In the past few years, video has gone from a nice to have to a must have at the centre of your marketing strategy when selling experiences and travel.

It's almost a given now that brands are generating more and more video. It's valuable content that coverts so well yet is still so infrequently used on site, and in the right format. It's generally left in the pastures of social media, when it could be valuable content close to the point of conversion on your website.

A big part of the reason for that is that it's not that straightforward to do it well. Video is hard, multi-video is harder.

Below we're going to explore why you should be bringing this content onto your website, the benefits, types of content and how to do it well.

Before that, lets take a quick look some content to give get you in the mood from FlashPack (more on them later):

You can distribute bookable video collections like this across your site in minutes without code with Clipara. On mobile, where 70%+ of your customers are, the experience is even better!‍

66% of consumers say video is their preferred form of content. 62% of consumers say they would like to see videos before making a final booking decision.
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Data even shows that 100 minutes per day is the global average for video consumption due to people's desire for content and the growth of Instagram Reels and TikTok.

So why have a static website full of text and images, when you've got video you could be using? It's more succinct, more engaging and more shareable. Short-form video is also perfect for the attention span of the modern customer - they often don't have time or don't want to read through long paragraphs of text explaining an experience - just show it to them.

Customers are so used to video now that they expect it and want brands to provide more video content - so give them what they want. Social media has moved on from still images and text, so it's time websites do the same.

65-85% of your website visitors are on mobile, making mobile experience more crucial than ever - particularly as more travel discovery is happening via social apps. Lets take a look at some large travel websites to see their desktop vs mobile traffic split:

As you can see, mobile web traffic is a huge portion of site visits for large travel brands and is growing. Younger audiences including Millenials and Gen Z are becoming a larger part of your customer base too, leading to a growing portion of mobile traffic.

Brands need to be focusing on creating the best possible mobile experience. That includes content, layout, usability and speed. A single landscape video on your homepage is no longer enough when it comes to video. Customers expect more and new formats. So if you're already producing that content for your social media, then why not use it on your site?

Video is your best marketing asset. By far. If you've already started investing in content or it's on your roadmap, then don't fall into the trap of only using it in ads and social media. It performs best on social media because it's what customers want. Bring that experience to your site, and you'll see a number of benefits.

There's three major ones when it comes to conversion:
1) Customers that are discovering you through other means will still see the content they might not have seen elsewhere
2) You're putting the videos, your best asset, in front of the customer when they're close to purchase.
3) Authentic content and UGC used correctly is the best form of social proof - better than written reviews.

It can also increase conversion simply by attracting customers to explore your product more and understand what you offer. If people come to a modern, engaging website, even if they don't book right there and then, they're much more likely to come back and book another time.

Short form video is perfect in this scenario because you don't want customers to get distracted. Passively watching long videos is less likely to drive conversions.

Since the turn of the century, our attention spans have gradually shortened. You need to capture people's attentions in short snippets before they move onto something else. The vast majority of video watched on the internet is under one minute long. 9/10 videos watched on the Facebook network are under 2 minutes

Gone are the days of filming one long video and using that as your one video asset for the next 5 years. Video is everywhere now - it's much easier and cheaper to produce yourself, your customers are making it, your employees are making it and there are a whole list of ways to get content through influencers and content creators. Video has become more ubiquitous than ever - so bring it into your site to drive more bookings. Still not sure how you can ramp up your video library? Scroll down to our section on how to source video for your brand.

With the simplicity and quantity of short form video its simpler to see what performs best and what drives revenue. You don't need to just produce one video and hope for the best. Use a platform like Clipara with detailed analytics and see which videos get the most engagement, what content is watched the longest and what drives bookings.

Keeping people on your site for longer has a number of benefits. One of the big ones is SEO - a big signifier of the quality of your content in the eyes of the big search engines is how long people spend on your site and whether they interact with and move around your site. Simply adding a video to your page can reduce bounce rates by as much as 34%.

