Picture This: Adding Audio and Video to Your Website
Audio and video helps create an immediate connection with the viewer, and in that time, you have more opportunity to get your message across and make your call to action in a powerful way. In fact a survey by Chamberlain Research indicated that 82.6% of consumers were likely to buy from a website containing a web commercial or video. This impact can be effective regardless of your organization type.
If you are a religious organization and want to demonstrate your powerful sermons what better way to do this than to show a sample of a recent service? If you want to let people know that the service is casual and relaxed, a video that pans the members dressed in jeans and drinking coffee proves your point. Got an award-winning choir? An audio clip of them singing can make that case better than plain text.
For businesses, the benefits are just as great. Large and small businesses need to connect with their customers. By including a personal video message from the organization’s leader, you can create an immediate impression on the website visitor. Hippo Marketing, which specializes in small business marketing, suggests you can use videos to show customer testimonials or develop informational videos that relate to your business. (I made a video about WebMedley and was surprised by the responses.)
Nonprofit organizations can use videos in a powerful way to demonstrate their mission. While it’s moving to read of people suffering, showing a video of refugees fleeing Sri Lanka or of survivors sifting through the rubble of a Midwest tornado is more graphic, and gives your call for help much greater impact.
The process for embedding audio and video into your website can range from extremely simple to a little more complex, but before you jump in, take some time to assess your needs.
According to Adobe Systems, a software company, it is essential to answer four questions before making the decision to add audio or video to your website.
- Who are the main users of your website? If they are looking you up online they are somewhat tech savvy, but what’s the best way to connect with them in an audio or video?
- Do your users have the capability to view your media? Do they have the bandwidth or browsers to see and hear what you’re displaying?
- What is the message or main purpose of your website? Does the additional media help promote that message?
- Will the additional images and sound be a distraction to your website, or will it enhance it?
The next question to answer is how to make the video or audio. What type of quality will you need in your clip? Clips can be made using everything from cell phones to digital cameras and recorders to high tech production equipment. Typically, the higher end equipment gives better quality pictures and sound, but a less expensive one may suit your needs. How often will you want to change your video? Do you want to do it yourself or hire someone to make the recording?
As you consider the type of recording, also keep in mind what size multimedia your website will support.
Videos take up a lot of megabytes – sometimes gigabytes. Audio uses space less than video, but more than text. Take a look at your website hosting plan to determine what you can currently use. If that does not suit your long-term needs, you may be ready for an upgrade.
Next, we’ll talk more specifically on how to set up multimedia for your website.
