Without customers, you don’t have a business. With so much business happening online, you have to cater to the online customer if you want your business to survive. Videos are how many online consumers learn about products, and if you don’t have them, you are missing out on potential customers. It’s 2022, and if you don’t have videos in your marketing campaign then you are already behind. However, it’s never too late to get started.
Videos are an investment. If you have the budget, and are confident in your marketing strategy, then go ahead and outsource. Why waste time and effort trying to do it yourself, when the money investing into professionally-made videos will not only boost your reputation by producing a quality you want your brand associated with, but it will likely perform better as well. However, if you are unsure as to how effective it will be, then work your way up until you make it to a place where you see for yourself how your investment in video production is paying off, and then once it starts paying for itself, outsource it to professionals to give you more time to focus on your business. Until you reach that spot, here are some basic tips for getting started making videos for your business.
1. Research
If you haven’t made many videos and you don’t have the budget to hire professionals, no need to panic. You may be at square one, but in this age of information, there are plenty of resources available to quickly teach you how to get a handle on making compelling videos for your company in hardly any time at all. Doing your research will help give you ideas and direction for videos that will work for your company. Even if you do end up outsourcing, researching will not only help you communicate to the video company, but it will allow you to better judge the quality you are getting from them.
2. Know Your Team
While anyone can make a video, it takes a team to make a good one. Know your team and what they are capable of. Some people may have a hidden talent and be invaluable to the production of a video; others may be of very little use to a video project. Knowing who you already have and what they can do can make all the difference between a bland and stunning video. If you happen to be one of the only people on your team with applicable skills, you may have to get creative, but don't overlook others you may work with, otherwise, you risk outsourcing more than you may need to.
3. Consider Your Cameras
Depending on the style of your video, you may be able to get away with using something as simple as a smartphone. Does the type of camera make a difference? Definitely yes, but it does not necessarily mean you have to dish out the big bucks just to make a good-looking video. If most of your clientele will be viewing the video on a mobile device, it may not be a big deal to use a simpler camera, especially if it is only for a short social media ad. Do what you can afford, and when the videos start paying off, then make the upgrade, but don’t make the mistake of thinking you have to pay a lot to begin making marketing investments in video content. Also, check the web for free stock footage, as there are plenty of quality background videos that are free even for commercial-use.
4. Experiment with Free Editing Software
There are free alternatives to most popular editing software, and while they may be limited in the scope of what they are capable of, you may be surprised at the content you can make with them. If you want more complex editing features then hopefully you have someone on your team familiar with video editing, as software with lots of features may not be as user-friendly. However, if you just need some simple edits, there are a handful of easy-to-use software that won’t take long to learn. If you’re looking for some great free video editing software, take a look at Buffer’s “19 Best Video Editing Software for Marketers”. But if you want something now without having to worry about testing out what is right for you, then head over to Canva and try out their easy drag-and-drop video maker which is user-friendly but still allows you to produce some great-looking videos.
5. Keep it Simple
Being a good video editor isn’t about using all the features all the time. It’s about knowing when to use which feature. One mistake rookies often make is including way more graphics and special effects than is needed. Too much can distract from the product you are selling. If you are just starting out, find a simple video that you like from a brand you respect. Study the reasons why it is a good video, and mimic their techniques. Learn your basics before jumping into anything too complex. You may end up being biased about the videos you produce due to the effort you put into making it, so be sure to get a few outside opinions before publishing your first videos.
6. Engage the Audience
A video is useless if no one watches it, and with so much vying for people’s attention these days, you have to make sure your videos are engaging if you want them to be effective in a marketing campaign. There are a multitude of angles to take when brainstorming ways to hook your audience: humor, curiosity, creativity, etc. What’s important is that whatever you choose to do, you do a good job at it. For more ideas on how to be engaging, read our article “Secrets To An Engaging Video.”