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Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the pressure to create perfect video content for your website? You’re not alone. Many grapple with the idea that videos need to be expensive, flawless, and centered on their brand to make an impact. But here’s a reality check: that’s not what your audience wants.
Buyers today crave education, not just entertainment or high-quality visuals. According to HubSpot, over 90% of people want to see more videos from brands, but they aren’t just asking for more content—they’re seeking videos that educate and inform.
Imagine pouring resources into crafting visually stunning videos, only to find your audience scrolling past them.
The problem isn’t the production quality or the quantity; it’s the missing link of educational value. Buyers are on a quest for knowledge, seeking answers to their questions and solutions to their problems through video content.
In this article, we’ll uncover the common pitfalls in video content creation and how to avoid them. You’ll learn that the key to conversion isn’t just in making videos—it’s in making the right kind of videos. Videos that educate, resonate, and build trust. We’re not chasing cinematic perfection or a vast library of content; our goal is to create videos that truly speak to and inform your audience.
Where on Your Website You Need Videos
Deciding where to place videos on your website is a strategic decision that varies depending on your business size, offerings, and objectives. While videos can significantly enhance user experience and engagement, it’s essential to prioritise their placement to maximise impact without overwhelming your resources.
- Landing Pages: Videos on landing pages can be incredibly effective in capturing attention and conveying your message quickly. They can increase conversion rates by providing a dynamic way to showcase your product or service, explain complex ideas simply, or share customer testimonials.
- Product/Service Pages: Incorporating videos on these pages can bring your offerings to life. Demonstrating your product in action or explaining a service in a video can help potential customers understand and connect with what you’re selling, making them more likely to convert.
- Employee Bio Pages: Videos here can add a personal touch, allowing visitors to connect with your team members on a more human level. Short clips introducing your staff can foster trust and personalise the user experience.
- Case Study or Customer Success Pages: Video testimonials or case studies can be powerful. They provide real-life examples of how your product or service has helped others, lending credibility and encouraging potential customers to imagine similar success.
However, not every page on your website needs a video. For example, homepages and “About Us” pages, while important, should not necessarily be your first priority for video content unless your key pages like landing and product pages already have videos.
Also, consider the maintenance aspect of videos. Unlike written content, videos are not easily updated. A small change might require a complete reshoot, making it critical to invest in evergreen video content that remains relevant over time.
The goal is to strategically place videos where they can provide the most value and impact, enhancing user experience and effectively conveying your brand’s message.
Let’s now dive into common mistakes to avoid in video content creation.
4 Common Mistakes with Website Video Content
Creating impactful video content for your website involves more than just understanding where to place them. It’s also crucial to be aware of common pitfalls that can undermine their effectiveness. Here are four key mistakes to avoid:
- You think video must be expensive
- Your videos are all about you
- Your videos are way too long
- You’re aiming for perfection
You think video must be expensive
The common belief that effective website videos require a high budget is a misconception. In reality, it’s the educational value and the relevance of the content that truly matters, not the lavishness of the production.
Viewers are primarily seeking videos that educate them, address their questions, and offer solutions, which can be achieved without significant financial outlay.
On top of that, today’s audience often prefers authenticity over high-end production. For example, websites with user generated content results in 29% higher conversions than websites without it. User Generated Video Content is simply video that looks like it has been recorded by a buyer, as opposed to a member of your company. These videos, by nature, tend to look more raw and less professional. But they work better.
We’re not telling you to start building UGC. We’re just proving the point that your videos don’t need to be high production quality to win deals. While you should create a high quality video, you don’t need tens of thousands of dollars in equipment to do that. Read our guide on the 7 Video Production Equipment Essentials Your Business Would Need to produce a high quality video.
The point is that your primary focus should be on educating your buyer, not on producing a high-quality video.
This focus on content quality over production quality is not just cost-effective but can also foster a stronger connection with the audience. Authentic, relatable videos have the power to engage viewers more effectively than polished but distant productions.
By prioritising these elements over costly production, you can create effective videos that resonate with viewers and drive conversions, all without breaking the bank.
Your videos are all about you
A frequent misstep in video content is focusing too heavily your brand itself, rather than addressing the needs and interests of your audience. Videos that are overly self-centred can fail to engage viewers, as they do not provide the value or answers that your audience is seeking.
The key to effective video content lies in understanding and addressing the viewer’s perspective. Instead of highlighting just the features of a product or the achievements of your company, videos should demonstrate how your offerings solve real problems or improve the lives of your customers. Focus on your buyer’s questions and problems, not on your solutions. This approach shifts the focus from a brand-centric to a customer-centric narrative, making the content more relevant and engaging for the viewer.
One effective way to do this is to directly address common questions or challenges that your customers face. By providing solutions or insights through your video content, you position your brand as a helpful and knowledgeable ally in the viewer’s journey. This approach not only educates the audience but also fosters a deeper connection with your brand.
By focusing on creating audience-centric content, you align your video strategy with the needs and interests of your viewers. This alignment not only enhances engagement and viewer satisfaction but also increases the likelihood of converting viewers into customers.
Remember, the most successful video content is the one that resonates with your audience and provides them with real value.
Your videos are way too long
In the realm of online content, where attention spans are notoriously short, one critical mistake is creating videos that are too lengthy. Overly long videos risk losing viewer engagement, no matter how high the production quality or how compelling the content may be.
In fact, 73% of customers prefer watching short form video to learn about a product or service than any other type of media. Today, short form video is preferred, and there’s just no way around it.
This doesn’t mean all of your videos have to be short form content. But, it does mean that if you make your videos too long, you may lose your customer if it’s not hyper targeted towards them.
If a video has to be longer, front-load it with the surface-level detail so people can get the basics quickly. If they want more depth, they can stick around for the rest.
Here’s an example of a product video we use:
You’re aiming for perfection
In the pursuit of creating the perfect video for your website, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters: educating your audience and answering their questions.
Striving for flawless production quality often leads to videos that, while visually stunning, may not effectively address the needs and concerns of your buyers.
The reality is viewers are more interested in the educational content of the video rather than its impeccable execution.
A video that is slightly less polished but packed with valuable information and answers to common buyer questions is far more likely to resonate with and convert viewers. This approach shifts the focus from creating a visually perfect video to developing content that is genuinely helpful and informative.
It’s about understanding and addressing the real issues that your buyers face, providing them with solutions, insights, and knowledge that they can’t easily find elsewhere.
Moreover, this focus on education and problem-solving can often make up for any imperfections in the video. Minor flaws in production are easily overlooked when the viewer is engaged with and benefiting from the content. In fact, these small imperfections can add a layer of authenticity, making your brand more relatable and trustworthy.
Obsessing over creating a perfect video can delay the production and release, causing you to miss timely opportunities to connect with your audience. Videos that address current trends, answer recent queries, or tap into ongoing conversations in your industry are more likely to engage viewers, even if they aren’t flawlessly produced.
Aiming for perfection in your video content will slow you down. On the contrary, aiming to accurately answer customer questions quickly will get you producing more video content more quickly, which will ultimately help you get in front of your customers questions quicker than your competitors.
But you can’t do that if you’re aiming for perfection.
So, what’s next?
Remember, the first thing you want to do is develop a video for your landing pages, product/service pages, employee bio pages, and case study pages.
After that, you can look into producing video for other pages like your home page and about us page.
If you avoid those four common mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to creating video content for your website that converts more traffic into leads.
The question then becomes, once I have leads, how can I use video content to convert those leads into sales?
The key is to start producing videos that sales reps can use to close deals.
Here’s a comprehensive guide on exactly how you can do that.
