Video on Your Website Homepage: Yes or No?

In previous blogs we’ve discussed the benefits of using video on your website and in your marketing across multiple platforms, but what about including video specifically on your website’s homepage? Here are some of the advantages and potential disadvantages of homepage video.

Many website homepages either have too much content to take in or far too little. The minimalist approach often has little more than a logo, a slogan and a few evocative images but requires users to navigate to other pages to get any substantial information. Other websites try and amalgamate the information from multiple pages onto the homepage and this can be overwhelming for the user.

A video on your homepage can address this problem because it can contain all of the information you want to give your users whilst retaining the visual simplicity you get with the more stripped-back style.

It can be difficult at times to say everything you want to say with your written content while keeping it clear and engaging. Long passages of text can be off-putting to read on a screen, even if it is the information the user is looking for.

Video allows you to employ that old creative adage of ‘show don’t tell’ and demonstrate your message succinctly whilst also keeping your audience entertained and engaged.

In many cases, your customers’ or clients’ first impressions of you come from your website, and that’s even more likely to be the case with the current restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Having a video on your website homepage allows you to enhance these first impressions, in a way that can almost make your users feel like they are visiting you in person. You can show off your company culture and allow your visitors to feel like they know you, rather than seeing you as just another brand.

One problem you might face if you choose to include video on your website’s homepage is that not all browsers support all video types and some users may not be able to view it. Other technical issues such as poor internet connection may result in viewers seeing a poor-quality version of your video or one that keeps buffering.

This is why you should probably include at least some written content that illustrates the essential points of the video in case your visitors can’t watch it through their browser. Video can significantly enhance your website, but it is only part of the entire experience.

Making your website mobile-friendly is a must nowadays, as more people than ever are browsing the internet via their mobile device rather than laptops or desktops. Sites that aren’t formatted for mobile can reflect badly on your brand because they offer a worse user experience.

However, it can be harder to implement a homepage video on the mobile version of your website and could cause similar problems to the point above. However, it is worth the effort to make the mobile version of your site just as impressive as your desktop version where possible. Having said that, if it is causing too many issues, it’s possible to have a desktop version with a homepage video and a mobile version without!

Using video on your website’s homepage is a great way to maximise your audience engagement and deliver your message effectively. Overall, we think that the pros outweigh the potential technical issues, and even these are possible to rectify.If you’re interested in creating a video for your website’s homepage, you are welcome to get in touch with us to discuss your ideas and see how we can help.