Invodo Puts 4 Online Video Marketing Myths to the Test



You’ve read advice before on how to best use video on your company web pages — where to place it, how to grab attention, what else should be on the page — but does that standard advice really result in better sales?

Ecommerce video specialist Invodo tackled this subject in a white paper called “Watch This!: The Online Retailer’s Guide to Video Merchandising Success.” Invodo measured video view rate data between March and June 2012 from a variety of online retailers to learn what practices get the best results. Read on for the findings.

Myth or Fact: Larger calls to action get better view rates?
Answer: Fact

It turns out that the best way to increase your viewing numbers is to ask your customers to look at your videos — and ask them big. Large calls to action got an 8.1 percent response, while small calls to action got only a 4.1 percent response. Bigger calls can have more flair, Invodo notes, and show more detail. Go big, advises Invodo, and grab your customers’ attention.

Myth or Fact: Above the fold videos get better responses
Answer: Fact

Using the newspaper term “above the fold,” video pros consider the top real estate on a web site — whatever is visible without scrolling — to be prime. They’re right. Above the fold videos are viewed 5.2 percent of the time, better than the 3.4 percent rate for those below the fold. But remember: the fold varies by browser and screen, and mobile devices with smaller screens are quickly gaining ground.

Myth or Fact: Having a text call to action (“click to play”) next to a video increases view rate
Answer: Fact

Yes, this is also confirmed. Asking viewers to watch a video leads to more people watching the video. Videos with no text call to action were viewed 4.8 percent of the time, while those with a “click to play” request were viewed 6.2 percent of the time. Use a call to action, Invodo says, and make sure it’s clear what you’re asking. By the way, don’t use a non-descript text button, such as one saying only “video.” Invodo found that hurts viewership.

Myth or Fact: Cluttered pages lead to less video viewing
Answer: Mixed

Does a cluttered page drive people away, or make them less likely to click on a video? The answer is mixed. Invodo found that pages with 6 to 10 elements had the strongest viewing rate (6.0 percent), but pages with over 21 elements did nearly as well (5.8 percent). Pages in the middle did less well: those with 11 to 15 elements had a rate of 4.2 percent, while those with 16 to 20 elements had a rate of 4.4 percent. To be on the safe side, keep your video pages simple and don’t battle other page elements for attention.

For the full fascinating results, download the white paper from Invodo. Free registration is required.


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