It’s been 4 years since Google bought YouTube and delivering video on your site is now expected rather than an added feature. Several financial institutions have incorporated video into their site and some have really hit it right on the mark.

RBC Global Asset Management features Daniel Chornous, the Chief Investment Officer speaking about the market outlook. Placed prominently on the homepage these videos are studio quality and professionally produced. The video loads quickly and the sound quality is excellent. I really like the closed captioning feature which the user can turn on or off. The video also includes PowerPoint slides which are transitioned into smoothly.

I wasn't as impressed with Scotiabank’s video of Rick Waugh, President and CEO welcoming customers to Scotiabank. Buried deep in the About Us section the site, the video is almost impossible to find. Instead of embedding the video (common practice these days), the user must first select which format they'd like to use, Windows Media Player or Apple QuickTime. Usually I like user options but in this case I'd suggest they just present the video in Flash. Providing options for alternative formats in the right-hand column could be an added benefit. After selecting the link, I choose the QuickTime format, the video launches in a separate pop-up window at a resolution of 320x200. The first issue here is that many browsers now suppress pop-ups. Secondly, before the video starts QuickTime pops-up asking if I want to update QuickTime (which always happens as I never use QuickTime anymore). Thirdly, the resolution is far too small to engage me and lastly the quality is mediocre. Video presented like this harms your brand.

A good attempt that’s between the RBC and Scotiabank videos is TD Bank’s “What a difference a year makes”. Even though Craig Alexander, SVP and Deputy Chief Economist is speaking at a banquet hall, the sound quality and video work are good. There’s good use of slides which the camera zooms in on, making the viewer feel like they have the best seat at the banquet. The video should be presented in its own page or on the same page as the link rather than as a pop-up, but overall a good presentation.

A few basic tips to presenting quality video on your site;
1) Deliver it in the industry standard recognized format of Flash.
2) Incorporate other visual aids so that users aren't staring at a talking head the whole time.
3) Present it in a resolution that is appropriate for the standard size of monitors today. 520x390px works well.
4) Ensure the sound quality is audible by using a mic.
5) Try and keep the length 2 to 5 minutes.

For more advanced tips on using video on your site see the Google best practices page.

Have you incorporated video on your site? What were the biggest lessons you learned?