IN THE STUDIO

Mobile traffic is growing each year and has already surpassed desktop access. The reason for this trend is straightforward enough. Mobile device use has surged over the past seven years. In addition to using them for phone calls and texting, people are increasingly taking advantage of the Internet access capability of these devices. It makes little sense to wait until they reach a desktop computer when the mobile devices on their person give them convenient access to the Internet.

Because of this trend, many businesses have mobile friendly websites that accommodate the smaller screen sizes of the different mobile devices in use. However, accommodating mobile traffic doesn't end with mobile friendly websites. Color choices, text fonts, and the types of buttons used on a web page also affect the mobile user's experience. Getting any of these wrong may hurt conversions.

Even with these web design modifications, reading lengthy text articles on a small, hand-held device is difficult. In addition, mobile users aren't always in an environment that's optimal for reading. These people are typically on the go and don't have the time or inclination to read a lot of text.

This is one reason why they find video more appealing. Absorbing video requires less effort than text, and conveys more information in less time. However, ensuring a good video experience for your mobile traffic will require some modifications. Here are four suggestions on adapting video for the mobile device user:

Use Mobile Responsive Video Players

While it's convenient to copy and paste embed code from a video host site into your web pages, the result may not look good on mobile devices. That's because the video player may retain its size on smaller viewing screens even though the rest of your website is mobile friendly. A responsive player will proportionately scale its size to fit the screen of a desktop as well as those of other smaller devices. When hosting or embedding video on your site, verify its responsiveness by viewing it with devices of different screen sizes.

Use Large Text and Close-Up Shots Where Necessary

Videos with text that read well on desktop screens are often illegible on smaller screens because a responsive video player will scale down the size of the video along with any text it displays. Compensate for this by using large bold font. For similar reasons, use close-up shots on important details in your video. While this may be unnecessary for large screens, the same details on smaller screens will be impossible to see or cause eye strain. Don't be afraid to zoom in on small details.

Use High Quality Audio

Many mobile devices have poor quality speakers and are used in noisy environments. A video with poor quality audio simply adds to the overall poor sound quality. Speak clearly and loudly, avoid recording your video in noisy environments, and set the microphone at a sufficiently high level that doesn't distort the sound. For best results, record in a sound-proof area.

Avoid Long Videos

The maximum length will depend on the type of video and its intended audience. Video advertisements should be short. Ten seconds work well for young viewers while 30 seconds are best for older adults between 35 and 54 years of age. Use longer advertisements when explaining complex issues.

On the other hand, instructional videos should be of sufficient length to be useful. One problem with long videos of this type is quick access to the sections of interest to the viewer. Break the video into a series of smaller ones. Give each smaller video a name that's descriptive of the information it contains.

Looking for help on producing quality videos for your mobile traffic? Miceli Productions have the experience, expertise, and imagination to make it happen. Contact us today!