![\"landing](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/video-placeit.jpg\")
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Just because <\/span>landing page videos<\/span><\/a> have been seen to <\/span>increase conversions<\/span><\/a> doesn\u2019t mean you can throw up any shoddy video and expect results. <\/span><\/p>\n There are a few landing page video best practices that you\u2019ll want to review first, such as whether to use live-action style or animation.<\/span><\/p>\n The answer to this question depends on your industry, competition and several other factors to be discussed in this piece. As a general rule, taking the road less traveled to <\/span>differentiate yourself from your competition<\/b> is a good start. <\/span><\/p>\n But I don\u2019t want you making important decisions without knowing the pros and cons of both video styles. <\/span><\/p>\n So let\u2019s get started!<\/span><\/p>\n Not everyone can afford to invest in video production. <\/span>Video may be rapidly growing<\/span><\/a> into the most consumed digital medium, but it still comes with a high production cost. Here are just a few potential costs to consider:<\/span><\/p>\n Assuming that you can afford these resources, there are still a few questions you should ask yourself before investing in video such as <\/span>“Why do I want to use videos on my landing page?”<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n While videos can be a great way to increase <\/span>landing page conversions<\/span><\/a>, they aren’t a cure all for CRO (conversion rate optimization) problems. To see the real effects of landing page videos, you need to consider the different instances where they provide legitimate value to your users.<\/span><\/p>\n Explaining the finer details of your product\/service can get complicated if you’re relying solely on blog posts and landing page copy. <\/span><\/p>\n Even if you’re a master of <\/span>landing page copy<\/span><\/a>, that doesn’t mean your user will read it. And if they do read it, their<\/span> likelihood of remembering<\/span><\/a> it is actually quite low.<\/span><\/p>\n With the average consumer remembering 80% of what they see and do, video seems like your best bet. So, leveraging <\/span>product explainer videos<\/span> to make sure your users understand (and remember) the value of converting is worth it.<\/span><\/p>\n Explainer videos, for the most part, fall under one of two categories: those that explain your product\/service features, and those that explain the benefits.<\/span><\/p>\n Feature Focused Videos<\/b> — landing page videos that focus on the features of your product\/service and explain what that product is or does. For example, a <\/span>feature of a classic iPod<\/span><\/a> is 1 GB of MP3 storage space.<\/span><\/p>\n Benefit Focused Videos<\/b> — landing page videos that advertise the benefits of your product\/service and speak in terms of value to the user. Using the same example, the <\/span>benefits of an iPod<\/span><\/a> with the above features would be the ability to hold 1000 songs in your pocket.<\/span><\/p>\n In most CRO circles, benefit-driven content and copy are considered the real conversion boosters. Marketers can often forget that, even though we understand how our product\/service can help users, others often don’t care.<\/span><\/p>\n It’s our job as marketers to make them understand the benefits of our service and the value of converting. That’s where feature-benefit matrices come in.<\/span><\/p>\n You can consider the “sales message” a brainstorming session on what to base your landing page videos on.<\/span><\/p>\n Explanatory videos aren\u2019t the only time you may want to leverage video on your website landing pages. Replacing certain offers with videos can also help lower landing page friction. An easier and more convenient offer should always help boost conversions.<\/span><\/p>\n Let’s take a look at an example for a better idea of<\/span> when to use demo videos<\/span><\/a> (the bottom landing page is the original):<\/span><\/p>\n “Schedule a Demo Today!” is a great actionable CTA. However, it fails to take into account that some users may not have time in their schedule for a full demo. <\/span><\/p>\n Instead, with a demo video, you can provide all the same helpful information, <\/span>but at your user\u2019s convenience.<\/b><\/p>\n The results of this approach speak for themselves:<\/span><\/p>\n Landing page videos aren’t add-on or superfluous experiences. They\u2019re assets that you should use to improve the actual user experience of your landing page by providing legitimate value.<\/span><\/p>\n And there’s few things customers value more than their own opinions.<\/span><\/p>\n W<\/span>hen users are researching your brand online, they can be hesitant to trust what you have to say about yourself. A great alternative is having your <\/span>happy customers speak for themselves<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Testimonials can be a great way to communicate the real world user value to your potential customers and provide a sense of authenticity. <\/span>Sharing testimonials<\/span><\/a> in video form is a great way to engage users on their own terms in a delightful and valuable way. But keep in mind:<\/span><\/p>\n Effective testimonials go beyond a simple quote that proclaims your greatness. They need to resonate with […] the people who could also benefit from the work you do in the future.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n The best testimonials are specific and aligned to your target audience as well as specific use cases and advantages. Make sure your reviews are a bit more robust than “[YOUR BRAND] is awesome! We love their work!”<\/span><\/p>\n Many brands have testimonials and case studies as their own section within their website. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to use the power of user testimonials on your landing pages as well.<\/span><\/p>\n For example, if you visit the testimonial page of<\/span> mHelpDesk<\/span><\/a>, they have video testimonials and quotes targeting specific, varying industries.<\/span><\/p>\n These testimonial videos, don’t have to be super high quality. What’s more important is that you tell a story that viewers value with<\/span> customers they can relate to<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n These are only the three <\/span>biggest<\/span><\/i> instances to use videos on your landing pages. But with each campaign comes a unique opportunity to engage with a unique audience. <\/span><\/p>\n During video production it can get sticky in regards to live-action versus animated video. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each.<\/span><\/p>\n Live-action videos are the more human side of landing page videos. Let\u2019s review a few key pieces of advice if you want to incorporate these into your website marketing tactics.<\/span><\/p>\n It shows when you don\u2019t have a script.<\/span><\/p>\n You can be a master of a topic being discussed, but not explain the concept clearly, simply, and efficiently to viewers.<\/span><\/p>\n Einstein said:<\/span><\/p>\n If you can’t explain it to a 7 year old, you don’t understand it yourself.