Online Video For Business by Story Envelope

www.STORYenvelope.
com
1
ONLINE VIDEO MARKETING RESEARCH
Compiled by Colette Nichol, Story Envelope, 2014
604.600.2981
video@storyenvelope.com
.

STORY

envelope

What You Need To Know About Online Video
by Colette Nichol
Im a research nerd and Google addict, so when I first decided that I wanted to
make online videos for businesses and organizations, I did a lot of investigating
into the online video world. From personal experience, I knew that video was
one of the most effective conversion tools Id ever encountered; every time I
had found myself sitting on the fence about a product, service or experience, and I
had watched a video, I was quickly taken off the fence. In most cases my maybe
had been turned into a resounding yes.

After detecting this pattern in myself, I wanted to see whether the data reflected
my own experience.

What I discovered was that there are a lot of people/marketers/charlatans online
who love to make info-graphics about online video that are relatively meaningless.
Most of the online video data that is readily available is taken so out of context that
it becomes useless and even misleading. So my first piece of advice is dont
trust info-graphics about online video. (Unless they come from
ComScoreDataMine or the French media.)

I went beyond the info-graphics and into the articles and studies that they were
loosely based upon, as well as delving into research on viral video. I also
continued to do my own analysis of online video, watching for patterns and trends
and identifying what seemed to be working and what was just plain boring and
ineffective.

The information below is a summary of the data I discovered, as well as some
tips and opinions. While it is not exhaustive, it covers many of the vital points
anybody considering online video as a marketing tool should consider.

Some of it might seem obvious. Some surprising, and some counterintuitive. But
all of it is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

And one final note: Since online video is still relatively new compared to other
marketing tools, there is still a lack of good research, thus in some cases I quote
studies as old as 2011. This isnt because Ive been reading dusty volumes. In
such cases its important to remember that that number will be substantially higher
today in 2014.

www.STORYenvelope.com
2
604.600.2981
.

STORY

envelope

On Conversion & ROI
1. THE ROI FOR ONLINE VIDEO IS CONSIDERED TO BE HIGH

In a study of marketing decision makers done by CopyPress which included
marketers worldwide, 51.9% of respondents cited video as having the best ROI.
i

For the sake of transparency, it is important to note that CopyPress does have a
stake in the online video world as one of their primary services is video creation.
Thus point number two
2. BE YOUR OWN DATA MINE

Since its hard to trust data created by a biased source, try mining your own
sources. See how you interact with video on other businesses sites. Check out
businesses in your industry. Are they using video? Does it work on you? Ask your
ideal clients if they respond to video. And if so what type of videos do they enjoy?
Do they prefer sales videos, how-to videos, informative videos, super short story-
based videos, creative videos? What kind of video would help you connect with
your audience?
3. VIDEO EXCELS AT CONVERTING THE FENCE SITTERS

I dont watch a video on a website if Im almost already at a yes, and most people
are the same way. Example: I was deciding whether or not to buy a Life Straw for
my recent camping trip. I was already at 95% yes in terms of buying it, so I just
went on to their website to get some quick info about how it could be used. As
soon as I got the info I needed I was off the site. I bought the straw that day.
Compare this a few months previous when I had been deciding whether or not
to go to a play. I wasnt sure. I didnt want to spend my time and money on
something not worthwhile. Id seen so many bad shows around that time, and it
was a rainy day, so I was feeling very disposed to staying home. I went online and
found a video interview with the actor and writer who had created the show. I liked
the actor so much just from watching a short interview that I decided to go to the
performance. Great decision. It was the best show Ive seen in two years. But I
probably would not have gone if he hadnt had that video online.

3
604.600.2981
.

STORY

envelope

His video now has over 4000 views on YouTube and I wonder how many other
people made their decision of whether to see his show or not based on that video.
I also wonder how many media outlets have chosen to feature him and his work
based on that video. The more you give the more you tend to receive.
4. VIDEO INCREASES CONFIDENCE IN YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE

In a 2013 survey of over 1,000 consumers who had spent $250 online in the
previous year, it was discovered that one in three had watched a video on a
product page. And 57% of surveyed consumers said that product videos make
them feel more secure in their choice to make a purchase and less likely to
return the purchase.
ii

All video does is increase the know-like-trust factor for your business, service
or product. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video - which has 24 pictures
per second in motion, plus audio - is worth a lot more than that. Video simply helps
to gain trust and deal with objections efficiently.
On Video Trends & Consumer Habits
1. EXPECTATION IS ON THE RISE.

