A Web Designer's guide to nail your Website Videos: 7 DOs and DON'Ts

Videos are one of the most powerful tools when it comes to engaging website visitors and ultimately boosting sales. In fact 84% of video marketers say video has helped keep visitors on their website longer (aka dwell time) and 84% say it directly increased sales. (Source)

But it’s important to know that there is a right and a wrong way to do video WELL, which is why I am partnering with the talented Nicole Engelmann, London Branding Photos, to share with you our best advice around all things video.

To help you create the perfect videos, Nicole is sharing her own 7 top tips for creating videos that showcases your personality and gets results! As a professional photo and videographer, she has invaluable tips to help you feel comfortable in front of the camera and creating videos that actually work.

In this post, I’ll be sharing 7 of my own DOs and DON’Ts when it comes to adding videos to your website from a more techy and strategic perspective. (Because we don’t want you scaring visitors away with auto-playing sound or videos that never get seen!) So without further ado, here are my:

7 DOs and DON’Ts for adding videos to your website

DO add captions for accessibility

It’s important to remember some people viewing your website may be hard-of-hearing or simply don’t have the volume turned on on their phone/computer. To make your video as accessible as possible, you therefore want to make sure you have clear, easy to read captions on every video.

DON’T add video at the bottom of your webpage.

The higher up the page you have your video, the more likely it is that someone will see it. Very few people will ever scroll to the bottom of your page, therefore you want to make sure you have the video as high up your page as possible (and makes sense).

DO use a thumbnail that captures attention

It’s undeniable that a video is a fantastic tool for boosting sales, but the first step is getting users to actually WATCH the video! Including an attention-grabbing thumbnail is therefore super important when adding a video to your website.

You don’t want to make it look like a static photo or blend in with the rest of your webpage. Bright colours and a play icon can be super helpful for this.

Nicole Engelman, London Branding Photos

DON’T upload videos directly onto your website - do THIS instead

Videos are one of the worst culprits for slowing down a website. That’s because they have large file sizes and can take AGESSS to load on your visitors computer. (Especially if they have slow wifi or mobile data.)

The safest thing to do is to embed your video via a third party website such as YouTube or Vimeo, so it loads a lot quicker and doesn’t slow down your website as much.

This video will show you how to embed YouTube shorts into your Squarespace website.

DO add video on your sales pages

Videos can increase your conversions by up to 86% (source) which is the exact reason you should be including videos on your sales/landing pages. By building trust, showcasing your product/service, or sharing client testimonials, all sorts of videos can help to boost your sales page performance. 

Your sales pages are where the sales happen - so make sure your videos aren’t just hidden away on your homepage. Include them where potential customers are making decisions about working with you!

DON’T autoplay videos with sound

When a video starts playing with sound it can quickly scare people away from your website - especially if they’re not sure where the noise is coming from or their speakers are turned up loud (ouch!)

Make sure if you autoplay videos, the noise is turned OFF and people can turn it on when they’re ready to.

DO add video on your thank you pages

Your thank you page is the page someone gets redirected to when they fill in a contact form or download your lead magnet. The magic of this page is that the only people seeing it are your MOST engaged audience. Including a thank you video is therefore one of the most engaging ways to keep this audience engaged in your world.

It works especially well when someone is contacting you about your services, as it can feel really personal and ease nerves (e.g. knowing what your voice sounds like and reassuring them they can expect to hear from you within X days.)

For more ideas on perfecting your thank you page, take a look at this blog post which includes a step-by-step tutorial on how to create a thank you page on Squarespace.

BONUS: DO work with a professional to make filming easier and more enjoyable

If the idea of planning, starring in and editing a video gives you the heebie-jeebies then you might want to consider working with a professional videographer like Nicole. She is an incredibly talented, kind and helpful videographer who can help you create an incredibly powerful video for your brand. I can’t recommend her enough.

Photo Credit: London Branding Photos

From planning, to filming, through to editing, she can help you create a video which actually drives results for your business and showcases you in the best possible light. Take a look at her services here and read her own 7 DOs and DON’Ts for creating a powerful brand video.

Want to refresh your website video and more?

Video is an incredible tool for boosting engagement and increasing results of your website, along with many other tactics for keeping your website up to date.

If you want to learn how to take care of your website after launching, then take a look at my FREE website care guide for tips on managing your website once it’s live. 

And if updating your website isn’t your thing - think of me like your new tech-nerd bestie. With design and tech days, I can execute your website to-do list in just one day. Whether that is uploading your new brand videos, updating your sales pages or auditing your website so it's working its best. Whatever techy support you need, I’ve got you. Take a look at my Design & Tech Day services here.