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If you’re a digital marketer, you know that one of the most effective ways to sell a product or service is by showing and not just telling.

Potential customers don’t always want to read about how amazing your product is; sometimes, they need to see some product visuals before they are convinced.  

According to Wyzowl, 82% of people were compelled to purchase a product or service simply by watching a video. See? The numbers speak for themselves.

Are you thinking of how to make your product videos engaging enough? This guide will teach you 3 proven strategies to keep viewers hooked on videos and ways to leverage them to drive sales conversions. 

Interactive product demos have emerged as a game-changer, offering an immersive and engaging experience that captivates potential customers like never before. But as technology rapidly evolves, are you keeping pace?

Introducing: the State of the Interactive Product Demo 2024 report – your ultimate guide to mastering the art of interactive demos and staying ahead of the curve.

Start with a compelling hook

The first on our list of proven strategies to keep viewers hooked on videos is to start with a compelling hook.

The most crucial part of any video is the first five to fifteen seconds because it determines if the viewer will stop to watch or just scroll past. So, how do you ensure your viewers make it through that 15-second mark? 

The key is to grab their attention the instant they open your video. You can do this by using a visually alluring thumbnail, asking an intriguing question, or starting with value propositions that convert.

Let’s discuss these briefly.

Use visually alluring thumbnails

Video thumbnails play a huge role in determining whether your target audience will open your video. Use a visually striking thumbnail that adequately reflects your video’s content.

This strategy is particularly useful when your video is to be used for social media marketing. A scroll-stopping thumbnail is the best way to make your video stand out from the vast sea of content online. 

Do you need more tips on how to optimize your videos for social media? For instance, to make your product video stand out, you can use a close-up shot of your product as the thumbnail. Ensure it’s a high-resolution image that uses text animations, or bold colors to make it come to life.

Check out Welpix’s YouTube page, for instance. It uses close-up shots of products as thumbnails for product videos.

Ask a question

Often, the best way to get your viewers’ attention is by asking a relevant question that piques their interest enough to make them explore.

An excellent way to implement this is by asking a question that addresses your target audience’s pain points. This instantly creates a connection with them and ropes them in to find out if you have a solution for them.

Start with a value proposition

Sometimes, it’s best to go for the jugular and start your video by straight-up offering a value proposition. If you’re advertising a product or service, create a value proposition or offer they can’t resist and then ask them to watch the video to find out how to get it. 

This could be anything from competitive pricing to game-changing technology or compelling data. Think of what sets your product apart from the competition and use it to reel the viewers in.

For explainer videos and product demos, you can start with the value proposition, and then show what your product can do. After that, follow up by showing how to get the said product and drive more sales.

For example, this product demo video from Infinity starts by offering a value proposition to boost your team’s productivity. Take a look.

Leverage the power of storytelling

The next point on our list of proven strategies to keep viewers hooked on videos is to leverage the power of storytelling.

Remember that you’re selling to humans, and one of the easiest ways to connect with them is by telling a story. Let’s look at ways you can tell a story with your videos. 

Advertise benefits, not features

A good way to tell a story about your product is by focusing on its benefits, not features. If you go on and on about the features of your product, it can quickly start to sound like a boring user manual.

To avoid this, tell a story by using your target audience’s pain points as the conflict and providing the benefits of your product as the resolution. 

Use testimonials

Using customer testimonials in videos is a great way to weave storytelling into your videos and use it to sell your brand. 

A customer’s testimonial is a story of how your product or service has benefitted them. Showing testimonials from your past customers helps build brand trust, establish a connection with your target audience, and improve retention.

Use pattern interrupts

One of the things your product videos need is the use of pattern interrupts to avoid sounding monotonous.

Using pattern interrupts like b-rolls and camera angle changes can keep your viewers engaged even if you don’t use verbal cues. A well-crafted B-roll is an excellent way to use visual cues to build a narrative around your product while hiding any cuts and edits. 

Optimize your videos for conversion

The last point on our proven strategies to keep viewers hooked on videos is to optimize your videos for conversion. 