People are on the verge of expecting website videos. This means that if you act
now, youll be ahead of the curve and not behind it.

More than one billion individuals visit YouTube every month. That means just
over 15% of the human population visits YouTube each month. Early adopters
are already in expectation mode when it comes to website video. And everyone
else is close on their heels.

Remember when the web had barely any photos? It was all text. And then photos
became the norm. Text didnt disappear, but you also had to have photos to be
considered relevant. The same is now happening with video. Photos arent going
anywhere. But video will soon become just as normal as still images and text.

4
604.600.2981
.

STORY

envelope

2. FACEBOOK USERS LOVE VIDEO.

A study done by comScore in April of 2014 showed that over 87 million video
views came from American Facebook users during that month.
iii
Relevance?
Thats 46% of all the video views that occurred online in The United States in April.

Of 186.1 million videos viewed online in the U.S., 46% were viewed on Facebook.
This meansdont be shy about sharing your videos on Facebook. In fact, share
your videos multiple times on Facebook, not just once.

Youve probably heard already that only 15% or less of your posts will ever be
seen by your audience. Indeed. So post the same videos multiple times. As long
as they stay relevant you can keep reposting them once per week or every two
weeks.
3. VIDEO IS ON THE WAY IN, NOT ON THE WAY OUT. AND ITS NOT A FAD.

And this includes an increase in shopping decisions made by watching an online
video.

The Cisco Visual Networking Index predicts that by 2017 online shoppers will
spend 67% of their shopping time watching videos. And as of 2012, people
looking to buy products or services online were already spending 57% of their
online shopping-time watching videos.
iv

(Even Im surprised by these stats! I knew this was happening, but I didnt realize
quite how big it had already gotten.) Cisco also predicts that by 2016 there will be
1.5 billion Internet video users.
4. ONLINE VIDEO VIEWERS ARE EDUCATED AND AFFLUENT.

Online video use is highest among people aged 18-49 as well as those with
higher levels of formal education and higher household incomes. So if this
happens to be the general demographic your clients or customers fit into, then this
is definitely something to think about.
v

5
604.600.2981
.

STORY

envelope

On How To Make Your Video Work For You

1. YOUR MAIN VIDEO NEEDS TO GO ABOVE THE FOLD.

Or at the very least make sure the link to your video is above the fold. On average
people visiting your website spend an estimated 80% of their time checking out
the information above the fold. This means the top of your website's homepage
is the most important place. This also means that if you choose to get a video made
for yourself, but you stick it in some dark crevice of your website, it wont be able
to do any converting for you. It will languish in Internet hell wondering why nobody
is watching it.
Jakob Nielson a researcher for the Nielson Norman Group found in that website
viewing time was distributed as follows:

Above the fold: 80.3% Below the fold: 19.7%
vi

2. VIDEOS REQUIRE REAL, LIVE HUMANS & MOVEMENT.

This might seem obvious. But it is surprisingly ignored. There is a rising number of
animated videos full of swishing and floating text with nary a human in sight. These
videos only work if the viewer is desperate for the information contained in the
video. Or if they are made by an extremely skilled animator with amazing timing
and a sense of how music affects emotion. And even then these text-based videos
dont stick in your mind. Can you think of an animated text video that really lives on
in your memory? I cant.

Humans are attracted to other human faces, to emotion, to movement, and to
the sound of the human voice.
vii
Good video contains all or most of these
elements.

3. VIDEOS MUST BE MOBILE OPTIMIZED INCLUDING THE AUDIO.

With the growth in use of iPhones and other smart phones and now iPads and other
tablets, video-on-the-go has become more and more prevalent.

As of April 2012, it was found that in the U.S., 53% of tablet users watch video on
their tablet, and 20% of all smart phone users watch video on their phone.
viii

6
604.600.2981
.

STORY

envelope

This means that if youre creating a video for your website, it has to look good
and work well on a mobile device. This also means ensuring the audio is of a high
enough quality to stand the ear bud test. Poor quality audio in an ear bud means
your video will not be watched for more than a few seconds.
4. IF YOUR TALENT DOESNT MOVE, YOUR VIEWERS EYES WILL.

