In the offline world, “location, location, location” is a common mantra. The same is true online. Where you place your most important messages, calls to action, video spokesperson, and other elements really does matter. This is due to how users interact with their computer screens.

Think about this for a moment from a Web user’s point of view. When you encounter a webpage for the first time, you don’t know much about it, right? You’ll quickly scan, from left to right (the way you were taught to read) in search of clues. Clues usually appear in the form of titles, headings, subheadings, and bulleted lists. These items tell you the page’s general focus. While your own experiences give you a general sense of how users view the Web, eye-tracking studies have demonstrated it.

In the Yahoo! Style Guide, Yahoo! discusses its own eye-tracking studies. Yahoo! concludes that there’s a general pattern to how people browse webpages:

•    First, users scan a page’s main sections to understand what the page is about and decide whether or not to stay on that page.
•    Users make decisions about the page within three seconds of viewing it
•    Users that stay on the page pay the most attention to the information located in the top part of the screen, typically the upper left corner.

Yahoo!’s eye-tracking studies and resulting heat map show that users tend to focus on a triangular section in the upper left corner of the screen. This upper left corner is prime real estate for your site’s most important content. Go to any Yahoo! page and see how Yahoo! puts this knowledge to work. For example, on the Yahoo! Personal Finance page, the Home and Investing tabs are located in this corner as are its most important categories (Banking & Budgeting, Career & Work, Family & Home, Insurance, Loans, Real Estate, Retirement, and Taxes). Less important information such as the date, “word of the day,” advertisements, and Yahoo! Answers appear elsewhere on the page.

In addition to the upper left corner of the screen, there’s another crucial piece of real estate: the area “above the fold.” Like a newspaper folded in half, the top section of a website, the section before it becomes necessary to scroll for more content, is extremely important. While users have become accustomed to scrolling, that first screen impression should contain the page’s most important element.

For example, if you want to feature a high-impact marketing video on a webpage, and that video is the most important element of the page, it should be located “above the fold.” A long textual introduction, advertisements, graphics, and other elements above the video could potentially push the video below the fold, leading to fewer views and poor results.

Location, location, location is a mantra that all Web property owners should adopt. What’s in the upper left corner of your website? What are you featuring above the fold? Share your thoughts and ideas with us!

By now, you’ve likely encountered a video spokesperson on a website. Video and Web technology have blended to create a welcoming video presence on websites. While one virtual spokesmodel appearing on a website is fresh and innovative, would two be even better?

It’s something to consider. For example, morning news programs regularly use co-anchors to add banter and different perspectives to their programs. These same concepts can be transferred to the Web. As with adding a single virtual spokesperson to your website, you’ll want to carefully consider the actors, the script, and whether or not your site lends itself to co-spokespeople.

What types of sites lend themselves to having two video spokespeople? Let’s say that you and a partner run a real estate business and have built a brand around your partnership. Your photos appear on your business cards and signs and the two of you appear together in local advertisements. In this case, having both of you appear as virtual spokespeople on your website remains true to your brand. You could walk onto the website from the left and your partner could walk onto the site from the right. You could appear side-by-side near the top of the screen. You could “interview” each other as you relay information important to your site’s visitors. You could position yourself as the expert in one category and your partner as the expert in another category. You could appeal to one demographic while your partner appeals to another. . . the possibilities are endless.

Another type of site that could benefit from having two virtual spokespeople would be a website that has distinct segments. For example, a website that covers the latest mortgage and auto insurance news might want a female virtual spokesperson for the mortgage content and a male virtual spokesperson for the auto insurance content.

If you’re considering a co-video spokesperson strategy, speak with your video production team. Just as you’ll need a solid plan for incorporating a single video spokesperson into your site, you’ll need even more planning when incorporating two spokespeople. Will they appear together? Will they provide light banter before digging deeper? Will they have a similar appearance or do you want contrast? Will the video spokespeople be peers (such as two coaches) or will one be more authoritative (like a coach and a trainee) than the other? Should one always appear on the left while the other always appears on the right?

Keep in mind that having two video spokespeople will likely cost more than having just one. After all, there are two actors to hire, not one, and additional scripts to write. If you and a partner are playing the roles, it may take more time in the studio before you both are satisfied.

Having two video spokespeople appear on a website can make perfect sense for some websites. When done correctly, doing so can also make for a unique user experience and set your site apart from others.

