Whether it’s a homepage, product demo, or paid ad campaign, marketers and creators use video landing pages to engage potential leads and drive conversions.

Use this guide to create high-performing video landing pages, with expert advice and real-world examples to inspire you. Plus, learn how to add videos to landing pages for a fully branded experience with viewer engagement tracking.

What Is A Video Landing Page? 

A video landing page is a sales or marketing page created to drive visitors toward direct conversion, such as sign-up or purchase.  

The video is featured prominently on the page—visible to visitors without scrolling (“above-the-fold”)—and paired with supporting elements like text, calls to action, video, and other rich media to engage traffic and guide them toward taking action.  

Why Create A Video Landing Page? Key Benefits

• Optimize Conversions: Turn more visitors into buyers by creating video landing pages. Case studies show video increases conversion rates by an average of 38%.
• Shorten Sales Cycles: Give prospects everything they need to decide faster: prove product value, address objections, and showcase use cases on one page.
• Connect with Prospects: Empathize with your audience’s pain points while showcasing the company’s solution, often alongside proof of customer success.  
• Increase Page Engagement: Engage cold and warm leads alike: 84% of marketers say video increases dwell time, improving page interaction.
• Improve SEO Visibility: Boost organic search engine ranking for pages—due to the combo of longer page dwell times, rich media, and highly brand-relevant keywords.

4 High-Impact Video Landing Page Examples

1. Fullscreen Background Video

Full-screen background videos (like this GoPro montage) are most commonly used in e-commerce and typically occupy nearly all of the “above-the-fold” space on a landing page. They generally showcase lifestyle marketing, allowing viewers to imagine themselves using the product or service. 

These video landing pages are also ideal for video portfolios, such as this example from video production company Lambda Films, which features past work.

2. Informal Welcome Video

MK Law Firm uses a 30-second video to quickly connect with visitors by introducing the company founder. The brief surrounding text encourages plays, while the prominent sign-up form directs visitors to take the next step. 

If viewers scroll, they will discover more detailed information. But everything they need to know (including how to take the next step) is visible when they land on the page.

Landing Page Video Example

Learn More: How to Add Videos To Your Website

3. Customer Testimonial Videos

On video landing pages, businesses often use customer testimonial videos as supporting elements alongside text, videos, and rich media. For example, the 3 Men Movers homepage includes social proof, a “Free Move Estimate” CTA, customer testimonials, and a service demonstration video (which autoplays, loops, and hides all player controls). Significantly, all elements are visible when viewers land on the page.  

Landing Page Video Example

4. Classic Explainer Video

Explainer videos act as a company’s elevator pitch. They highlight the viewer’s biggest pain point and showcase how the service or product solves it. As a B2B SaaS company in the video hosting space, the SproutVideo explainer is featured on our homepage next to a clear “Get Started Free” CTA and above social proof in the form of client logos. 

Landing Page Video Example

10 Expert Tips To Create A Video Landing Page That Converts

1. Trigger Your CTA Early: “Triggering a CTA in the first 15 seconds led to an 18% jump in conversions.” —Paul DeMott, CTO, Helium SEO
2. Hook Viewers with The Outcome: “We rewrote the intro to start with, ‘This desk switches from sitting to standing in under 10 seconds & ships flat-packed for free.’ The average watch time jumped from 42 to 78 seconds, and clicks increased by 23%.” —John Beaver, CEO & Founder, Desky
3. Showcase Customer Success with Shorts: “Adding a 15-second customer testimonial after the primary product overview increased demo requests from 1.5% to 4%. Visitors were more willing to take the next step.” —Kevin Heimlich, CEO, The Ad Firm
4. Cut Video to 90 Seconds or Less: “We trimmed a 4-minute demo down to 90 seconds, and conversions jumped from 2.1% to 8.3%. Shorter videos also cut bounce rates by 40%; in other words, people stayed to explore the rest of the landing page.” —Dwight Zahringer, Founder, Perfect Afternoon
5. Remove Doubt with Social Proof: “Placing client logos, trust badges, and qualifying lines like ‘Used by 8,000 families last year’ near the video increased conversions, even when visitors didn’t play the video.” —Hugh Dixon, Marketing Manager, PSS International Removals
6. Build Connection with Real People: “Swapping a slick thumbnail for a candid freeze-frame of an instructor mid-explanation—whiteboard behind, slightly off-center—increased conversions by 27%.” —Arvind Rongala, CEO, Edstellar
7. Autoplay Muted Video with Subtitles: “Autoplaying muted video with captions increased conversions from 2.1% to 3.8% in two weeks because the captions gave viewers the full message without being startled by sudden audio, and the unmute button gave them choice without friction” —Damon Delcoro, Founder, UltraWeb Marketing
8. Optimize & Test Video Thumbnails: “55% of visitors spend fewer than 15 seconds on our landing pages. We optimized for those critical first moments by making the problem visible [in the thumbnail], which drove 73% higher click-through rates.” —Kerry Anderson, Co-Founder, RankingCo
9. Add Relevant Interactive Elements: “Quote requests jumped 4x after we embedded a state-specific solar utility rates calculator below our installation process video. These pages converted 46% better, transforming our video from educational content into a decision-making tool.” —Nina Golban, SEO Copywriter, SunValue
10. A/B Test Distraction-Free Pages: “Most businesses give visitors easy escape routes with navigation, social links, and visible blog posts. But we consistently see a 30-50% increase in conversions after stripping navigation from video landing pages.” —Bernadette King, CEO, King Digital Pros

How To Add Video To Landing Pages & Track Performance

Customize the look of your video player, protect your business assets, and control the viewing experience. To do this: add videos to your landing pages with embed codes. 

Private video hosting platforms—like SproutVideo—make it easy to generate a custom video embed code, allowing you to: 

• Seamlessly integrate video with custom brand colors & playback controls. 
• Share video on your website while preventing unwanted downloads.
• Track video analytics and improve performance with viewer engagement metrics.

You can add video embed codes to most website and landing page builders as HTML.

The post How To Create Video Landing Pages That Convert with Examples appeared first on SproutVideo.

Introducing The Business Video Playbook, an expert-backed original series that reveals how business video is used to efficiently train teams, deepen customer relationships, and accelerate sales cycles.

Join host Tim Ryan, Head of Marketing at SproutVideo, as he launches into must-watch conversations that will elevate every aspect of your business video strategy.

4 Key Takeaways from The Business Video Playbook (Ep. 1–3)

1. Business Video Converts First-Time Buyers and Breaks the Seal on Momentum

Autumn Manning recalls her earliest “send me the order form” moment. It was at an HR tech startup, YouEarnedIt. After months of daily customer immersion and thoughtful video outreach, Manning landed the first sale. She believes that first milestone generated more than revenue: it “broke the seal” for employees who’d labored over tiny product tweaks and investors watching from the sidelines.

“Once you’ve built a product that truly fits a real pain point, landing your first paid client ‘breaks the seal’ on momentum. From there, you can expand to external audiences, keep investors informed, and reveal the vision you’ve championed internally. It’s a thrilling but demanding phase of company building.”

— Autumn Manning, Founder & CEO of FAANA

Manning’s new venture follows the same playbook: record raw customer conversations, distribute rapid-fire demos and customer interview recaps, and scale outward once the internal team is convinced of product-market fit.

Watch her GTM playbook now

2. Authenticity Outweighs Production Value in an AI-Saturated Landscape

Perfection gets in the way of authenticity. This theme is echoed by every expert we’ve interviewed.

Joe Siciliano, Managing Broker at Compass Lincoln Park, has built a 35-year career in real estate by nurturing neighborhood ties. Early on, he realized that waiting weeks for a polished marketing piece meant missing the moments when clients actually needed to hear from him.

“As long as it’s truly authentic, it doesn’t matter if it’s perfect. If it’s you, that’s all that matters.”

— Joe Siciliano, Managing Broker for Compass Real Estate

Joe recommends sending two-minute, iPhone-shot videos to clients: “Hey Tim, great seeing you at the Halloween parade…stay in touch.” This personal touch helps build long-term relationships.

Watch his episode now

3. Invest Wisely in Business Video Production and Distribution

Not every video needs high production value, but it’s important to know when it does.

Siciliano differentiates between authentic, off-the-cuff content and professionally filmed property tours, especially when promoting luxury properties or reaching new heights in your career. Think about the videos you’re making and give each the level of polish it needs.

Regardless of your budget, Siciliano recommends committing to a regular publishing cadence (weekly updates, monthly market insights, or microlearning bursts) and housing everything on a dedicated video website or vlog to build branding and searchable authority.

Learn more about SproutVideo-hosted video websites

4. Know Your Customer (or Learner) Inside and Out, Then Speak Their Language

For Ethan Anderson, Director of Product Management at NOLA Education, video engagement is the difference between student success and failure.

