Video content can bring your brand to life. Reach and attract a new audience. Explain and visually communicate a new or complex process or product.
Even better, these days you probably have several video cameras in the office — just check your co-workers’ phones.
But before you hit “record,” it’s helpful to think about video much like you would any other type of online content: you need a strategy.
Video Content Strategy
Your video content strategy should include:
An objective It could be immediate and measurable, such as connecting with a younger audience or equipping your sales team or brand ambassadors with a visual engaging tool. Or it could be long-term, such as brand perception improvement, or simply telling your company story or the story of a recent event.
A story Who are you? Why do you do what you do? What information, feeling, or action are you trying to convey, communicate, or inspire?
A voice Be genuine and authentic, and speak to your target audience in a way they will respect.
A content editor If you have narrative, text, or a sequence of events that needs clarity of message, consider hiring an editor familiar with interactive content.
Time commitment Where is your audience viewing your video and how long will they focus on it? Be sure the length matches the purpose of the video and respects your audience’s time constraints. Less is more.
Archive How long should this video be around? Does it need to be dated or removed at a certain point?
As is the case with most Web content, “video is not just to sell something, it’s to connect with someone,” says Bekah Christie of Emota, a brand film agency in San Diego. “The best way to build great content is to find the most interesting story, to push deeper than the obvious.”
Video Production Logistics
Planning for video content doesn’t involve only the content and content strategy but also the logistics:
Video type
Location
Resources
Delivery
I asked Bekah Christie how content marketers should plan to produce engaging, powerful video. Here’s her advice, paraphrased:
Match the production value with the content For example, an interview with your CEO might require a higher production value than, say, “word on the street” interviews with everyday individuals. Even so, know that “everyone appreciates beautiful motion and video,” Christie says. “Even if it’s shot with a FlipCam, the story and how you tell it (shoot and edit it) are important.”
Integrate the video with your brand and the campaign as a whole Think of video as part of the whole cohesive message.
Consider the format Where is this video going to be placed? How will it be viewed? On YouTube, Hulu, TV, or your site? Will it be downloaded or streamed? Make sure you have an adequate media player and back-end support in place to enable your video to stream and play efficiently, otherwise all your hard work could be lost in a negative user experience.
Think about the quality of your camera What type of quality does your camera produce? Can it be viewed in HD? Full-screen? What does it look like projected? Does the quality stay intact as you increase the size? Does it need to?
Be authentic Though the shaky homemade video may seem authentic, it might not achieve your objective. On the flip side, an overly produced video may seem forced. The substance should be authentic too. “At Emota, we think in terms of documentary film-making. We want to capture the true story, not just the marketer’s perspective of the story,” says Christie.
Know your camera’s limits Before you set up a shoot and get everyone involved, push your camera to its limits in a testing environment, so you’ll know critical factors such as how long your camera can continuously shoot. Christie tells me that some still camera companies restrict the amount of time that a user can record a continuous shot. This is a built-in safety feature to prevent overheating of the camera’s sensor. Make sure you have enough memory cards, and be sure to test how long your battery will last.
Know your limits, too A poorly made video can do your brand more harm than good. If you choose to create your videos in house, consider educating the people involved first on cohesive story building, video best practices, music integration, copyright laws, video editing, and so on.
Bottom line: When creating video for your brand, the finished product should feel authentic and provide something of value. Have fun with it. Create art. After all, you’re taking up your own time by producing and the viewers time by watching. If the outcome is unexpected, remarkable, or enchanting, everyone wins.
What other tips do you have to create engaging video content that connects?
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