JASON DROHNWhat Else Goes on Your VSL Page?
Typically right below a VSL is an order button or link. The call to action in the
video can be something like “click the button below to get started” or “click the
button below to order.” Unless you're running a sale, there's no real need to
mention the price in the VSL. Just display it on or near the order button. That
way if you change the price, you won't have to edit the VSL (and you would
definitely need to if you raise the price, because you don't want to say $27 in
your video, then have people see that the price is actually $47).
You can put a traditional text headline above the VSL, or at least some text that
encourages people to watch the video. It can be something like “New Video
Reveals How to ...” or “Watch This Video to Learn About ...”
If you're going to be sending traffic from ads to the VSL, that headline should be
consistent with your ad. It doesn't have to be word for word the same, but it
should feel in sync with what your visitor just saw in your ad.
Some people like to put some copy below the VSL. This can be somewhat like a
transcript of the VSL or even a long-form sales letter for the same product. The
theory for doing this is that some visitors would rather read than watch a video
or are in some situation where they can't watch a video (like at work), so the text
version is for them.
Is that a good idea or not? The only way to know is to test it. In some cases
adding the text version will increase sales for the reasons I've stated. In others it
will actually distract people and decrease sales. A split test is the only way to tell
whether it helps. Also, if your VSL is new and it doesn't convert well, you won't
know if that's because of the text on the page or the video itself.
Start testing your VSL by just having the video, the order button, and the
headline at the top. That way you'll know that whatever conversion numbers you
see are due to the video or the headline. Once your VSL has decent conversion,
you can consider split testing it against a page that also has the text copy below
the video.
Who Should Narrate Your VSL?
You can narrate the video yourself or hire someone to do it for you. Many
people don't like the sound of their own voices. This is mostly because your
voice sounds different in your head than it does when recorded. Have you ever
listened to a recording of your own voice and thought, “That doesn't sound like
me”? We all have. The fact is, for some anatomical reasons, the voice we hear
when we talk out loud is not the same as others hear. The recorded version is
much closer to how the voice really sounds.
For most people, I would advise them to narrate their own VSL. If you're telling
your own story, it sounds more authentic if you tell it yourself than if someone