He extends a lean market research process to educational videos: conducting user research with just five observations to uncover 70 percent of usability insights. Then, he designs videos to match students’ screen-time habits, attention spans, and expectations for speed, contrast, and interactivity.

“Talk to your users directly: ask what they liked, didn’t like, or found confusing. It’s a simple step that surprisingly few take, yet it yields invaluable, unexpected insights.”

— Ethan Anderson, Director of Product Management with NOLA Education

Paired with hands-on learning tools, Anderson’s formula drives real academic gains.

Discover his strategy for 95% success

Coming Soon: Expert Insights You Don’t Want to Miss

SproutVideo’s Business Video Playbook empowers you to craft videos that convert, engage, and build lasting relationships with no Hollywood budget required.

Don’t miss our next episode, where former reality-TV producer Alex Hoff pulls back the curtain on what makes video storytelling truly binge-worthy.

He’s sharing the same insider tricks that supercharged his career, including:

• How to build tension and anticipation so viewers can’t click away
• The simple storytelling beats that turn customer testimonials into edge-of-your-seat narratives
• Pro tips on pacing and hook placement that keep your audience glued for the full runtime

Plus, you’ll get early access to future deep dives on:

• Demand Gen Marketing: How top growth experts weave video into the buyer funnel
• AI-Powered Authenticity: Speed up production and ditch that “stock footage” feeling
• Private Video Sharing: Secure, invite-only video techniques for clients, investors, and teams
  

The post The Business Video Playbook: Proven Tactics to Boost Sales, Engagement, and Retention appeared first on SproutVideo.

We asked business owners, designers, and marketers how to leverage customizable video players; they shared real-world gains with examples you can replicate. 

When swapping out generic for customized video players:  

• Webyansh increased watch times by 34% and demo requests by 18%.
• Fetch & Funnel increased watch times by 22% and conversion rates by 18%.
• Cleartail Marketing increased watch times by 34% and conversion rates by 21%.

Discover plug‑and‑play customizations you can add in seconds. Use this guide to infuse your video player with your brand’s DNA and propel prospects straight to conversion.

Out-Of-The-Box Custom Video Player Example

Let’s begin with an example of a customized video player that uses zero coding.

Note the custom player color, hidden player controls, clickable call-to-action overlay during the video, and an end screen with hyperlinked CTA. 

Next, learn more about these features and how to elevate your experience even further.

11 Ways To Customize Your Video Player

Click any feature in the chart below to see more details and setup instructions.

1. Color Theme

Select a custom color to integrate your video player with your webpage and branding. The color is used for the play button, seek bar, and CTA overlay (if one exists).

Color reinforces brand recognition in external marketing videos. But custom colors can also be used for internal videos to represent different categories or courses. 

For example, a coding education company uses color to represent course levels. The beginner’s course uses yellow for the webpage (CTA buttons, link colors, etc) and video player to distinguish it from other offerings in the video portal.

How To Implement with SproutVideo

Customize the embed code to change the video player color. You can save embed code presets to reuse the same customizations easily.

To change the video player color for SproutVideo-hosted websites and landing pages, simply change your video website settings. 

2. Thumbnail Image

Video poster frames (thumbnails) take up much of the video player’s real estate. Use this space to reinforce your brand aesthetic and set viewer expectations with consistent design.

For example, we published multiple episodes in SproutVideo’s Business Video Playbook series, each covering how to grow a business with video. While thumbnails vary, a consistent template, style, and color scheme keeps the look professional and easy to recognize.

How To Implement with SproutVideo

On the SproutVideo platform, you can generate a poster frame from your video (still or animated for up to 8 seconds) or upload a still image, GIF, or MP4. You can also download the poster frame as a starting point for your thumbnail. 

3. Player Controls Visibility       

You’re in control of the viewing experience. You can remove the: 

• Settings Button: Disable playback speed to lock in pacing and video resolution options so viewers watch at the best available resolution for their network speeds.
• Full-Screen Toggle: Prevent viewers from watching the video full-screen.
• Volume Slider: Maintain in-player video volume. 
• Seek Bar: Prevent in-player timeline scrubbing (does not turn off arrow key navigation).

For example, a company hosts internal compliance training that requires employees to take 125 hours of classes. It hides the Settings button to prevent rapid playback speeds. This helps employees absorb the material and ensures they meet the hourly compliance requirements.

How To Implement with SproutVideo

Customizing the video embed code allows you to implement player controls’ visibility. On SproutVideo-hosted websites and landing pages, simply change your video website settings. Advanced users can also create custom controls with our JavaScript Player API.  

4. Player Size & Responsiveness

Set the size of your video player or turn on responsiveness so it automatically adjusts to your viewer’s screen. We generally recommend enabling responsiveness (with specific exceptions) to ensure all viewers can play the video, regardless of their device. 

For example, a company is attending a trade show. They plan to have multiple television screens that loop their company video. The videos need to display at exactly 800 x 450 pixels to ensure they fit perfectly within the monitor’s frame. In this case, setting specific video dimensions is favorable to provide seamless playback. 

How To Implement with SproutVideo

Customize your video embed code to set video player size or enable responsiveness.

5. End-screen Customization 

Direct viewer action or add interactive elements with post-play end-screen customizations. After the video plays, you can prompt viewers to sign up for a demo, watch another video, or grab a downloadable resource. You can also use iframe HTML to embed quizzes, add an order form, and allow newsletter signups—the possibilities are endless with minimal coding.

For example, a software company shares product walkthrough videos on its website. When the video ends, a demo sign‑up landing page appears right in the player, prompting viewers to take the next step.

How To Implement with SproutVideo

A custom post-play end-screen is an out-of-the-box SproutVideo feature that can be enabled when customizing your video’s embed code. You can keep it simple: choose colors and add hyperlinks with basic HTML to direct viewers to other videos or pages. Or, take it up a level using iframe HTML elements to add in-player forms, quizzes, newsletter signups, and more. 

6. CTA Overlay

Direct viewer action with in-player calls to action during the video. These pop-up overlays appear in the top‑right corner at the time you choose. Add your custom call to action text and a link to your chosen destination URL. CTA overlays also match the video player’s color theme, reinforcing your branding during playback.  

For example, a clothing line debuts its newest collection with a runway video. During the trench coat reveal, the company notices an engagement spike. To take advantage of this peak in viewer attention, they add a CTA to order the coat during this part of the video. 

How To Implement with SproutVideo

For SproutVideo users, you can easily enable in-player calls to action in video settings. Once toggled on, the CTA is enabled, so there is no need to update the embed code. It will also appear if you share videos via SproutVideo-hosted websites or landing pages.  

7. In-Player Lead Capture

With lead capture forms, you can collect viewers’ contact information in exchange for access to your video content. This form restricts access at the beginning of a video. However, you can also use playlists to give before you gate, which is the practice of offering value first to build trust before requiring opt-in for in-depth solutions. 

For example, check out the two-video playlist below. The first video ends and seamlessly transitions to the second video, which requires opt-in via the lead capture form.

Want To See More? Watch the full episode (sans lead capture) here

How To Implement with SproutVideo

For SproutVideo users, an in-player lead capture form can be easily enabled and customized in video settings. To give before you gate, build a playlist with an ungated video followed by a gated video. When customizing the playlist embed code, toggle on auto-advancing. 

You can also use lead capture forms and share playlists on SproutVideo-hosted websites and landing pages.

8. In-Player Video Sharing

Allow viewers to share your video on social media directly from the video player while watching. Viewers can select the sharing icon, choose a platform, and share your video without interrupting their experience. 

For example, a music artist hosts a listening party for their debut album. They invite a few hundred people to their live stream party and encourage viewers to invite others to join. With social sharing turned on, viewers can share it to their feed without leaving the live show. 

How To Implement with SproutVideo

You can turn on in-player social sharing for individual videos or account-wide. Adding an embedded (canonical) URL to all videos with social sharing is important because this URL allows social media viewers to find their way back to your website. 

9. Playback Behavior

Set your video to play and replay automatically. Marketers often use autoplay for videos embedded on landing pages to grab attention instantly. Looping a video can enhance engagement, particularly when used in a GIF-style format (as seen here).

For example, a sports camera company‘s homepage features a high-resolution video above the fold. The silent video autoplays and loops continuously to showcase the camera in contextual settings while extending the company’s lifestyle branding. 

How To Implement with SproutVideo

Customize your video embed code to toggle autoplay or looping. On SproutVideo-hosted websites and landing pages, simply change your video website settings. Most browsers do not support autoplay with sound. However, videos will play with sound on browsers that allow it. 

10. Custom Embed Parameters

Using embed code parameters, you can change the video player’s appearance, feel, and behavior in even more ways.

SproutVideo-specific examples include: 

• Volume: Launch the player at a specific volume.
• VTime: Start the video at a specific time instead of the beginning.
• CC: Automatically displays subtitles.