When people are watching a talking-head video, wherein a person speaks into the
camera lens for an extended period of time, the viewers eyes wander all over the
screen, checking out the objects in the background, and then moving over to the
area around the video player.
ix
This is important because if youre doing a talking-
head video and you have nothing around the player that reinforces your message,
youre wasting key space. Take advantage of the fact that peoples eyes are
wandering by reinforcing the videos message with images and text next to,
above, or below the video player.
5. VIEWERS WANT TO LAUGH OR LEARN.

Most people want to watch online videos that either make them laugh or teach them
something, orboth, at the same time.

In 2013 the Pew Research Center found that 47% of adults in the United States
watched comedy videos and 50% watched educational videos online. As of
2012, how-to videos were watched by 46% of adults.
x
These are the highest
ranking forms of online video across the board with all age groups.

So if you create a promo video that is a full on piece of slick propaganda it better
make people either laugh-out-loud, feel inspired, or learn something.

Your video must provoke a positive emotion. Otherwise your best bet is to go the
more educational route. By creating videos that feel like short documentaries,
that feel useful and informative, you are giving people value. They learn
something. They are inspired. They arent being sold something that they dont
need, they are being taken on a journey.

7
604.600.2981
.

STORY

envelope

Conclusions

In certain cases, the right online video can skyrocket conversions, while in other
cases it will nudge them. Knowing which will be the case for you means
knowing your audience.

But creating a video isnt just about immediate conversion rates. Its about the long
term. For me its about exceeding expectation, creating an experience, and
prepping your client or customer for the wonders that await them if they do
business with you. Its about sharing your story so that your audience can share it
for you. Its about cultivating the feelings of connection that will allow you
begin building lasting relationships.

Not everyone who goes to your website will watch your video. But the people
who do will be rewarded by a feeling of greater connection and trust. People want
to trust the companies and service providers they buy from. They want to be able
to justify spending their money. And thats exactly what video helps them do.

Congratulations on reading to the end. You now know more about online video
that almost everyone else in your industry.

What Now?

If you have any questions or comments regarding this information or online video in
general please, contact me at colette@storyenvelope.com.

Or if youd like to talk about your project and have a custom quote created for you,
please get in touch at video@storyenvelope.com.

And finally, theres more information, ideas, and opinions at the Story Envelope
Blog, which you can find at www.storyenvelope.com/blog.

8
604.600.2981
.

STORY

envelope

ENDNOTES

i
Which Content Marketing Tactics Get The Best ROI, E-marketer, March, 2013
http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Which-Content-Marketing-Tactics-Best-
ROI/1009706 - Study cited from CopyPress, January 2013

ii
57% of Consumers Rely On Product Videos (My note: This title is misleading!) by
Daisy Whitney, March 2013
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/196791/57-of-consumers-rely-on-
product-videos.html#axzz2OmAzPtJQ

iii
ComScore Data Mine, May 21, 2014
https://www.comscore.com/Insights/Market-Rankings/comScore-Releases-April-
2014-U.S.-Online-Video-Rankings

iv
Cisco Visual Networking Index
http://newsroom.cisco.com/release/888280/Cisco-s-VNI-Forecast-Projects-the-
Internet-Will-Be-Four-Times-as-Large-in-Four-Years

v
PewInternet.org, Oct 10
th
, 2013
http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/10/28/photo-and-video-sharing-grow-online/

vi
Jakob Nielson, Researcher for Nielson Norman Group
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/scrolling-and-attention/

vii
The Brain Lady, Dr. Susan Weinschenk, PhD
http://www.blog.theteamw.com/2013/01/22/4-reasons-why-online-video-is-
compelling-persuasive/

viii
ComScoreDataMine, June 8th, 2012
http://www.comscoredatamine.com/2012/06/tablet-audience-nearly-3x-as-likely-to-
watch-video-as-smartphone-users/

ix
Nielson Norman Group, 2005
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/talking-head-video-is-boring-online/

x
PewInternet.org, 2013
http://www.journalism.org/2014/03/26/the-audience-for-digital-news-videos/

Online Video For Business by Story Envelope

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Online Video For Business by Story Envelope

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

www.STORYenvelope.

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen