In the darkness of a restaurant bar while watching football on TV, my conversation with a friend turned to video. He had sent out an e-newsletter. And buried among the text were links to video. Few people clicked on those links. But in a following e-newsletter, he played up his video front and center. The video was not simply a link. The video included a thumbnail previewing what people were about to see.
On a different day during lunch, another colleague asked me if I watched the video on his company’s website. I told him I couldn’t find it. He tried to explain where the company placed the video, but his instructions sounded like a map on how to find treasure at the end of a labyrinth of caves.
In yet another case, a man told me about what sounded like a wonderful video on the company’s founders. But he didn’t know where the video was. It certainly wasn’t on their website.
Yes, I believe video is a powerful way to share your message and your company’s story. But you need to tempt your viewers’ taste buds. Imagine a restaurant that prepares the town’s top steak but only serves it to customers who walk into the kitchen. Or think about serving that steak without allowing a patron to first see and smell it. Too many businesses which buy into video marketing tuck that video away onto a page I may never click on. Or they present it as no more than a link where it turns into just another plate of blue text.
Make your video the star attraction. Don’t hide it. Use it to ensure visitors stay on your site longer. Video is not dessert in case someone stays around long enough. Video is the entrée that ensures visitors walk through the front door, sit down, stay a while and check out everything else on the menu.
Video sharing sites allow you to display a frame of your creation on your website or blog. Facebook also generates a visual preview. Various plug-ins offer you several display options for WordPress. If video is eye candy, then take full advantage of it. Whether it’s food the chef perfectly arranges or a cheap gift we dress up in a bag with colorful tissue paper, presentation is key. Show us your video in all its glory and someone will more likely show you their business.
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