Video.
It’s how to capture more customers online.

Online video has taken off. And it’s not just YouTube. Today, more and more businesses including many of our clients are using video as an integral part of their marketing.

Is it because nobody reads any more? Are these businesses trying to create the next viral sensation? Hardly. Video helps them better reach customers, increase sales conversions and boost search engine results.

Consider these stats:

• Video will account for 90% of all consumer Internet traffic by 2013. ¹
• Product videos increase the likelihood of a purchase by 64%. ²
• 65% of U.S. executives surveyed visit a vendor’s website after viewing a related online video. ³
• Videos are 53 times more likely to appear on the first page of a Google search than any text page from your site. ⁴
• With video, email click-through rates are 2 to 3 times higher. ⁵

How can you maximize video’s ROI?

For starters, think about how your content can best solve your customers’ problems. Warmed-over collateral won’t cut it. You’ve got to be engaging, personal, creative and persuasive.

• Tell a story, but make it a short story 3 minutes or less. If longer, divide it into chapters.
• Feature someone who can really connect.
• Brand your video, because videos can be embedded and watched across the web.
• Don’t forget the call to action whether to call, email, buy, download or schedule a demo.

Ideas for video content.

Do a video version of your next white paper, and interview the author. Or record conversations with your best customers at trade shows. You may find you can’t script a better endorsement yourself! Doing a case study? Make it video and make it captivating.

Now, don’t get the idea that you should replace all your existing website content with video. Instead, use it selectively to reinforce key elements, highlight notable offerings or explain complex features.

Getting your video noticed.

If you want your videos to get those front-page search results we mentioned, you’ve got to maximize search engine optimization (SEO) and proper online placement. Keep these guidelines in mind:

• Select an accurate title for your video (with the same name as your video file) and include all relevant tags.
• Don’t confine your content to your site.
• Consider your own YouTube channel, and be sure to accompany it with a good description and keywords. More than half of executives say they use YouTube to watch work-related videos.⁶

One of the great things about video is how easy it is to share. With little effort, prospects can email a link or share it through social media like Twitter and Facebook. Once you create a video (or video blog), let your followers know it’s ready to view.

We can help.
In this issue, we’ve just scratched the surface. There’s a lot more to online video. Let’s talk about it.

¹ © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc.
² © 2010 comScore.com
³ © 2010 Forbes
⁴ © 2010 Forrester Research
⁵ © 2010 Forrester Research
⁶ © 2010 Forrester Research