Over the years, video has grown to become a digital marketing juggernaut. 86% of businesses use video as a promotional tool, and 92% continue to see it as a crucial part of their marketing strategy.
There’s good reason for this. Videos can help you:
- Engage your audiences quickly
- Optimize your marketing spend
- Create shareable content
- Secure a higher Google ranking
- Give your brand an aspect of reliability, trust, and honesty
Simply put, video is king. But with almost every brand investing in video marketing, how do you keep things fresh and innovative?
Creative video production is both a science and an art. There is a lot going on behind the scenes. So, if you want your video to cut through the noise and stand out, you’ll need to put your thinking caps on, pronto.
Need a little help? We’ve got your back. Here are six creative video production tips to take your content up a notch.
1. Focus on Stories Rather Than Sales
Gone are the days when brands had to book a time slot to run an advert. With social platforms, you get to reach the same audience directly. You’re no longer interrupting their entertainment. Instead, you’re competing with it.
Hence, if you want viewers to stop scrolling and play your video, it must have some value for them. Branding videos will likely go unnoticed, since no one likes being sold to.
The best videos tell a story that connects with viewers and keeps them interested all along. The better your storytelling technique, the higher your chances of impressing potential buyers.
2. Define Your Target Audience
To appeal to your audience, you must know who they are, what they like, and what they share.
- Who is your ideal buyer?
- What type of videos do they enjoy the most?
- What are their go-to social media channels?
Answers to these questions will help you develop standout marketing videos.
We suggest you survey your existing client base to take stock of their preferences. With this information, you can streamline your creative video production efforts further.
3. Plan Everything Out
If you think you can wing creativity, think again. Because every aspect of filmmaking requires careful strategizing, it’s always advisable to prepare as much as you can.
Storyboarding is an excellent way to plan shots before you film. You can either use professional storyboarding software, hand-draw a rough sketch, or even use stick figures. The goal is to have a clearer picture of what you want to do for the video. Doing this will also let you secure props, costumes, and locations in advance.
In this regard, think about your B-roll so that you have extra footage during the editing process. B-roll refers to secondary scenes that can be used as cutaway shots to provide more context to your video.
4. Create a Hook
You probably know that attention spans are short online. Hence, you must bring your story to life quickly to prevent people from clicking away.
Utilize the first few seconds to establish context and grab attention. If you manage to make an impact right out the gate, your viewers will be invested for good.
Also, a good thumbnail goes a long way. Thumbnails can begin to spin a yarn and show viewers what’s coming up. When they like what they see at first glance, they’ll feel tempted to follow through with the view. Be sure to choose a clear and crisp thumbnail for your video.
5. Remember to Include a CTA
Strategic calls-to-action (CTA) motivate your audience to become a customers/clients. They can help guide visitors through the sales funnel and directly improve your conversion rates.
In this regard, bear in mind that video CTAs do not have to push a sale. Instead, they can invite viewers to leave a comment, subscribe to your channel, like your page, or check out other videos you posted.
Ready to learn the art of adding strong CTAs to your videos? Here are some tips to point you in the right direction.
- Given how the traffic bounce rate on YouTube jumped from 38% to 52% between January 2020 and March 2021, chances are viewers may exit your video midway. So, it’s best to insert your CTA in the first half to ensure they don’t miss it.
- Align the CTAs with the overall goal of your video. For example, if you want people to sign up for your newsletter, it doesn’t make sense to add a CTA pitching a second video.
- Your CTAs must work on mobile devices, especially if they require users to fill out forms or other intake processes.
6. Try Your Hand at Various Types of Videos
Let’s face it: people tend to get bored soon. If all your videos look and feel the same, your viewers might lose interest in them.
The trick is to experiment with different types of videos matched to your specific marketing needs. Here are some examples of videos you can dabble in.
- Explainer Videos: These short, simple, but powerful marketing videos can describe your product, service, or message perfectly.
- How-To Videos: With these videos, you focus on providing solutions to your viewer’s problems.
- Testimonial Videos: Customer testimonials are crucial to your brand’s reputation. Reports suggest 77% of consumers ‘always’ or ‘regularly’ read online reviews when browsing for local businesses. Few things convince future clients like the opinions of ordinary people. You can use case studies and customer success stories to illustrate how your brand has helped them overcome their pain point.
The Bottom Line
There you have it: six innovative production tips to make the most of your marketing videos. All you need to do is combine these cues with your creative thoughts, and you’re good to go. Remember, there are no correct answers. You’ll have to tap into your audience’s tastes and work accordingly.
Creative video production is a big deal for most companies. But with Crew Pictures, you can get the right people and equipment for the job. Our team of specialists excels at producing videos that authentically convey emotion. For more information, reach out to us today!