Online video is one the newest and most popular trends sweeping the web world.  Sites like YouTube, Hulu and Vimeo have made watching videos online almost commonplace; according to eMarketer.com, online video audience levels and stream counts are rapidly on the rise, watcher-demographics are expanding, and by 2012, 88% of the US Internet user population will regularly watch online video.

From these statistics, we can see that today’s increasingly sophisticated web user now expects interactivity, which is why adding video to websites is quickly becoming a go-to online marketing strategy for businesses and individuals alike—they’re attention-grabbing and add that dynamic element users (and search engines) love.

Here’s a basic breakdown of the benefits of online video and how they can enhance your website:

Personal connection.

Think of online video as making the introductions to your website—a “virtual handshake” to your audience that tells them who you are, what you do and what you will do for them.  Online video literally puts a face and voice to your (domain) name, humanizes your website and showcases your personality, all of which leave a more lasting impression on the user, helping you to stand out from the crowd.

Convenience.

In today’s fast-paced, need-it-now society, users don’t want or have time to scroll through pages of text to figure out what your website is about—if it takes more than ten seconds, you’ve probably lost already that visitor to a competitor’s website.  But online videos allow you to quickly and directly highlight key pieces of information about your business or service and get straight to the point, which is just what users want and need.

The interactive, entertainment factor.

Obviously, a video is more entertaining and engaging than a block of text.  Visual and audio elements add pizzazz, which will help the user better connect with the product, service or message and differentiate you from similar sites with something special.

Boost conversion rates.

The key to retaining visitors is having interesting and interactive content, engaging them learn more and stay on your website longer.  The longer they stay, the more likely they are to purchase your product, or at least bookmark your page and return again.  And the more bookmarks and traffic you get, the higher your search engine rank will be.  Videos are a prime example of this engaging, dynamic content, and search engines love them.  They are also something people will want to watch again and again—bringing them back to your site!

Your pockets will thank you.

The best part of all?  Online video is extremely cost-efficient—a fraction of the cost of a TV ad with a greater audience reach.  But remember that just like TV, there are some legal issues you have to keep in mind:

-       If you feature a client or customer in your web video, it’s extremely important to have the respondent sign a release form documenting their awareness of being filmed or recorded.

-       You cannot use copyrighted material.  As Natalie Sulimani, ecommerce law expert and head lawyer of Sulimani Law Firm in NYC, explains:

“You have to make sure that any background music or images used are not owned by anyone else. You run the risk of having to scrap your video if you don’t obtain proper licenses for content, including any interviews and testimonials.”

-       When shooting your online video, Sulimani advises to “be mindful of your surroundings – i.e., people, places or logos. The key is [that] if you don’t have permission, either obtain it or make sure the content is unidentifiable.”

Follow these simple rules and you’re on your way to online video success!

Did you know The Technology Therapy Group can help you create or add video to your website? Here are some samples of our work:

- Retreat at Split Rock – Common plastic surgery questions answered by top surgeon, Dr. Neil Gordon

- TechTherapy.tv – Video editions of News and Notes from the Couch

- Technology Therapy Group Client Testimonials – This one features My Digital Doorman owner, Patrick Weir