Whats up with the LENGTHY videos on sales pages?

by 59 replies
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I know I may be opening up a can of worms here but ...

I realize some time ago, vendors were getting better responses with a video only (no other content on page) and then a BUY NOW button would magically appear near the end of the video.

When I first started seeing these, the video were 2-5 minutes long. Still never liked the fact that I could just read the sales page and/or click buy when *I* was ready but I am sure the experts out there had their reasons.

However, now I am seeing these videos running 15 to 30 minutes LONG! What's more, that pesky buy button isn't appearing until the end of those videos either!

Seriously, is there some hard data out there that can backup the conversion ratios with these extra long videos?

It is my opinion that you could very well be losing customers (like .. erm..me) for several reasons:

1. I don't want to spend that much time just to watch a video and then realize the product is simply out of my price range or I have to listen to a 10 minute spiel of this persons life story, an interview with the parents, his travels, etc. before I can realize what the actual product is about.

2. I may be somewhere where I can't listen to the audio or am enjoying a tv show or music.

3. I prefer scanning a sales page and if it doesn't catch my attention within a minute or so, I move on. If it DOES catch my attention, it is MY CHOICE to read everything thoroughly.

I don't mind videos on a sales page, I watch many of them but I prefer the sales page that has the video AND the copy listed below it (I have even followed along with the audio sales pitch as I read the copy below...for those pages that have the video go verbatim with copy that is).

I dunno, I think videos have been a great addition to sales pages but when they run for SO LONG with no option but to WATCH IT and can't even buy until the end, I think it may be faultering.

What I think is happening is some of these salesmen enjoy hearing themselves so much and video is much quicker to just "record" than creating a long sales page, these guys are getting carried away.

Again, I am NOT an "expert" marketer so please don't bash me. What I am is a *CONSUMER* of many of these products and I am confident that if these sales pages are bothering me, chances are they are bothering others as well.

I am an affiliate on CB and I will skip some of the products offered that have these crazy long videos simply because I don't want to bother my list with those types of offers. I may be making the wrong choice with that but it is a pet peeve of mine.

Your thoughts?
Rod
#copywriting #lengthy #pages #sales #videos
  • I had same queries some time ago, sellers said, it was because they had to answer questions, but i think they are totally dumb and stretched like gum...
  • Totally agree with you. I get bored with hypy long videos and click away. I much prefer a sales page to read, and if there is a video I only watch if it's a demonstration of how to use software. If there is only a video I don't watch so I don't buy.
  • I agree and think the use of video is a typical example of someone coming up with something that worked for a specific niche and then everyone jumped on board without thinking. Of course it's common sense that a written sales page is going to be of more interest to most people.
    If you have tremendous charisma and have something amazing to say then sure a video may convert well. For most though I think a sales page would be better.
    There's another issue - if I am working with limited bandwidth it annoys me that I'm inadvertently draining my bandwidth account with a video.
  • Yeah I hate videos where you can't pause them or scroll through. There is nonindication how long it is going ton run for. What if you need to take a phone call? I don't like being forced so I usually click off and don't bother.
  • Wow! Thanks for the response folks!

    Hmmm...so, are there any product launchers reading this absorbing this feedback?

    So far, you may have lost 5 buyers (the posters here so far) with these videos that you can't stop and at least one affiliate promoting your product (me).

    @anders, I was thinking the same thing but didn't want to sound rude. The whole "follow the leader" seems to be prevalent in this industry. Of course, you should move forward with that others have built and works but we also must come to terms with things that were "hot" at one point that are now not so popular.
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    • Yes I feel the same way. As a consumer, anything longer than 10 mins is too long for me. It's also not knowing how long the video is going to be from the outset that's annoying.

      You could do what I sometimes do... download the sales video in order to get access to the play/pause button, and then skip past the hypey bits. Much quicker!
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  • To be honest, what I typically do now is just hit refresh or attempt to close the page.

    EVERY single one of them have a "wait, don't go, here is a discount" popup that typically goes to a shorter "non video" version of the product.