Video spokespeople on websites add a personal touch and provide site visitors with guidance and information along the way. When it comes to choosing the person to act as a virtual greeter, you have several options including having the company owner play the role or hiring a professional actor. Both can work beautifully. However, when the company owner steps in front of the camera, problems can occur.

When it Makes Sense to Feature the Company Owner as the Video Spokesperson
For some companies, the company owner is the obvious choice. For example, if you were in charge of casting a virtual spokesperson for MarthaStewart.com, who would be your first choice? Martha Stewart! Companies that are led by well-known personalities who already have a strong media presence should take advantage of the brand and talent available to them.

A company owner doesn’t need to have Martha Stewart’s reach in order to make a strong impression as a video spokesperson. Basic speaking skills and confidence in front of the camera may be enough for small business owners who want to appear on their websites as virtual spokespeople, especially when combined with a good script and a professional video production crew.

Websites that lend themselves to featuring the company owner as a video spokesperson include:

• Websites where the user needs to “get to know” the company owner such as individual attorney websites, photographer websites, and professional speaker websites. For example, it makes sense for a motivational speaker’s website to feature the speaker as the video spokesperson.
• Websites where the company owner has a local or national following. For example, an accounting firm owned by a retired NFL quarterback could benefit from featuring the owner as the video spokesperson.

When it Makes Sense to Hire a Professional Virtual Spokesperson
Hiring a professional video spokesperson makes sense most of the time. After all, professionals can project the exact image that you want to project and they’re able to quickly and naturally deliver the script’s message.

Even if it makes sense to feature the company owner, it may also make sense to hire a professional actor. For example, if the quarterback-turned accountant is uncomfortable in front of the camera, it may be best to let a professional spokesperson handle the job.

Websites that lend themselves to professional virtual spokespeople include:

• Websites that are trying to reach a specific demographic. For example, a clothing company catering to skateboarders may want to feature an urban, young adult and not the balding, 50-year-old company owner.
• Websites that want a polished image. While it’s possible for a company owner to project the right image, hiring a professional ensures site-wide continuity.

Each website and website owner is unique. Before you make the final virtual spokesperson decision, ask your video production company for input.

Have you ever considered appearing in your own website videos? Have you hired professionals instead? Share your experiences and thoughts with us.

Your website is now live, complete with a video spokesperson who greets site visitors and provides them with compelling calls to action. It’s hard to imagine that someday you’ll have to update this part of your website eventually. How often should you update the virtual spokesperson? Or is it even necessary?

In an earlier discussion, we talked about creating “evergreen” virtual spokespeople. The concept of an evergreen presence involves originally creating content, in this case video content, that can stand on its own now and in the future. For example, a video spokesperson who says, “This offer expires on December 31, 2011″ will be obsolete on January 1st, 2012 while the video spokesperson who says, “Hurry, this offer expires soon” can stay on your site for years to come.

With that in mind, updating a video spokesperson depends a great deal on the script. If the script remains current and relevant, you may not need to update this element at all unless the spokesperson starts to look dated as time passes and styles change.

As your product line changes, your video spokesperson may need to change with it. Again, if the spokesperson discusses specific products, such as by saying “Our laptop 5000 is built to last,” those segments will become obsolete as soon as you discontinue those products. On the other hand, the video spokesperson that says, “Our laptops are built to last” will have a longer shelf life.

Because of the possibility of discontinuing products in the future, it’s smart to shoot several scenes at once so that you have alternative versions to display when you need to remove a product-specific scene. If you didn’t do this originally, you may need to contact your video production company and hope that the original spokesperson is still available for updated content. When shooting new content, think ahead and shoot with “evergreen” content and alternative scenes in mind so you don’t find yourself back in the studio again in a few months.

Since the initial investment in video production must pay for itself, your video spokesperson shouldn’t need a major update for at least one year, if not two or more. However, like any initiative, you should closely monitor results and tweak your site as needed. Just as advertisers pull underperforming commercials off the air, if your research indicates that your audience is not responding to, or worse, offended by, your virtual spokesperson, decisive action is necessary. Fortunately, if you team up with a professional video production company and choose your video spokesperson wisely, these issues shouldn’t be a problem.

In short, plan your video script for longevity and shoot alternative, non-product specific scenes, and you shouldn’t need to update your video spokesperson segments for at least one year, if not more.

What do you think? How often should you update a video spokesperson? Share your thoughts below.

Adding a video spokesperson to your website requires an investment of time and money. However, once the video has been shot and edited and the video overlay has been set up on your website, your video spokesperson can last for years. If your message doesn’t change drastically, you may not need to update the video spokesperson for years. But, if you don’t think in terms of the future when you shoot, you could end up with a spokes model that looks dated prematurely.

For example, remember when Fedora hats were all the rage back in 2008? A video spokesperson wearing a Fedora would’ve been fashionable back then, but would stick out now as being dated. Currently, “jeggings,” a cross between jeans and leggings, are popular, but will they be a distraction a year or two from now? In addition to clothing and accessories, the video spokesperson’s hairstyle could be problematic in the future if it is trendy now.

Because you want your video spokesperson to last for more than the current season, you’ll need to create an “evergreen” look. The term “evergreen” is commonly used to indicate Web content that is built to withstand the test of time. For instance, an article about the latest football game will be relevant for about a week until the next games are played while an article about the differences between American and European football will be relevant for years to come. Of the two articles, the latter is considered “evergreen.”

Creating an evergreen look for your video spokesperson involves choosing a spokesperson with a timeless overall look or a look that can be transformed to pass the test of time. Work with a video production company that has a wide selection of classic wardrobe options. Choose wardrobes that will look as good tomorrow as they do today and avoid those that are trendy, flashy, or bold. Just as navy blue suits are safe choices for job interviews, solid classics are generally safe for video spokes models.

Another consideration when creating an evergreen video spokesperson for your website involves the script. Avoid catchphrases and buzzwords that are popular today but will likely be short-lived. These will date your video spokesperson as soon as they become cliches or fall out of favor. Soon, these phrases may even be forgotten and their context lost on future visitors. Avoid references that will date your spokesperson as well.

For example, if your script mentions President Obama, it will be obsolete as soon as President Obama is no longer the president. References to future dates are especially problematic as once that date passes, the script is no longer relevant. For example, if your video spokesperson says, “This offer is good until December 2010,” the video will be hopelessly out of date from January 2011 forward. A better choice would be to say, “This offer expires soon” and use other easy-to-change elements on the webpage to indicate the actual expiration date.

Selecting an evergreen wardrobe, hairstyle, and script for the video spokesperson allows you to extend the final video overlay’s life on your website.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been exploring the video-to-lead funnel and how you can use online videos to engage, convert, and nurture your site’s visitors. Your website may already have Web videos working diligently on these tasks. However, without first understanding how the video-to-lead funnel works, it’s possible that your current online video strategy doesn’t conform to the funnel’s structure. For example, your site may contain dozens of engaging videos but few designed to convert prospects into leads. Similarly, your site may have many nurturing videos, but few engaging ones. In either situation, gaps should be identified through a video-to-lead funnel audit.

Online Video Audit Step 1: Identify All Web Videos on Your Site
You’ll need a notebook and a block of uninterrupted time for this step. Go through your entire website and list each Web video featured. Watch all videos and identify which phase of the funnel (engage, convert, or nurture) the video falls under. Keep in mind that some videos may have elements from each phase. At this point, focus on the primary purpose of the video.

While you’re at it, write down where the video appears and how viewers get to it. For example, is the video on your home page? Is it on a landing page accessible from an advertisement? Is it on a page your email campaigns point to?

Online Video Audit Step 2: Identify Online Video Gaps
Now that you have a list of web videos and have identified each video’s purpose within the video-to-lead funnel, it’s time to see if any gaps exist. You should have a nice mix of engaging, conversion, and nurturing videos. If your site is filled with conversion and nurturing videos but lacks engaging videos, your online video strategy may not be effective because you haven’t earned the right to jump to those phases yet. Likewise, if your site lacks conversion videos and is heavy on those that engage, you could be missing an opportunity.

Online Video Audit Step 3: Analyze the Progression from One Online Video to the Next
Finally, consider how viewers interact with your online videos. Is there a natural progression leading from one phase of the funnel to the next? For example, after viewing an engaging video, is the user directed to additional options? Is there a call to action to view additional videos or sign up for a newsletter (where you can later send links to additional videos)? Are additional videos easy to locate and well organized?

The Web video audit should show you areas that could use improvement. Whether you need to produce additional Web videos or rearrange navigational elements so that users can easily move through the video-to-lead funnel, taking the time to audit your existing efforts can help you to optimize it for success.

Okay, your prospects have moved through the video-to-lead funnel. Having first been engaged through informative Web videos and then converted after watching video overviews, demonstrations, and testimonials, they’re now ready to move into the final phase, the nurture phase.

