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6 UX Thoughts on Using Video as a Background

Website video background

With the hundreds of thousands of online brands and websites, it can be difficult to set yourself apart in a sea of trends and colors.

Because of the demand, website design has become a booming industry with practical improvements popping up all over the place, all for the sole purpose of brand promotion in the most revolutionary way possible.

Web design is an art for a reason.

A basic website setup should include a visually appealing organization of ideas in an easy-to-digest format. It should include a cohesive color palette and graphics to add to the ideas illustrated in the text, and there are a ton of great resources on how to do this efficiently, just like this guide.

A basic website setup should include a visually appealing organization of ideas in an easy-to-digest format.

While looking busy can be overwhelming, the designer generally takes special care in constructing the space with personality and flow.

There are a lot of components not many of us consider as a casual user, but for those who are looking to establish and promote themselves online, picture and video additions can make a world of difference.

If you choose to use a video as a background for your online space, it’s important to choose the right one.

The vibe and brand for the product or service sold can have a huge impact on sale promotion, and it’s important to establish a positive appeal behind the service offered.

Tips for Using Video for Websites’ Backgrounds 

1. Mute the audio on the video background

With all that’s going on in the website you’re looking to promote, the last thing a user wants is a loud booming noise when they open a new webpage.

By muting the audio in the video clip you’re choosing to use, you let the visuals do the talking for you.

There are a ton of ways to remove the audio in video clips. For instance, Wave.video offers a space where you can remove the sound from a video you’re working on.

By muting the audio in the video clip you’re choosing to use, you let the visuals do the talking for you.

Source: Maryculter House

When choosing software to remove sound from video, take a closer look at Wave.video. It is the perfect solution to make your video silent in a matter of a few clicks!

2. Align the video background with your brand

Branding is extremely important in setting yourself apart from the competition.

Values, sources of information, and aesthetics all play a huge role in online branding. By ensuring the video you choose aligns with your brand, you promote that idea of your company and products even more.

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Examples of aligning with your brand are well-known corporations like Apple and Tesla, which advertise to their strengths.

Luxury products, as an example, can sometimes sell themselves, but establishing yourself as a luxury brand can be a bit tough. Marketing with action and buzz words to a familiar audience can change the public view of your product and establish a brand based on that public view.

By ensuring the video you choose aligns with your brand, you promote that idea of your company and products even more.

Source: VideoAmp

3. Make sure that video only acts as a background

Whatever components you choose to add to your website, not one element should overpower the others.

If you choose to add a video to act as a background, the video shouldn’t overshadow the actual purpose of the website is. A great example of this is the national park websites, which can include videos of their attractions but serve to further promote the information in their captions.

The video background should never be the main idea, but an illustration of it instead.

If you choose to add a video to act as a background, the video shouldn’t overshadow what the actual purpose of the website is.

Source: Bears Ears

4. Short with limited loop

Going back to the last point, the selected video should not be the main focal point of your website or brand.

Choosing something short that loops may help the dynamics and movement in your website without distracting from the main point you are trying to convey.

Videos should be an addition to the brand and not the entire brand.

Great examples of this can be found at Cadigal.com.au. The background features a 21-second loop of architecture and water features and loops back around to play again. It’s simple, short, and helps with the experience of the site as a whole.

Choosing something short that loops may help the dynamics and movement in your website without distracting from the main point.

Source: Take a ride with me

5. Consider mobile users

While technological advancements have paved the way for incredible handheld devices and their capabilities, video playing in a website can cause a lag in loading information and external pages.

Bear in mind that convenience tends to be a huge marketing tool, and if the website doesn’t load properly for mobile users, that can severely cut into the productivity of that web design.

One example of this exact issue is expressed on WordPress.com, where users try to troubleshoot the background and subsequent loading information in the online platform with little success.

Bearing in mind the mobile user availability of today, it’s important to be mindful of who can access what!

If the website doesn’t load properly for mobile users, that can severely cut into the productivity of that web design.

Source: Lyft

6. Convey complex products and services

We’ve all heard the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, so a video might be worth a million.

Using that communication type to better describe a product or service can really set you apart from the competition and better inform your customers.

Use video to better describe a product or service. This can really set you apart from the competition and better inform your customers.

Source: Hi Skin

Pros and Cons of Using Video as a Background

The pros of using a video as a background in an online space can be limitless depending on the content you want to promote.

  • Videos add character and movement to the webspace, allowing for a visually appealing and unique design.
  • Video backgrounds are eye-catching and new, drawing in users with an aesthetic perspective.
  • Backgrounds are meant to contrast or bring attention to the main event, the content on your website. A movement against an unmoving script of text or other pictures can be a great way of bringing attention to those ideas if done correctly.
  • Video backgrounds allow for a dynamic space where other elements can be incorporated more fluidly, like typography and a more vast color palette.

The cons behind using movement and video in your webspace as a background can be a little more involved depending on your content.

  • Too much movement can be distracting. You never want your background to overshadow the main points of your website, and adding a video can pull focus from your ideas.
  • Mobile users can have trouble with video backgrounds. Users who primarily use a mobile device to surf the web are already limited by the WiFi (or lack thereof) they are connected to. Adding a video can strain these connections making it harder for mobile users to view your content.

A Shoutout to Typography

Typography is a commonly used method of adding personality to a web space’s atmosphere and can be just as eye-catching as a video background if used in the right way.

Simply put, typography is the art of styling text in an easily digestible way.

The organization and composition of the letters has been proven to have a drastic impact on the outcome of the effectiveness in the messages portrayed.

Typography_Ark Shelter

Source: Ark-shelter

Using different fonts, italic versus bold features, and different colors to express your content, typography adds dimension to a flat surface to better express an idea. Boring, non-engaging texts can really deter an audience from your content, no matter how amazing your content might really be. Being able to put your text in a way that can be looked at without much effort, readable in just a few minutes, and easily retained will do nothing but boost your customer engagement in the long run.

Typography can build brand recognition and holds the attention of readers to your product. Think to well-known brands that you can easily pick their logo and text-type out of a line-up. That’s the power of typography.

Typography_FabioFormato

Source: Fabio Formato

Eye-catching fonts and colors can influence consumer trends and choices in the marketplace. In the cases where it’s not a product being sold, but rather an idea, typography plays a huge role in the overall emotional appeal a webspace has.

Between the two majorly influential components we discussed today, a skillful web designer can expect to build and craft the ideal website customer-facing interface that’s easy to navigate and easy to look at.

Conclusion

All in all, short and concise video additions to any website may just help to further promote and establish your content in the online space. If done with thought, care, and practice, a well-placed

It’s important to be as considerate as possible to mobile users, and folks without the ability to launch the video additions.

Having the background being the only source of atmosphere and personality won’t serve the same way that other forms of content might, so be sure to diversify when you can! 

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