    Unfortunately, they are so short that you don't get the full feature list of the product but at least I get a quick "what is it, how much is it" breakdown.

    Then they wonder why so many people buy the discount version...lol
  • I too am not a big fan of those 10 minutes + videos you can't even pause or see the duration of.

    However a direct to cam, pausable video above your written sales letter, telling you additional info or just giving a brief overview, and not just repeating the written transcript, can be very effective.

    Something tells me that most USERS feel the same way we do, because my conversions suffered a whole lot when some of the products I promote changed their written sales page to an unstoppable blah blah blah boring video.
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    • Totally agree here too.
      Cant fast forward to the end or anything.
      I hardly ever watch them.
      For some, I just let them play while I go off and do other stuff.
      Brian
  • I do agree. They are super long, full of hype, and useful content is zero. Please get to the point right away.
  • As soon as I see a video that doesn't tell me how long it is, I turn off. Not interested. Anything over 3 minutes and I lose interest.
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    • Great topic. Stop the looooooong videos!

      I bet the long videos are great for the true newbies online. They have no knowledge of IM and I think they may appreciate the long talk by the product owner.

      However, most sales videos don't show you the product or software and they only tell you a story of the rags to riches.

      So, for us experienced marketers, when delete and move on. Until these marketers stop make tons of money with their product launches, they wont stop with the looooong sales videos.
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  • It must be working for some of these videos, you would think, or there wouldn't be so many.

    I guess we're not the target market here at this forum, because no one seems to like these long videos!

    Personally, if it autoplays - I immediately close the window. If it doesn't show me how long it is, I might scan the copy (if there is any) - and then close the window. If there's no way to pause it - I either mute it or close the page.

    As PatriciaJ said, if it's a demo then it has some value. Even then, I want to know in advance what the video covers if I'm going to spend my time on it.
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    • I actually prefer videos....but again.....I'm not going to "dis" long copy, videos, or a naked chick holding a sign until I TEST IT.

      Those who don't test.....are not real marketers......they are sheep tossing darts.


      peace, Vegas Vince
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  • I analyzed, one of those long, videos, and found that it is designed as a method of psychologically creating a dependance upon the video, it is designed, to appeal to the emotions, then make promises they cannot keep, they make statements that are on the edge of what would be considered legal, the longer you watch them the more likely you will be to make a bad decision.

    Its like the Jedi mind trick,

    "You dont want to sell me death sticks" " You want to go home and rethink your life"

    Sadly they take people in like con men on a binge.

    Video is a powerful tool when used correctly but when abused, it gives good marketers a bad name, (
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    • Some fish escape a drag net. I don't think too many trawler operators lose sleep over the few that got away.
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    • It's about control for sure; yet another psychological trick to get you to part with your money.

      In case you don't know, we are all suckers.

      However, you can break the dependency, while you are waiting for the regulators to catch on.

  • video effectively use for demonstration way, its worth, time and useful.
  • @VegasVince:

    That is my question in the first post, is there any HARD data (side by side comparison of the same product that has been done within the past few months) to prove your theory OR mine?

    Like srsheldon said, "I guess *we* aren't the target market then"? (I kinda thought we were <shrugs>)

    But seriously, look at many of the comments above, several IMMEDIATELY shut down the video. VERY FEW have said otherwise and I think the few that did are video producers?

    I think the main issue with most of us is the LENGTH of the video and the fact that we can't pause,fast forward, backup or even know how long it is before we start watching it.

    Let's face it, most videos I see these days are just like the late night "infommercials", but at least with them, every 3 to 5 minutes, they "break away" and display the phone number to order.

    I personally think a video WITH a sales page WITH an immediate "buy now" button would probably convert the best since it satisfies the largest target audience.

    But hey, I'm no "marketer" and haven't test my theory.
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    • Great points, in fact, the lack of video controls is a violation of the law,

      but for years, so many marketers have had this idea that you can do what ever you want to do, and customers vote, but in reality this kind of thinking is what is wrong with online marketing, and that is dangerous thinking,

      if we do not police up our own trash online, (meaning scumbag marketers, that break the law,) then eventually someone will do it for us,

      That is where I get a little concerned with the idea that anything is ok,

      its ok as long as its someone else that is getting hurt or its someone else that is spending money or comparing human beings to fish, sick stuff that.

