In a world of limitless information, people are growing less patient when they search on Google. When the internet first came out, reading an article online was new and exciting. Fast forward to 2021, and people are more likely to click on a video link versus an article to a blog post.
According to Brightedge, Google’s search algorithm delivers a video thumbnail 26% of the time. These thumbnails are also considered rich snippets, which tend to have a higher click-through rate than traditional snippets. Increasing your click-through rate helps with SERPs (search engine rank page).
Marketing and Video
In the marketing world, videos lead the way in conversion rates. Increasing engagement and user longevity is easier than ever with video. Of course, the content must be engaging, but readers are more likely to stay to watch a video versus reading an article. According to Unbounce, if your homepages including a video can increase conversion rates by 80 percent! Furthermore, using video in your marketing campaign at all can increase your conversion rates by 34%.
Google Likes Video Too
People aren’t the only ones favoring videos. Google likes them too, and if you’re on top of your SEO, Google will pay your video(s) plenty of attention. It’s important to remember to optimize the video content and keep it in between 2-4 minutes. Anything longer than that can result in a bounce (user leaving). More often than not, users will be visiting from a mobile device. Keep that in mind when deciding content for the video. Most businesses use service tutorials, customer testimonials, or product announcements in their video content. In this case, the video may need to be longer. Adjust this metric to accommodate your business needs.
Tips For Video Engagement
So now that you’ve got a video on your website, what should you focus on the most? Every video will tell a story, and depending on that story it may need a follow-through action. Using CTA’s (call-to-action) is the best way to engage the user through video, but what are the best practices for mobile?
There are a few things to consider when optimizing content for mobile.
- Content size – If your website is responsive, this shouldn’t affect anything. Responsive design will adjust the content per user’s device. One exception would be if the content in the video is too small to see.
- Content Length – Unless you are conveying a lot of information, try to keep the videos under 4 minutes. This will increase the likelihood of the user finishing the video and performing a call-to-action.
- Downloadable Content – Use infographic or downloadable graphics with the video content. Users who engage with your content may download a graphic, increasing the chances of returning or, at the least, citing your website as the source.
- Include a detailed description with SEO-friendly keywords. The video description is another channel for your website to become optimized. Including relevant keywords in the video description will increase SERPs ranking.
- Call-to-Action – Make sure to use a call-to-action if your video is on the landing page. This can used for anything from newsletter signups to a customer loyalty program. Find more tips on this here.
Play rates for videos aren’t guaranteed, so don’t rely on just videos for your content. Make sure to use graphics and descriptive text in conjunction to maximize engagement and longevity. Remember, the new Google update is all about user experience. Google will start taking into account how long a user interacts with your webpage. If you’ve got SEO-friendly, relevant content with an accompaniment of material to keep the user engaged, you’ve got the ultimate setup for landing page conversions.