The Five Most Effective Types of Web Videos
Web Video – What Your Customers Are Looking For
Different kinds of web video can work for you in different ways. Here are the first five types of web video you should consider, depending on your needs and budget.
1. Testimonial
The internet is all about what’s real and authentic. We identify with real people in web videos, including their flaws, lack of professional polish and even discomfort in front of the camera. We expect television to be slick, professional and “produced”, while we expect the opposite from the web.
That’s why testimonials are a natural for web video. They don’t have to be perfect to work, in fact they’re not supposed to be. Testimonials can build instant credibility like no other genre, and they are relatively inexpensive to make.
2. Satire
Everyone loves to be entertained. Especially in a down economy, viewers are constantly looking for an excuse for a little levity. The beauty of a satirical promotional video is that viewers give themselves permission to indulge in the silliness because they can justify it since they are also “learning” something. And, of course, they are.
Let’s say you are researching landscaping websites and each one had four things:
- pictures
- descriptions of services
- articles and resources
- a funny video
Which would you click on first?
3. Quick collage
If your goal is to give a flavor, stimulate the viewers’ eyeballs and get your brand out there without demanding too much of the viewer, a collage set to driving music is perfect. It’s pure entertainment, projects excitement and vitality and sets you apart from your competition in spite of the challenges with web video. Any seminar, presentation or live event can be edited to project the key points in your branding strategy.
4. Message from the Boss
Everyone likes a chance to peek behind the curtain and meet the boss. Before the web, cheesy television commercials were just about the only way for an owner or executive to personally connect with customers.
With a short and simple web video, you can now speak in your own words, use as many takes as you like and even edit pieces of different takes together for the best impact. A skilled director will put you at ease and suggest ways to relax, speak from the heart and just be yourself.
5. Webmercial
A common misnomer about commercials on the web is that they are the same as television commercials, only smaller. In fact, the true webmercial is designed for the internet, not broadcast. This means they should be quirkier than traditional television commercials produced for mass audiences. Focusing more on authentic people and situations makes webmercials effective for the same reason testimonials are: web users constantly demand the real deal.
A note about the author:
David Mayer’s 25-year career as a video producer includes experience as an educator, journalist and composer of advertising jingles. His company Videoburst creates web videos that employ internet marketing strategies, video marketing and search engine optimization. All to help drive web traffic and increase new business. Typical Videoburst videos are short, creative and fun to watch. Videoburst works with clients in Auburn Hills, Troy, Southfield and all over metro Detroit.