      If we continue down that road it ends where we watch the man who has been robbed, in the roadway and we all pass him by...

      That is just plain wrong, I hate that kind of mentality, which is why I will do what ever I can to warn other people about the tactics of these Con men marketers who use these videos to "sucker" good people into buying bad products.

      The more we "ignore the obvious" the less "freedom we will have"

      Like I said this is not popular, but it is the truth and you can rail on about how this is how the world of marketing is, and this is how its always been done, but be very aware, that things are about to change in 2012.

      What your doing now, you may not be able to get away with for much longer, and if you did not know that it is actually illegal to fail to provide navigation buttons on a video, then that is just one more reason why you should educate your self, by reading the revised FTC guides.

      It is important and it is not popular, because no one wants to change what they see as effective but misleading and deceptive marketing practices.

      Eventually, they will fade away like a bad dream, my goal is to preserve the freedom of good marketers, that play by the rules, and try to actually provide good products that help people, I do not want to see the good thrown out with the bad.





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  • Wow, thanks Tim...Do you have a quick link to that FTC ruling?
    If not, I'll do the research, I'm just lazy...lol
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    • Not a direct link because it is buried in tons of paperwork, but here is a good place to start,

      Legal Resources | BCP Business Center

      There are hundreds of new rules, that will begin to be enforced in 2012, stuff that you would be shocked to learn about, it is truly insane some of the things that they want to do,

      Basically they want to create the fairness doctrine for the Internet, thats a poor analogy but it fits for this quick bit of comparison.

      I think what is wrong with these long videos is that they exist as a method of separating fools from their money, (not my literal intention but again it fits in with what they are doing) I think that in the very near future, videos will be studied to see if they are legal or deceptive, that could be a huge game changer in the future...
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  • WOW! It seems as everything has been covered here, and most folks would simply like to get to the goodies. That's the camp I'm in. I hate being herded into the sales funnel, and would at least like to think the decision to proceed is mine.
  • Didn't we settle this question the first 158 times it was asked on this forum?
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    • Sorry I am new here and couldnt find anything with search combos of words.

      Not all of us have been here for 8 years.
  • I agree and am guilty of making long salespage videos...lol

    But thats why I dont do the reveal button or hide the fast forward buttons.
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    • Guilty of what? Amazing how a certain movie released years back was told it WOULD NEVER PLAY FOR AN AMERICAN AUDIENCE...IT WAS TOO DAMN LONG. Nobody would sit through a 3 hour movie......not during the recession or any other time....not gonna happen.

      LMAO.

      James Cameron told them all to kiss his ass....and did it "his way".

      FYI...how many millions did the TITANIC MAKE THAT YEAR? Actually do believe it was at one time the top grossing movie of all time....until James beat it with another the critics, cynics, and naysayers, begged him not to release. Think it was related to that little box in the corner of everyone profile...ya dig?

      I personally don't give a **** if anyone likes short, long, big, small etc etc.....if it's legal and it converts and you have delivered value....go for it.

      No apologies needed. Those who critique usually don't ever get around to creating anything.

      peace, Vegas Vince
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  • Nope! The controversy will rage until someone pulls the plug on the Internet.
  • You know what I hate? When you weather the storm and sit through the video (or let it play while you walk away to do something else until the stupid offer button pops up) and then it freezes and you have to START IT OVER?!!!! UGGHHHHHHH!!!

    When I am not super lazy, I'll usually just download the movie and then forward it.

    But I have to admit, I'm instantly glued to anything Andy Jenkins does. He's THE BOSS and my hero! (and yes, I am a Video Boss student)
  • From the seller's side, that's a split testing issue. Test different videos of differing lengths. Find out what works. Don't depend on what you think is comfortable for your customer. A lot of times in marketing the people who don't like what you're doing weren't going to buy anyway. A lot of marketing is actually sorting.
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    • I agree with Lee, however long winded versions are hard for me to stay with unless they are done with some sort of creativity.
  • Rod,

    My company has switched BACK TO totally text based sales letters.

