Your homepage has about 8 seconds to make an impression. That’s roughly the same time it takes to tie your shoelaces or pour a cup of tea. In those precious seconds, visitors decide whether to stay or leave.
A homepage video can be your secret weapon for keeping them around. But here’s the thing: it can also be the reason they bounce faster than a rubber ball on concrete.
So before you rush off to film something flashy, let’s talk about what homepage videos actually are, when they work brilliantly, and when they’re about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
What is a homepage video?
A homepage video is the first moving image visitors see when they land on your website. Think of it as your digital receptionist, greeting people at the door and showing them around.
These videos come in different flavours:
Hero background videos: Silent, looping footage that sits behind your main headline. Usually atmospheric and mood-setting.
Explainer videos: Short animations or live-action pieces that tell visitors what you do and why they should care.
Presenter-led videos: Real people talking directly to camera. Personal, authentic, and great for building trust.
Cinematic brand films: High-production pieces that tell your story through visuals and emotion rather than words. In many ways, this is your company’s brand video that puts your mission and values front and center.
Where you place your video matters too. Above the fold means immediate impact but potential loading issues. Below the fold gives you more flexibility but less guaranteed views.
Why use one?
Let’s be honest. Not every website needs a homepage video. If you’re selling paperclips online, you probably don’t need a cinematic masterpiece about office supplies.
But homepage videos shine when you need to:
Build trust quickly: Seeing real people and real locations helps visitors feel confident about who they’re dealing with. Especially important for services where trust is everything (healthcare, finance, education).
Explain complex ideas: If your business takes more than a sentence to explain, video can break it down in seconds. Abstract concepts become concrete through visuals.
Stand out from competitors: When everyone in your industry looks the same, video helps you show your personality and approach.
Connect emotionally: Facts tell, but stories sell. Video storytelling lets you tap into feelings that text alone can’t reach.
But skip the video if:
- Your site already loads slowly
- You don’t have a clear message
- You’re doing it because everyone else is
- Your budget means cutting corners on quality
What makes a good homepage video?
Here’s where most businesses go wrong. They create videos about themselves instead of for their audience.
Your visitors don’t care about your company history or your award cabinet. They care about their problems and whether you can solve them.
A good homepage video:
Starts with your audience’s needs – What are they struggling with? What do they want to achieve? Address this in the first 3 seconds.
Has one clear purpose – Are you building trust? Explaining your service? Inspiring action? Pick one and stick to it.
Respects viewing habits – Keep it under 90 seconds. Include captions for silent viewing. Make sure it works on mobile.
Adds value, not decoration – Every second should earn its place. If it doesn’t move your message forward, cut it.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Generic stock footage that could belong to any company
- Corporate jargon that sounds impressive but says nothing
- Focusing on features instead of benefits
- Making viewers work to understand your message
Great homepage video examples
Let’s look at what works in practice:
Warwickshire Bears Wheelchair Basketball: Attitude
This video is a masterclass in clarity of message. Built around the word Attitude, it shows rather than tells what the club stands for. The energy is raw, the tone sincere, and the structure purposeful. It’s not just a video about basketball. It’s about resilience, identity, and the spirit of a team that plays far beyond the court.
Liberation Foods: Any Occasion
This homepage video captures more than what Liberation Foods do—it reflects who they are. Built on a foundation of shared values, the project grew from close collaboration between client and creative. Every frame honours their ethical supply chain, proving that authenticity doesn’t need to be loud to be powerful.
How to decide if you need one
Before you commit to a homepage video, ask yourself:
What specific action do I want visitors to take? If you can’t answer this clearly, stop right there.
Do I have the budget to do it properly? A weak video can do more harm than good. Getting it right matters more than you think.
Will it load fast enough? Test your current site speed first. If it’s already sluggish, adding video could be the final straw.
Quick checklist:
- Clear goal for the video
- Audience that values video content
- Story that benefits from motion
- Budget for professional quality
- High performance video hosting
If you can’t tick all five boxes, reconsider.
How we do it at Film Division
Remember when I said most businesses create videos about themselves? We don’t let that happen.
Our process starts with empathy. We dig deep into your audience’s world. What keeps them up at night? What would make their day better? Only when we understand their perspective do we start thinking about creative.
We live by three principles:
Always start with empathy – Your audience’s needs drive every decision. From the opening frame to the final call to action.
Never compromise quality over convenience – Cutting corners shows. Your audience deserves better, and so does your brand.
Embrace the rule of three – We develop three different creative directions for every project. Not because we’re indecisive, but because the first idea is rarely the best one.
This isn’t about making pretty pictures. It’s about designing experiences that change minds, attitudes and behaviours.
We’ve seen homepage videos transform conversion rates when done right. We’ve also seen them tank websites when done wrong. The difference? Strategy, empathy, and refusing to settle for “good enough.”
How to brief a video agency
If you’re ready to create a homepage video, here’s what to prepare:
Your audience profile – Not demographics. Real insights about their challenges, goals and viewing habits.
Your specific goal – “Increase engagement” isn’t specific. “Get visitors to book a consultation” is.
Your key message – Every video should have one clear message. Trying to say too much? We can help you find the focus.
Technical requirements – Where will it live? What devices will people use? Any accessibility needs?
Examples you like (and why) – Not to copy, but to understand your taste and expectations.
Your budget range – Professionals can work within constraints, but they need to know what they are.
What to expect from a good agency:
They’ll challenge your brief. If they just nod and start filming, run. Good creators ask hard questions because they care about results.
They’ll want to understand your business deeply. Surface-level pretty videos don’t convert. Effective ones come from real understanding.
They’ll present multiple concepts. Remember the rule of three? One idea means they stopped thinking too soon.
Ready to create your homepage video?
A great homepage video can transform how visitors see your business. But only if it’s designed with purpose, created with quality, and focused on your audience.
Of course, a brilliant homepage video only works if people see it. That’s where social media campaign videos come in.
We help you reach the right people and drive them to your site, so your homepage video does what it’s meant to do.
Want to explore what a homepage video could do for your organisation? We’d love to understand your challenges and see if video is the right solution.
Check out our corporate video production work to see how we’ve helped other organisations connect with their audiences.
Or if you’re ready to dig deeper, let’s have a conversation about your goals. Because the best homepage videos don’t start with cameras and scripts. They start with understanding what change you want to create.
Book a discovery call and let’s explore what’s possible.
