No matter what kinds of websites they visit, people often see dozens of videos per day, sometimes without even realizing what\u2019s happening. That\u2019s not only because online videos are so prevalent, but also because many clips start playing automatically since they\u2019re part of advertisements.<\/p>\n

Due to the constant influence videos have, some people tune them out automatically. However, there are several things you can do in your web design projects that give videos the best chances at getting perpetual user engagement and high retention rates. Keep reading to learn more about the elements associated with using videos successfully.<\/p>\n

Loading Times<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s usually best to do what you can to shorten the loading times for the videos on your website. If possible, consider offering users several file size choices so they can select the one that works best for the connection speed they\u2019re on. Netflix is one extremely popular website that takes such an approach, and it\u2019s likely a very welcome one. That\u2019s especially true when people are restricted to using slow connections or subjected to rigid data transfer limits.<\/p>\n

In addition to thinking about loading times from a web design perspective, simply consider convenience. People probably won\u2019t stay engaged with a video that\u2019s constantly buffering because the file size is too large. If people can\u2019t get the content to load swiftly, they\u2019ll probably look elsewhere to get their media needs served.<\/p>\n

The Playing Format<\/h2>\n

Put simply, web designers should try to emphasize user friendliness, especially when working with videos used for marketing purposes. Similar to the point just mentioned, if people can\u2019t figure out how to make a video begin playing, they\u2019ll probably get distracted by other things online and just give up on watching the content they\u2019d found initially.<\/p>\n

However, it\u2019s not enough to merely remember that good videos should cater to their viewers. From a design perspective, you need to figure out whether it\u2019s best for a video to start playing automatically, or only after some type of user input. Whereas the first option is probably more foolproof, it might also create unintended consequences if a video starts automatically playing loudly when a person is in a very quiet public place.<\/p>\n

Also, look at other specifics, such as whether you want the video to play in a pop-up window, or a window that appears on the original page, but expands when someone clicks on it. These might seem like relatively small details, but they all play a part in determining whether viewers can easily watch videos, or if they\u2019ll get so fed up they ultimately wonder why they even bothered trying.<\/p>\n

Appropriateness of Using Video as a Medium<\/h2>\n

Maybe you\u2019re dealing with client demands that dictate you absolutely must figure out the most creative ways to incorporate videos into a website in progress. On the other hand, if you have more liberty to do what\u2019s most appropriate, always consider whether adding videos is something that fits into your ultimate goals.<\/p>\n

For example, if you\u2019re building a website shop that\u2019ll only sell blender parts, videos may not tie into your overall objective because those products don\u2019t lend themselves well to a visual medium. However, maybe you\u2019re creating a media gallery that encourages people to eat well at home. In that case, you might upload an assortment of videos that encourages people to whip up their favorite dishes in residential kitchens.<\/p>\n

Take a look at the Hampton Creek<\/a> YouTube channel to see how the brand effectively uses videos to entice people about creating healthy dishes. There\u2019s a dedicated channel for recipe clips, and all content is delivered in straightforward ways that cater to today\u2019s fast-paced way of life.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a good idea to add videos to a website you\u2019re creating just because it seems like competitors are doing it. When used for the wrong reasons, videos can dilute messages, confuse viewers, and cause people to take their business elsewhere.<\/p>\n

When designing a website, always ask, \u201cWould videos enhance this content in any way?\u201d If you can affirmatively answer that and feel confident about your response, it\u2019s safe to say you\u2019re aiming to use videos to genuinely add value to the associated material.<\/p>\n

Although these aren\u2019t the only factors to keep in mind when working with videos as you design websites, they\u2019re some of the main elements that come into play. By keeping them in mind while doing projects, you\u2019ll be in a better position to make intelligent video-related design decisions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

No matter what kinds of websites they visit, people often see dozens of videos per day, sometimes without even realizing what\u2019s happening. That\u2019s not only because online videos … Continue \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":40835,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2612,30],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n