How to Increase App Conversions with Video
It’s obvious video is no longer the hot trend secret it once was, that’s because video has become a staple in every industry in every country worldwide. Video is one of the few strategies that works well regardless of the category in which it is deployed. And with better and more accessible devices available, like the Google One platform, video everywhere has become a reality. We love proof and statistics, so here is a chart I pulled from Treepodia that shows the average conversion rate increases for some of the most popular categories.
What are we talking about when we say conversions? Downloads.
These numbers are based on an aggregation of data pulled from online retail sites using the Treepodia ecommerce video platform and the automated videos created by that very system. These categories are general categories like electronics, gifts, personal care, etc…which can be applied to the growing categories of mobile apps as well. These crazy high numbers continue to prove that the addition of video to your campaign is one of the most effective sales tools you can utilize.
So why do you think video converts so well? Because it’s the closest thing you can get to seeing the app in action. Showing off vibrant colors, fantastically unique artwork, or super intuitive interfaces doesn’t work as well with just a screen full of text or even a few photos. Although text and images are important as well, there is no substitute for actual footage of your app produced in a way that will engage viewers and increase conversions. What are we talking about when we say conversions? Downloads. And if you’re not tracking your conversions, you can read more about that here.
Put a video in your app description
Now that Apple allows app previews for iOS 8, there is no reason not to include a video on your App Store, Google Play, or Amazon App pages. In fact, video is now included in your app store optimization. Much like a catchy app description, and high quality images, you can’t forget an engaging video. Just a short video that shows off some of the best moments in your game or greatest features of your app, will go along way to getting more downloads. All to often, a quick video is all a potential customer will need to hit that download button. Video can be so dynamic here as well. You can use a great voice over or some simple text elements to add to the effect. Every aspect of that video is aimed at showing the viewer what it is like using your app and to provide that extra push to get them to download. A great call to action goes along way for this.
Put a video on your landing page.
If you have an app on the market, you better have a landing page with a relevant URL as well. App landing pages can be so basic, just one page even. It should describe what your app is, provide details, images, a link to the app stores you have it listed on, and of course a video. Video-only landing pages convert really well too! If you got a really good video made for your Google Play or Amazon stores, you can use that video here as well. Because of Apple’s strict guidelines, I do not recommend using the same video on your landing page as on the Apple App Store. They have content, length, and dimension restrictions that really limit the message. But it is super simple to get a good video made, and whatever time or money you sink into the video, you’ll get back exponentially through increased downloads. This is the same conversation they were having ten years ago about pictures.
Choose the perfect video thumbnail
No matter where you upload your video, you have the option of choosing a custom thumbnail. I recommend picking your own thumbnail EVERYTIME. That thumbnail could potentially be the difference of clicking play or not clicking play. And if your potential customer doesn’t click play, then you’ve wasted all that time and money for nothing. I recommend choosing a thumbnail that represents the most enticing aspect of your app. If it’s a super cool action packed game like Viking The Adventure; use the spot where the Viking is slaying a lobster at the end of stage 4. If it’s an exciting service app that let’s you learn and view EVERY yoga pose imaginable, use one of the coolest poses like what yoga.com did for their video. You could even have a thumbnail of influential text that entices a response to view your video.
Video will reduce return rates
Even though Google requires a 15 minute window to return a newly downloaded app, many developers choose to utilize a 24 hour return policy. This is great and gives customers more trust when it comes to downloading your app. (I would mention that policy in your description.) Here’s the thing though, if you are using a great video that truly shows viewers what your app is like, then they already know exactly what it is like. In other words, video can show your app more accurately and hence people are less likely to buy stuff under false assumptions. The only caveat to that is making sure your video doesn’t embellish TOO much and ensuring that your controls, performance, and interface match that of the quality in your video. Here is an example of a seller who realized a 60% reduction in returns.
Increasing views for your video
Videos get more views when they are placed above the fold, the video player is fairly large, and there is a text call to action like click to play. This all comes from research conducted by the video player Invodo. Never just provide a link to your video, even in social media. You need to actually embed your video to get optimal response since people are more likely to just click play rather than following a link. You also want to keep an eye on the duration of your video, which I am very big on. Rarely does a video get watched all the way to the end. 50% of viewers have clicked away by the 2 minute mark. Your video or trailer should be 30 – 60 seconds in length. That’s it. If it’s a more in-depth video like to demonstrate a specific process, you can make it longer if NEED be, but I still recommend breaking those videos up into smaller ones by creating a series like what Chart Span did with their latest demo videos.
Tracking your conversions
I’m not going to go to in-depth about this here since I’ve written a complete post on tracking your app conversions. Just know this; most platforms provide good analytics for your videos. General statistics, attention span, location, demographics, etc…How long are they playing your video? Are they watching to the end or just the first few seconds? There are a ton of different types of videos. Explainers, demo’s, promo’s, trailers, etc…Find out which one works best for your app. If you have any questions about it I can provide some insight, I get to see everyday what works and what doesn’t. And if you have any suggestions for me, I would love to hear it!