The customization features we’ve covered up to this point are all out-of-the-box SproutVideo features. But you can manually add and combine embed code parameters for even more customization. 

For example, an online course creator wants to see which students are most engaged. They add “vemail” parameters to their video embed codes, which allows them to track the individual viewers by email address in engagement metrics. 

How To Implement with SproutVideo

With custom parameters and some HTML knowledge, you can add additional customizations to your embed code. Explore the list of options and see detailed instructions here.   

11. Fully Custom Video Player 

Create your custom video player from scratch. Start with a stripped video player, then add your custom styling with HTML and CSS. This advanced option provides endless possibilities for creating your branded video player. 

For example, a B2B SaaS company sells employee training software to enterprises. The company wants all its offerings to be white label, including the video player design. Therefore, it builds one from scratch to create a video player that businesses won’t find anywhere else.

How To Implement with SproutVideo

This advanced option requires our JavaScript Player API and the skills or assistance of a developer. You can also reference our resource on building a simple custom video player. 

Next Steps: Video Customizations Beyond The Player

A customized video player is just the beginning. Your business video experience may include additional features like automated subtitles for improved engagement, security measures to protect content, and analytics tracking to improve performance. Explore the possibilities with our other resources:

• Best Practices to Securely Share Corporate Video
• 5 Most Valuable Video Metrics to Measure Success
• 7 Reasons Businesses Use Private Video Hosting Platforms vs YouTube

The post Customizable Video Player: 11 Ways To Boost Branding & Conversions appeared first on SproutVideo.

We asked professional marketers and business owners to share their tips with real-world examples. Use their insights to inspire your next video lead generation campaign. 

Why Video Lead Generation Matters

With strategic video lead generation, you can increase the number of people who take the step from awareness to lead. On average, for every one hundred people who watch your video, about three will enter your funnel by joining your newsletter, downloading an opt-in resource, starting a free trial, etc. 

The benefits of video lead generation include:

• Encourage Brand Interaction: Motivate viewers to engage with your value-added resources, which fosters trust and prompts action.
• Increase Opt-In Conversion: Use video to provide significant value upfront then extend the value with gated next-step solutions, which lowers opt-in hesitation.
• Expedite Path To Purchase: Leads enter the sales funnel with awareness of your brand and the knowledge they need to make decisions, accelerating purchase momentum.

Every business needs a pipeline of leads to generate sales. Video makes it easier to create connections, showcase value, and move prospects into and through your sales funnel. 

3 Step Quick-Start Guide to Video Lead Generation

1. Test content and channels: Use video analytics and conversion data to determine what video formats and channels are most effective. Social media, advertising, and high-intent landing pages are common top-of-funnel channels. 
2. Include a call to action: Before, during, or after the video, include a call to action that directs traffic toward a logical next step for the viewer.
3. Capture with lead magnets: Extend the value of your video with high-value gated solutions. The best lead magnets are generally free resources that people would otherwise buy, such as audits, templates, mini-courses, etc.

10 Types of Videos That Generate Leads with Real Examples

Make viewers excited to join your audience by understanding their problems and providing solutions that compel them to engage with your brand. With examples from marketers and business owners, here are twelve types of video to amplify your lead generation goals.

Testimonials That Walk In Their Shoes

Generic testimonials build social proof but rarely provide enough value to motivate action. However, in the expert example below, Joubert helped prospects build confidence in their service by sharing the process. Instead of interviewing the client after her experience, this day-in-the-life testimonial brings viewers along for the journey, which helps them build confidence that the product or service will work for them. 

• Challenge: Most testimonials build trust but don’t convert.
• Solution: Let viewers experience the transformation, not just the outcome. 
• Why It Works: Increases prospect confidence and builds brand credibility.  

Explainer Videos That Feel Personal

Explainer videos are often the first touchpoint between your brand and a prospect, but most fall flat because they center on the product or service. In the expert example below, Kanodia flipped the script. Instead of pitching services, her team led with the emotional friction their audience already felt: writer’s block. 

• Challenge: Most explainer videos pitch features, not feelings.
• Solution: Empathize with pain points and provide a clear next step.
• Why It Works: Prospects feel understood and motivated to explore your solution. 

Educational Content To Compel Action

Teaching your audience builds trust, but tying that education directly to your product drives conversions. In the expert example below, Singh didn’t just explain how to make websites faster; he showed the impact of poor performance. Furthermore, the content solves a specific problem that his services can fix.

• Challenge: Viewers build awareness and appreciate value but don’t act. 
• Solution: Tie prospect problems to product-driven outcomes.
• Why It Works: Positions your offer as the next step after understanding the issue.

Behind-The-Scenes Of Real Results

Typical behind-the-scenes content provides a peek behind the curtain of your company. However, this content usually highlights a company’s process rather than what a customer can expect when working with that business. In the expert example below, Barz showcases how their platform affects real-life scenarios and benefits everyone involved. 

• Challenge: Focuses on company tactics instead of how those tactics impact customers. 
• Solution: Highlight how your solution improves outcomes for customers.
• Why It Works: Bridges the gap between company process and meaningful outcomes.

Thought Leadership with Transparency

Most content teases results without revealing the how. However, in the expert example below, Peter built credibility and sparked high-value conversations by walking prospects through a transparent strategy they can use. This kind of “steal-our-playbook” video shares the thinking and the tools, which earns trust and motivates action.

• Challenge: Most thought leadership content shares wins but hides the process.
• Solution: Share the playbook, including wins, missteps, and resources.
• Why It Works: Builds credibility and sparks action by offering replicable value.

Before & After Videos That Resonate

Before-and-after videos often spotlight surface-level results without context, leaving prospects impressed but not motivated to act. It’s not enough to show changes—the transformation must be relevant to prospects. In the example below, Gundermann succeeded by spotlighting a local project and targeting people in nearby communities, positioning the company as a local go-to expert.

• Challenge: Viewers admire the results but don’t connect them to their challenges.
• Solution: Create a transformation that resonates with a specific audience.
• Why It Works: Viewers see themselves in the “before” and trust your company to help them achieve the “after.”

Product Demonstrations That Tell A Story

Generate leads with product demonstrations by placing your products or services in real-world situations. Instead of centering the product, focus on a specific use case to build a compelling narrative. This content inspires viewers to consider how they might use the product.

• Challenge: Most demos highlight product features without an applied use case.
• Solution: Show the product in action within a relatable scenario.
• Why It Works: Viewers visualize how the product or service fits into their lives.

Best Practice Content That Disrupts The Status Quo

If best practices don’t evolve, they stop working. Share a provocative, fresh take on your industry with proof to back up the claims. This strategy works best when the “hot take” is commonly felt but rarely said out loud, as shown in the example below. 

• Challenge: Common industry advice slips into redundancy and convention.
• Solution: Confront industry norms with proof and CTA.
• Why it works: Bold messaging cuts through noise.

Narrative Storytelling With Product Placement

Narrative brand stories convert without directly selling your product or service through sharing emotional transformations. In the expert example below, the couple’s wedding story indirectly promotes the product by promising an unforgettable experience of their own. Businesses might produce scripted narratives or skits meant to appear spontaneous. 

• Challenge: Great stories grab attention, but they don’t always sell.
• Solution: Tie your product to the emotional outcome your audience wants to feel.
• Why It Works: People crave that same emotional payoff.

Video Library Built for Search 

Without built-in discoverability, video content relies on active promotion to reach new prospects. Instead, use search everywhere optimization tactics to create an evergreen library with videos that answer high-intent questions. This approach makes videos discoverable, producing long-term leads.

• Challenge: Without search optimization, old content fades into the digital void.
• Solution: Attract leads passively by optimizing videos for discovery.
• Why It Works: Leads are frequently lower-funnel viewers ready for conversion.

How To Capture Video Marketing Leads

You’ve done it! A viewer is compelled to take action. But how do they move forward? Here are four ways to capture lead contact information before, during, or after your video.

Embedded Sign-Up Form

Place a sign-up form on the same page as your video or link to one from the video itself. You can integrate this approach into any website as a simple and effective way to capture leads. 

Embedded sign-up forms are often preferred because they encourage opt-in without disrupting the video experience. Embed forms promote newsletter subscriptions, free trial sign-ups, downloadable resources, and more. 

• Works Best For: Passive lead generation, directing traffic from social media, website or blog content, and most other scenarios. 
• How To Implement: Most email marketing platforms and website builders provide contact forms and allow platform integrations for easy lead capture. 

Gated Video Lead Capture

The perceived value of gated content must outweigh the friction of sharing personal details; otherwise, potential leads will bounce and never complete the form. In the expert example below, Garcia recommends providing value in the first video and gating the rest. This approach can be accomplished with an auto-advancing playlist and lead capture tool. 

• Works Best For: Premium videos, like webinars, white papers, and mini-classes.
• How To Implement: Choose a private video host with lead capture tools. 

