Tips and best practices for using video on a website homepage

When creating a website, your main goal should be making a positive impression and experience for future users. You want your users to drive your web conversions. One thing that skyrockets conversions have videos on your website. Many business owners understand how much of an impact a video has.

With videos, you can draw attention very quickly. If you have a personal blog or an online store, add a video on your homepage explaining your brand’s story. Videos also help maintain users on the web page itself. This is great if you go for SEO content. The best way to connect with your users is through a video. You can inform them, make them feel engaged, and make them believe in your organization.

When you add a video to the homepage of a website, you create an instant first impression. You give them a welcoming experience in which they will feel like they are talking directly to you. But, there are certain things you have to keep in mind when adding a video. You can’t simply add a video and expect your site to explode with buyers.

Hopefully, these tips will help you integrate a video on your page successfully.

Keep your video short and straight to the main point.

The first thing that you should do is place the video on the front page. Then, place it above the fold so that new viewers don’t have to put a lot of effort into finding your video.

The video should be large enough that way, it can be easy to spot. Place an exciting headline that captures attention. Also, add a big play button that people can click to play the video. The final thing you should do is add a CTA link. The link can be next to the video or underneath it. The easiest way to do this is with a video slider. Most slider plugins enable you to do this with a few clicks.

There are also videographer WordPress themes out there if you are looking to make your website video-based and looking like a portfolio. Or websites with free stock videos like Freepik Videos or Videvo to help you create great video content.

There’s also the option of coding the video directly into your page.

Use short video clips that loop.

A huge mistake many amateurs make is to use a not-optimized video that will slow the website a lot. Often having to wait for a site to load, drives users away. Large video files are the most common cause of this problem. To avoid this, use a compressed video file. The file should be small and the video short.

If it is the opposite, it will lower your SEO score, and you’ll get lower rankings and exposure. Be smart, and don’t make these beginner mistakes!

Know your audience

It is essential to make a good impression on your new visitors. They come in the first contact with your brand, and it is crucial to make their experience something to remember. Be consistent with the elements you use on your website. First, think of what kind of audience you want to attract. Then create content based on that. Once you get to know your audience, choose elements you know they will like.

A homepage video should tell the right story.

If you want to attract the right audience, you have to keep track of your producing content. Make content that is relatable, reliable, and close to your audience. The video you put on the front page should tell a story that will engage your new user.

Make the customer care what you have to say. In your video, add points on the problem people have and how you will solve it. Focus on the benefits and features you offer. Then, at the end of the video, add a CTA where people can react.

Be accurate with the location of the video.

It is important where you place your video. The position and location are the most important things you should keep track of.

1. Place the video on your front page. It would be best if you place the footage above the fold. That way, people won’t have to bother to find it.
2. Make it stand out from the rest of the content. It should be big enough so you can’t miss it. But, make sure that viewers know that a video is not just a random image placed on top.
3. A bold headline is always a great idea. Use a big button to play the video and use a CTA link somewhere around the video.

Remove audio from muted videos.

One common marketing strategy is the 3-part video method. You place a hero video on the main page to grab attention, a hub video (which is updated regularly), and a hygiene part.

A hero video is typically the most important one. To remove the enormous size and increase the web load, remove the audio data from it. You can also use editing tools and programs to strip all kinds of unnecessary audio and minimize data.

Prioritize mobile users

When business owners create websites, they prioritize web users rather than mobile users. And, as you guessed, that is a huge mistake. A large portion of people uses their smartphones to access sites and pages. Unfortunately, not all sites are mobile-friendly.

Learn from this and make your new area accessible to mobile users. Make it flexible and adaptable to many devices and resolutions. Your website must also be able to detect the device’s orientation to display the video correctly.

Never show video controls.

Another crucial thing to keep in mind is that it is not a video but a video background. If you add controls to it as if it was another video, you’ll take away the whole purpose of it. You want the video to play continuously. In a loop, to keep it brief. You should also remove sound from it as it can be distracting.

Maybe you want to add another video on top of the background video. How do you do that without making it look messy and unprofessional?

The thing is, you would want to avoid a background video in that case. Use a plain, transparent background that will bring emphasis to your video.

Test out autoplay on video

There is no right or wrong when it comes to whether to use autoplay or not. Sometimes, in some cases, autoplay can be used more like an element in the design. And, more or less, it captures attention.

On one hand, it is good because it immediately leads to another. It is fast and effective. On the other hand, аutoplay is hated. It limits the choice and action a user makes. Not only that, but it also slows down web page load. That cannot be very pleasant.

You have to explore and then decide which option works for you.

Sacrifice good copy for SEO

Although a video on the front page makes the first and the best impression to visitors, do not forget about the rest of the content. If you want your website to have a fantastic SEO performance, you have to edit your text to perfection.

Make sure the text isn’t too long or too short. Also, where you place it is important again. You want your text to deliver the message without any congestion. To drive more traffic to your website, you want to have a persuasive copy of it.

That will make the users click throughout the website. This is because not everyone will have time to spend watching the video you’ve set up. So, to ensure you still have their attention, use both of these together.

FAQs

When Should You Use Video Background on Your Website?

If you’re wondering when you should use a video on your website, think about the impression you’re trying to make. Use a background video if your main goal is to create a quick image of your brand. This type of approach to users offers them a new, modern feel. Many competitive companies use this as a way to stand out from each other. It doesn’t mean that if you use video, you will be a guaranteed success. There are plenty of failed startups who looked great but kicked the bucket.

You don’t have to use a background video if you don’t want to. Many of the background videos are there to set a mood or to match an aesthetic. They work best in a professional atmosphere, somewhere where you would want to save up on time telling the brand’s story.

Which video formats are best for the web?

WebM and MP4 are becoming the standard when it comes to fitting HQ videos in smaller sizes. They are formats that are specifically designed for YouTube, Vimeo, and so on. Unfortunately, only MP4 is supported on all web browsers. WebM is supported only in Firefox and Chrome.

When Should You NOT Use Video Background on Your Website?

You should use a background video with great care. If you’re too aggressive when using it, you might ruin the whole idea behind it. A background video should slightly grab the attention of users. Then, it is up to the rest of the content to do its job.

For example, don’t use it if you have a complicated product, like a CRM, for example. That product might need a lot of explanation and demonstration. You don’t want a video to take away its spotlight. The whole point of the video is to enhance and improve UX. Do not use it if you don’t have any use for it.

It is essential to leave an unforgettable first impression on your new customers. And, to do just that, use a video background. It is an asset that makes every web design complete. That is because every company and business wants to create a unique approach to their brand and working way.