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n If you want a reference of what a video can look like with and without a script, you can watch the examples below. In the<\/span> first video<\/span><\/a>, I was explaining the topic off the cuff. In<\/span> the second<\/span><\/a>, I took the time to write out an actual script to lean on.<\/span><\/p>\n After you’ve written your script, you can get started on your set. For live-action videos, this is incredibly important. As a general rule, natural lighting is considered the best choice. <\/span><\/p>\n But we can’t always control the weather, so make sure you have a few beauty key lights on hand. You should always have at least one beauty key light pointing straight onto your subject, regardless.<\/span><\/p>\n Having a light meter to correct white balance before you shoot will also help you <\/span>control the lighting<\/span><\/a> on your set. <\/span><\/p>\n Where you place your subject(s) within the frame will depend on what kind of video you’re shooting. For explainer videos or vlogs, you’ll want your narrator\/anchor front and center. For interviews, you’ll want to rely on the<\/span> rule of thirds<\/span><\/a> to keep your shot balanced.<\/span><\/p>\n When it comes to editing, some videographers prefer jump cuts in between different parts of the video. Others believe that a good pause lets the viewer relax. They tend to differ on the topic of background music and directional animations as well.<\/span><\/p>\n In the end, your editorial choices come down to emphasizing whatever experience you\u2019re optimizing towards.<\/span><\/p>\n However, one editorial<\/span> best practice<\/span><\/a> everyone will agree on is the addition of animation or design elements <\/span>to help explain complex points.<\/b><\/p>\n Certain topics aren’t easily conveyed through just words. A quick animation or even a screenshot to the side of your speaker can do wonders for making your video more understandable and easily digested. <\/span><\/p>\n You should also make sure you’re using captions, so anyone who\u2019s viewing your video doesn’t need sound or headphones to appreciate it.<\/span><\/p>\n Lastly, before we get into the pros and cons of live-action videos, make sure that you keep the<\/span> CTA to the side<\/span><\/a> of the video.<\/span><\/p>\n They\u2019re meant to boost conversions by communicating value to your users. So you want to make sure you’re still stressing the conversion as your goal action.<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with the obvious: live-action landing page videos put a human face to your marketing efforts. <\/span><\/p>\n PPC advertising deals with the same issues that ordinary advertising does: \u00a0users don’t tend to immediately trust what they see or hear, because they fear they’re “being sold to” by some large brand.<\/span><\/p>\n Putting a real human on screen to explain your services can help familiarize your brand. It also gives you a sense of<\/span> authority and expertise<\/span><\/a> on the subject.<\/span><\/p>\n Live-action landing page videos also allow you to communicate directly with your user. Or, to be more accurate, they give your user the sense that they’re interacting with you directly. <\/span><\/p>\n This is a great way to make your landing page experience more familiar and personalized. And<\/span> marketing personalization<\/span><\/a> has been a strong conversion booster lately.<\/span><\/p>\n Lastly, if your video is product based instead of explanatory based, live-action provides a great opportunity for IRL (in-real-life) uses.<\/span><\/p>\n Or, as in the<\/span> example below<\/span><\/a>, the video can allude to what you may get with a purchase while playing to the humorous side of the brand.<\/span><\/p>\n On the whole, live-action landing page videos are best for explaining the “human element” of any product or service you’re advertising. <\/span><\/p>\n If we\u2019re talking about the pros of live-action being based on the \u201chuman element,\u201d the leading con to consider is that not all humans are meant to be on screen.<\/span><\/p>\n Sorry, but just because you\u2019re a CEO or startup founder<\/span> doesn’t automatically qualify<\/span><\/a> you to make awesome video content.<\/span><\/p>\nWhen to Use Landing Page Videos<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Product\/Explanatory Videos<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"landing](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06124936\/landing-page-video-1.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"landing](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06125209\/landing-page-video-benefits.png\")
<\/p>\nDemo Videos<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"landing](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06125344\/landing-page-video-demo.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"landing](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06125433\/landing-page-video-demo-results.png\")
<\/p>\nCustomer Testimonial Videos<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"landing-page-video-testimonials-1\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06125737\/landing-page-video-testimonials-1.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"landing-page-video-testimonials-1\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06125805\/landing-page-video-testimonials-2.png\")
<\/p>\nLive-Action Landing Page Videos\u00a0Best Practices<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"landing-page-video-best-practices\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06125917\/landing-page-video-best-practices.gif\")
<\/p>\n![\"landing-page-video-example-2\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06130800\/landing-page-video-example-2.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"landing-page-video-example-2\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06130822\/landing-page-video-example.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"landing-page-video-wista\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06131004\/landing-page-video-wista.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"landing-page-video-examples\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06131042\/landing-page-video-examples.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"landing-page-video-cta\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06131230\/landing-page-video-cta.png\")
<\/p>\nPros of Live-Action Video<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"landing-page-video-live-action\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06131419\/landing-page-video-live-action.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"landing-page-video-live-action-2\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06131653\/landing-page-video-live-action-2.png\")
<\/p>\nCons of Live-Action Video<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"landing-page-video-best-practices\"](\"https:\/\/ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/06131944\/landing-page-video-best-practices.png\")
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