How To Create Videos For Your Website

Tips for Preparation
By Catherine Gray, COO of Corp Shorts.com

Since more than 50% of people now search online for products and services, a business’s website has become their most important calling card. Research shows people are four times more likely to respond to video, than to the written word.It seems people want to be entertained and captivated when they come to a site, they no longer just want to read about it.This makes videos on your website, a powerful marketing tool in this changing business landscape. Here are some tips on creating a format that is a proven successful formula that works well online. First, you should not re-purpose your tv commercial as a website video. Commercials are often short and hard hitting in their delivery. It is best to use a personal documentary style approach. Since you are not locked into a time frame like on TV, it is best to take advantage of this opportunity.

Generally your home page videos can be around 2-5 minutes, depending on the content. Though people prefer one minute videos when watching You Tube and other videos sites, when visiting your website, they are there to learn about your company. As long as the video moves and has interesting cut aways shots (known as B Roll), 2-5 minutes is acceptable.

This video usually will tell the history, overview, and general explanation of your business. Other videos throughout the site can be shorter (1-3 minutes)- these would be such topics as products, services, testimonials etc

In order to prepare for developing your website video- first determine which three to five messages you want to convey to the potential customer visiting your site. The script will be derived from those objectives.

I suggest a combination of professional voiceover, interspersed with candid clips of your responses to interview style questions. This will result in a more genuine response of knowledge and passion about your company- as opposed to memorizing verbiage, which often comes across as unprofessional and insincere. After all, business owners are not actors, but they are experts in their respective fields. (You may also opt to have a professional host)

Prepare a list of questions for the interview that will illicit answers that deliver the focus and goals of the video. These are the points you previously determined where the main messages you wanted to get across to the potential customer.

Once you have filmed the interview, be sure to film more shots that pertain to the content. This is called B-roll or cutaways shot. Since no-one wants to just view a “talking head”, you will want to lay in cutaway shots of what is being discussed in the voiceover and interview answers. The B –roll makes the video move faster and creates a more entertaining video production.

Also of major importance is using suitable original music to set the tone of your business. For instance, while a spa may want a relaxing musical score, a business executive may want a more face paced, quick moving sound. The music impacts the viewer’s mood and reaction to the video.

Lastly, you have several ways in which to upload the video onto your site. You can put the video file in an player from companies such as flowplayer, customize a player, or upload your video to as site such as You Tube or Brightcove (the quality on the latter is better)- and then cut and paste the link to your site. By having it reside on one of these video sites, you save space on your server, since it resides on their server. This means the video will play more quickly and not slow down your site. Besides, the last option is simple, easy, and free!

All the components of the website video are crucial to making this a powerful video marketing tool for your company. The message, the delivery, the professionalism, the cutaways, the voiceover, the music, and the script all combine to create your important online image. With more and more people searching the web for your business, it makes sense to create website videos as a way to maximize business from your website and use new media to grow your bottom line.

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