Several months ago it came to my attention that the top web SEO (search engine optimization) experts in the world were talking about the growing importance of video content in websites. So much so that it is postulated that in 2 or 3 years, if your website does not have video content it will NOT rank on page one of a Google search.

The reason is simple.

You have probably noticed for some years now that most Google searches will turn up relevant PHOTOGRAPHS on page one of most searches. You may also notice there are now usually relevant VIDEOS coming up on page one, usually about halfway down, if not near the top.

The reason is that Google found that there is a high degree of INTERACTION with both picture and video content by searchers. Bruce Clay of Bruce Clay, Inc., one of the top SEO companies in the world has coined a term for photographs and video that may soon enter the lexicon of the world wide web–“ENGAGEMENT OBJECTS”.

Amongst the links below you will find that Google is apparently working on technology to actually search VIDEO CONTENT for all the videos on the web as part of the process of delivering up your search results in the split second their search engines scour the billions of pages of content across the web for you. The first step is to read actual GRAPHIC CONTENT of videos, but it won’t end there….

Meanwhile just know that Google gives high relevancy to video in search results. So it is important that you correctly TAG your videos (title, keywords). And, if you didn’t know, YouTube automatically creates a transcript of the narrative content of the video. Why? So search engines can “read” what the content of the video is. Related article: YouTube Drops a Bomb

Well, it makes sense. This is an audio/visual age. Most of us would rather watch a video that shows us how to do something or what the features of a product or service are rather than read pages of text.

Meanwhile, it is obvious that it would be a benefit to ANY site to have video content.
Interestingly, on a search of sites in my local area, I found very few sites to have any video content whatsoever. I have no idea what the world-wide percentages are, but I think it’s safe to assume that the percentage of sites with video content are relatively few.

One might assume that the “big guys” can afford video because video is expensive to produce, right?

Wrong.

Well, it can be–if you hire a marketing company who then goes out and hires a crew complete with producer, director, cameramen, lighting crews, script supervisors, grips, sets, props, makeup, transport, editors, CGI personnel….or any portion thereof or additions beyond that. Not to mention renting studios, location fees….well, you get the idea.

Then there are enthusiasts who go out and buy a video camera and some editing software and, voila, schooled in MTV, start selling services as professional videographers. I’ve seen a few of those on websites too. Even so, it’s better than nothing with this one proviso: Your videos (just as each and every one of your photographs) have to be properly tagged with key words to effectively affect your web presence and ranking.

On the other hand, why would you want a video in the first place? (I could just as well ask, “why do you want a website in the first place?”)

You want to SELL your product or service. That’s why.

So if you have a properly tagged video that is interesting and compelling enough to SELL your product or service, you’re at an automatic distinct advantage. And, as mentioned earlier, in the near future it will be VITAL to have video content to be found at all on the web.

VIDEO DOESN’T HAVE TO BE EXPENSIVE

Given that your local videographer is a trained professional; someone who knows how to compose, light and edit (and WHY he is composing, lighting and editing, amongst the myriad of other associated skills in producing an effective video), he can probably produce most types of web videos required by almost any client ALL BY HIMSELF. Now you’re just paying one guy, not an entire troupe.

Now what type of web video are we talking about?

Let’s break that down:

1) “Welcome to my site”. Here’s a simple video that ANY site can benefit from and which would be the least expensive, while immediately giving you video content on your site, YouTube, FaceBook–or any other place you want to put it. The more places cross-referenced back to your site, the merrier. So what does such a video consist of? Hey, it’s just YOU saying “hi, welcome to my site….” and giving a short bit of what it’s about, what you have to offer, how the customer might benefit, etc.
Short, to the point and friendly. And what do you get? –You immediately PERSONALIZE your site. Remember, we’re not talking about hiring some Hollywood actor with a cool voice and slick hand gestures (=HYPE), no, we’re showing your potential customers the real deal. A real person. You. Don’t you think that will positively affect most people compared with related sites that have no such friendly intro, but just the usual text and photos, website gimmickry or whatever?

2) Product or Service Demonstration video. This would be the second type. Let’s say you have a unique product or invention that is not widely known or understood, yet is something many people would find beneficial. Well then you need to show it off in a video and you will certainly increase your sales potential many-fold. Of course this also applies to any product or service, new or not. In this case, you put your best foot forward and show and tell people why they should buy your product or service. Again, compared with similar sites or competition who have no video, who do you think will have a better chance of securing a sale?

3) “How to” videos.  This is a type of video that specifically demonstrates a procedure (such as how to install a wall-mounted TV, how to prune roses, how to bake a brownie, how to…you get the idea. No matter what you sell, such a video makes your site user-friendly as it offers the service of know-how and help. Search engines will find you and people will then find your site–and that’s what you want.

None of these videos have to be expensive. I would say from 150 dollars for the first type from as little as a few hundred dollars for the second two types.

So no, video doesn’t have to be expensive.

And right now, before it’s all the rage, it will be the best investment you will have made in a long time.

This is the video I saw years ago which predicted the trend: http://www.reelseo.com/engagement-objects-seo/

Now if you Google “Video SEO” or related terms, you will find a torrent of information that indicates the realisation of that prediction–even if a few years later than he predicted.