Business videos – Make ‘Em Watch!

Business video production involves many steps. Not only are there practical considerations involved in the production but you also need to be certain that you’re making a video that people will want to watch! There’s no point in spending a substantial amount of money on business video production if nobody watches the video!
In this article we’ll outline some of the key factors that impact whether or not people will watch your video. These cover not only how you produce the video but also how you host it and embed it on your website. It’s also vital that you consider the device that people are using to view your website. With tablets and mobile devices to consider you need to know your video will work on those screens. The most important thing at the outset though is to answer the WIIFM? question for your prospect and your viewer… so if you haven’t done that first and foremost, download our handy video tips sheet on things you need you must get right when planning a video production.

How do people view your website?

If you haven’t yet set up Google Analytics on your website then now is the time to do so. Not only does it keep track of how many visitors your website is attracting but it will also tell you how long they’re staying for and, crucially, what device they’re using to view your website. If you’ve only taken account of desktop viewers when designing your website then the rapid rise of traffic from mobile devices might cause you problems, particularly if you are using flash elements on the website. Flash is not supported by Apple iOS devices and is only flakily supported by Google’s Android system.
Thankfully many video websites which previously relied on Flash such as YouTube and Vimeo have now switched to HTML5. It is much more widely compatible so if you’re using one of these websites you shouldn’t have any problems.

How do people find your video?

The next step to consider is how people will find your website and your video. Many businesses simply upload a video to YouTube  – and leave it there. They may chuck a link to their homepage in the description if you’re lucky. In fact, producing and uploading a video is just the first step when it comes to an effective video marketing campaign. At the very least you should embed the video in a blog and make sure that the video description is fully optimised.
Although YouTube is where a large amount of video viewing takes place, it’s worth considering whether it’s the right place for your video. Other websites like Vimeo and Wistia give you more control over your video and more detailed statistics on who is watching it and for how long. If your video is only the first in a longer campaign then this information could prove very useful when you’re preparing the next video that you want to distribute to your audience.

Keep people watching

Once people have found your video and started watching, the next challenge is to keep them watching. Fewer than 25% of people make it to the end of most videos on the web so it can be tough to keep their eyeballs on your video message. One of the easiest ways to overcome this problem is to keep your videos as short as possible. A business video production shouldn’t be more than around 60 to 90 seconds long unless there is a compelling reason for it to be longer. Certainly, those at the top of your video sales and marketing funnels should stick to the old maxim of quality over quantity – you only need 60 seconds to get your prospect’s attention, and to prompt them to take the next step.
If you are making a longer video then put yourselves in your viewers’ shoes when you’re planning your storyboard . What would hold your interest? A long voiceover overlayed on shots of your office probably won’t hold them for very long. Consider using video animation or a different type of video to get your message across.
If you’d like help producing a video that’s perfect for your customer base, or if you’ve already got a video that’s not getting many views, then contact our digital marketing scientists. We’d be delighted to hear from you and help you create something that really works for your business with our professional video production team.