Video is a fantastic way to convey social proof. Why tell people something is fun, when you can let them watch hundreds of people having fun? Why tell people it's relaxing, when you can show them customers utterly chilled out watching a sunset.

Using collections of short videos is also great for showing your appeal to a wide range of people - different age groups, backgrounds, ethnicity. People can scroll through, get inspired and see that people just like them are enjoying themselves. Let's take a quick look at how a couple of well known travel and experience brands are using social proof in their short form video.

Now, if I was them, I would be using this on my website too, to bring that social proof into the on-site journey for customers that are umming and ahhhing about a booking. Make it impossible not to book - make them feel like they're missing out if they don't.

Brands that are winning and growing right now and will be for the next decade are brands that are winning at content. Across multitudes of industries this rings true, but no more so than for experiences. People are discovering places and activities through video on TikTok and Reels and video content shared by friends more than ever and that's leading to bookings.

By creating incredible content, you're giving customers what they want and giving customers content they can share too. By bringing more video onto your website, you're reinforcing the customers ideas of what you offer that many have discovered through content already and makes you a no-brainer to book.

Without that, people will go with competitors who are clearly able to display to the customer exactly what they are getting.

Engaging, concise videos can capture and retain website visitors' attention, effectively conveying your brand's message and personality. By consistently presenting your brand's themes, values, and aesthetics in these videos, you can create a memorable brand experience. This not only helps in forging a strong brand identity but also ensures that your brand stays top-of-mind for potential customers when they think of their next travel adventure.

Consumers are 52% more likely to share video content than any other content format. Need something quick to share with a friend or family member to convince them? Short form video is the answer. It's succinct, engaging and entertaining. With Clipara, all your video experiences are host on your own branded video landing pages, ready to be shared.

Worked with a new creator? Pushed out a Reel that just seems to resonate? Video on your site doesn't need to be a once and done. With short form video, it's easy to keep your website fresh and introduce new ideas or themed content. Want winter bookings? Show why your winter is great at your venue. Got a special annual event coming up? Use content from the previous years event. Given the variety and volume of video, it's simple to chop and change.

Lets take a look at Flashpack, the rapidly growing group travel company, who recently raised a further £6m to fund their expansion. We'll see how they’ve implemented short form video across their site to engage customers and drive more bookings.

FlashPack were already investing in lots of mobile focused video content but didn't have a great way to use it on their site. But they knew video was what inspired people to book their trips. They were were previously using Vimeo, but switched to Clipara to focus on speed, versatility and multi-video short form formats.

All of their video is built into their site with a great mobile experience in mind, like this swipeable video collection used on their trip pages:

This experience was created without any code, using Clipara video embeds, which don't slow down their website.

FlashPack use video on their homepage, about pages, trip pages and use a variety of content to display their unique offering. They use a mix of:
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- USP content
- Testimonials
- Destination and accommodation content

And their customers love it.

They've added thousands of hours extra time on their site and engagement with their product, inspiring customers and leading to more bookings.

If you'd like to do the same, join Clipara for free or sign up for a demo.

With vast amounts of video, you might be wondering where to use it all. Lets take a look at the key places to utilise your video.

1. Homepage
Use video to quickly give customers a simple engaging way to understand who you are and what you offer. Video can also be a great way to merchandise different experiences and products and help people discover things to book.
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2. About
If people end up on your about pages, it's because they want to know whether they can trust you and want to know more about who they are giving their money to. Video is obviously the perfect way to show who you are and tell your story.
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3. Trip / Experience Detail Pages
Customers are often in the consideration / decision phase once they get to these pages and are close to making a decision. Make it easier to choose between the options you provide and convince them to book with you instead of anywhere else with convincing video clips.

4. Blog
Spice up your blog posts with a bit of short form video. Text and images alone no longer suffice to engage customers. Use video to keep people interacting with your content longer and see the SEO and conversion benefits as a result. Use interactive video to take customers further into your site or engaging with other pieces of content.

5. Emails
Ok this isn't technically on your website, but with Clipara you can link to video landing pages from emails to engage your potential customers. Perfect for onboarding sequences, newsletters and abandoned carts.

