If you only have a few seconds to consume media, what packs more of a punch: video or written content? With the power to transmit images and information quickly and creatively across countless social media and web platforms, video makes communication simple without the commitment to time or attention articles and other written posts require. When you want to make a video that’s guaranteed to succeed, these essential elements are a must.
A Great Purpose
Like all forms of content marketing, if there’s no point, why are you bothering? Video marketing requires the same: a great purpose. Before you set up behind the camera, you need to know what you’re trying to accomplish. Are you spreading a PR message? Are you trying to draw a crowd to your site? Do you want to market a new product release or company launch? No matter what’s driving you, it needs to be at the front and center of your production process.
A Strong Message
You know why you’re producing a video, but will your audience? Regardless of what’s motivating you, you need to make sure it comes through in your production. If the script, the style, and the overarching themes don’t align with what you’re trying to accomplish, all you’re going to do is confuse people. Keep your video short and to the point, and be sure the message you want to communicate is evident. If it’s not, there’s a good chance viewers won’t make it past the first few seconds.
A Good Platform
A man talking into a camera isn’t necessarily creative, or a great way to keep people interested if it doesn’t fit your message. Your communication platform, the themes and strategies you use to provide information, matters a great deal in getting your message across. An off camera strategy, for example, is great for a webinar or instructional film, while an on camera approach can add a human side to a video project. Cartoons and animation can be effective in taking a lighthearted approach, while text can seem authoritative.
A Promotional Strategy
When you take time to produce a great video, you obviously won’t be keeping it to yourself. The right approach to promotion can be just as important as the production process itself. After all, if no one sees it, all of your efforts were wasted. Start by publishing your video to your company- or brand-specific YouTube account, and then spread it across your social media marketing strategies. In addition, you can also embed your videos on your website and blog pages.
Consistency
If your company’s voice has always been proper and conservative, a cartoon-laden video with modern slang may not be the right approach for you. Your video marketing should stay consistent with your company’s tone and voice, and every production should be at least slightly uniform. And once you start marketing through video, it’s important to continue; with a dedicated, consistent marketing strategy, you’ll be much more likely to get the word out about what you have to offer.
Short, powerful, and explosive, video marketing opens so many doors for the creative minds behind companies and brands. When you’re looking for a way to influence consumers, spread the word about your business, and send a message that sticks in viewers’ minds, video marketing offers strengths no other forms of media can match. What will you and your team accomplish with the power of video?