In-Player CTA During Video

Entice viewer action during the most watched moment of your video or promote your lead magnet at the most relevant point with in-player CTAs. You can push viewers to gated resources, linked sign-up forms, discounted offers, or anything else. 

• Works Best For: Leveraging peak moments of interest for immediate action.
• How To Implement: Use in-player CTAs through a private video host and when available on social media (i.e. YouTube)

Post-Play Screen CTA

When a video finishes playing, display a post-play screen with a call-to-action such as a link, text, or sign-up form. This method works because you’re targeting the viewers who watched your video to the end. It encourages action by following up directly after the video concludes. 

• Works Best For: Encouraging engaged viewers to take action by extending value.
• How To Implement: Choose a private video host that offers custom post-play screens. 

Next Steps: Convert Leads & Retain Customers with Video

Once you’ve captured a lead, how do you convert them? Continue learning with our article on enhancing your sales funnel with video, or check out related resources below: 

• Go-To-Market Strategy: How Founders Convert Customers with Video
• How To Embed Video In Email: Expert-Backed Best Practices
• Video Content Distribution: How to Maximize ROI Across Channels

The post Video Lead Generation: How Experts Use Video To Capture Leads appeared first on SproutVideo.

Prospective home buyers most often see a home online first. Their initial touchpoint is usually a video, either of the homes they’re interested in or an agent they might want to work with. For this reason, video marketing is essential for real estate agents and brokers. 

We had the privilege of chatting with Joe Siciliano, a managing broker with Compass’ real estate brokerage in Chicago. Siciliano has 30+ years of experience in real estate, and Compass is the largest residential real estate brokerage in the United States by sales volume.

In this short interview with Joe Siciliano, we uncover dozens of practical tips for incorporating video to build stronger business relationships, gain new listings, and sell more homes. Learn how to leverage videos that drive action as a real estate agent.

Video Marketing for Real Estate: A Guide To Building Connections

Use Video To Build Your Authentic Brand

“Be authentic and build genuine connections with clients. Taking action now is more important than waiting for it to be perfect a month later. You’ll figure it out as you go.” 

Joe Siciliano, Compass

Siciliano’s primary message on video marketing for real estate agents is to be authentic and build your brand. He reiterates that authenticity is more important than perfection, and video is an easy way to showcase your expertise and personality. 

Reach Out to Five People Daily

“Video, over the last 10-15 years, has become an integral part of our business in many ways. It goes back to making truly authentic connections with people.”

Joe Siciliano, Compass

Siciliano recommends reaching out to five people in your sphere of influence daily. For example, if a past client recently visited Hawaii, reach out to inquire about their favorite part of the trip. 

Share five personal messages in short, two-minute videos across your network daily. This regular action will multiply your impact over time. Production level isn’t important here; it’s all about connecting with folks through authentic exchanges. 

Share Your Expertise on Social Media

“You want to be a go-to resource for clients. For example, a video on the ‘Top 10 Things to Consider When Buying Lakefront Property’ provides insights that build credibility and trust.”  

Joe Siciliano, Compass

Create niche-focused videos that highlight your specialization. For example, an agent specializing in lakefront homes can use video to demonstrate expertise and provide unique value. In this way, you leverage video to solve problems and answer client questions.

Create A Video Website (or Vlog)

“You’re never going to compete with Realtor.com from a sheer number of views—but don’t try to be all things to all people. Agents use their website to showcase their team, philosophy, video testimonials, and thought leadership.”

Joe Siciliano, Compass

A 2024 NAR survey, Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, showcases opportunities for agents to stand out. The study uncovered that sellers expect agents to list homes on their websites in addition to the MLS. 

Yet, only 46% of agents market homes for sale on their website, leaving an opening for many agents to up their game. The survey revealed that home shoppers value websites visually representing the property with detailed property information and floor plans. 

Learn More: How to Make Your Video Website MLS Compliant

Consistency Is Key

“Consistency is key. Commit to your schedule—whether it’s one video a week or a month—and stick to it. Over time, your audience will value your insights and remember you when they’re ready to buy or sell.”

Joe Siciliano, Compass

While patience is essential, agents who embrace video as a consistent practice gain the most success. Siciliano suggests creating a realistic posting plan, given agents’ hectic schedules.

Invest In Production

“When showcasing homes, video quality is super important. The seller expects it to be a beautiful production with great lighting—everything has to be right. If I’m professional, my video needs to look professional.”

Joe Siciliano, Compass

When creating content to showcase your expertise and the homes you’re selling, Siciliano strongly recommends hiring a professional videographer and editor to ensure clients recognize your professionalism immediately. Ultimately, it’s worth investing the money into producing professional-level videos as a real estate agent.

More Actionable Insights for Marketing With Video

“This business is developing relationships and nurturing those relationships for a long time.” 

Joe Siciliano, Compass

Ready to level up your video marketing? Watch the interview for more actionable tips and video content ideas from real estate veteran Joe Siciliano. You’ll gain at least one new idea to add to your video marketing playbook—whether you’re a real estate agent or not.

Or check out our other resources on video for business:

• Create A Professional Video Website in Minutes
• Maximize Video Marketing Distribution ROI
• Why Businesses Choose Private Video Hosting

The post Video Marketing for Real Estate: Ideas from a 30-Year Industry Veteran appeared first on SproutVideo.

In contrast, public video hosting platforms provide broad discoverability, social proof, and limited privacy options. While this makes them ideal for social sharing, public platforms are less suited for corporate, private, or gated content where restricting access is a priority. 

Why should businesses choose private video hosting over public platforms like YouTube? We asked industry experts to share their insights. They revealed justifications for private hosting and the disadvantages of public hosting sites like YouTube. Their seven insights might surprise you—let’s dive in!

Why Business Leaders Use Private Video Hosting Platforms

We contacted industry experts to learn why their businesses use private video hosting. Our panel—featuring professionals in marketing and advertising, web and digital services, healthcare, and small business owners—shares their seven reasons below.

1. Ad-Free User Experience

“With YouTube, viewers get distracted by unrelated ads or suggested videos that take them off-track. But with private video hosting, we keep their attention on what matters, showing them exactly what we do and how we can help. It helps us convert interest into actual client connections, which makes a real impact on the business,” said Daniel Vasilevski, Director & Owner of Bright Force Electrical

2. Video CTAs to Direct Viewer Behavior

“We needed to ensure viewers stayed on our client’s website after watching a product demo without being lured away by suggested videos. With SproutVideo, we embed the video directly on the website, keeping users on the page and guiding them to a call-to-action right after the video, reducing bounce rates and increasing conversions,” shared Shane McEvoy, Digital Marketing Strategist with Flycast Media. 

3. Authorized Access Controls & Privacy Tools

“We supported a client in a highly regulated industry where data security is paramount. Using a private host ensured their proprietary content was shared only within their designated audience, enhancing trust and compliance. This focus on security and targeted delivery boosted their confidence in their product unveiling and connected them directly to their key stakeholders without any leakage or distractions,” said Dylan Cleppe, Co-Founder & CEO of OneStop Northwest LLC. 

Read More: Best Practices to Securely Share Video

4. Customizable Player for Brand Consistency

“We have control over every aspect of the video player itself—from color and buttons to layout and playback parameters. This level of customization allows us to create a custom-made video that looks natural and is embedded within our co-branded landing pages rather than a stand-alone, stock video. It works particularly well to ensure brand consistency between our and partners’ messaging. Each video feels more like a continuation of the page than a third-party video, which is important when you want to hold people’s attention,” shared Anders Bill, Cofounder/CPO of Superfiliate.

5. Seamless Website Integration

“I prefer private video hosting for our business because of the ability to seamlessly integrate videos into our clients’ unique brand landscapes. For example, when we worked with a start-up on their brand identity, hosting videos through a service like SproutVideo allowed us to embed engaging, ad-free content directly on their custom-designed website without diverting traffic away like YouTube often does,” shared Dylan Cleppe, Co-Founder & CEO of OneStop Northwest LLC

6. Detailed Analytics with Engagement Insights

“Private hosting improves our analytical capabilities. When planning a digital strategy for a client aiming for market expansion, the detailed viewer analytics available through private video hosting platforms helped identify the precise content that resonated most with their audience, enabling a fine-tuned approach to future marketing campaigns that led to more effective customer engagement and higher conversion rates,” shared Dylan Cleppe, Co-Founder & CEO of OneStop Northwest LLC. 

7. Increased Sales Funnel Conversions

“After hemorrhaging leads on YouTube for years, switching to private video hosting transformed our conversion funnel entirely. While everyone chased YouTube subscribers, we discovered our niche-training videos were getting lost in the algorithm, often appearing alongside competitor ads—essentially sending our hard-earned traffic straight to rivals.

The clincher came when we analyzed our viewer behavior patterns. With private hosting, our completion rates skyrocketed from 23% to 71%. Why? No distracting “recommended” videos hijacking attention, and we could embed calls-to-action at precisely timed psychological triggers within each video.”

Our most profitable revelation is the advanced analytics, which revealed that viewers who paused at specific technical segments were our hottest leads. We now trigger automated email sequences based on these behavioral cues.

This level of viewer insight proved impossible on YouTube, where we were just another drop in the content ocean. Private video hosting pays for itself tenfold through qualified lead generation,” detailed John Beaver, Founder of Desky.

Five Key Differences Between Private and Public Video Hosting

The Benefits Of Private Video Hosting Platforms

Our expert insights surface the key benefits of a private video hosting platform for businesses:

• Hold Viewer Attention To Improve Conversions: Keep viewers engaged with your messaging without distractions like random advertisements or recommended videos. 
• Protect Videos with Privacy and Security Measures: Ensure public-facing videos can’t be downloaded or shared elsewhere with privacy tools. For example, SproutVideo provides advanced video security features like allowed domains, geo-restrictions, plus access controls like password or login protection.
• Maintain Brand Consistency for Trust and Recognition: Seamlessly integrate video content into your website branding with custom colors, player options, and more. Create a user experience that showcases your brand and makes your content easily identifiable. 
• Gain Audience Insights To Track Engagement & Conversions: Whether you share public or private-facing content, in-depth audience analytics and individual viewer engagement data provide essential information, from compliance tracking to lead conversion optimization. 

Public sharing platforms like YouTube offer a network of potential viewers, making them essential for many multi-channel marketing plans. Private video hosting provides businesses the protection and control required for content-sensitive public and private videos.

Thank you to our experts who shared these valuable insights! 

Public platforms like YouTube play a key role in multi-channel marketing by reaching broad audiences. However, private hosting is the choice for businesses prioritizing security, branding, and analytics.

Learn more about secure video sharing with our related content:

• Best Practices to Securely Share Corporate Video
• What is a Watermark for Video? Automatic Theft Prevention for Videos
• How Six Businesses Use Login Protection to Control Video Access

The post 7 Reasons Businesses Use Private Video Hosting Platforms vs YouTube appeared first on SproutVideo.

To this end, companies rely on video to increase sales more than any other format. In fact, 80% of marketers credit video for directly increasing sales. 

Video is effective because it builds emotional connections. Emotional connections generate a 306% higher lifetime value over satisfied customers. There is no easier way to break through the noise than with a sincere or humorous moment that lightens viewers’ hearts. 

This article covers how to use video at every stage of your sales process. So no matter where or how someone engages with your company, they receive the value your business offers. 

Benefits of Video in the Sales Process

Weaving video into your customer experience yields benefits for both the consumer and the company. Here are a few ways video helps move leads toward conversion and retention. 

Jump-Start Discovery & Consideration 

Videos are easy content to digest. If someone discovers your brand or product and likes what they find, a library of video content makes it easy for them to learn more and become invested in obtaining your product or service. 

Supplement Your Customer Journey

No sales process is one hundred percent linear. Planning the customer journey is essential for good marketing, but the goal is to meet people where they are. In this case, that might be social media, their email inbox, your website, or a Google search.

Foster Trust & Showcase Values

Video is a powerful storytelling medium. Tell the story of your company. Share its greater “why” with those you intend to serve. Or showcase how your products and services improve people’s lives. By uplifting your company’s mission, you create an opportunity for viewers to emotionally connect with your brand in a meaningful way. 

Save Time for Customer Support & Sales

Knowledge bases and support documents have become commonplace, especially with enterprises. But text-only resources can quickly become overwhelming for someone already frustrated with a roadblock. Video for customer service provides visual, step-by-step solutions to specific questions and common hurdles. 

Elevate Your Brand

It doesn’t take much to create a professional website with the plethora of online platforms available. Presenting a business that consumers can trust is often found in the details, like consistent branding, good grammar, and responsive support. But another way to quickly elevate a brand is with a high-quality sales video. The video acts as an introduction to your brand. And a well-made video can quickly establish a baseline level of trust with the consumer. 

How to Use Video to Increase Sales

A video that is valuable to consumers in the awareness phase usually doesn’t translate to retention. Instead, create sales videos that cater to various stages of the sales process. This strategic and valuable content will move your target audience closer to conversion. 

Showcase the Value of Your Products 

Introduce leads to the value of your company and its products or services. This might include product demos, explainer videos, and brand stories to be used as advertisements, on social media, and embedded on your website. 

Create Value in Your Niche 

Produce value for your ideal audience. The tried-and-true way to garner trust and build loyalty is by providing valuable information that makes customers’ lives easier. Create helpful information on topics relevant to your industry; this will naturally lend to strong customer relationships. 

Entice Leads with Inside Information

Provide an in-depth look into your products and services. Give leads a peak behind the curtain to stoke interest and promote continued engagement with the brand. This encourages super-fans to congregate around your products and services. If your business can ignite customer passion, your brand awareness will rapidly increase by word of mouth. 

Boost Email Open Rates

Email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective ways to convert leads into buyers and maintain contact with loyal ones. Encourage engagement by incorporating video in your email campaigns, then use video analytics to evaluate success. Just using the word “video” in email subject lines can increase open rates by 6%. 

Personalized Support Messages

Allow your support team to offer snippets of value, provide a moment of validation, or offer their opinion on best practices. Video provides the opportunity to provide personalized value in short video responses, without replacing text-based support. These should be supplemental, allowing the customer to choose whether to engage with the video or quickly solve their issue via text. 

Types of Sales Videos (with Examples)

The goal of any sales video is to move prospects further down your sales funnel. Any video created to improve the customer journey can be considered a sales video.

Product Demos

Product demos provide the experience of using or handling a product. They highlight standout features and the unique value propositions your product or service offers. Product demos are used throughout the sales process and can be valuable for generating awareness just as much as converting an interested consumer into a buyer. 

Sony Headphones

This combination of an explainer video and product demonstration excels at highlighting the headphone’s standout feature: noise cancellation. Within 15 seconds, the main value proposition for these Sony headphones is perfectly conveyed.

The rest of the video highlights the product’s many features while following young people moving throughout the city, seamlessly engaging with others. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) videos expedite the time between discovery and purchase by allowing the consumer to get their questions answered immediately. Have you ever had the experience of discovering a product, watching video after video to learn more, and getting excited? 

FAQ videos allow consumers with some knowledge of your brand to dive deeper into the experience before deciding to purchase, making these videos highly effective as middle-of-the-funnel content. 

Nespresso

Nespresso is known for creating tantalizing product demos. But their information content is perhaps more impressive, albeit underrated. 

This is the ideal “consideration” stage video. The lead has heard of Nespresso, and maybe even tried the coffee. But they don’t understand the unique pods Nespresso machines use. This 5-minute video not only explains the range of coffees available for use with the machine but also provides backstory into how the company began and how to make the perfect cup of coffee. 

Explainer Video

Explainer videos are the ultimate top-of-the-funnel content. Consider this the elevator pitch for your product. Companies have made some truly clever explainer videos to garner public interest.

These videos highlight a common customer pain point and showcase how the product or service is a transformative solution. The result is emotional catharsis for the viewer and a clear understanding of why your business exists. 

Puls

Puls conveys its value to consumers in 30 seconds: the company will set up or fix your digital goods any day of the week. Not only does it give a wide array of potential reasons to hire Puls, the video shows you how easy it is to book the appointment online.

This is a great example of a video that centers its message. There’s nothing fancy about the production — and there doesn’t need to be. The value of Puls quickly becomes apparent.

Brand Story 

Professionalism and providing free value go a long way to building trust with consumers, which is important for making the sale. But it is easier to establish trust through shared values, personal stories, or the service-based mission that leads a company forward.

Brand story videos are usually on a company’s About page, shared across social media, and sent to media contacts for additional distribution via press request. 

Etsy

This brand video is a masterclass in visual storytelling. Etsy is an online marketplace where makers and crafters sell their goods. This short ad successfully showcases its value to the consumer and small business owner. We see a mother connect with her son by embracing his interests in the fantastical, while the small business owner can visualize the positive impacts their goods will have on buyers.

Case Study

A case study provides a real example of how your company has positively impacted one of your buyers or clients. It paints a “before” and “after” picture, then discusses how your product or service was able to produce those results.

This bottom-of-the-funnel content is highly effective at converting curious leads into customers. Case studies are ideal for B2B companies that want to present proof of past success to prospective clients.

HubSpot

Avison Young is a real estate service provider with worldwide branches that use different customer relationship management (CRM) systems. In the United States alone, Avison Young increased broker CRM adoption from 23% to 90% — just by switching to HubSpot.

The video centers the before and after transformation for Avison Young, allowing the viewer to imagine how HubSpot could improve their business as well.