    And that too... small sales letters... You know dynamic sites... And if we have to demonstrate something, we create short videos... but the offer is clearly displayed in text.

    Now, after extensive testing I can tell you what this amounts to:

    1. Better Quality of Buyer who trust us not to waste their time...
    2. Stronger Backend Revenues...
    3. In more than half the cases, higher conversion rates too...

    There is a reason why sales letters have been around for ages... And there is a reason why they evolved into SHORTER sales letters (CPA world). It's called ADD.

    Attention Deficit Disorder...

    Now imagine a person who is probably busy with 5 other tabs just casually happening upon your video sales site which has a 30 minute long uncontrollable video...

    And that is your average customer these days... A person with a small attention span, and in need of entertainment....

    It's easier to sell to such a customer... because all you have to do is to make the right offer, and demonstrate the right proof... And you will have sales.

    LB

    P.S. Video sales letters totally suck

    I for one will never sit through a 40 minute long video... not even to research and swipe my competitors' sales process...

    Maybe that's why everyone is using them... to ensure no one can swipe them...

    P.P.S. We don't even want people with hours on their hands to be our clients. Our clients tend to be extremely successful individuals who make snap decisions... And hat's what they can do with a quick offer.
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    • LB what do you think of shorter videos? Say 5 or 10 minutes? Same ADD problem?
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  • Personally I usually don't bother with those type of sales pages anymore. Nowadays I skim through the page and look at the price. Then if I'm still interested I'll look more closely for actual details about what the product is. To have to sit through an entire video full of hype, listening to someone who loves to listen to themselves talk without actually -saying- anything of importance before I can even get through to the next step...I'm just going to close the page.

    Not to say that I think videos are a bad idea. I just don't care for most of what I've seen. And I hate being sent to a page without being told what it is, only to have nothing but a video that I have to watch for at least several minutes before knowing what's being hawked.
  • This is awesome feed back. We create videos and I can't tell you how angry I get when people submit these long copy sales letters. There is not need to have a 43 minute that nobody can fast forward. People lose interest after 10 minutes. Great comments. I am going to use them for a blog post
  • they SUCK!!!!


  • You asked for numbers. Here is one. After much research, most say that the statistics show that a sales video must not go over 5 minutes, and is usually better off at 3 or less. It has been established with split tests. The Traffic Geyser company did some. (Now, we are not talking about training, show-you, etc of software or the like that can be long. In fact, those that you pay for or that help you use what you purchase had better have enough meat and detail, and so often have more length).
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  • Imagine if you had asthma and you were looking for ways to alleviate your symptoms. Wouldn't you want to learn everything as possible to stop the pain? (i was born with asthma by the way)

    So if a 40-minute video tells me what the REAL problem is with my system and why the asthma is happening... i would sit right there and listen to the entire video to see if i can find help with my condition. I might even pay too if the price is right, and if i was convinced that the solution actually worked.
  • I honestly don't think they convert that well, seriously.

    I have ADHD and I was on this sales page with a video about ADHD, it was 27 seconds long I think. I didn't even make it 12.
  • Video works! Test it for yourself! It works!
  • I don't think videos are near as effective as some people make them out to me. Specially those frustratingly long videos, where people never make it to the end. From what I have seen, long, boring videos often drive away individuals from buying something they might have bought otherwise. They must not be overused or overdone by any means, or else adverse results will definitely be visible.
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    • I think there are usually instances where pitch pages work better than video and vice versa. To Vince's point, test.

      From personal experience, I'll let a video drone on while I scan the lengthy pitch page that holds it. If there happens to be something that catches my attention during that hunt--whether through sales copy or audio--I'll stay and learn more. At least I've had two mediums to peruse and gather information.

      Like many of you, I get twitchy when watching a tedious video is the ONLY thing I can do on the site. Better be one fascinating video if you're going to rest your entire pitch on it.

      Matt
  • In my experience Opinions are normally way different than the actual Numbers.

    Most people say they prefer short copy sales letters over long copy sales letters.

    Even buyers themselves say they like short copy over long copy.

    But buyers are liars. They buy more from the long copy sales letters than short copy sales letters.

    It could be the same with video.
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  • There really isn't a one-size fits all answer. Different niches will respond to the videos differently. It all comes back to testing. Come on guys, it's not that difficult to do! just set up 2 seperate pages, one with video, one without. Then you'll know for SURE which one is better, for your niche!

    Jie
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  • Here's what I think:

    1.If your sales copy sucks it doesn't matter how long your letter or video is your conversions will suck with it.

    2. Long copy outsells short copy everytime. No wait, yup everytime.

    The only time I've seen a study where short copy outsold long copy was for an optin page that offers something free, then it brings you to the long copy to in your wallet.

    Look at it like this would you rather buy something from someone you've known for 5 minutes or 5 years? Obviously 5 years because you'd trust them more...

    All in all, your REAL customers will sit through all of the copy if it's good AND relevant to the problem being addressed no matter if it's video or written content.
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  • You know videos are 54 percent of the web now. I think people are taking it to extremes. I don't mind the lengthy videos but what I do mind is no toolbar to fast forward or rewind, that irritates me so if a video is longer than a minute I will go else where and be pissed because they took that minute from me.
  • All my sales pages sport a long, in-detailed sales video. They work, period.

    I've split-tested my sales pages furiously over the years, and carefully scripted videos explaining in detail what the product is about have ALWAYS outperformed long block of texts.

    Do you think TV Infomercials convert well? yes they do. Guess what? that's a long video sales presentation that you cannot pause or forward. And guess what? it still converts like crazy!
  • In my opinion video really works because we all know most people loves videos. And we all dont get bore watching motion pictures and just listening while the person on the video speaks rather done tire our eyes reading long sales.
  • This actually reminded of another thread I encountered here complaining about videos that don't give viewers the right rewind or forward. I think coupled with length like that, you are definitely turning off a lot of people from buying (unless the video itself has something in it worth watching).

    One justification these people have is that giving control lets lazy viewers skip important bits. Therefore, it gets irritating when they start complaining and you have to point out the important bit they skipped.

    It's somewhat convincing but I don't think it's fair to paint all viewers/consumers with a bad brush like that. I certainly am not stupid enough to skip through everything.

    I would appreciate shorter videos to save my time too though.
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  • Hi,

    When I go to any site and a MP3 or a video starts playing without a control, I hit the stop button, that is, the back button and leave immediately.

    No look, no listen, no sale!

    I, like most people, have other things to do than watch a video that doesn't get to the point or that I can't control on my own computer.

    I create Video Sales Letters and other types of Videos and always recommend controls.

    M E
  • Well this is an old post, but I just had to add my 2 cents, because it seems a lot of commenters here might missing something about these VSLs...

    You see, to you and I, the marketers, these are SALES letters..But to the viewer they are presented as "PRESENTATIONS", presentations that promise to TEACH the viewer something valuable about their interest if they keep watching. And the GOOD ones actually WILL teach something. So the viewer keeps watching because they are promised some tip or trick to be revealed to them. Again, if you promise you really must deliver on your promise, if you want to build trust with the viewer.

    So if you are watching a presentation to LEARN something..would it throw you off to have a big buy button at the bottom? And if the presentation really IS giving value, some tip or trick..why in the world would you want to skim ahead? You are learning something that you want to learn about!

    I am currently writing a VSL that, taken by itself, is providing a lot of great insight and INFORMATION to the viewer. It is not just a SALES letter. It IS a presentation...that ends with a sales pitch for my product. But I dont want the viewer to get distracted while she is watching, with some buy button. I really do want her to get value out of my presentation, so that she then forms a positive association with me...and if I have made the info good enough and the pitch appealing enough, she now feels safer to buy my product.

    It's an important mindset shift I believe.

    Good luck to you all!
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