Introduction video, is it required?

View our intro video here

I’ve read a few articles promoting introduction videos. The fact is, most businesses do not require an introduction video.

The main purpose of a video is to get your audience interested, and/or to help them understand in the simplest manner. However, if the nature of your business is obvious, introduction videos can feel like a waste of time. In some cases the video might serve to distract your customers from your core business.


That being said, if you do have something interesting to present, videos can help to capture attention, and draw them to the details (which they might otherwise overlook or ignore). To determine whether your business should have an introduction video, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is the business nature obvious from a single glance?

Can you tell what tinytrunk is about? http://tinytrunk.com/

Most B2C businesses are pretty straightforward. Customers should be able to decipher what a company does from its name, tagline or website home page. By adding an introduction video, customers can get distracted from engaging with your actual business.

<Read more about creating an efficient home page for your website>

2. Are you introducing a new concept that requires elaboration?

With emphasis on elaborations. If you sell kitchen appliances, you'd want your customers to go straight into browsing your catalogue and making purchase. However, if you're selling new innovations, getting customers to understand your product might be the biggest push factor in their purchase decision. Instead of using text, it is easier for customers to understand your product via an introduction video.

T-fal uses a video to introduce their new Actifry http://www.t-falusa.com/

OnCompare uses a video to explain what their business concept is about.

3. Do you have a story to tell?

If you have a story that will stir your audience, do use video to showcase the story. Not only would there be a stronger impact, these stories are often passed on (shared), creating a viral effect for you.

Save the Children could use a video to tell Haiti’s story for stronger call to action. http://www.savethechildren.org

4. Are there multiple or complicated call to actions?

Although it is not advisable for companies to have complicated call to actions, in some instance, it can’t be helped. Contests are great examples of such situations. Using a video to introduce the process helps to reduce confusion, and garner better results!

Contest details in text form are often overwhelming.

Should you feel that your business or product requires an introduction video, do read our articles Creating an effective video, and "Simple and cost effective tools to create your videos"!


=Coming soon=
An effective home page, what is it all about?
Simple and cost effective video tools.