| Below are 11 practical reasons why streaming video | | | | products in thirty-second commercials during dinner, |
| should be considered as a vital marketing tool to add | | | | imagine what you can deliver in the same amount of |
| to a business website. | | | | professionally created video online. |
| 1. Limited Screen Space.Computer screens have | | | | 7. Branding - Creating a Personality.Successful |
| increased in size over the years but webmasters still | | | | businesses all have an image and personality and |
| have to deal with the problem getting all a client's | | | | there is no better way to transmit that personality to |
| information presented above the bottom of the | | | | your prospective clients than with video. Companies |
| screen.It's difficult enough to get prospects or | | | | spend thousands of dollars on logos, slogans, printed |
| customers to read anything without them having to | | | | material and website design.Using video is a powerful |
| scroll lengthy pages of text.Placing a prominent link to | | | | tool that effectively "glues" all these elements |
| video content greatly reduces the amount of reading | | | | together.You see it, hear it and interact with it, creating |
| and web space needed (A lot can be said in a minute | | | | a memory and a feel associated with that business.TV |
| of video, 100 words or more). | | | | commercials have given Fast food chains, Banks and |
| 2. Computer Screen ReadabilityComputer monitors | | | | consumer electronics a corporate image.Online video |
| have never particularly easy on the eyes.Screen LCDs | | | | can do exactly the same (at a tiny fraction of the cost |
| are brighter and display more contrast than CRT | | | | of TV airtime 24hrs a day 7 days a week, worldwide). |
| (which is great for graphics but again not ideal for | | | | 8. Cost Effectiveness and ease of use.Many business |
| reading). So instead of giving your potential clients | | | | people make the assumption that multimedia solutions |
| eyestrain and a headache, deliver the information using | | | | like video are expensive - but that is no longer the |
| video, a much more user-friendly experience. | | | | case.Recent developments have made streaming |
| 3. Scanning habits of visitors.A large number of net | | | | video tools accessible to even small budget companies |
| users (around 70 percent) tend to scan and skim over | | | | with the flexibility not available in flash presentations |
| material, rather than actually read it.Having a well | | | | which can be extremely labour intensive and cannot |
| presented streaming video that loads and begins | | | | be viewed without the correct player.It is possible to |
| playing quickly is a powerful way to encapsulate the | | | | create, adjust and present your video message with |
| main points of your business and transmit them in a | | | | minimal equipment and low overheads and obtain a |
| memorable way. | | | | professional result.Further developments have made |
| 4.Retention.Studies have shown that only a small | | | | video viewable without the need of downloading and |
| amount of read text (around 10 percent) is easily | | | | installing additional software (which by the way, is a |
| recalled by a reader.Audio is slightly better (20 | | | | guaranteed way to lose visitors). |
| percent), whereas Video, being both visual and audible | | | | 9. Trust and association.Video gives the visitor a |
| has the highest ranking in memory retention studies | | | | picture of who you are.TV commercials that feature a |
| (around 50 percent or higher).(If this is combined with | | | | celebrity or (even just the man or woman who runs |
| actual interactive activity - ie doing, the result rises to | | | | the store) create trust - that is one reason why they |
| around 80 percent).Also consider the following | | | | sell.Buyers like to associate a name with a face and |
| facts:55% of a message meaning is derived from | | | | video does this better than any other medium |
| facial expression38% of a message meaning is | | | | available.To be able to see something "real" in a virtual |
| derived from gestures, body language, etc.From the | | | | world helps to solidify the viewer's perception |
| above we can see it simply makes sense to add | | | | (hopefully positive) of you and your product or service. |
| video to a business site. | | | | 10. It's a well known medium that is still unique enough |
| 5. Consistency of Message Delivery.Because text is | | | | to attract attention.While text, plain pictures (and even |
| skimmed your overall message may not come across | | | | flash to a degree) have become commonplace and |
| in a consistent way from one visitor to the next.When | | | | "ho hum" in the net, online video still attracts significant |
| clients are left on their own to browse you really don't | | | | attention (who can resist opening a link "Watch |
| know how much of your message they are getting.By | | | | Video"?)There is still a fascination with this media |
| presenting information in video, you deliver a consistent, | | | | which works in the advertiser's favor. |
| error-free message without anything left out. The | | | | 11. And finally... You can effectively demonstrate your |
| human voice, music and visual cues breaks through the | | | | product.Ever try to describe to a customer how your |
| concentration barrier and leaves a lasting impression of | | | | product works, how easy it is to use, special features, |
| who you are and why your visitors should be | | | | etc with just text? - it can often be very |
| customers.Content is King - Presentation is Queen. | | | | difficult.Nothing beats a customer seeing a product or |
| 6.The Phenomenon of Multitasking.Time is vital in | | | | service they are interested in going through it's |
| business and so most of us try and cram as much into | | | | paces.Video is the only medium that gives the |
| the day as possible - doing several things at once | | | | prospective customer a real life illustration of the what, |
| (multitasking).Most of us are answering the phone, | | | | how and why operations of your goods and |
| reading documents, creating reports etc etc. People | | | | services.When a customer understands a product and |
| want it short, and to the point (and we want to be able | | | | how it will benefit them, they are more inclined to |
| to grab their attention while they are doing other | | | | purchase. |
| things!) If TV advertisers can effectively promote their | | | | |