Today, you’d be hard-pressed to find a successful business website that doesn’t make heavy use of video.
There was a period of time when the online world was transitioning and there was some push back in some quarters from people who mistakenly thought online video was a fad. But those days are gone.
The revolution has happened.
Video is the language of the Internet, and it’s here to stay.
Maybe in ten years’ time we’ll all be consuming video through virtual reality with haptic feedback and smell-o-vision, but that will still just be another form of video.
However, none of that means people are getting video right.
Plenty of online businesses use video because they know that they should, without giving thought to whether it’s making a significant difference to their bottom line.
Do You Know Your Analytics?
It’s great that you’ve taken the time to create a video for your squeeze page, but have you considered whether it’s really making a difference to your numbers?
If your answer is “yes,” don’t be too quick to pat yourself on the back…
I’ve heard people raving over the power of video because their squeeze page went from zero conversions without video, to 1% with video. And while that’s a reasonable start, that’s not something to settle for, and certainly not something to get excited about.
A 1% conversion was great back in 1999 when you could buy clicks for a nickel, but now that merchant accounts and ecommerce stores are a breeze to setup, and anybody can start selling online within a matter of hours, traffic is more expensive and more competitive.
Failing to convert 99% of your traffic will eventually kill your business.
Video Squeeze Pages… Like a Boss
Video is powerful. It beats text-only squeeze pages in virtually every environment because you can communicate many things simultaneously, in a fraction of the time it would take to read a page.
You could take a 1000 words of text that communicate a problem, a solution, and the personality of a business, and communicate the same thing in 30 seconds of video.
When you have that technological power at your disposal, why would you settle for 1%?
In this exclusive article series, I’m going to share with you the simple steps and techniques that Genndi has used over the years to create squeeze page videos that convert, easily, at 30-40%. Sometimes even peeking above 50%.
There’s no formula – every video has to be unique for the market, the audience, and the call-to-action – but there are some critical elements that should be included, somewhere, in every squeeze page video that you produce.
First, we’re going to start with…
Video Introduction – The Hook
The opening 15 seconds of your video are the most important. Obviously. If your viewer doesn’t get through that first portion of video, then the rest of your production is redundant.
And this is where people often crash and burn…
Mindful that they only have their audience’s attention for, at most, 15 seconds, the temptation is to try and cram everything into that opening portion.
Controversial statement! Big promise! Call to action!
Boom!
All crammed into 15 seconds!
Better than being boring, I suppose. But that doesn’t mean you’re going to get the spike in conversions that you’re shooting for. A spike in people’s anxiety level, maybe…
“Why is he shouting at me?”
Having only 15 seconds to get the viewer’s attention, doesn’t mean that they have a 15-second attention span. It means you only have 15 seconds to convince your viewer that you’re WORTHY of their attention.
Reread that last paragraph if you have to, because this is a significant point. Understand this concept clearly and it will completely change the way your approach your video creation.
For the better.
The goal of your squeeze page is to get your visitors to give you their email address so you can send them further information. But that’s the overall goal. Before that happens, the different elements on your squeeze page are each designed to nudge the visitor a little bit closer to that action.
You can’t – in fact you shouldn’t – try and close your visitor with your very first breath.
The goal of your first 15 seconds of video is to HOOK your viewer so that they give you their full attention…
AND go on to watch the rest of the video.
That’s it.
Nothing else.
If you try and cram more into your video opener, you’ll dilute the effectiveness.
Earning Attention!
Since we’re talking about hooks, let’s use a fishing analogy.
Once you’ve set up your equipment by the river, do you dive in, attempting to grab a fish with your bare hands and drag it back to the shore?
Of course not.
You put some kind of wriggly thing on the end of your hook (written by a guy who has never fished before), throw it into the water, and try to catch the attention of a fish. If the lure you’ve used is attractive enough, and dangled in the right place, the fish will swim closer and take the bait.
And now they’re hooked…
You’re in control.
Your first 15 seconds of video is YOUR bait. And it’s ONLY purpose is to get the attention of your viewer and bring them in a little closer.
Once you recognize this truth. Not only does this make your video introduction EASIER to produce. It also opens up a huge range of options.
We’ve tried, literally, hundreds of different video introduction hooks. And while there’s no one definitive method, what we’ve learned is that, if you select the right bait for your hook, you can do amazing things with your video retention.
I’m talking retention rates of almost 90%, meaning almost 90% of everyone who starts the video playing stays to the end.
Slice of Life
There are lots of different hooks you can try – and by all means experiment – but one of the most consistent approaches we’ve used is what we call the “Slice of Life” hook.
With this style of video introduction, you show yourself in a normal, everyday environment, doing something relatively mundane (or watching someone doing something mundane), that is completely unconnected to what your video is going to be about.
The only rule is that whatever you’re doing (or watching someone do) has to have some kind of fail-state. The culmination of those 15 seconds should be the successful completion of whatever it is you’re doing (or watching).
If this sounds overly simplistic (or even a little bonkers), think back to what you read a few moments ago…
The opening 15 seconds of your video is a hook to get people’s attention. Nothing more. It doesn’t matter that the content isn’t related to your squeeze page offer because all you’re doing is setting the scene in an engaging manner.
Once of the most successful squeeze page videos we ever produced was Andy Jenkins watching a surfer ride a wave while quietly cheering him on. As the surfer successfully completes his ride, the video cross-fades into Andy turning from looking out over the ocean, and addressing the camera.
So simple, but it achieved a retention rate of 88%…
Note: If the activity being shown is a skilled one, it’s better if you’re cheering on someone else doing it, than performing yourself. You’re not relatable if you start your video demonstrating a talent that most people don’t have. But, hey… we all know how to watch and cheer on someone else with talent.
And with the “Slice of Life” approach, the possibilities are literally endless. It could be…
- Flipping a pancake in a frying pan
- Showing your pet performing a trick.
- The final few brush strokes on a wall you’re painting.
- Building a small house of cards.
- Watching your nephew perform a skateboard trick.
- Watching someone perform a lay-up in a pickup game of basketball.
After this opening hook, you go straight into the meat of your video without even referencing what you’ve just shown. It could be through a cross-fade, or simply turning your attention away from what you’re doing or watching, and talking directly into the lens.
It’s subtle and the complete opposite of most marketing videos that try and get into your personal space, right from the opening seconds. And, in fact, it’s arguably this laid-back approach that makes it so effective, BECAUSE it contrasts with what people are used to seeing on squeeze pages.
It also humanizes you by showing you in an everyday environment that makes you relatable.
And, critically, it compels the viewer to watch because they need to see if the activity is successfully completed.
That’s the “Slice of Life” hook and it’s consistently effective.
***
If you’re about to start creating a new squeeze page video, give this introductory hook a try. If you already have videos out there that are under-performing, try editing them and adding a “Slice of Life” intro.
You might be surprised with how much of a difference this one adjustment can make.
In the next article in this series we’re going to follow-up our hook by embarking on a vicarious adventure. If you struggle to present yourself to your audience as someone who is relatable, this next strategy is for you.