The 5 Best Ways to Use Video on Websites and How to Embed Them

More than 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool. But it’s not just that. Your brand is a story and you can throw as many cool visuals or parallax scrolling as you want at your website, but video is still the most cost effective and fastest way to get your product in front of people.

People are also 52% more likely to share a video than an article. Getting video on your website is paramount to supporting sustainable growth. And with this guide, we’ll show you where to use video, how to use video, as well as how to actually embed these videos on your website.

Why You Should Use Videos on Your Website

Let's face it, we all love a good video. It's not just about the visuals; it's about the connection and the story they tell. And when it comes to your website, videos can be a powerhouse. Think about it: a minute of video is worth 1.8 million words, according to Dr. James McQuivey of Forrester Research. That's a whole lot of storytelling in a short amount of time.

The Top 5 Benefits of Using Videos on Your Website

1. Engagement: Videos are like magnets for user attention. When you have a video on your page, users spend more time on your site. That's not just good for them; it's great for your site's SEO.
2. Time to Value (TTV): Sometimes, your product or service needs a bit more explaining, and a well-crafted video can do just that, in a way that's easy for everyone to understand.
3. Stronger Branding: Videos let you put a face to your brand, helping to build trust. When potential customers see you or your team in action, they're more likely to feel connected.
4. Conversion Rates: Videos can lead directly to sales. Including a product video on your landing page can increase conversions by 80%, according to Eye View Digital.
5. Shareability: Videos are easy to share, making them more likely to go viral than text-based content.

Now, let's dive into the mechanics of it all. How do you get these powerful tools onto your site effectively?

What is a Video Embed?

Embedding a video means placing a link on your site that fetches the video content from another source and displays it as part of your webpage. It's like creating a window on your site where your visitors can watch videos without leaving the page.

Why You Should Embed Instead of Upload Videos on Your Website

Faster Loading Times

By embedding videos, you're essentially outsourcing the heavy lifting to platforms designed for video hosting, like YouTube or Vimeo. This approach means quicker load times for your pages – crucial for keeping your audience's attention.

Better SEO

Embedded videos contribute positively to your website's SEO. Search engines love content-rich pages, and videos are a big part of that. Plus, the more time visitors spend watching videos on your site, the better it reflects on your site's quality in the eyes of search engines.

Avoid File Size Limits and Server Costs

Uploading videos directly to your site can eat up your hosting space and bandwidth, leading to additional costs and potential site performance issues. Embedding eliminates these concerns.

How to Embed Videos on your Website

How to Embed Self-Hosted Videos on Your Website

If you're hosting your videos (say, on a server you own), embedding them involves a bit of HTML know-how. You'll need to use the <video> tag in your website's code and ensure your server is configured to serve video content efficiently.

How to Embed Third-Party Videos on Your Website

For videos hosted on platforms like YouTube, embedding is as simple as copying and pasting the embed code provided by these platforms into your website's HTML.

Whether you use Webflow, Squarespace, Wordpress or any other content management system (CMS), they’ll always have an easy embed option when it comes to pasting links from Youtube, Vimeo or other popular video hosting sites. You can even embed video tweets or TikToks by grabbing the embed link in the post itself.

4 Ways to Embed Videos on Your Website

Embedding videos on your website doesn't have to be a technical challenge. There are several methods to do this efficiently, each with its own advantages. Whether you're a coding novice or a seasoned web developer, these options offer flexibility and user engagement benefits.

Inline Embed

The inline embed is your straightforward, no-frills way to get videos onto your site. Think of it as the classic approach: the video lives directly on your page, a seamless part of the user experience. It’s like having a digital window right there, playing your content. This method is especially effective for instructional videos or product demonstrations. It’s not just about showing the video; it’s about making it a core part of your page’s narrative.

Here’s an example: 

Lightbox Embed (Pop-up)

Ever clicked on a video and had it elegantly expand into a larger, more focused view? That’s the lightbox embed. It’s not just embedding a video; it’s giving your audience a cinematic experience right on your webpage. This approach is ideal for testimonials or product reveals, where you want the viewer to dive into the content without distractions.

Using lightbox embeds also means you can keep your website’s design clean and uncluttered. When visitors click on a thumbnail, the video pops up, commanding their full attention. And when they're done, they're right back to your content, no new tabs, no fuss.

The GIF earlier in this article show’s this embed in action.

Full Page

Imagine landing on a website and being greeted with a full-screen video. It’s bold, immersive, and makes a statement. That’s what a full-page embed offers. It’s perfect for capturing attention right off the bat, especially for creative portfolios or product launches.

