If you’re an Internet Marketer I’m sure you’re aware of the use of video for your sales pages and possibly even on your blog posts. It’s become extremely popular, but how much is too much? Using video once in awhile is a great thing, but if you use it too much your readers will become annoyed very quickly.The Internet has always touted that people are busy. You should grab their attention very quickly with your blog posts and keep the content short to allow for their waning attention span. Once in awhile you can throw a longer post in the mix. If people like you they will read it even if it’s lengthy. It’s good practice.
It seems that everyone has gone to using video in some way or another these days. In the beginning it was extremely popular, very trendy and a new, cool way to get in touch with your audience. Now when you click on a sales page, instead of being able to skim through a long bit of sales copy you’re forced to listen to a 20 or 30 minute (sometimes even longer) sales pitch to find out what the product is about and how much it costs. If your readers are busy or have a short attention span, where does this leave them? It causes them to click off your page because they are looking for a solution and they want it now.
I’m not saying you should never use video, but you should be responsible and considerate to your audience. Some prefer video and some prefer being able to read sales copy themselves. Some people read extremely fast and want to get through the material in about 15 seconds so they can decide quickly if they want your product. Those types of people will click off very quickly because they do want something right now.
What can you do to remedy the problem and still get the attention of both kinds of people?
For one thing you can run split testing. Create a video version and a written sales copy version of your sales page. Share both links in different locations throughout the day or week or ever how long you’ll be running the test. After a week go check the stats to see which page got the most attention, which page converted the best and which page got clicked off of the fastest.
Another easy test is to add a link from your video page to a written page. Give the reader the option to either watch the video or to click to your written sales page. Don’t forget to check your stats each week to see which option people choose.
It will require more work on your part, but it could be worth it in added sales and reader retention.
Let’s say 100 people visit your video page.
75 of those click off almost immediately or within the first 15 seconds. They’re gone. You’ve lost them.
Let’s say the same 100 people visit your video page but you have an option for them to click to a written page.
Those 75 that would have left otherwise click to read the sales copy. They were given an option and stayed longer than they would have by using video alone.
Maybe only 1 out 100 will actually make a purchase, but that’s one more sale than you had. Over time that will add up.
No one likes to be forced into anything. If all you’re using is video on your sales page, you’re skipping a lot of people that could be potential customers. Never make your reader feel they are being forced to do something. Give your readers several ways to ingest your material instead of sending them looking for your competition.
