Adding web videos to your websites and blogs is a terrific way to add value to your sites while also taking advantage of the potential additional traffic from video search engine results. However, there’s more involved than occasionally posting an online video on your site. As with the other elements of Web development, video for web pages should be strategically planned and managed.

First, how can online video benefit your site? The benefits are numerous. For example, having Web videos on your site can result in additional traffic based on search results. Not only do the major search engines list results based on text, they now list video results. While additional traffic is always welcome, video for web pages can also: inform visitors, direct attention to specific areas of the website, convey your message, make your company more personable, and prompt users to act in some desirable way.

With all of the benefits of online video, the decision to move forward is relatively easy. Before you start trolling YouTube for inspiration, it’s important to understand what you want the Web video to accomplish.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What is the purpose of the website?
• How can Web video help you to further that purpose?
• Which benefit of online video is most important to you?
• Where does it make the most sense to post video on your website?
• How often are you willing to post online videos?

The answers to these questions can guide you in creating a Web video strategy. For example, if your website’s purpose is to raise awareness about a specific cause, adding informational videos could be powerful. On the other hand, if your website’s purpose is sales driven, how-to videos or product demos may be a better choice. If you want to attract visitors, inform them, and create a more engaging experience, you may want to opt for a video spokesperson who acts as a virtual tour guide throughout your site.

Where should you post your online videos? Again, it depends on the purpose of the site and the Web video. The home page may be the perfect spot for your cause awareness video whereas individual product pages may be better suited for the how-to videos. Depending on how you incorporate Web videos, you may even want to create a video gallery or showcase section of your site.

Just as it’s important to regularly add articles and blog posts to your sites, regularly adding online videos is also important. Adding fresh content encourages return visitors and aids in SEO. Create an editorial calendar and map out your video for web goals. If you have the resources, adding a fresh online video each week would be an excellent start. Even if you can only handle one Web video per month, you’d have 12 videos working for your site in a year’s time, each delivering benefits and traffic.

Do you have a video for web strategy or are you winging it? What are your thoughts?