your favourite George Michael hit; it may satisfy the ears of your visitors, but we’re not sure the impact will be as great on your sales. What you need are professional videos, talking about your brand, products/services or customers.

Good news! You won’t have to mortgage your home to make it happen. We’ve negotiated special pricing for our clients for the professional production of video content – and it’s performing well! More and more small businesses are using them on their site, with great success. Now it’s your turn! Simply take your smartphone, grab a cup of coffee, and follow the guidelines we’ve prepared for you.

A testimonial video

What’s more convincing than a happy user? You guessed it, a happy user who says it in front of a camera. Think about it. When you’re looking for a product or service on the Internet before making a purchase, you always browse the comments or ratings left by other customers. This is why most good websites dedicate an entire section to testimonials of their satisfied crowd. Very often, it comes in the shape of a few lines of text and a photo of the user. Take this good practice to the next level by shooting and uploading testimonial videos. Seeing and hearing clients speak about their personal experience with your brand can only foster credibility and assist in building trust for newcomers.

So how do you go about filming a concrete testimonial? First of all, find as many users as you can, by reaching out to your community on Facebook or by sending out an invitation to your email list. Once you’ve cast your “actors”, make sure you’ve prepped them by sending them a list of questions ahead of the meeting. You don’t want to leave this to improvisation, since you’re looking for specific aspects to be said about your brand. The interviewees should tell the audience who they are, how they found your business and what specific value your product/service brought them (how it improved their lives, saved them money, etc.). On the filming day, make your customer feel as comfortable as possible, this helps when trying to catch genuine emotions and personal stories, since these parts are generally the most engaging for the viewers.

At the end of your interview, show some appreciation to your customer by offering them a complimentary treat, some product samples or even a coupon. Then edit your video – it should be 1 to 2 minutes long if it shows one customer, and up to 3 minutes if you go for a mash-up. Once you’re done, you’ll simply have to incorporate the testimonial video on your website or ask us to do it for you.

A team or company presentation video

Also known as the “About us video” or the “Company culture video,” it portrays your loved ones (yes, your team!) in a vivid and engaging way. Its main goal? Boost the identification of your brand by showing the real people behind it all. It’s a well-know fact: consumers relate more to a face, voice and name, than to a packaged product. This is why most small businesses include an About Page on their website. The problem is, they tend to look too much alike, with standardised descriptions and dull pictures of “too-serious-to-be-real” team members. A video can serve as a great (and inexpensive) alternative.

The video will carry greater impact if it shows your team as unified while allowing everybody’s personality to stand out. In other words, you’ll have to vary the sequence of each individual (or at least some of them, if you have a huge group), with sections where we see everyone working together. If you’re operating alone, don’t discard the format completely: you can create a short film of yourself in different situations (giving a class, meeting clients, shooting pictures, etc.) and express your motto. Finally, no matter the size of your company, the tone of your message should be the same: warm, welcoming, and conveying your passion for your work and your community. If you can demonstrate some kind of sense of humour along the way, that won’t hurt either!

The length? Up to 2-3 minutes. Once the video is edited, add some nice background music and upload the final file to your website or ask us to do it for you.

A product demonstration video

In essence, it’s a tutorial about your product. The video should explain what it is and what it’s worth, if you’re aiming for new clients. You can also target experimented users, and tell them about a new or specific function. In both cases, showing how efficient, clever and easy-to-use your product can only improve your conversion rates. Actually, visitors are 64% more likely to buy a product online after watching a video. But that’s not the only advantage. A product video is far less tedious to read (and to write) than a long text on the “what,” the “why” and the “how” of your offer. On top of that, it’s a nice piece of content that will animate your website.

In the video, you should show your product from every angle possible. You have to pay extra attention to the light here, since bad lighting can ruin even the best looking product. Give as many stats as you can to convince the viewer (dimensions, price, return on investment, etc.). Remember: people love numbers – as long as they don’t have to solve equations! Don’t hesitate to show why your product is better than the competition. In a nutshell: be as informative as possible, and if you can, add a hint of fun or creativity to ensure your visitors’ full attention. As for the format, you can go for a classic film of someone trying your product , or for something more unique, like an animation.  Influence IT supports all of these formats and can help you to get started.

No matter the subject, the video should be 1 to 2 minutes long, to transmit all the information without boring the viewers. Once it’s ready, publish it on YouTube, Facebook and on the homepage of your website. This is an example (slightly too long) you may want to watch.

A Facebook Live

No need to be shy, Facebook is all about watching… well, your face. Since last year, a new feature has taken over the number 1 social network : Live videos. The principle is quite simple: Users now have the ability to shoot videos from their smartphones (or computers) and broadcast them in real-time to their community. Since “community” rhymes with “(business) opportunity,” more and more small companies and freelancers have jumped on this new train to engage their users and raise brand-awareness. And they’re right in doing so, since Facebook grants Live content a boost of organic reach and greater chances of engagement.

There is absolutely no limitation for a Facebook Live. You can go for a tour of your offices, a question/answer session, sneak peeks of your next product or even an unlikely ice-melting session. You have total freedom and actually, the more unusual your Live is, the higher your chances are that it’ll stand in the eyes of the good Facebook folk. Experiment and think of content you would like to see appearing on your own news feed. No matter the final idea, remember that a Live is a great forum to interact with your customers. All throughout your video, invite them to comment and make sure you answer all of them (you can hire an assistant, your husband or whoever for that). Last tip: before going live, don’t forget to shape a nice caption (the description above the video) to optimise your chances of having real viewers.

As for the length, longer is actually better. Every extra second is a chance to hook a new viewer – so don’t be cheap on time. To fully optimise your impact, broadcast your Facebook Live straight on your website.

A blog video

Starting a blog is great for your small business, in every possible way. You establish yourself as an expert, grow a loyal community and boost your website’s SEO. So why not start now? Maybe you have a case of writer’s block, or simply because you don’t see how you can stand out in the crowd – considering the high density of blogs in the 2.0 universe. Worry no more: this is where a good blog video can come in a handy.

Just like a regular blog article, you’ll want to prove your knowledge in your field, analyse the trends of your market and give valuable tips to your community – while promoting your offer along the way. The amazing thing with blog videos is that you don’t have to follow a specific format. Most of the time, “vloggers” (or video bloggers) film themselves in a closed room, using their phone or computer’s camera. If you have the skills and resources, you can also do some editing and add animations, texts, music and more. But remember: the most important thing here is what you have to say, not how you present it. Need some inspiration? Talk to us.

As for the length, the same principle applies: flexibility. A blog video shouldn’t be less than 2 minutes; if it’s above 10 minutes, you can plan for even your hardcore fans to get bored. Shoot videos regularly (once a week, two weeks, month), and upload them on your blog.

Ready to showcase your videos online? Create your website now with video content.

(Acknowledgement to Jonathan Sitbon)