There are many video editing software for beginners that can help you edit videos and ensure your B-rolls follow a streamlined structure that blends in with the rest of your video.

If you’ve successfully grabbed your viewers’ attention, you must capitalize on it quickly before you lose it. Here are some easy ways to optimize your videos for conversion. 

Keep it as short as possible

In a digital age where attention spans are fleeting, the shorter your videos are, the better. From the previously cited Wyzowl research, 39% of marketers state that 30 to 60-second videos are the most effective in marketing their products.

Make it easier for your viewers to engage with your videos by keeping them as short as possible. This strategy works especially if you want to create TikTok videos and Instagram Reels. Short videos also allow you to embed Instagram reels on a website as they are easier to watch on a website. 

However, this doesn’t mean all your videos must be short. You can create longer videos as long as they remain contextual. Remember that if you cut out important parts, your video loses its value.

So, keep your video only as long as it needs to be and ensure you’re providing value at every point. If there’s just too much complex information to fit into one video, you can always break it into shorter videos to make it more engaging.

Make your video interactive

One of the best ways to turn your viewers into customers is by making them interact with your videos. Ask them to engage with your video by liking, sharing, or commenting. 

If you’re using platforms like YouTube, you can also insert quizzes, polls, or clickable annotations to improve video engagement. They’ll likely stick around to the end if they’re busy interacting with your video.

Use a clear and relevant CTA

Your CTA should not only tell your viewers what you want them to do but must also be relevant to the content of the video.

For instance, it would make sense for a sales enablement video to have a CTA that links to a document or software you want your sales team to try.

So, a CTA like “download to boost your sales efforts” works because it is relevant and specific and offers a clear value proposition, making it more effective. 

Wrapping Up

Use our list of proven strategies to keep viewers hooked on videos to boost engagement on your videos. Starting with a compelling hook and ending with a relevant CTA and the two most important strategies.

Creating an engaging product marketing video also requires a strategic blend of storytelling sequences, interactive elements, and a clear CTA.

Whether you’re creating an explainer video, a tutorial, or a product demo, your video must offer a clear value proposition, or your viewers may not find it worth watching. 

In this guide, we’ve explained proven strategies to keep viewers hooked on videos and lead to conversion. Apply them to your product marketing strategies to see how your videos could be more effective! Good luck!

The post 3 proven strategies to keep viewers hooked on videos in 2024 appeared first on ProdSens.live.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a boon to the virtualization of business in almost every industry.

What is a Video Calling API?

An application programming interface (API) is an intermediary that allows different software to communicate with one other and seamlessly exchange data. APIs provide out-of-the-box functionality to engineers and save them the time, money, and hassle of developing complex features like video chat in-house. A video calling API is a plug-and-play component that can be added to an existing web or mobile application to create a live audio and visual communication experience for users.

What are the Benefits of Using a Video API or SDK?

As mentioned above, APIs save app developers precious resources when building complicated features. Similar to an API, an SDK can support video chat functionality. A software development kit (SDK) is a collection of development tools in one installable package, including a compiler, debugger, and software framework. The top benefits are as follows:

• Fast Time to Market: Ready-made video calling APIs and SDKs allow developers to stay ahead of the competition by quickly integrating functionalities that would otherwise take months to create from scratch.

• Less Maintenance: Your video API will be the sole focus of your integration partner. Your API vendor will be dedicated to iterating and maintaining your video calling solution, allowing your development team to focus their efforts on other areas of your application.

• More Security: Due to the sensitive nature of video and text-based chat content, video APIs are held to the highest data security standards. When you integrate them, you also integrate top-level compliance—something else your app developers won’t need to worry about.

• Resource Conservation: Second to time, your most valuable development resource is money. Video APIs make the build vs. buy decision a cinch— while they might require a larger up-front investment, they are a more cost-effective option over time.

Must-Have Video Calling API Features

You might be overwhelmed by the number of video conferencing API options on the market. When evaluating possible solutions, check closely to make sure they at least include the following features:

• Screen Sharing: Share content in real-time to one or more separate devices.

• Recording: Live video recording and storage for later viewing.

• Group Calling: Multiple participants can join a single video conference

• Virtual Noise Cancellation: Improve the quality of your app’s video calling

Top 10 APIs & SDKs for Video Conferencing

Thousands of video calling APIs and SDKs are available, but the top ten options listed below are the most reliable, feature-rich, and widely applicable.

1. Agora

Agora’s video calling API can enhance social apps with fun features like AR facial masks and sound effects. In contrast, business and education apps can benefit from screen sharing, whiteboards, and more. Agora’s advanced in-house algorithms provide adaptive resolution from 96p to 1080p to guarantee better video quality for your app users that requires less bandwidth. It applies adaptive video resolution based on the user’s network conditions, serving the best user experience possible to each person on the call—free of stutters, jitters, or lag, under even the most challenging network conditions.

Notable Features:

• AI-powered noise cancellation
• Voice effects
• Custom masks and visual filters
• HD video
• Supplemental Enhancement Information (SEI)

Agora Pricing

Agora’s video API pricing varies by the quality of the video you wish to feature on your app, the number of participants who will use it, and for how long.

2. Twilio

Twilio enables users to create custom video chat experiences with custom layouts and virtual backgrounds using its video calling APIs and SDKs that work across all major browsers and devices. Twilio offers developers quality control tools like the Network Quality API to monitor network performance and the Network Bandwidth Profile API to prioritize video track bandwidth across participants. Built on top of a cloud-based, enterprise-grade infrastructure, Twilio’s API delivers a reliable video conferencing interface that can scale alongside your app’s growing userbase.

Notable Features:

• Breakout video conference rooms
• Integration possible within minutes
• Robust API and SDK documentation
• GDPR compliant
• Virtual video backgrounds and animations

Twilio Pricing

Twilio’s free pricing plan for apps requiring only a 1:1 video conferencing feature. If your app needs to support more than two participants in a video chat, the pricing increases per participant, per minute.

3. Enablex.io

Enablex.io developed a video chat API for developers that gives them everything they need to build a video experience into their applications and software successfully. Highly customizable and flexible, Enablex places the creative power in the hands of engineers, providing the building blocks to build highly scalable and unique real-time communication experiences.

Notable Features:

• Customizable UI with tangible layouts
• Up to 2,000 participants per video conference
• E2EE and AES-512 encryption
• Screen & file sharing feature

Enablex.io Pricing

Enablex.io’s pricing is determined by the number of participants on a video call and the number of minutes it lasts.

4. Cometchat

Cometchat’s idiomatic SDKs are designed to help you build quickly. Available for iOS, Android, and web, they all work together, making cross-platform a breeze. With documentation that’s best in class, in-depth tutorials, and demo apps for every platform, it is easier than ever to add 1:1 and group voice and video call functionality to your app.

Notable Features:

• 1:1 & group text chat functionality
• Voice and video conferencing tools
• Online presence indicators
• Drag & drop chat widgets
• White-labeled message translation

Cometchat Pricing

Cometchat’s pricing for video chat is packaged with voice and text-based chat offerings, too.

5. Sinch

Sinch enables developers to create a customizable video chat experience in mobile, web, or desktop applications to improve brand experience and build deeper connections. Sinch’s iOS, Android, and JavaScript in-app video calling SDK gives high-quality video chat integration and super clear voice capabilities so that you can engage with anyone, anywhere – almost as good as in person!  Sinch allows engineers to focus on their app’s customers and takes care of the video call performance, security, and other telecom needs. 

Notable Features:

• Cross-platform support
• Enterprise-grade reliability
• Custom video filters and masks
• Live broadcasting
• Low video latency

Sinch Pricing

Sinch does not feature its video API pricing online, but you can contact sales at Sinch to learn more.

6. Apphitect

Apphitect is a leading provider of video calling and conferencing solutions for all sizes of organizations, from SMBs to enterprises. Its video calling API is 100% customizable and can be tailored to the exact needs of any chat app. The video calling solution provides multiple communication channels like one-to-one video calling, group video calling, and video and audio conferencing to scale your business meetings, webinars, presentation, and other virtual communication needs.