However, this method requires a delicate balance. The video should be compelling but not overwhelming, adding to your site's narrative without hijacking it. And here's where the "videos on website" strategy plays a crucial role.

Widget

Widgets are like the Swiss Army knives of video embeds. They’re versatile, customizable, and can fit in just about anywhere on your site. Products like VideoAsk are great to help you get in front of your audience at any opportunity.

Whether it's a small corner pop-up or a sidebar feature, video widgets can provide additional information or a quick preview of your content without taking up too much real estate.

The beauty of using widgets lies in their subtlety and functionality. They’re there when you need them but don’t dominate the user's journey. This method works wonders for FAQ sections or quick product highlights. 

5 Best Ways to Use Video on Your Website

Keep it Short

The key to engagement is often brevity. Short, concise videos can deliver your message effectively without losing the viewer's attention. 

This is particularly crucial in an era where attention spans are short. Short videos are like quick, engaging stories - they hook the viewer and deliver the message before the viewer clicks away.

Use Convincing Thumbnails

Thumbnails are the gatekeepers of your videos. They need to be compelling enough to entice clicks. A well-chosen thumbnail can make the difference between a video watched and a video skipped. This is not just about aesthetics; it's about communication. Thumbnails should represent the core message of your video, acting as a visual synopsis.

Test Everything (Multiple Times)

Testing is crucial. What looks good in one browser may not work in another. The same goes for different devices. It's essential to ensure that your videos play smoothly across all platforms and devices. Regular testing helps you spot and fix issues before they affect your viewer's experience. Embed videos on your website, then test, tweak, and retest. 

If you want to make sure your audio is crisp and clear, make sure you’re recording with a proper microphone. Your macbook microphone screams amateur and is a great way to lose people. Check out our list of the best audio recording devices to see how to get started.

Offer Annotations

Video annotations can enhance the viewer's experience by providing additional information, clarifying points, or simply guiding them through the video. They make your videos interactive and more engaging. But overdoing it can be distracting. The key is to strike a balance. 

With Claap, you or anyone else can easily add, edit, or remove annotations, making your videos not just a viewing experience but an interactive journey. If you’re hosting your videos on a site like Notion, all you need to do is paste the link or use the built-in Notion integration.

Choose the Right Embed Option

Selecting the right embed option is vital. It should align with your video’s purpose and your website’s design. Whether it's inline, lightbox, full page, or widget, each has its place and purpose. For instance, inline embeds are great for tutorials, while lightboxes are ideal for product showcases.

5 Page Types to Use Video on Website

Homepage Videos

Your homepage is your virtual storefront. A compelling video here can make a powerful first impression. It can be a welcoming message, a brand story, or a quick tour of your services. 

Landing Page Videos

Videos on landing pages can significantly increase conversion rates. They provide a dynamic way to showcase your products or services, explain their benefits, and call viewers to action.

Help Center Page Videos

Videos on help center pages are a game-changer in customer support. They offer visual step-by-step guides, making complex instructions easy to follow. This not only enhances customer satisfaction but also reduces the load on your support team. 

With Claap, you can create detailed how-to videos or FAQs, providing an interactive and more effective way of addressing customer queries and issues. It takes just a few clicks to start recording professional looking video that includes your screen as well as your face, so your tutorial and onboarding content never goes stale. 

Customer Story Videos

Nothing builds trust like hearing from satisfied customers. Integrating customer story videos on your website adds a layer of credibility and relatability that text testimonials simply can't match. These stories, when recorded and shared using Claap, can be powerful tools to showcase the real-world impact of your products or services.

By recording your videos with Claap you’ll get access to a transcript and AI summary, which means you can just hit record, and then edit or trim the video to show the parts that matter.

Product Page Videos

Product pages benefit immensely from videos. They offer a dynamic way to showcase your products in action, highlight features, and address common questions or concerns.

 With Claap, you can create detailed product walkthroughs or demos, providing potential customers with a richer understanding of what you offer. This can lead to better-informed decisions and, ultimately, higher conversion rates.

Why You Should Use Claap to Record Videos on Your Website

Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room - why Claap? Claap isn't just another tool for creating and embedding videos on your website. It's a comprehensive solution that understands the modern business's needs. Claap's intelligent video wiki allows you to work faster using asynchronous videos. The platform supports powerful meeting recordings, complete with transcripts and AI summaries, making it ideal for a range of applications - from internal communications to customer-facing content.