Personalized Video

Customer support and direct sales are perhaps the most underrated uses of video. With the rise of short video content, consumers have welcomed casually-made vertical videos. Companies can use this to build stronger relationships with current leads and customers. 

Personalized videos allow the customer to receive specialized attention, making them feel seen, instead of just another customer. This generates loyalty and retention. Another approach to personalized videos that have become popular is the personal achievements video, which highlights your platform-specific wins based on that year’s data.  

Example: A customer support person is answering a complex support question. They share a short screen recording alongside text-based information on how to solve the issue. They include a voice-over that validates the customer’s experience while providing an easy solution.

Nike

Nike outdid itself with 100,000 personalized achievement videos. Designed to retain Nike+ users, the video uses 2D-styled 3D animation to bring French illustrator, Mcbess’ illustrations to life while showcasing the viewer’s specific running achievements in 2014. 

There are plenty of lower-cost ways to achieve a similar video that engages your audience and encourages them and celebrates their success. But this type of personalized video effectively builds an emotional connection between your platform and the user by encouraging them to appreciate the progress they’ve made and inspiring them to continue. 

Customer Stories

Customer stories are emotional powerhouses in marketing storytelling. Similar to testimonial videos, they generally have greater production value and cut-away scenes. By focusing on a specific customer and their unique journey, this middle-of-the-funnel content allows viewers to easily relate by imagining the customer’s transformation as their own. 

Peloton

This customer story features a mom who bought a Peloton after giving birth to her first child. She talks about the Peloton groups she belongs to that help her stay motivated. “We’re all on our own journey but we’re never alone,” the one-minute video concludes. 

People in the comments shared their own stories and how they can relate to her. Peloton created a series of videos like this, allowing people from various backgrounds to find themselves in the content and feel the potential transformation the product offers.  

Best Practices for Effective Sales Videos

Create Tension & Resolution

Remind viewers of frustrations and create a sense of conclusion by showcasing the transformation your solution provides. This can be applied to any type of sales video. A brand story, for example, highlights the personal struggle or business conflict that inspired the company. A case study highlights what wasn’t working and why a company was instrumental in creating the current success. 

Know Your Audience 

Center your ideal audience in everything your business creates. Even the way a brand story is told should consider the pain points and experiences of the audience. A sales video can exceed expectations by stepping into the customer’s shoes, understanding what they value, and showcasing how your company provides the next level of service in that industry.

Determine Your Hook

A sales video should “hook” the viewer within eight seconds. A hook is anything that convinces the viewer to watch the video. Some examples of hooks include humor, storytelling, pain points, and questions. 

Value The Audience’s Time

Video lengths vary greatly depending on the type of content you’re producing. Explainer videos typically run 90 seconds or less, while an FAQ might be up to 20 minutes long. Always consider your viewer’s time. Eliminate superfluous material and get right to providing value. 

Tell the Story With & Without Audio

It’s highly likely that your video will be watched without sound. Especially across social media, videos are often watched muted and/or with subtitles. Therefore it’s important to consider how much of the story your video conveys through visuals alone.

Even with the option to display subtitles, craft a video your audience can understand without sound. Another approach is to create a hook so compelling that it convinces the viewers to turn on the sound.

Include a Call to Action

What action do you want viewers to take after watching the sales video? This call to action might be as simple as “Shop Now” or “Get a Free Trial.”

You can also use a call to action to entice viewers further down your sales funnel by highlighting related videos, sharing freebies, or setting up a call with the sales team. 

The process of moving leads from discovery through retention can be messy. But driving sales with video cleans up the process, allowing you to reach potential customers wherever they are. 

Ready to start brainstorming script ideas? Or, learn how to effectively use emotion in video storytelling and get inspiration from this list of the best explainer videos. Our library of helpful content can also teach you how to produce high-quality animated videos or discover special effects that can help your content stand out. 

The post Strategic Guide to Increasing Sales with Video + Examples appeared first on SproutVideo.

These days, customers commonly seek out information to solve their issues, only contacting the company if those answers cannot be found. 

This has prompted businesses to create knowledge centers that support customers’ needs, and video is the ideal medium.

In fact, video can be used for support and retention throughout the customer’s journey. 93% of consumers appreciate it when companies include post-purchase video instructions.

In this article, we will discuss the many use cases of video for customer support and retention, and how to generate customer loyalty with high-quality video support. 

What is Video Customer Support?

Video customer support is when a business uses video to convey helpful or instructional information at any stage of the customer’s journey.

Video might replace or supplement text to create an engaging experience. It can expedite response times and increase communication clarity between the customer and support staff. 

Why You Should Use Video for Customer Support 

Customer service isn’t just about ensuring a smooth sale. Its goal is also to create a frustration-free experience at every point of interaction with your company. The following are five reasons why video is the optimal medium for customer service.

• Streamline Video Support: Video can provide your support team with the ability to quickly receive and share video demonstrations to easily solve customer issues. 
• Create Quality Control: Video can be used to teach new support hires how your company approaches support and what to do in difficult situations.
• Provide Immediate Answers: Customers can become overwhelmed by large text-based knowledge articles. Make it easy to absorb the information with video.
• Reduce Support Tickets: You can continuously improve the knowledge offered at each stage when video customer support is woven into the customer’s journey. In turn, you create a seamless customer experience, reducing the need for people to reach out. 
• Reward Customers: Reward buyers with in-depth and exclusive content. These bonus offerings encourage a community to form around your product or service.

7 Ways to Use Video for Customer Support & Retention

Video Knowledge Base

When using instructional materials, 83% of people prefer watching videos over reading text. Therefore, adding videos to your knowledge base can make it more effective as a whole.

Start by determining what questions your support team answers again and again. Then, create instructional videos that demonstrate how to complete the task or solve the issue. 

Finally, utilize video SEO to make it easy for users to find the answers they need. This will also boost your organic reach. Those searching for specific answers may stumble upon your company and decide to test your products or services against the competition.

This way, your video knowledge base can serve customers at the bottom of your marketing funnel and build awareness for those near the top. 

How to Use Video

• Boost Organic Reach: Improve SEO with a library of direct and helpful how-tos.
• Automate Support: Allow users to immediately find solutions to their problems. 
• Make FAQs Shareable: Create and easily send videos that answer common questions.

Customer Service Training Videos

Video is a highly effective medium for training. When attempting to create a consistently high-quality customer service experience, video training can be used to prepare new hires, infuse their job with purpose, and encourage them to share their insights and ideas. 

In our examples of customer service videos below, former CEO Vineet Nayar outlines his case for putting employees first. He discusses his strategy as a leader and argues that exceptional employee service starts with the company’s actions. This highlights the importance of customer service training materials that reflect modern working culture. 

How to Use Video

• Train New Hires: Create consistently high-quality service with your support model. 
• Lead with Purpose: Inspire employees with the purposeful mission of your business. 
• Create Dialogue: Encourage new hires to share their ideas for how to improve their job. 

Welcome & Onboarding

What does a customer need after making a purchase? Providing set-up instructions, sharing content for deeper learning, and building a community all contribute to your customer service experience. 

How a customer feels post-purchase will determine their likelihood of becoming a repeat buyer or long-term subscriber. Therefore, consider the ways you can continue to create a frustration-free experience as your customers begin to use your products or services. 

A video is an effective tool for onboarding customers because you can directly show them how to use your product or navigate your service. In under a minute, they can jump right in and go. 

How to Use Video

• Guide through Setup: Walk users through the initial steps of using your product.
• Provide Knowledge: Produce how-to videos to help users excel with your product.
• Create Community: Build brand loyalty by fostering community around your products.

Thank You Videos

A business doesn’t function without its customers. Thank you videos take time to acknowledge the community of people who drive the company’s mission forward. Thank you videos can also be used to showcase customer achievements or congratulate someone. 

Sincerity is key. Saying “thank you” conveys a sense of awareness and appreciation that goes beyond the company’s accomplishments. An especially fantastic “thank you,” like the Charity: Water video in our examples below, will go the extra mile.

How to Use Video

• Celebrate Achievements: Send personalized videos to celebrate customer milestones.
• Highlight Contributions: Thank customers for making charitable donations possible. 
• Show Appreciation: Create a general “thank you” for customers and the community.

Exclusive Video Library

Consumers love valuable (and free) bonus content. Have you ever seen someone post on social because a company sent them stickers, a handwritten note, candy, or some other small extra items? That’s all it took for the customer to feel special when the package arrived. 

An exclusive video library with valuable or entertaining content for your audience can create the same sense of excitement and loyalty.

In one example, fans of Warhammer miniatures can pay a minimal membership fee to receive exclusive miniatures, animations, and shows through their app. This is one digital example of giving special access to customers and building a community with video content. 

How to Use Video

• Offer Bonus Content: Offer customers video content that provides useful information.
• Secure How-to Content: Securely share in-depth knowledge of your product with users.
• Share Practical Uses: Teach the various functional applications of the product you sell.

Support Demonstration 

When it comes to the daily exchanges of information between customers and support staff, nothing is more frustrating for both parties than illustrating the issue and how to solve it. 

With video, support staff can quickly create a video demonstrating the solution. If the question comes up again, they will already have a video to share. This also makes it easier for customers, who can easily review the steps they need to take. 

Video for customer support is a more cost- and time-effective alternative to offering live video support. Instead, reserve live video support as an offering for high-tier customers. 

How to Use Video

• Review the Problem: Ask customers to include a video screen share of their problem.
• Use Video Demonstration: Quickly make and send password-protected how-to videos.
• Create Support Tiers: Offer live video support or expedited service with the time saved.

Optimize Support with Analytics

An added benefit of using video for customer support is the ability to evaluate the success of that support with data. Video analytics allow you to measure engagement and review the most popular or skipped-over sections of the video.

You can also compare the analytics of support staff videos. If you find that one agent is producing videos that significantly reduce support time while effectively solving problems, they can train other support staff on how to make demonstration videos. 

Additionally, analytics makes it easy to know what videos are continuously being played from your knowledge base. This is a good sign that users want more content about this subject.

Plus with SproutVideo’s individual tracking, you can ensure new hires have fully completed video training.   

How to Use Video

• Optimize with Heat-Mapping: Review what parts of videos are skipped or re-watched.
• Track Engagement: Ensure new hires have completed customer service training. 
• Improve Consistently: Make sure all videos are helping customers as intended. 

Examples of Customer Service Videos in Business

Education & Onboarding

Headspace

Headspace is a mediation app. This calming how-to video helps new users quickly get started. It covers the main offerings and how to navigate within the app.

Canva

Canva creates a lot of short, screen-share-style videos that quickly show users how to complete various tasks within the application. 

Moz

Moz’s Whiteboard Fridays skilfully tackle useful knowledge for people who use SEO tools in around ten minutes. The series is still going with over 400 videos for potential and existing customers. 

Retention & Thank You

John Hopkins University

Based in Baltimore, John Hopkins University shared this “Thank You” video that features members of the community who help make it strong. 

Mailchimp

Mailchimp shares in-depth tutorials to set users up for success and provide an understanding of the many available tools that can be used in business. The information is educational, but customer retention is the result of having a library of useful content.

Charity: Water

When Charity: Water turned five years old, it wanted supporters to feel appreciated. Not only did the staff write letters, send emails, and make calls thanking people — they made hundreds of personalized videos. 

Training & Inspiration

Ross Shafer

Ross Shafer is a TV host, comedian, and motivational speaker. He shares how he was affected by a moment of above-and-beyond customer service at a Marriott hotel. 

Zendesk

Zendesk is in the business of customer service. This video got the attention of customer service workers across industries who dubbed it, “highly relatable.” It’s a great ice-breaker for new support employees who will experience these types of scenarios daily. 

Bob Farrell

Bob Farrell trains people in customer service. But he began as a restaurant owner. In this video, he shares the experience with a customer that led to his motto, “Give ‘em the pickle.”

Vineet Nayar

“Millions of employees walk through our organizations every day not just to get paid but to be inspired by the vision we have for them,” Vineet Nayar is a bestselling author and former CEO of HCL Technologies who shares his “employees first, customers second,” philosophy. 

The ability to put a face to a company cannot be understated. This is perhaps the most underrated benefit of video for customer support and retention: customers get the chance to feel connected to the people within your organization. When these relationships are fostered through support, the natural result is satisfied and returning customers. 

Ready for more? Check out how to structure instructional videos for great pre-production advice. Learn the easy way to write a video script, or review the six components of a successful testimonial video. 

The post 7 Ways to Use Video for Customer Support & Retention appeared first on SproutVideo.

Today, video can help to support all stages of your new product launch. In this post, we’ll identify the types of video you can leverage pre-product launch, for the product launch, and post-product launch.  

The Product Pre-Release Videos

Your pre-release product launch videos are meant to build interest and the easiest way to differentiate them is by audience.

Your first pre-release product launch video is for your own team. This internal video should inform the team of the most important details of the new product, a product demo, and the product release date. You can also include information about events related to the product launch. If you’re expecting employees to be a part of the release promotion, you can include best practices and hashtags for sharing the release online. Various SproutVideo security features can help to ensure that only those on your team have access to this type of video ahead of your product’s release.

The second type of pre-release product launch video is for the press and online influencers you’re hoping will amplify your product release news. Rather than sending a traditional press release, a video press release can be effective in helping you to stand out from others pitching your recipient, to best illustrate how your new product works, and to help construct the story they share about your product. Alternatively, you can simply include your product release video with your press release. Whatever you do, be sure to include video when you reach out to press and online influencers you want to help to get the word out about your new product.

The last type of pre-release product launch video is for your customers and potential customers. Teaser videos can be a great way to build buzz prior to your release and there are plenty of ways to do it. You can incite curiosity by sharing partial glimpses of your product or the pieces that make it up. If you want to include people in your teaser videos, you can share short footage of the people who are working on it or create a video that shows people reacting to your new product (without actually showing the product). Another option, as Go Pro have done in the above example, is to showcase what your new product can do (without actually unveiling your product).

Don’t forget that incorporating a social media campaign that encourages people to engage with these videos (ie Liking, Commenting, or Sharing) can take your product release buzz up a notch.  

The Product Release 

The product release video is the star of the show! Also known as the product demo, this video is your opportunity to not only emphasize your product’s unique features but also to highlight its ability to solve your customers’ and potential customers’ problems.

Like many of your other videos, you want to marry storytelling with succinctness: Take a relatable, empathetic approach when sharing the dilemma(s) your team sought to solve yet get to the point when you’re announcing the new product and how it helps to address those challenges. Include a product demo to showcase the ease in using it and wrap up your video by reiterating the value proposition.

Your demo video should be professional yet not stuffy – After all, you want your new product to impress but you also want it to be something your viewer can easily imagine using themselves to solve a problem they have. One of the best examples of this is by Dollar Shave Club. Addressing the challenges their audience (young, professional men) are likely to experience while simultaneously showcasing their razors’ features in humorous ways seamlessly connects their product with that audience’s problems; you’re entertained the whole time so it hardly feels like a hard sell.

The Product Post-Release Videos

If your product release video is the star of the show, consider your post-release product videos to be excellent supporting actors. In fact, it’s these videos that may be what captures your online audience’s attention in the first place. Why? Because in each of the examples of post-release product videos below, you’re able to take a more human approach to your new product.

For instance, what is more compelling than listening to someone describe the work they’re passionate about? Not much. This is why featuring the designers and engineers who built your new product can be such a hit with viewers.

Structure these types of videos by asking open-ended questions about how the product was made, why the designer or engineer does what (s)he does, and why they’re excited about the product or (like Apple does in the video above), use the opportunity that product design and building process presents as a way to share the story of your brand. If your team members have a friendly accord with one another, ask them questions as a group and let the video take on a more discussion-forum feel. Try to include some “behind-the-scenes” footage of them actually working on the product to add legitimacy to this type of supporting video.

Another type of effective post-launch product video is the customer testimonial. While it is wonderful if any customer is willing to rave about your new product in a testimonial video, it is wise to strategically choose the featured customer for this type of video.

If you have the luxury, try to choose a customer that is doing interesting things with your product, has a unique story or memorable look that will stand out on video, who can articulate him or herself well, and who is engaged online (either with their own customers, fans, or friends). And if you have the luxury of being able to choose more than one customer to make a customer testimonial video, try to choose brands or people who are able to showcase different features of your product so that your online viewers are able to see the many benefits to using your product.

By virtue of the definition of “new”, all of your new product release videos will be shared in a relatively short time as newer product releases from others will inevitably come along. Fortunately with proper planning, many of the videos shared above can be made ahead of time so you’re not forced to scramble through the video production stage.

Video can help you to make the necessary splash to get your new product on the radar of customers and potential customers (pre-release video), to efficiently show how it can help them (release video), and to keep the product a part of the conversation (post-release video). If you’re launching a new product or feature soon, tell us how you’ll incorporate video into your marketing strategy by sharing in the comments below or by tagging us on Twitter @sproutvideo.

The post Your New Product Launch Video Marketing Plan appeared first on SproutVideo.

Video marketing can offer excellent return on investment. That’s especially true if you keep your production costs low and set up your advertising campaign correctly.

However, some of the biggest gains in conversion rates can actually be derived from the editing process in post-production. Simple changes can result in an even higher ROI.

In this post, we explore five tips you can easily use in post-production to ramp up your conversions.

1. Text overlays

Incorporating text into your video is a great way to reinforce your core message. It can also help with viewer comprehension, retention, and engagement. Finally, adding text improves accessibility, and helps you reach anyone watching without sound.

