Consider placement

The placement of your video plays an integral role in the overall design of your website. As the reader’s eye scans your page, they’re going to pick up on certain components of your webpage. As you know, we read from left to right. This means videos on the left or top of your webpage will be seen first compared to a video placed on the right or bottom of your webpage. So, if you want your video to be seen first, place it toward the top or left. If you want the video to be viewed later, place it further down on the page or on the right.

Take a look at some placement options for videos on your website below:

Home page

Your homepage is typically the first page a visitor sees when they come to your site. With that said, having a video on your homepage can have a huge impact on the user’s experience. For example, you can have a background video running in the background that shows what your company does, such as how they design T-shirts or build a home, or an explainer video located further down the homepage that explains what your company does and the problems it solves.

About us page

Most businesses don’t incorporate videos on their About Us page. However, doing so can be a great way to let people know about your company’s culture, values, and beliefs. A short video where members of your company discuss their role and purpose can give visitors a true sense of your company.

Product and category pages

When it comes to buying a product or service, one or two pictures with 200 words of text won’t cut it. How can someone truly understand how a product or service works by looking at a static image with a few words underneath? A short video can show exactly what a product looks like, how it works, and why customers need it.

Considering the placement of your videos can help take your business’s website to the next level.

Don’t put videos on auto-play

No one wants to click on a website, land on a page, and be bombarded with a video and loud audio yelling from their computer or phone. While you may want to have your video play right away, it’s important to keep user experience in mind.

Shutting off auto-play is a respectful gesture visitors will be appreciative of, and can even encourage them to watch the entire video rather than clicking out of it because they have the option to decide whether they want to watch the video or not.

Take Trust & Will’s homepage, for example.

When you scroll down on their homepage, you’ll come across a quick one-minute video of people talking about how they don’t know much about trusts and wills and how they work. Rather than playing it right away, there’s a “Play Video” button that’s front and center right below the video for users to click on. The video is also easy to load and find, which is important for user experience.

Pick a Relevant Still

A still is a single-captured frame within a segment of a video. For example, when you click pause on a video and the video stops, the frozen image you see can be considered a still. Depending on the length of the video, you’ll have hundreds, or even thousands, of stills to choose from. Because your video won’t be on auto-play, it’s important to pick a still that embodies the meaning of the video and shows viewers what the video might be about.

Let’s say you’re a construction company and have a short 30-second explainer video that shows your employees putting a house together. You wouldn’t want to choose a still that shows the picture of the ground or a tree. Rather, you may want to show a still of an employee nailing a beam or laying down the foundation. Doing so will give visitors a better understanding of what the video is about.

Supplement Content with Videos

Reading a large chunk of text can be draining, causing readers to give up and not finish the article or post on your page. Breaking up text with videos is a great way to increase engagement and make your content more shareable. Take Buzzfeed, for example. When you read one of their articles, you’ll most likely come across numerous GIFs, videos, and images that are funny, relatable, and entertaining. This inspires readers to continue on throughout the post and continue reading.

When it comes to embedding videos into your content, make sure they’re short and to the point. In the digital age we live in, readers have shorter attention spans and don’t want to sit around watching a 30-minute video. That’s why platforms like TikTok and Snapchat are so successful.

Not only should you supplement content with videos, but you should also make them searchable with hashtags and link them to your social media platforms so users can search for your video using keywords on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

The Bottom Line

Videos are a great way to improve the overall aesthetic and appeal of your business’s website. Not only are videos engaging, but they can also provide useful information to leads and customers about your company, products, and culture, resulting in a sale or other action. With this guide on incorporating videos into your business website, you’ll draw in more visitors and increase the visibility of your site.