Notable Features:

• HD voice and video quality on any device on WiFi/3G/WiMax/LTE
• Sophisticated video quality adaptation to network impairments
• Scalable media server
• Up to 100 interactive video participants in a video conference
• Load balancing

Apphitect Pricing

Apphitect’s video calling API pricing is not listed on their website. Instead, they ask prospective customers to contact the Apphitect sales team.

7. Video SDK

Video SDK makes video conferencing efficient for both developers and the end user. It allows you to explore how the video SDK impacts engagement. This tool integrates video calls in 10 minutes or less without compromising on feature functionality—including whiteboards, Q&A, and polls. Video SDK supports unlimited private channels by integrating with advanced video streaming possibilities for platforms like JavaScript, React JS, React Native, Android, Flutter, and iOS.

Notable Features:

• Pre-built live streaming SDK with 5,000+ participant support
• Quick integration time of 10 minutes
• Unlimited channels with enhanced video quality
• UI support & auto-scalable parallel rooms
• Unlimited attendee support in a single meeting
• Video recording

Video SDK Pricing

The pricing for Video SDK is determined by the video quality you wish to include in your app and the number of participants your video chat app will support.

8. ZujoNow

ZujoNow delivers customizable video call SDKs that support on-demand videos, live streaming, and real-time communication to its clients with supreme scalability. This platform helps educators connect with students in particular, as well as other industries that have recently experienced a pivot to virtual communication and transactions. ZujoNow delivers a video solution featuring E2EE and easy integration for app developers.

Notable Features:

• Built-in support for healthcare, EdTech, and dating apps
• Zero video connection lags
• Low-latency
• Real-time video encoding

ZujoNow Pricing

The pricing for ZujoNow is $3/1,000 minutes for each participant.

9. Vonage

The Vonage Video API makes it easy to build a custom video experience within any mobile, web, or desktop application and is built on the WebRTC industry standard available on billions of devices. It has the richest set of live video features on the market, honed over many years in response to the needs of thousands of customers. All voice calling, video, and signaling traffic is AES-128 encrypted with the option to add AES-256 encryption. It only takes four minutes to add live video to websites using just one line of HTML. This means that engineers and content creators alike can rapidly build sophisticated live video apps with many participants, as the API accommodates users without video development expertise.

Notable Features

• Encrypted video recordings
• Video chat embeds
• GDPR and HIPAA compliance
• SIP interconnect
• Video stream customization
• HLS and RTMP streaming
• Video analytics

Vonage Pricing

Vonage prices follow simple usage-based pricing based on the number of participants in a video session, with plans starting at $9.99/month without bandwidth limitations.

10. Daily.co

Daily.co’s visual SDKs give you flexibility, scalability, and control for real-time video, live streaming, and recording. Developers can seamlessly integrate real-time video and audio into native apps with Daily’s iOS and Android SDKs. With Daily, you can power real-time audio and video, RTMP live streaming, and custom-layout recording. Plus enable features like live transcription, virtual backgrounds, and more. The company specializes in supporting apps in the education, live event, and internal collaboration/teams industries.

Notable Features:

• Cross-platform support
• Three types of recording
• 100% customizable video call UI/UX
• Automatic bandwidth & switching between group sessions
• Intuitive development options
• Automatic tuning of video quality
• Many-to-many video sessions with all cameras on
• Global infrastructure with HD RTMP streaming

Daily.co Pricing

The pricing for Daily.co is designed to scale alongside the size of your userbase, and offers a discount for high volume usage.

Integrate the Right Video Chat API With Your App Today

While these ten of the top video chat APIs, there may be an API better suited for your unique business niche. To explore the complete collection of video APIs and SDKs available, visit an API marketplace or review site, like G2 or Capterra, to find out what other users think of it.

When evaluating a new video communication solution, ensure that it includes all of the features your app’s video chat needs. Then, it is best practice to calculate your estimated monthly cost by multiplying your number of app users by the per-user rate on the API’s pricing page to ensure you’re making a cost-conscious choice. Happy integrating!

The post 10 Best Video Calling APIs: Benefits & Features appeared first on ProdSens.live.