The Secret (and Simple!) Marketing Weapon IT Companies Need To Be Using
If your IT company just made a killer explainer video with a quality script and eye-popping graphics, you probably can’t wait to upload it and watch people flock to your website. Before you do that, there’s one thing in your explainer video production you need to make sure is not missing – a winning call-to-action (CTA) at the end of your video.
In terms of grabbing the viewer’s attention and increasing conversion rates, the last few seconds of the video are absolutely crucial. Rather than thinking about CTA as simply the icing on the cake, think of it as an indispensable part of every great explainer video. Since the purpose of a video is not just to tell a story about your IT business, but to get people to act on your offer – adding an irresistible call-to-action is a must for video marketing.
Whether you decide on a spoken message, a text at the end of the video or a CTA button, there are four basic principles to stick to when creating a super-effective call-to-action. Check out the following guideline that will show you how to end an explainer video with a compelling and conversion-boosting CTA.
- Ask a question
It’s worth keeping in mind that an explainer video is more of a dialogue, than a lecture. To make the most of it for your IT products or services, you need to include your audience in the conversation. Adding a call-to-action (CTA) in the form of a question can make a difference between a passive listener and an active customer. Ask your viewers to leave a comment on the video and show genuine interest in hearing about their own experiences, suggestions, or solutions. People have an inherent desire to share their knowledge, so inviting them to answer a question at the end of the video can substantially increase audience engagement. However, a simple yes-or-no answer will not suffice, so avoid close-ended questions. The question should be interestingly worded so as to encourage a more detailed customer response.
- Be clear and precise
When putting in a request with your audience, don’t tiptoe around it! The language of an effective CTA has to be concrete and precise. If you want the audience to act on your proposition regarding IT products or services, it’s best to avoid vague and generic requests such as ‘read more’, ‘see next’, or ‘go here’.Instead, be as specific as possible and use active words that tell the viewer exactly what to do next: subscribe, call, comment, share, watch, download etc. Keep in mind though that one or two requests are enough. Don’t go overboard by asking people to take several actions in one video, as too many choices will overwhelm the audience and decrease user engagement.
- Offer something for free
Do you want to create a CTA so compelling that your viewers can’t help but click? Make them an offer they can’t refuse! Adding the word ‘free’ in your CTA can work as a strong incentive for conversion.Instead of demanding people immediately make a purchase on first viewing, add an alluring CTA at the end of your video to gain your audience’s trust. Getting people to follow through on a requested action by giving something for free is an extremely effective way to build customer loyalty. Whether it’s a 30-day trial, a toll-free number, an email newsletter, or a subscription plan, a CTA that pledges something for free highlights the perceived value of the offer and is much more likely to grab the viewer’s attention than a salesy proposal.
- Set a time limit
One of the most important characteristics of effective CTAs is the sense of urgency they create in the audience. If there’s no perceived time-limit to your offer, viewers are more likely to give your CTA a rain-check, even if it’s free stuff you’re offering.If you want your explainer video to serve its purpose effectively, you need to add a it’s-now-or-never CTA that will compel visitors to take an action before the video ends or immediately after. Place words such as ‘now’, or ‘today’ next to the action verbs in the CTA to emphasize the importance of urgent action. A CTA that encourages visitors to act immediately is a smart video marketing tactic for your explainer video production that builds website traffic and leads to higher click-through and conversion rates.
What is your idea of a highly effective CTA? Feel free to share your thoughts, tips, and suggestions in the comment section below!
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