The most important thing when it comes to content is addressing your audience, engaging them and making it relevant. If you're a group travel company targeting Gen Z customers - don't just use destination content, use content showing young people travelling together and having fun - that's what customers are paying for. If your product is a peaceful off-grid retreat - use content that shows that - scenery, sounds and relaxation. Help customers imagine what it's like to be there. You might then couple that with testimonials - customers saying and showing just how incredible it is. A great mix of content can help you hit all of your key selling points.

So lets look the types of content you might focus on:

Destination Content
Use bite-size stories to captivate your customers by offering a glimpse into unique destinations, from sun-kissed beaches to bustling cityscapes to exhilarating experiences. Video not only inspires your customers but can also provide valuable insights into different cultures and experiences, making them an essential tool for engaging and attracting potential visitors. Take a look at these - make you want to visit Switzerland?

But woah there - look how keen Instagram are to get me over to their platform. Make sure you don't embed video into your website like this or you'll lose website visitors back to social! And notice how one video doesn't stop when the other one starts? Classic video problems when done wrong!

By showcasing what's special about your , these videos effectively communicate why customers should trust you with their hard earned cash. This also helps to create a compelling and memorable brand identity that can help with bringing customers back if they aren't quite ready to book, and for sharing and recommending to friends and family.
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UGC & Testimonial Content
Use real stories and experiences shared by satisfied customers offer genuine, relatable insights into what your company offers. Trust and authenticity is key when it comes to booking something that the customer badly wants to live up to expectations.

Such content not only enhances credibility but also creates a sense of community and connection, encouraging potential travellers to envision themselves enjoying similar memorable experiences with your brand.

‍Brand & USP Content
Customers more often than not are weighing up multiple options and this can really help you stand out against competitors. Craft highlights that show what sets your offerings apart, whether it's exclusive destinations, bespoke experiences, or exceptional customer service.

By showcasing what's special about your , these videos effectively communicate why customers should trust you with their hard earned cash. This also helps to create a compelling and memorable brand identity that can help with bringing customers back if they aren't quite ready to book, and for sharing and recommending to friends and family.

With vast amounts of video, you might be wondering where to use it all. Lets take a look at the key places to utilise your video.

1. Customers
Your customers undoubtedly gather a lot of video content, either for themselves or for social media. Incentivise your customers to share that content with you and you'll end up with a huge variety of content and social proof that you can use on your website and also on social media. Video content is so much more engaging and so much easier to see and believe than written reviews so what are you waiting for!
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2. Creators & Influencers
Partnering with content creators is one of our favourite ways we see brands get hold of great video. The benefits here are two fold - you not only get great video, but you get to reach the creators audience too if posting to their channels is part of the agreement. This example below if perfect - where the Off-grid retreats company Unplugged has partnered with the content creators Somewhere Wilder to create content for them. This reel below has used the creators skills to perfectly encapsulate what they offer and it clearly resonated. It reached 9 million views in just 2 days!

3. Internal Content Production
If you want to invest in high quality content where you have full creative control, this is a great option. More and more companies who are realising the importance of video product are hiring their own in house production teams to keep up with the content demands for social media content. This can be particularly important if your experience is at a higher price point and quality is something that you want to really shine through.
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4. Video Agencies
Similar to internal content production, this is the perfect option if you need high quality content but don't yet have somebody internally or don't have the breadth of content requirements meaning you need somebody full time.
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5. Employees
Almost everybody has high quality filming equipment sat in their pocket. Whether it's tour guides, hosts, receptionists or any other employee across your organisation - capturing moments and building up a library of video has never been simpler.

So you've read the article. You're thinking - this all completely makes sense. Next step I need to take is how do I get all this video onto my website? How do I manage it all? How do I make sure it doesn't slow down my website? How do I add high converting interactions to the video? That's where Clipara comes in. You can get started for free with Clipara here or book a call with our team to learn more here. Simples.