When leads enter the nurture phase of the video-to-lead funnel, you’ve earned the opportunity to make a connection, send follow-ups, and show your solutions. At this point, you have positioned yourself as a knowledgeable expert that understands your leads’ problems.

Web videos in the nurture phase take many forms. For example, you can use Web video to introduce yourself to a lead and invite the lead to meet with you in person. A short video message emailed to a lead is a non-threatening way to introduce yourself and quickly reinforce the benefits of your offer. Your lead can quickly get a taste of your offer’s benefits without meeting with a salesperson just yet. This technique can also overcome a lead’s resistance to talking with a salesperson. After seeing you on video and understanding that you’re a real and caring person, objections to speaking with you on the phone or meeting in person may be eased. Web videos designed to make a connection are an excellent choice when you have accounts that have been previously impossible to penetrate.

Video demonstrations at this phase can be even more detailed than those presented during the convert phase. For example, video demos are effective at converting prospects during the convert phase while in-depth video tutorials further demonstrate the benefits of your product or service.

Following up with leads is crucial. Regular exposure to your message continues building trust, reinforcing benefits, and positioning your product or service as the solution. While there are many ways to follow up, consider using Web video. For example, you could send a video link in an email message when a lead requests information; you could send a video link in a thank you email after a lead has contacted you or ordered a sample; and you could use “special video reports” to encourage leads to sign up for a newsletter and then send regular newsletters (incorporating video links, of course) at specific intervals.

The nurture phase of the video-to-lead funnel provides you with the strongest opportunity yet to close the deal. After all, your prospects have been engaged and converted into qualified leads with a genuine interest in your offerings.

How have you used Web video in the nurture phase? What’s worked for you? What hasn’t worked? Share your thoughts below.

Continuing our discussion about the three phases of the video-to-lead funnel, let’s explore the second phase: convert. As you know, prospects move through the video-to-lead funnel from the top at the “engage” phase, move down through the “convert” phase, and finally enter the “nurture” phase.

Once you’ve engaged your prospects with videos that help solve your prospects’ problems, present tips and best practices, expand upon an event, or otherwise engage your prospects and build trust, the next step is to convert them from casual visitors with a passing interest into legitimate leads with a genuine interest in your offer.

The convert phase provides you with the perfect opportunity to showcase your company, product, or service as well as prove that you can deliver upon your promise. Videos well suited for this phase of the video-to-lead funnel fall into the following three general categories: overviews, demonstrations, and testimonials.

Video Overviews
Video overviews are short Web videos that show case your company, product, or service. Remember, your prospects have already been engaged by viewing earlier videos. At this point, you may have solved a problem, shared interesting ideas, or interviewed a key leader; in short, you’ve earned a degree of trust with your visitors. They’re now much more open to learning more about you and your offerings. A video overview showcasing your company, such as a company tour, or your products and services typically increase prospects’ time on a website by four times over baseline. Not only that, your customer is now much more informed when entering the sales cycle.

Video Demonstrations
Engaged prospects may actively seek additional information as they begin forming their buying decisions. For example, if you’ve discussed a problem in a Web video and mentioned that your product was designed as a solution to this problem, an engaged prospect may look for a demonstration video to see the product in action. Demonstration videos educate and inform prospects about the product or service, reinforce benefits, and serve as proof of concept. Sure, you can say that your widget sets up in less than 10 seconds, but the real proof is in actually seeing the widget being set up – in less than 10 seconds as promised. Web video can do that. These video demos also position you as an expert who understands the challenges and problems prospects face, and they show that you have the best solution.

Video Testimonials
Video testimonials are particularly powerful. Again, you say how wonderful your product is all day long but your word isn’t nearly as trustworthy as that of a prospect’s peers. Video testimonials show proof that your product or service has served others extremely well. For example, which of the following is more credible: “Our widget will save you $1000 per year in utility bills” or “This widget paid for itself in the first month and saved me over $1000 last year on my electric bills”? Video testimonials serve as an accelerated, and effective, form of word-of-mouth advertising.

The video-to-lead funnel’s convert phase is an important phase where you can build upon the trust you’ve already earned with your prospects.

Earlier, we talked about the “video-to-lead funnel” with its three phases: Engage, Convert, and Nurture. This funnel represents a strategy for using Web video to guide and convert prospects. The broadest part of the funnel is the Engage phase. In order for a prospect to convert, that prospect must first be engaged. How do you use video to engage prospects? Let’s explore.