Instead of just adding subtitles, use text overlays which coordinate with the type of video you are doing. Subtitles are often a great idea to include with nearly any video. However, text overlays are more flexible, and can be used in more creative ways.

Here are two types of text overlays you can easily implement when editing your video.

Cinematic Text

Cinematic text is simple to do, and adds emotion and drama to your video. Often, this is comprised of simple white text on a black background. You could potentially add a subtle zoom effect to create some motion. If you go that route, the title will appear in the center of the screen, and will slowly zoom in for a couple of seconds.

This type of text is excellent for video titles. Give the video a catchy title, and display it on the screen in the first three seconds of the video.

The result will be very similar to the onscreen text you see at the beginning of any Hollywood movie (like the opening credits), hence the name. The cool thing about cinematic text is that it can be easily handled in post-production by using any video editing software.

Cinematic text can help increase conversions because it drives viewer engagement by heightening the sense of drama in your video. It’s not appropriate for all types of videos, but if it matches the style you are going for, it can make a difference.

Animated Text

Animated text is more involved than cinematic text. It works particularly well for fun, upbeat videos, or a fast-paced video clip. You can use unique fonts, have the text flying in from different areas of the screen, and you can also get creative with the colors and sizes you use for each word.

A great tool for creating animated text is Adobe’s After Effects. There is a learning curve, but it’s really powerful once you get the hang of it.

A great shortcut is to use a template for animating text in After Effects. This is perfect for beginners, or anyone short on time. Find the animation you’d like to use, place it in your video, and edit the text. It’s as simple as that.

Our friends at Motion Array specialize in templates for animated text. Other great options for templates include VideoHive by Envato, and Videobolt. There are plenty of other options out there, but these are a great starting point.

Other video editing programs often have basic templates built-in. For instance, iMovie has some basic options for animated lower-thirds and titles that can work well for simple use-cases.

By adding information and interesting motion to your video, animated text can help engage viewers and convince them to keep watching. Use animated text to reinforce your value proposition to help convince viewers to buy.

2. Call-to-Action

It’s all too easy to lose sight of what you would like viewers to do after watching your video. What is the one specific action they should take? The answer is your call-to-action.

Here are four simple approaches to building effective, high-converting calls-to-action.

Approach #1

At the very end of the video, briefly recap what the whole video was about. Make quick a summary of your message, no longer than ten seconds, and insert it at the end of the clip.

This can be done by taking bits and pieces of the whole video, and editing them together. Or, it can be an entirely different clip filmed specifically for this purpose. Alternatively, you can build this yourself in post-production by using text to recap everything.

Treat this as your chance to up-the-ante, and really hammer your points home. Emphasize the benefits viewers will receive, rather than product features or pricing. Your viewers should be left with a crystal clear picture of the advantages they’ll gain by using your solution. This highly effective sales tactic works particularly well for retail goods.

Approach #2

Tease viewers by providing the majority of a solution, but omitting the most key part of it in the video. By building up anticipation, you’ll increase the likelihood they’ll be curious to see the final solution.

So, in your video, leave out a small, but essential, piece of information which viewers absolutely need to know. Then, use your call-to-action to instruct them on how to obtain the information. They could make a purchase, join an email list, enter a contest, etc. The right option depends on the specific aim you have for your video.

Approach #3

Offer a special incentive to viewers to watch your video by displaying a coupon, discount code, or clue to a contest at the end of the video.

By rewarding them for taking the time to learn more about your product, you’ll help drive sales and improve brand affinity. You’re likely to succeed because you’re tapping into people’s innate desire to win, or get a special deal.

Approach #4

Once your video concludes, viewers are likely at their most engaged, and excited about your product or service. Point them in the right direction by using a custom post-play screen to display a clickable image, HTML form, or text with a link to a landing page.

This last approach doesn’t actually require any video editing. It can be setup after your video has been uploaded to SproutVideo’s hosting platform.

Read this post for more ideas on creative ways to use a post-play screen for your call-to-action.

3. Use B-Roll Footage

Regardless of the type of video you are making, you can never have too much b-roll footage on hand. You can use customer testimonials, service demonstrations, a product close-up, introduce your team members, or show off your finished projects.

Using b-roll footage in this manner helps viewers grow comfortable with you, and reinforces your brand identity. By building their trust, your viewers will be more likely to convert into subscribers, fans, followers, or customers.

If you don’t have any existing b-roll footage, here are 25 ideas for interesting places you could film engaging b-roll. If you can’t create your own, here is a guide to finding stock footage for free, and incorporating it into your videos.

A cut away to b-roll is one of the most fundamental video editing techniques because it can help you tell your story in a more engaging way. There are two main methods with which you can incorporate b-roll into your video.

B-Roll On Top

The first method is by simply inserting the b-roll footage on top of your main footage track. This will cut away from the main video to the b-roll while still playing the audio of the main footage.

This technique works well if you want to keep the video shorter while showcasing more than just the main footage.

B-Roll In Between

The second method is great if you want to add a more cinematic look to your footage, and don’t mind if your video ends up being slightly longer. The idea is to cut the main clip, and insert the b-roll footage in between the two halves of the main clip.

The main difference from the first method is that the b-roll has its own time slot in your video edit. It’s not just playing on top of your main clip’s audio – which might be someone talking, for example.

This means the b-roll will have its own audio track. You could add some nice background music, or someone else talking. After the b-roll, you go back to the main footage without skipping a beat of it.

4. Keep It Short

It’s a well-known fact that attention spans are waning as distraction levels are increasing. We’d like to believe attention spans are longer than eight seconds, however, you’ll still want to keep your video as succinct as possible.

Keeping it under a minute or two can be challenging, but there are a few tricks you can use to achieve that.

One of the most important things is to be organized in your approach to video editing. Create a video editing guide or storyboard that lays out the scenes of your video in detail. You should have everything written down: which shots to use at which times; when the text needs to come in and what it should say; when the b-roll will cut in, and so forth. By having a clear layout of the end product you want to achieve, you’ll be more likely to keep your video down to size.

Another easy way to shorten your video is to use fast transitions, and cut out any pauses. Eliminate those pesky “ah’s, uhm’s”, or even words or phrases that can be skipped without altering the message. For example, “OK, now let’s look at how to use the service” can become “Let’s look at how to use the service”.

Yet another way to shorten your video, but without cutting anything, is to alter the pace of clips. Time lapse or fast forwarding are creative techniques that save time while still showcasing certain shots that need to be in the video.

For example, if you are doing a workout video which consists of doing three sets of the same exercise, you can play the first set at normal speed, and then fast forward through the remaining two sets as you use a voice over or a nice soundtrack on top.

By keeping your video down to size, you’ll increase the likelihood viewers will actually watch the whole thing. This will help drive conversions because you can be sure your message is to getting across.

5. Make it Look Professional

Lastly, you’ll want to make the video look as pleasing to the eye as possible. It will be more difficult to turn a viewer into a customer if the quality of the video is not up to par, regardless of how valuable the information is.

Video editors often get stuck with mediocre footage, to say the least, so taking good care of it in post-production is essential. Luckily, most of the problems can be fixed or improved relatively easily with modern-day tools.

The exact way to use the techniques described below depends on the editing program you’re working with. These are relatively advanced video editing techniques, so if you feel a little lost, leave a comment below with the specific program you’re using, and we can try to point you in the right direction.

Brightness

The most common problem you want to watch out for is the lighting. This is especially true for videos shot indoors, because many small cameras perform badly in poor lightning. An example of poor lighting can likely be found in your office: harsh, overhead fluorescent lights do not translate well on camera.

If the lighting is too bright or too dark, you’ll need to adjust the brightness and the contrast. Footage that’s too bright will appear washed out. If there isn’t enough light, you will get grainy and murky footage.

You can fix this by adjusting the brightness and the contrast. You can also add more sharpness to the video. Here is a video walk-through of how to do so for Final Cut Pro 10 and Adobe Premiere Pro:

If you’re working with Final Cut Pro, you can also follow this guide to correcting the image. If you’re using Adobe Premiere, use this guide instead.

Color Grading

You can make your videos look much more alive, or if give them a more cinematic look, by applying a bit of color grading. This will help bring out the colors, and combined with the brightness tweaks we made above, it will give your video a polished and professional look, even if it was shot with a smartphone.

Here’s our guide to color grading from Adobe, which includes a nice background primer on color grading. And, here’s a guide to adding a color correction from Apple for Final Cut Pro.

Color grading is a finely tuned art. It can be hard to get it right. Start with small tweaks to see what works for your video.

Summary

So there you have it, five easy and actionable post-production tips which you can start applying right away to improve the conversion rates of your videos or your clients’ videos. You may not need to apply all five in each and every video, but make sure you double check each of them on your next video editing project.

Questions? Other ideas we should add? Please share in the comments below!

The post 5 Post-Production Tips That Will Increase Conversion Rates appeared first on SproutVideo.