Online video marketing is driving customer behavior today. Are you leveraging video as part of your strategy?
 
Video is the way to go.
 
Not only are more consumers choosing to watch video over other content formats (studies show 80% in fact), more than half of them take action after viewing the advertisement. And, once you invest the time and money to create one video, it can live online forever, being viewed countless times for years. That’s the power of video marketing.
 
But how do you keep the consumer interested? Keep them watching? Here are some tips to improving the quality of video production so that your marketing content stands out from the rest.
 
1. Tell a story—make it catchy.
 
During the planning phase, write a script that is original and creative.
 
  • What’s your hook?
  • Draw a storyboard and create a shot list.
  • Be choosy when casting actors for your video. Are they forcing their lines or do they deliver their dialogue in a natural way? This attention to detail is critical.
  • When it comes time to write content to attract viewers, use a catchy title.
  • Have all details well mapped out before the day you film so that no time is wasted with logistics.
  • Consider the set and match it to the concept. If your set is not an office, don’t shoot the video in an office and try to disguise it as something else. It will look fake and you’ve lost the viewer. Pay attention to these details.
 
2. Content, content, content!
 
Develop the story with informative, relevant content. You might have all of the other details worked out, but if the actual content of the video misses the mark, you’ve blown it.
 
  • How-to’s are an excellent way to deliver relevant content that viewers gravitate toward.
  • Position yourself as a subject matter expert so the viewer walks away having gained specific information. They’ll come back for more.
  • Consider shooting a series of content-rich videos. The goal is to attract viewers and keep them coming back for more. A series is a great strategy for building on your brand identity.
 
3. Get the production right the first time.
 
By focusing on all of the production details as you shoot, you’ll save time by lessening the need to re-shoot or edit later. What are the key elements of production?
    

  • Sound quality—how do the actors sound on set? Do you have lapel microphones for seated actors?
  • Lighting—are there shadows? Is the footage over exposed? Under exposed?
  • Tripod—is it level? Be sure the sound quality on set is good and be prepared to use lapel microphones for seated actors.
  • Camera—is it focused? Are you positioning the actor according to the rule of thirds? This means you don’t want to center the person’s head while they’re speaking, for example, but have them slightly off-center. Not only does it look better, it gives you room to display branding on the other side or their name, title, and company.
 
4. Include a call to action.
 
Edit your video as part of post-production. Is your content indeed targeted to the audience you’ve intended? Is it engaging and well-paced or does it drag on? Aim for eight seconds to capture the viewer’s attention.
 
  • Include your URL in your video to drive your viewers to action
  • Add a text box to your video during editing to display your website.    
  • Take advantage of branding opportunities by adding the company logo  
  • Embed the video on your website