Video content has exploded across the web and shows no signs of slowing down. Consider these compelling statistics:
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82% of Twitter users watch video content on Twitter. [Source: Oberlo]
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100 million hours of video are watched on Facebook daily. [Source: Social Media Today]
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The average internet user spends 88% more time on websites with video. [Source: Wistia]
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64% of consumers make a purchase after watching branded social videos. [Source: Animoto]
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55% of people watch videos online every day. [Source: Wyzowl]
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96% of B2B organizations use video in their marketing campaigns. [Source: Vidyard]
With numbers like this, it‘s clear that if you want to grow your brand and engage your audience in 2021 and beyond, you need to incorporate video content.
Let‘s look at some real-world examples of companies finding success with video…
Some notable examples of brands that have used video content to boost their business include:
– Nike
By regularly publishing workout videos on YouTube, Nike drove a 60% increase in sales of women‘s training gear between 2013 to 2014.
– Microsoft
Microsoft created how-to tips and support videos on YouTube, resulting in 190 million video views and 10% more revenue per search visit.
– Petco
Petco shared videos of available pets on their site which increased pet adoption by over 15% compared to static images.
– Slack
Slack uses video walkthroughs on their help site which decreased support ticket volume by 50%.
The takeaway is video content works to increase engagement, conversions, and ROI when properly implemented on a WordPress site.
Now let‘s dive into how to add videos the right way…
With 15+ years experience managing WordPress sites, here are my top technical tips for ensuring your embedded videos have blazing fast load times:
Compress Video Files
Use a tool like Handbrake to compress and reduce video file sizes before uploading. This shrinks download sizes and improves page load speeds.
Add Video Sitemaps
Video sitemaps make it easier for search engines to index and rank your video content.
Enable Browser Caching
Set proper cache headers so browsers can store and reuse cached video files rather than re-downloading each time.
Implement Lazy Loading
Lazy load embed scripts so videos only load when scrolled into view to cut initial page load times.
Optimize Database Queries
Use a caching plugin to save embed markup to static files rather than running resource intensive database queries.
Load Videos Asynchronously
Use JavaScript to load non-critical videos after initial page render to prevent blocking page rendering.
Serve Videos from a CDN
Distribute video files from blazing fast content delivery networks to improve buffering speeds.
Optimizing your WordPress site and video embeds this way is crucial for keeping site speeds fast. Let‘s explore some hosting considerations too…
With many options for hosting your video content, here are key factors to consider when selecting a platform:
Budget
Weigh monthly costs or limits for storage and bandwidth against current and future video output.
Features
Compare capabilities like analytics, privacy controls, viewer restrictions, and more across each provider.
Audience
Consider reaching existing audiences on platforms like YouTube vs. building new ones independently.
Content Goals
Certain hosts cater to types like marketing vs social vs informational vs long-form premium video content.
Data and Rights
Review policies for data/rights ownership if migrating platforms in the future.
Integrations
Ensure the platform allows embedding and integrating with WordPress and other marketing platforms you use.
Security
Validate security practices, hosting reputation, backup systems, and disaster recovery provisions.
Weighing factors like these will guide you to the ideal video hosting platform for your specific needs and goals.
Some of my favorite picks are Wistia for marketing video, Vimeo for professional portfolios, and YouTube for instructive content.
Now let‘s look at some ways to boost engagement…
Videos don‘t have to be passive experiences. Interactive elements can boost engagement and conversions.
Here are some great plugins that allow adding interactive components to your WordPress hosted videos:
Insert quizzes, surveys, and polls to capture viewer feedback and increase time on page.
Add customizable call to action overlays and drop-ins to promote email signups, offers, and more.
Let viewers click hotspots on your videos to visit landing pages or trigger actions.
Allows entering annotations on your videos viewers can toggle on and off.
Explore these interactive options to move beyond passive video watching into activating your audience.
Next let‘s discuss how to extend your reach…
Don‘t silo your video content within your WordPress site. Repurpose it across social media platforms to expand viewership.
Here are some top ways to cross-promote your videos:
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Export and upload to YouTube to tap into search and suggested videos.
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Use YouTube video creator tools like end screens and cards to promote your site.
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Snip short-form segments to share on TikTok, Instagram Reels and Stories.
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Turn key points into copy with images for multi-image posts on Facebook and Twitter.
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Create square 1:1 cropped versions for engaging vertical Instagram and Snapchat consumption.
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Schedule video posts across platforms using tools like Hootsuite for extended exposure.
Promoting your video content in new forms helps you profit from your production investment many times over.
If you have high-value video content, consider packaging it into paid offerings. WordPress membership plugins make this achievable.
Some top options for offering paid members-only videos include:
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MemberPress – Robust membership plugin with video integration and streaming.
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Memberful – Specialized for selling memberships with video content.
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Restrict Content Pro – Free plugin for gating access to videos.
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Paid Memberships Pro – Popular membership plugin with add-on video support.
Selling access to your library of premium videos can become a significant revenue stream and further engage your loyal audience.
Adding transcripts to your videos makes them more inclusive for people with hearing impairments or those who prefer reading over watching.
Here are some great ways to get video transcripts in WordPress:
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Use a speech-to-text service like Trint to auto-generate transcripts.
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Hire a transcription service like Rev for quick and accurate human transcripts.
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Find a WordPress plugin that adds transcripts seamlessly like Transcript.
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Manually add transcripts by creating a new page and embedding synchronized YouTube captions.
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For audio-only, provide a text version of the podcast or audio file.
Adding properly formatted semantic transcript markup enhances accessibility and SEO. It‘s a win-win for providing an inclusive experience.
YouTube provides robust tools for keeping viewers engaged and watching more content.
YouTube Cards
Cards are clickable overlays allowing you to link off to other videos, playlists and website URLs.
End Screens
End screens display at the end of your video with buttons to watch more.
Playlists
Playlists let you curate a collection of videos viewers can binge watch.
Watermarks
Sublte channel branding in the corner drives channel recognition.
Subscriptions
Remind viewers to subscribe within your videos and at the end to build your audience.
Implementing these features is the key to driving YouTube viewership and extending watch time.
Don‘t expect your audience to find your new videos on their own. When launching new video content, promotional efforts are key.
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Email Marketing: Send a dedicated email blast to current subscribers announcing the new video.
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Social Media: Post snippets and trailers across your social channels.
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YouTube Community: Engage fans on YouTube through community posts and channel updates.
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Website Calls to Action: Prominently display links enticing visitors to check out the video.
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SEO Optimized Pages: Create optimized pages embedding new videos to improve discoverability.
Promoting videos across channels ensures maximum eyeballs see and engage with your content quickly upon release.
Video marketing is more vital than ever in 2021 and beyond. As you‘ve seen in this guide, WordPress makes adding videos to your site incredibly easy and flexible.
Follow the tips covered here to select the best hosting platform, create compelling video content optimized for engagement and conversions, and promote your videos far and wide.
Let me know if you have any other video marketing questions! I‘m always happy to help fellow video content creators.
