In this digital era, online product and marketing videos are “must-haves” for every company who wants to be competitive in their market space. Companies need to engage their audience and grow their businesses. One of the most effective ways is by producing videos. However, a company video can be a double-edged sword, it can do good but it can also be harmful if not done right. The last thing that you want is to produce company videos that misrepresent your brand and harms your image. In the last 21 years, we (Alta Productions) have produced thousands of videos for companies of all sizes, across many industries. Here are some tips on creating a successful video for your company.
Focus on the message, not your company
Humans are emotional beings who crave for stories that we can connect with. That is why content that showcases human interest stories are the most loved and shared among friends and family. So rather than creating a video that is hard selling the benefits of your product to your audience, try telling a story. Let your audience feel and connect positively with your brand and message. Try to embed your product and message subtly into the storytelling.
Importance of relevance
I get this question a lot from my clients, "How long should my marketing video be?" There are no straight answers to this question. It all depends on the quality of the content and how relevant your video is to the target audience. For example, a 100 episodic, 60 minutes Korean period drama series is compelling if you are a K-Drama fan. You can binge watch for hours. But if you are not interested in that genre, even 10 seconds of content is too painful to endure.
In this fast pace environment, a lot of digital marketers are too scared of boring their audience. So they produce marketing videos with quick cuts, punchy effects with overly dramatic music. There is certainly a space for these videos. However, if your video is story driven by characters, give it space and time for the emotions to develop and time for the audience to connect. Some feelings cannot be rushed.
The Swiss Army knife approach
Many corporate clients have high hopes to produce a single "killer" video that can address all the branding, marketing, and communication needs. This Swiss Army all-in-one multi-tool video must be an award-winning masterpiece, a Youtube hit, with viral effects. Beyond that, this video will also please all the stakeholders, gain investors and also attract top talents to their company.
This may sound funny but I have met so many clients with this mindset. A Swiss Army knife approach to these video production can be done, but they don't work as well. We recommend that a kitchen knife set approach. What most clients need is a series of shorter videos, each targeting a specific audience with a focused message. The cost of just a little more to produce multiple short videos instead of a single long-duration video. The shooting days are usually the same. Only the post-production cost will increase for the multiple video approach.
Approach video production professional for free advice on how to produce a great video. You can find out more about us here.