Add a video to my website header

Using video in your website header is a way to increase visual interest, or highlight your products or services. If you want to change the look of your header, change your theme. Videos in your header are played without sound.

This video is part of the How-To series for Build Your Own Website.

1. Go to your GoDaddy product page.
2. Scroll to Websites + Marketing and select Manage next to your website.
3. Select Edit Website or Edit Site to open your website editor.
4. Select your header (the first section of your home page), and then select the arrow next to your cover media.
   
5. Select Video.
6. Select Change video.
7. Upload or select your own video or stock video, or import a video from a URL. (Only Vimeo links work for the Header video, but you can add a YouTube video link to other website sections.)
• You can upload 3 videos or 5 GB directly into your Media Library.
• After 3 uploaded videos or 5GB, you'll need to connect your GoDaddy account to a free Vimeo account.
• If you want to upload more than 10 videos per day, 500 MB per week, or 5GB total or you need advanced customization, you'll need to upgrade to a paid Vimeo account. Read more about GoDaddy's partnership with Vimeo.
8. Select whether customers viewing your site on mobile devices will only see the thumbnail, so that your page loads faster, or the video.
9. Your changes are saved as you work. Publish your site to make the changes live to everyone else.

Video header best practices

• There is no sound in header videos so that it doesn’t distract the user or increase the time it takes for the page to load. If you want the video to play with sound, then add a video to your site.
• The best videos for headers are short loops (about 30 seconds maximum). If your video is very short (less than 5 seconds), try to make the beginning and ending scenes similar so it’s not jarring when the video jumps back to the beginning of the loop.
• The most effective videos help you:
  • Set a mood. Show what life is like behind the scenes, or what it’s like to interact with your employees from the customer’s point of view.
  • Showcase your products. Show people using your products so customers can imagine what it’s like for themselves. Or do a digital flythrough to highlight your product’s best features.
  • Set the scene. Take your audience on an adventure, especially if you are an event planner or in hospitality. Or give a tour of your shop, spa, restaurant, or cafe.
• Videos should be fairly simple and movement should be smooth and fluid, not choppy or too active.
• Use videos purposefully. They are very good at drawing attention, but shouldn’t distract from the rest of your site.
• Make sure the color of your site content doesn’t blend in with the colors in your video. Otherwise your text is hard to read over the background.
• Avoid text overlay in the video so there are no additional visual distractions.
• Adding text in your header fields instead of in the video helps your site get found in search results.

More info

• Learn more about the partnership between Vimeo and GoDaddy and how it allows you to upload your own videos.
• Connect your GoDaddy account to Vimeo to upload additional videos, edit your videos and configure your video player settings.
• Need to add a video that has too much action for the background? Add a YouTube or Vimeo video to your site using an external link.
• Watch the Making a Plan For Your Video How-To lesson video, part of the Be Your Own Creative Agency course.