Video marketing is rapidly growing and will continue to be big in 2017. More and more consumers are listing video as their preferred method of communication and the results speak for themselves....
92% of mobile video consumers share videos with others.
43% of people want to see more video content from marketers.
Marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users.
51.9% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI.
45% of people watch more than an hour of Facebook or YouTube videos a week.
Real estate listings with video receive 403% more inquiries than those without.
If you haven't started incorporating video into your marketing, watch this quick video, on how to overcome the fear and get get on camera!
If you have embraced video, pat yourself on the back for putting yourself out there and sharing your business and knowledge with the world. One of my goals this year is to slowly improve the quality of my videos. While I definitely believe most of us have everything we need at out fingertips to start filming (YAY for the iPhone!), I also know there are some simple tactics we can implement that will make a big difference in the quality department.
Here are four tips that will dramatically improve your marketing videos without costing you a single dollar...
Tip #1: Content is key!
Let's get real for a second.... if your content is boring, self-serving, a big marketing pitch or all over the place, no one is going to pay attention. People consume video to be entertained, inspired, discover something, learn something or get to know a person or brand better. If you aren't accomplishing one of these things in every video you need to rethink your content strategy. Brainstorm ways you can connect with and engage your target customers while solving a problem for them.
If you haven't yet, go through what I call a "Ideal Customer Avatar Exercise" where you create a description for the client or person you are trying to do business with. Write out a detailed profile describing who they are including: where they work, what their biggest fears are, what their goals are, what they do for fun, what their job title is, where they live, etc. Once you know exactly who your audience is, create themes for your videos that address their fears and goals in life.... how can you help get them where they want to be?
Tip #2: Check your lighting.
Lighting is something every video marketer struggles with, unless you have some lighting equipment. I am going to assume most of you don't have a lighting kit? So what can we do with the good old natural light the Lord gave us? Actually a lot! Even, natural light is beautiful on camera, but you need to keep an eye out for a few things that will kill the aesthetics of you videos.
Time of day is key when filming outside. You don't want to film when the sun is beating down on you in the middle of the day. Instead opt for waiting to film until 2-5 PM when the light is soft, indirect and warm. You don't want too much light and you don't want too little.
Always check to make sure where you are filming doesn't have any buildings or trees that are casting a shadow on your picture. This can make it look uneven and dark in certain areas. If you are filming by a window make sure the camera is setup in front and you are facing the window (but not too close), so you can benefit from the extra light.
Bottom line: make sure you test drive the lighting before shooting your video to ensure the light is balanced and the desired look you are going for.
Tip #3: Test your sound.
There's nothing more annoying than a video with a bunch of background noise! Sound is another key component you need to check before recording. Make sure, if you are using a camera phone, that you're close to the mic and in a quiet location. Phones are notorious for picking up any and all noise around since they are not a directional mic, meaning they are not meant to pick up focused sounds. If you want more precise sound, consider investing in a Lavalier mic, which I cover in part II to this blog post on camera equipment.
Tip #4: No busy or distracting backgrounds.
Like mama said, "clean your room before having friends over!" Hopefully we all learned from Alyssa Bordelon's viralTwitter fail to keep an eye out for what we've got going on in the background of our videos. This simple tip is often missed in both photography and videography and can be extremely embarrassing. The goal here is to make sure whatever is going on in the background doesn't detract from where your audience's focus should be. Think neutral, clean, simple and nothing moving around.
These are a few cost-effective, simple tips you can start using today that will dramatically improve the quality of your videos. If you're into video marketing and have additional tips, I'd love to hear them in the comments below?!
xo
CopyKat