We’re about to discuss the pros and cons of video backgrounds. This is becoming a more common design technique, but it needs to be utilized properly to enhance user experience. Consider the following before adding a video background to your website.
Reasons to Add a Video Background
There are a number of things that make a video background desirable, but we are going to focus on just two.
SEO Boost – The more times a video is viewed, the greater effect it has on SEO. When a video is in the background and auto plays, you get lots of views quickly. That makes it a good idea to place the video in the background of a page that gets a lot of traffic.
Tech Savvy Branding – A background video makes it look like your brand is very up-to-date when it comes to tech, even though a video background is not the most technically difficult website element to add. It’s a simple way to improve brand perception.
The Downside of Video Backgrounds
We’re going to look at two potential negatives of video backgrounds, but keep in mind that both of these things can easily be avoided.
Difficult to Read Text – If a video is in the background and the foreground text is not a contrasting color, your content can become difficult to read. A web designer needs to pay careful attention to where the text is placed on a video background and what colors are used.
Loud Audio – There is little more annoying to a site visitor than a video that starts auto playing with the audio turned up. Make sure there is either no audio or that a user has to choose to turn the audio on. This will keep the visitor from feeling embarrassment. After all, if your user’s experience is embarrassment, you can kiss a return visit goodbye.
In the end, video backgrounds can be a very useful tool. You just have to use care to implement them appropriately. Of course, a video background should never go live until it has been tested and previewed to ensure it enhances user experience rather than distracting from your other content.
When it comes to using background videos, the quality of your web designer is a key element to success. Someone with experience in using this form of technology wisely will help to ensure that your venture is a good one.