Now that video marketing has been adopted by the enterprise, there is a large push by video hosting software companies to create solutions that give marketers the ability to make their videos interactive. Two of the most popular interactivity types are gating and calls-to-action (CTAs). Gating is restricting video playback with the requirement that the user take some sort of action, while CTAs make the action an option.
One of the most popular CTA types is an email request. But there are many other types of CTAs you can use within or at the end of your video content. Gating can occur pre-roll (before the video plays), mid-roll (anywhere in the center of the video), or post-roll (after the video plays). In this short post, I will give an intro on video gating and provide a few resources you can take with you.
A couple examples of video gating are: in-video email or custom forms, interactive quizzes or exams, buttons, and subscription walls. There are myriad custom annotation types that also classify as video gates, but we will stick with the basics for this post.
Pre-Roll Video Gating
The most common, yet least recommended type of pre-roll gating in the marketing world is email capture or custom forms. There are a number of solutions that handle this basic lead generation functionality well. In choosing a solution, be sure you understand what options you want in addition to basic lead capture abilities. For example, if you are using a marketing automation platform (MAP) and need to pass both new contact information and video engagement analytics directly to that software, then you need a solution for passing that information and analytics that works with your specific MAP.
Pre-roll gating on videos is not usually recommended, unless the video is sitting on a landing page positioned to replace a standard form. The result of this strategy is a lower conversion rate and a lower quality lead. There will be a percentage of contacts that convert because they are “curious about what is behind the door,” but these contacts are not highly qualified.
Mid-Roll Video Gating
Mid-roll gating is preferred because the conversion rates are really high and the quality of lead is far better. Mid-roll gating is very similar to placing commercials throughout your favorite television episode. Once viewers get hooked on the content they are more likely to complete a form to continue watching, particularly if the early content is compelling. Placing a contact form mid-way through a video, just before the next piece of meaty content is revealed, is an excellent strategy and one that produces high quality leads.
Post-Roll Form
Having a contact or email form at the end of your video is extremely important. The modern marketer’s goal is to include a strong call-to-action with each piece of content, whether it is a blog post, case study download, or email. So there’s no reason for video to be excluded from that! By placing CTAs at the end of all your videos you can ensure that the viewer who reaches the end of the content and converts is a strong qualified sales lead.
To learn more about video marketing software solutions that have video gating capabilities, visit our website. If you are looking to implement a lead gating strategy, contact our Online Video Consultant Team to learn more about how we can help make your campaigns a success.
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