• #1: That video was a waste of time.  They could’ve conveyed the same information in way less time.  My questions aren’t answered.
• #2: That video was awesome!  I feel much more educated about their service now, and it was very professional-looking.

Scary, right?  The video was professionally shot, edited, and produced.  It conveyed good information, but it did so in a style that started to persuade one tester, and didn’t remotely persuade the other tester.

It got me thinking about how important video can be for persuading B2B site visitors, but also about how different types of videos are persuasive to different types of visitors.

I think a lot of sites go out and get themselves a video to stick on the homepage and think that they’re “done,” and that their conversion rate will start doubling every week or so.  But, I propose that one video may not be enough, because you’re trying to persuade people in very different personality profiles.  Further, I think the truly optimized B2B site can benefit from multiple videos, in multiple styles, in multiple sections of the site, from multiple video-production vendors!  I’m sure I’m not making any friends with budget-constrained site owners, but hear me out.

The real budget-waster is investing in one video that tries to be “all things to all people.”  You’ll end up with a disjointed video that’s too long for anyone to tolerate.

Let’s take a minute to review some common types of videos featured on B2B sites:

1. The “Get to know us” Video – these videos are great for showing the people behind the website/business.  Humanistic customers will love them.  Methodicals will probably hate them.  Our friends over at SunPop Studios excel at this kind of video, by the way. Check out some of the samples on his website.
2. The “Make the complicated more simple” Video – these videos help explain complicated concepts in ways that web copy and static visuals can’t do as well.  The Competitive and Spontaneous will appreciate this kind of high-level content.  My favorite creators of these types of videos are the folks over at Common Craft.  (Note: this isn’t just because I share a certain dreary hometown with them)
3. The “Product Demonstration” Video – perhaps the most common video on B2B sites, this one takes visitors through the benefits and features of a digital product using voice overs, animation, and screen recording.  Depending on how detailed they are, these videos might resonate with Spontaneous or Methodical customers.  The number of vendors that do these types of videos is too large to single out a favorite.  In fact, most digital agencies can do high-quality product demo videos these days.  If you’ve got a favorite, drop it in the comments, please.
4. The “Testimonial” Video – these videos add a human touch to the standard, text-based testimonial.  These again will be attractive to Humanistics, but the added layer of “realness” can help move the skeptical Competitive decision-maker.  They can be testimonials about the working with the company, or about a particular service, like our OnTarget video testimonial.

So before you start putting makeup on your CEO and rolling the cameras, I advise that you spend some time thinking about the scenarios your visitors are acting out on your site today, what questions or concerns aren’t being addressed, and if or if not video is the right medium to educate (and begin to persuade) them. You may find that several short, less slick videos that answer your personas’ un-answered questions, placed strategically throughout the site, are more persuasive than that super-slick, Hollywood-style video.  See?  I’m was actually trying to save you money

We’ve commented any number of times on GrokDotCom that rampant poor product imagery represents a consistent loss of sales for online businesses. Most retailers just end up using the low-quality, “ordinary” images provided by the product manufacturer. Rare is the retailer who invests the money to re-shoot product with an eye towards improved presentation on the web.

Certainly, replacing or augmenting poor product images with product videos can help sales. Is it better? Yes! Particularly if the video has greater quality than the manufacturer images it replaces. Is it enough? I doubt it. To get to the next level where the video has a substantial impact on sales, there must exist a certain persuasive quality to the video, and you don’t get that by simply running stills together at 30 frames per second — no one would claim the typical YouTube video to be on a par with the work of Hitchcock, Kubrick, or Fellini.

Now, no one is expecting retailers to win Hollywood awards for their product videos, but quality video production is waaaaaay more complex than quality still image production. It has to be scripted. Do you use a voice over? Is it a male voice, or a female voice? What about using a model — do we go with the hot one in a bathing suit or with Average Joe Everyman?  What’s the ideal length for this sort of product and audience? What will the calls to action be? Think about your typical product showcase on QVC or HSN and how much effort and time go into selling each product.

Technology like EyeView are springing up to measure video analytics (hmm, “vanalytics”, anyone? Too risque?) and even test it. But this, too, begs the question: are consumers even trained that they can click within video? (YouTube certainly seems to think they can be trained). So low early conversion rates may be ok, but give consumers a year or two and those clicks will be up significantly.

Where does this go next to get to this higher quality level? Videos can be used to show product in new, more revealing informative ways such as this sort of 3D imagery by Ortery, which revolves around a product, taking a series of stills, and then automatically creates Flash video of the product ready for upload. How about testimonials, perhaps by creating a product-specific “home shopping network” for one particular product? Imagine having Bazaarvoice integrating customer video testimonials directly into a longer, fuller product video.

What do you think?

P.S. If video and commerce interest you, then don’t forget to subscribe to my friend Xavier Casanova’s blog, VideoRetailer.org which covers the intersection of video and commerce.