Have you been tasked with producing a product demo video for your website? While you have numerous options as far as producing and uploading the final video, you’ll need to carefully plan your product video to ensure that it’s as effective as possible. Not only should your product demonstration video clearly show your product’s features, it must also:

• Engage viewers
• Show its benefits to viewers
• Prompt viewers to take action

Using a Product Demo Video to Engage Viewers

Engaging viewers is one of the most important tasks your product demonstration video must perform. After all, if your product video is boring, poorly produced, or uninformative your prospects will quickly tune out. Today’s online video viewers are pulled in all directions with little leisure time. Make sure that your product demo video engages viewers and keeps them tuned in by:

• Keeping the product demonstration video short. Your product video should be no longer than three minutes. Viewers that see a long video length may not bother to push the play button no matter how entertaining your video may be.
• Getting to the point quickly. Online video viewers don’t have the patience for long introductions, even beautifully produced ones.
• Staying on topic. Your product demonstration video is just that, a product video. This isn’t the time to delve into the history of your company or its accomplishments.

Demonstrating a Product’s Benefits in a Product Demo Video

In addition to engaging viewers through product video length and pacing, your product demo video must speak to your viewers by addressing what’s in it for them. For example, your product likely has several features that you’ll want to showcase in the product demonstration video. However, how do these features solve your viewers’ problems? Make sure that each feature you introduce in your product video is balanced by its benefits. This helps keep viewers engaged, shows you understand their problems, and most importantly, positions your product as the solution.

What Action Do You Want Viewers to Take after Watching the Product Demo Video?

No matter how engaging and benefits-oriented your product demonstration video may be, it can be even more effective if you add a call to action at the end. Think about what actions you want your viewers to take after watching the product video. For example, do you want them to order a free sample? Download a trial version? Request a custom quote? Request a product brochure? Order the product right away?

Carefully consider what action you want viewers to make and use the product demo video to guide them toward taking that action. At the end of the product demonstration video, explicitly prompt your viewers to take that action. You can do this in several ways. For example, you could have the narrator of the product video say, “Call our office to schedule a free consultation” or you could have a popup screen appear at the end of the product demo video prompting viewers to “Download a free trial version now.”

An effective product demo video is one that engages viewers, positions the product as a solution, and prompts viewers to take some sort of action. Once your prospects answer the call to action, you can then follow through with other sales steps.

What do you think the most important part of a product demo video is? Share your thoughts in the comment section below: