Comments on: Insurance Agency Websites With Audio and Video http://www.insurancewebsiteblog.com/2009/01/20/insurance-agency-websites-with-audio-and-video/ Insurance website, Design, SEO Mon, 10 May 2010 18:23:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jason http://www.insurancewebsiteblog.com/2009/01/20/insurance-agency-websites-with-audio-and-video/comment-page-1/#comment-123 Jason Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:57:25 +0000 http://www.insurancewebsiteblog.com/?p=154#comment-123 "It's the sizzle that sells the steak". Or something like that. I first heard that sales aphorism over 20 years ago, and I think it's still true. Except when the the sizzle chars the steak to the color and density of a hockey puck. And that is exactly the problem with auto launch audio and video: overdoing it. I think it's instructive to look at the online pages of the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. They get PAID to include advertising videos alongside their articles and features, and sometimes those videos auto launch, but never with audio: that's left up to the viewer to switch on. Both of those institutions have done their homework, and they know that auto launching the audio will drive page viewers away from their sites. They just don't permit the audio to kick in unbidden. WSJ and the NY Times both know that even auto launching the video is a risk; when they do it, they do it because they are paid - that is, the risk/reward ratio is artificially tipped in favor of force launching the video. But when it comes to their own editorial videos and other interactive content, both papers leave launching videos up to the viewer's volition. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of video, and there are a ton of constructive uses for insurance agency websites. But I'm not a fan of forced launch videos and I have some good company sharing that sentiment. “It’s the sizzle that sells the steak”. Or something like that. I first heard that sales aphorism over 20 years ago, and I think it’s still true. Except when the the sizzle chars the steak to the color and density of a hockey puck. And that is exactly the problem with auto launch audio and video: overdoing it.

I think it’s instructive to look at the online pages of the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. They get PAID to include advertising videos alongside their articles and features, and sometimes those videos auto launch, but never with audio: that’s left up to the viewer to switch on. Both of those institutions have done their homework, and they know that auto launching the audio will drive page viewers away from their sites. They just don’t permit the audio to kick in unbidden.

WSJ and the NY Times both know that even auto launching the video is a risk; when they do it, they do it because they are paid – that is, the risk/reward ratio is artificially tipped in favor of force launching the video. But when it comes to their own editorial videos and other interactive content, both papers leave launching videos up to the viewer’s volition.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of video, and there are a ton of constructive uses for insurance agency websites. But I’m not a fan of forced launch videos and I have some good company sharing that sentiment.

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