Get That 17-Minute on-demand Demo Off Your Homepage

We’ve all seen it, we’ve all done it. That long Loom video of you walking through your product. The one smack dab at the top of your homepage. The 17-minute saga where you start with “Hey guys, it’s me, the founder… I just wanted to show you a quick look around…,” and then proceed to click through literally everything your platform can do. Seventeen minutes later, you’re still going.

You know the one.

And we get why you made it. You know your product better than anyone. And when you’re building something great, of course you want to show it off in detail.

But that kind of video doesn’t belong on your homepage.

Ok, wise guy, so what should I have on my homepage?

People don’t land on a SaaS homepage looking for a bootleg TED Talk. They’re looking to figure out three things, and pronto:

1. What is this?
   They want to understand what your product does. Plain and simple. If that’s not obvious within a few seconds — from your headline, subhead, or first sentence — they’re going to move on. Nobody wants to work to figure it out.

2. Is it for me?
   Now that they kind of get what it is, they want to know if it’s relevant. Is this built for people like me? Does this apply to my role, my team, my company size, my problem? If they don’t feel seen, they’ll assume it’s not for them.

3. Can it help?
   Last one, and probably the most important. They’re thinking: will this solve the problem I have? Not in theory. Not after 17 minutes. Right now. A clear value prop and some clear examples or visuals go a long way here. They’re not looking for every feature at this point.
   

A long, unstructured demo with bad sound quality doesn’t help them understand any of these things. It slows them down. It hides the value. And most of the time, they’ll scram before they’ve even made it to the part where your product shows itself off.

The brutal truth is...

• These long videos are boring from start. No one wants to see a sleep-deprived founder sipping their eighth coffee of the day, mumbling through a dashboard and forgetting where half the benefits are.
  

• It’s a bit presumptuous. If I want a full demo, I’ll look for one after I’ve been sold on the idea.

• I probably don’t have 17 minutes to spare on my first visit to your site. I’m just trying to figure out what your product does, FFS.

• It feels lazy. Sounds backwards, right? A long, detailed walkthrough must be thorough? Errrrrrgh wrong. It’s the opposite — it skips the hard work of distilling your product into a clear, compelling message. If your product is awesome, then you should be able to explain why in under two minutes. Yes, that means putting in the effort to create a proper marketing video — something designed, written, and edited with love. If you care about the product and the people it’s for, show that by making something that respects their time.

• Also (don’t take it personally) but you’re probably not TED Talk standard. Most founders aren’t. Simon Sinek isn’t building CRM. And hey, that’s not a dig. It’s just not what people are here for. Your homepage isn’t the place to practice your speaking skills.

• And finally… they’re just dull. When I see that little circle in the corner with a talking head floating over a UI, I already know what’s coming: awkward clicking, meandering commentary, no clear structure. And I’m not clicking play just to prove myself right or wrong.

You still need a video. Just… not that video.

I'm not anti-video. I'm just anti the wrong video in the wrong place. You absolutely should have a short, punchy marketing video.

And let’s be super transparent: that’s what it is, a marketing video. Not a support helpdesk video.

You can call it an “explainer” or a “short demo” or dress it up however you like, but at the end of the day, it’s a marketing job. And that’s not something to shy away from.

Marketing isn’t a dirty word. It’s essential. It’s what gets people to notice you, to understand you, to care.

If you think you can get away without investing even slightly in a proper 1–2 minute video, you’re not taking this seriously.

That doesn’t mean you need to spend thousands. You don’t have to hire an agency. You don’t even need a freelancer.

You could get a mate who knows their way around an editing platform to help. You could put it together yourself.

But there is an art to it. We know, because these kinds of videos are our pride and joy here at Chief.

If you can afford to invest, we highly recommend it. If you can’t, that’s fine, but don’t kid yourself that making a good one is easy. Respect the work it takes to make something short, sharp, and genuinely good.

A great 1–2 minute video (designed, scripted, and built with your audience in mind) is one of the best investments you can make.

Think of it like a trailer. It doesn’t show everything. It teases the best parts. It makes people want to see more.

A good marketing video does three things:

• Captures attention

• Communicates value

• Builds curiosity

Another critical point….

Don't Gate Your Videos.

If you make a great video, don't ruin it by locking it behind a form. Watching a video about your product is not a reward that prospects have to "earn" by signing up for something.

It's not a favor you're doing for them. It's a favor you're doing for yourself.

Videos should be effortless to access, to skip through, to exit from. Let people decide when they watch, how much they watch, and if they want to watch at all.

Every extra click, every “enter your email to view,” every “this video will start after you register”, just makes it harder. Most people won’t stick around.

If you value your potential customers, you’ll make the experience as easy, as enjoyable, and as optional as possible.

Long demos still have value, just not on your homepage.

So now what. Delete?

Woah, steady on. I’m not saying scrap them entirely.

A longer, more detailed walkthrough can be great — for people who are ready for it. But that’s a different moment. That’s someone who’s clicked around, looked at pricing, maybe even signed up. For them, a more detailed walkthrough makes sense.

So tuck the long demo somewhere that fits. A “See it in action” page. A support hub. A follow-up email after someone books a call. Somewhere it belongs. Somewhere you can also add a little but of conversion tracking.

Or if you really want to walk people through the full product in more detail, do it properly: host a webinar.

That’s the right format for a longer, slower, more complete explanation. People expect it there. They’ve opted into it.

But your homepage isn’t that. It’s not a classroom or a conference. It’s a pitch.

Keep it short. Keep it strong.