5 ways to do marketing videos now

You’ve heard it all before - video is the future and it’s taking content marketing by storm.

Though intimidating to most marketers, videos are well worth the time and production cost and are taking up an increasingly massive portion of all online traffic.  According to a Cisco study, a manufacturer of networking hardware and telecommunication systems, “consumer internet video traffic will dominate other types of traffic by 2019, taking a massive 80% share of the global market. To put that into perspective, it would take a single person 5 million years to watch the amount of video that will cross the network in a single month in 2019. That's a mind-blowing stat for the industry, but as the Internet gets bigger, the demands on infrastructure capable of delivering content to users are going to get even more urgent.”

Here are 4 reasons why video is the future of content marketing, according to The Huffington Post:

• Users spend more time on content when it includes video. This means that engaging and visual content attracts more traffic to your website.
• “Using video on landing pages can increase conversions by 80% and 64% of consumers are more likely to buy a product after watching a video about it.”
• Videos promise high rates of retention and is the preferred method of communication.
• Video receives more click-throughs as it is simple, yet engaging to watch.

With a lot of companies already adding video to their content marketing strategies, you’ll need to walk the extra mile to make your videos stand out. Here is an essential checklist on how to get started with video and what is needed to produce a video from beginning to end:

1. Think of the story you’d like to tell

A good story, no matter how simple, will capture and maintain your audience’s attention. Think about the ideas/themes you would like to communicate and how the value of your message will serve the needs of your target audience. Ideally, you should only focus on one primary message, but if your video has a broader purpose, you may want to include more key messages. The more messages you include, the less likely your audience will remember your main topic. For this purpose, it is probably best to write a script to accompany your video to make sure that everyone involved stays on the same page.

2. Keep your budget in mind and stick to it

You have to do thorough research if you have no experience with video to make sure you stay well within your budget. You do not necessarily need expensive equipment to produce a high-quality video, as your smartphone or tablet is more than capable, but your video still needs to be of good quality. Smart phones with a high resolution camera and the ability to shoot video are easy to find and relatively cost effective in comparison to professional video equipment.

With the help of good editing software and the right film techniques, you can easily produce professional video content for your business. Just be sure to also keep the following in mind:

• Good lighting is critical.
• Use a steady cellphone tripod to capture those intimate moments without shaking (you’re not filming the Blair Witch Project!).
• The audio is just as important as the video, so make sure you have extra equipment like a dictaphone to record external audio.
• Get up close and personal by filming your subject as close as possible to maintain a sense of intimacy in the video.
• Never shoot in vertical mod,e and be prepared for anything.

3. Your first eight seconds is key

Single Grain, a digital marketing agency, says: “Most viewers will drop your video after the first eight seconds have passed. Why? Because as of 2013, that was the average attention span. (This number lives in infamy because it’s actually one second less than the attention span of a goldfish, but there you have it.).”

The first eight seconds of your video should be captivating and informative: who the person in the video is, what their purpose is, what the brand is representing and what the video is about. Greetings will help viewers to stay engaged and aware of your brand.

4. As a beginner…

The following equipment is typically needed when experimenting with video production:

• A suitable DSLR camera.
• An 18-55mm standard lense (typically comes with the camera body).
• A steady tripod with a fluid head
• A shotgun mic attachment which is used for audio recording. We recommend using a RODE VideoMic, but there are cheaper alternatives available.
• An XLR Connector and Cable adaptor
• Two LED lighting panels and stands to provide extra light in dark conditions or locations.

5. The distribution strategy

If you’re finally ready to share your video with your audience, it is important to have a distribution strategy in place. If you’re not sure where the best place is to put your video on your website, here is a list of potential considerations, as compiled by The Sales Lion, a sales and marketing website:

• A home page background video:

One great place to consider placing your video is in the background above the fold of the screen. This type of video can include a product review or provide a solution your company is trying to solve.

• Add a client testimonial section to your website
• About us page:

If you really want to market your company culture, it might be a good idea to add engaging video content to your products and service offerings page.

This blog post is part of the DIGITAL ESSENTIAL series:

• Social media 
• Video 
• Paid advertising 
• Inbound 
• Website 

If you are still unsure of where and how to promote your brand’s digital presence, contact us to discuss your requirements