In general, videos that add value engage your site’s visitors. Examples of engaging videos include:

• Interviews with thought leaders on topics of interest to your site’s visitors. This type of video typically increases engagement by two and a half to three times over baseline.
• Videos consisting of tips or best practices of interest to your site’s visitors. These videos typically increase engagement by two and a half to three times over baseline.
• Videos that contain solutions to your prospects’ problems.

Promotional videos can also engage your site’s visitors. For example:

• A video spokesperson that guides your visitors to specific Web pages is much more engaging than a text link.
• Videos embedded in reports and white papers can bring the material to life and engage your prospects.
• Video links in newsletters add interest while also driving your prospects to specific pages on your website. In addition, video links in newsletters have been shown to reduce opt-out rates.
• Videos positioned on landing pages increase landing page conversion rates by one and a half to two times over baseline. They also encourage follow through on your call to action by reinforcing the benefits of your offer.

Videos related to an event are another terrific way to engage your prospects. In fact, you can use videos before, during, and after an event, adding value and engaging prospects each step along the way. For example:

• Before the event – Use video to promote your event and increase attendance. This strategy typically results in an improvement of two to four times over baseline.
• During the event – Video displays during the event engage attendees and add another dimension to your presentation while recording the event itself ensures that you have footage to share afterward.
• After the event – The possibilities for using video after an event are vast. You could post highlights from the event on your website for those who couldn’t attend, thereby engaging prospects after the fact. You could edit the footage to include detailed excerpts from speakers and post it on your website. You could use excerpts from the event as you promote the next event in the series. You could create an event follow-up video with a special offer which typically results in a follow-up response of 22% to 35%. Each of these post-event videos allow you to keep the conversation going and reach attendees and non-attendees alike. They also strengthen your position as an expert.

What do all of the above videos have in common? They engage prospects.

How have you used Web video to engage your site’s visitors? Share your ideas in the comments section below.

Leveraging Web video to generate sales leads requires more than glitter and technology, you need a strategy to guide your visitors through the process. First, visitors must land on your website. Once, there, you’ll need to shape their buying decisions. One of the best ways to transform your prospects into qualified leads is to use the “video-to-lead funnel.” Here’s a look at what it is and how to leverage it.

What is the Video-to-Lead Funnel?
Like a traditional funnel, the video-to-lead funnel is wide at the top, tapering down to a small spout.

Prospects fall into your video-to-lead funnel at the top where you’ll have the opportunity to engage them through informative videos, promotional videos, event videos, and other videos that add value. Video content that adds value, encourages follow through on calls to action, or adds interest is ideal in this phase of the funnel.

As prospects move down the funnel, you’ll need to convert them to qualified leads with videos that educate prospects about your company, products, and services. Typical videos that aid in the conversion process include demonstrations, product overviews, and testimonials. Because prospects have experienced engaging videos earlier, they know that you offer something of interest to them. Now, they need proof of concept in order to convert. Videos such as company overviews, product or service demonstrations, and video testimonials accomplish this vital task.

After going through the engagement and conversion processes, your prospects approach the spout of the funnel where the nurture process begins. At this point in the funnel, you have the opportunity to make a connection with your prospects, send follow-ups, and present solutions. All along, your videos have been preparing your prospects to get to this point: the point where they’re no long prospects who happened by your website but qualified leads who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer. Your videos at this point can arrive after requests for information, as email follow-ups, or through deeper links within your site.

What Can the Video-to-Lead Funnel Do for You?
When successfully implemented, a video-to-lead funnel improves conversion rates and shortens the sales cycle. At the top of the funnel, engaging videos can increase conversion by 20 to 200 percent. In the middle of the funnel, conversion videos increase engagement two to four times. As these prospects progress through the bottom of the funnel, you’ll likely see an increased close rate and a shorter sales cycle.

Putting the Video-to-Lead Funnel to Work
Simply embedding a few YouTube videos on your website or blog isn’t a strategy and knowing that the video-to-lead funnel exists isn’t enough. You must actively plan, implement, and manage your funnel. This involves the production of professional, well-crafted videos and effective calls to action for each section of the funnel. Like water moving through a funnel, prospects go through the video-to-lead funnel from the top to the bottom. Plan your strategy so that each section (Engage, Convert, and Nurture) logically leads to the next and you’re sure to see improvement in conversion rates.