By Corey Saban
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how many words is a video worth? Certainly far more than a thousand.
So why do so many lawyers continue to swear by text-based content? Lawyers blog, tweet, and answer questions on Avvo. These are all text-based communications. But how many of them are connecting with future clients through online video?
Not enough, which is surprising considering how powerful online video is.
We may not know exactly how many words a video is worth, but here are some amazing stats about online video marketing — listed numerically — along with why these numbers are critically relevant to the future growth of your legal practice.
1/3
The percentage of all online activity that is spent viewing videos. So why is 100 percent of your content text-based? If it is, you’re missing out on connecting with prospective clients in the way them want to consume content online — on video.
2 Minutes
That’s how many minutes longer people stay on a website with video than a website with no video. Video keeps you engaged and builds a relationship as well as trust. That extra time that people are spending on your website watching video leads to more conversions and improves your bounce rate.
2
The ranking of YouTube as a search engine. People use YouTube to search for answers, especially “How to” and “What if” questions. They don’t just search for answers and solutions on Google. Your prospective clients want video answers.
16 minutes and 49 seconds
That’s how long the average Internet user spends each month watching video ads. People ignore banner ads. They rarely click on paid links. But, videos ads get watched. When people are watching video, they’re ignoring your text-based content.
26%
The percentage of Internet users who look for more information after watching a product video. Videos drive interest in products and services in a way that no text-based content can. Keep people interested in your product with video — or else they’ll move on.
32.2 Videos
That’s the number of videos that the average American watches online in any given month. That’s a lot of videos. Don’t lose clients to your competitors (who already have video) because you think people aren’t watching a lot of videos. They are.
44 Billion
The total number of videos watched online every month. Wow!
45%
The percentage of people who will stop watching your video after the first minute. That’s why it’s important to shoot short videos. After the first minute, you’re mostly speaking to yourself. Keep the videos to the point. Provide value to the viewer fast.
46%
The percentage of Internet users who took some action after watching an online video ad. Videos drive people to take action. There’s no better way to set your firm apart from your competition by using video to help prospective clients understand their issue.
50x
Your website is 50 times more likely to appear on the first page of Google’s search results if it includes video. It’s not enough to have a great website. That alone won’t necessarily land you on page one of Google. You need a great website with video.
50%
The percentage of Internet users who watch a business related video on YouTube at least once a week. People aren’t just watching videos for personal reasons. Business-to-business videos help business owners make purchasing decisions.
59%
The percentage of senior executives who would rather watch a video than read text. Again, B2B commerce also happens on video. This can’t be over-stated. Corporate law firms should be embracing video to the same degree as solos and small firms.
64%
That’s how much more likely a website visitor is to buy a product or service after watching an online video. Why would you not do something that almost doubles the chance that someone will buy your product or service? That’s what video does.
65%
The percentage of people who watch a product video and click-through to the vendor’s website. Give people a reason to hire you. Showcase your knowledge and personality on video. You’ll increase the chance that the viewer hires you as their lawyer.
72 Hours
The number of hours of video that is uploaded to YouTube every minute. Why aren’t you creating video if so many people are? And why aren’t you creating a large library of video. There’s a lot of competition for the viewers attention. Video breaks through.
74%
The percentage that video increases a viewer’s understanding of your product. You need your prospective clients to understand you, to understand the law, and to understand what you can do for them. Use video to help them understand.
75%
The percentage of executives who watch work-related videos on business websites at least once a week. Clearly, it’s not just consumers who are watching online videos and making decisions based on those videos. It’s executives too.
75%
The percentage of Internet users who visit a company’s website after watching a video. Video will drive people to your website. Put video on YouTube, on your Facebook page, or your Twitter feed to increase your own website’s traffic.
80%
The percentage of Internet users who recall watching an online video ad in the last month. People remember videos far more than they remember any other content. They rarely remember text-based content (that’s assuming they even read your content at all).
85%
The percentage of Americans who watch video online every month. Video is no longer a novelty. Nearly everyone is watching video online. And they watch all kinds of videos, even lawyer videos. No matter the subject, people prefer video content.
90%
The percentage of online shoppers who say they find video helpful in purchasing decisions. Companies that use video to showcase their products or services online sell more than companies that don’t use video. Don’t miss out on these opportunities.
96%
That’s how much more likely a person is to click-through from an introductory email if the email has video. Video isn’t just for the web. If your firm is doing email marketing, why not increase the chance that people will open your email by adding a video.
These impressive stats prove that a video’s worth is immeasurable. There are countless ways in which a video can help your firm reach prospective clients, get new business, and grow your practice. Most firms rely on referrals which is why video is a powerful tool to validate your knowledge and expertise.The more videos you produce — and the more places you use those videos across the web and on your web site — the more likely people are to find your firm online and from their smart phones. So get in the game soon because everyday someone new is watching a q and a video.
Corey Saban, is a former Emmy-nominated and Associated Press award-winning TV journalist and co-founder of THELAW.TV — http://thelaw.tv — the world’s largest provider of video marketing solutions for law firms.
