Over the past few months, I’ve observed a recurring issue across many sites: high‑quality video content often goes unnoticed because its presentation fails to entice viewers. Even the most engaging footage can fall flat if it isn’t packaged correctly.
Two critical elements determine whether a video will spark interest and, more importantly, drive the desired action: the visual hook (thumbnail, player design) and the interactive features that guide viewers toward conversion.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
- How to increase your video play rates.
- How to embed actionable steps directly within your videos.
Part 1: Getting More People to Play Your Videos
The play rate measures the percentage of visitors who click play and start watching. Optimal rates vary by industry, but a play rate above 70% on high‑traffic pages is an excellent benchmark. At Wistia, we celebrate such numbers.
Optimize Your Thumbnail Image
The thumbnail is often the first impression. Compare these two examples:
Video A.
Video B.
The clearer, more inviting the thumbnail, the higher the likelihood a viewer will click. A smiling human face, in particular, can boost engagement.
The Science Behind a Smile
Evolutionary psychologist Charles Darwin noted that seeing a smile triggers a positive feedback loop in our brains. Dr. Adrian Furnham adds that smiles create social connection and can enhance marketing outcomes. A 5‑week A/B test by Wishpond found that a smiling image increased profits by 10.7%.
Takeaway:
Use a custom thumbnail featuring a smiling face whenever it aligns with your content.
Change That Player Color
Color matters. After uploading a video, head to Video Actions > Customize and select Appearance to replace the default gray button with a brand‑specific hue. Our data shows that custom player colors lift play rates by 18% compared to gray.
Part 2: Driving Action Within Your Videos
Without a clear call to action, a video may be your audience’s final touchpoint. Wistia offers three interactive tools: Turnstile (email capture), Calls to Action (CTAs), and Annotation Links.
Collecting Emails with Turnstile
Turnstile lets you gather email addresses at any point in the video. Integrated with HubSpot, Pardot, or Marketo, it feeds contacts straight into your nurture funnel. Even without integration, you can export a list of new leads directly from Wistia.
To Gate or Not to Gate?
While interruptions can hurt UX, they’re valuable when the viewer receives genuine value. Consider these questions:
- Is the video targeting top‑funnel prospects?
- Is the content more than 50% promotional?
- Is the video concise and to the point?
If any answer is “yes,” skip gating. Conversely, if the viewer stands to save time, learn something new, or gain a promised benefit, a Turnstile can be justified.
Where to Place Your Turnstile
Our analysis of 15,000 videos shows that placing a Turnstile in the first 10–20% of the clip results in a 43% conversion rate.
Mandatory vs. Optional Turnstile
Data indicates that mandatory Turnstiles (no “skip” option) outperform optional ones by 20% in conversion.
Driving Action with CTAs
When email capture isn’t your focus, a well‑crafted CTA can nudge viewers toward the next step. Power words like “you,” “now,” “new,” and “free,” combined with action verbs, lift conversion rates. Unfortunately, 68% of CTAs lack power words and 58.3% omit action words.
Provide Additional Resources with Annotations
Annotations let you offer supplementary content—such as e‑books or training materials—without extending the video. They’re subtle, non‑intrusive, and fully trackable.
Make Timeline Actions Part of the Production Process
Planning your CTAs, Turnstiles, and annotations during production empowers actors to reference them naturally. For instance, an actor can point to an annotation link at the 1‑minute mark, encouraging viewers to explore related resources.
Want to dive deeper? Check out our Guide to Video Metrics and elevate your video strategy.