More than 64 percent of consumers are likely to buy a product after watching a video about it. But nobody is born a director, and nobody can become one overnight, either.
So what do you do?
Learn from the experts, of course. Here’s a crash-course on how to produce great videos for marketing your product or service.
15 Ways to Produce Great Videos
What makes a good video? Well, it might be easier to answer the question, “What makes a bad one?”
In short, a great video leaves a lasting impression on its audience. Here are some easy ways to do that, from beginning to end.
1. Don’t Blow the Title
Your title is what makes people click on your video. Don’t be vague, and don’t mislead them. Clickbait is public enemy No. 1.
The most effective titles include relevant SEO keywords without giving away the premise of the entire video. Read on to learn more about how to use SEO to your advantage.
2. Grab the Viewers’ Attention Right Away
Once your title has attracted some viewers, you only have 10 seconds to hook them before they click away. How do you do it?
Simple: Spark their curiosity. Use questions or teasers; be inspiring, informative, and entertaining. In short, make them want to keep watching.
3. Tell a Story
It will be clear if your video sounds too much like a sales pitch. Avoid this by appealing to your viewers’ emotional side.
What do they need? What do they want? How will your product or service improve their quality of life? Make the viewer feel like they come first, not you.
4. Focus on Your Mission
Your company’s mission can be an effective way of resolving the central conflict of your story.
What message do you want to send to your viewers? How do you want your business to be remembered? What role does your business play in society? Keep these questions in mind as you produce your video.
5. Keep it Short
As technology advances, it seems our attention spans dwindle. According to HubSpot, the ideal video lengths for social media are as follows:
- Facebook: 1 minute.
- Twitter: 45 seconds.
- Instagram: 30 seconds.
Viewers don’t have a lot of time. Don’t waste it.
6. Speak Professionally
In most videos, using professional language sounds better than amateur language. Recruit an employee who’s experienced in front of the camera. And before you start recording, visit the site for advice on how to write professional scripts for your voiceovers.
7. But Loosen Up
Find the balance between professionalism and humor. If you want your viewers to take you seriously, you have to speak with authority while also relating to them in some way. Just don’t lose sight of your main goal while attempting to be funny.
8. Incorporate Music
Music is a key tool in conveying the emotions of your story. Even if you have a voiceover, layering non-disruptive music in the background can help complement the overall tone of your video and make it feel more “complete.”
Make sure to secure legal permission/proper licensing for the music you choose.
9. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Silence
Remember when Dora the Explorer used to pause before she continued talking? She employed a method used by many successful public speakers: giving the viewer a chance to absorb what they just learned and respond to it.
The right amount of silence can provoke thought, but too much of it can cause a loss of interest. If you choose to include silence in your video, don’t go overboard with it. And the more you do it, the less meaningful it becomes.
10. Keep Your Customers Involved
Whether you include customer footage, answer customer questions, or fulfill customer requests, like tutorials or behind-the-scenes content, make them feel like part of the process. This will engage current customers and encourage potential ones.
11. Call Your Viewers to Action
Just like every good article or blog post has a call to action, your videos should be no different. Create brand recognition by including your company’s name or website at the end of the video, and give viewers a reason to contact you, browse your shop, or subscribe to your newsletter.
12. Don’t Forget to Add Subtitles
If you don’t add captions or subtitles directly into your video, at least make the option available on whichever outlet(s) you post it on. Doing so will help make your video more accessible to people with disabilities, and it will also let viewers watch in settings where noise could get them in trouble or they simply can’t hear.
13. Upload Native Content
Native videos are videos posted directly to social media as opposed to external links. Since they’re platform-specific, they increase the video’s number of unique views, discoverability, and distribution. In fact, native videos perform 10 times better on Facebook than YouTube links.
14. Keep SEO in Mind
Google loves videos. Maximize your content’s search engine visibility by including well-written descriptions loaded with keywords relevant to your topic. This way, you’ll get better ratings and appear in more search results.
Need a little help getting started? Here are five ways to find the right SEO keywords.
15. Build Anticipation
Before your video is released, take to social media and other advertising outlets to hype people up about it. Post brief teasers with the video’s launch date, and tell viewers where they can find it when the day finally comes. This will reduce the likelihood that your target audience misses it.
Parting Words
When it comes to producing great videos for marketing, every aspect of production is important. But while you want your video to appear “polished,” remember that it doesn’t have to be “perfect.” People don’t expect Hollywood quality from a business (unless, of course, the business is Hollywood).
Nevertheless, the key to a great video is the time and attention spent on planning it. Commit to an approach, but be flexible; if something isn’t working out, don’t waste even more time trying to achieve the impossible.
If all else fails, it couldn’t hurt to outsource a professional or at least ask for help. For additional resources, be sure to subscribe to Business Module Hub and get connected with other like-minded self-starters.
