If you go by the video marketing statistics, and you will find that 99% of marketers intend to continue with video content in their advertising campaigns. That’s because videos help their brands reach greater heights of success. In fact, 84% of people tend to purchase a product or service after they watch a brand’s video. So, if your brand or business is yet to harness the power of videos, go through this guide and get started. Video production is not a tedious job, unlike what many people think, if you go about it the right way. Plus, the payoff is huge, as reported by 88% of video marketers who have witnessed positive ROI on video marketing. Videos are not only one of the most engaging content varieties available these days, but also help in evoking emotions like happiness, nostalgia, and hope. Even a minute-long video can send across your marketing message in an attractive manner and help viewers to retain and recall the information better. So, read on to know how to create a video smartly. The 3 Steps of Video Production Knowing about the three major steps can help you understand, plan and implement the process better, without blowing your budget. The main steps include: Now, let’s go through each of these stages in detail: 1. Pre-Production This step involves mapping out the right plan for the video. Which means, you will be figuring out the main subject or topic of the video, identifying the target audience, and planning the resources you will need for making the video. You should also decide on the duration of the video production period in this stage. Basically, keep the following pointers in mind. Set Your Goals Any form of marketing is pointless unless you have a goal in mind. So, before you learn everything about how to make a video, ask yourself why you are doing it. It maybe because you want to boost your online visibility and brand awareness or because you wish to connect with the right kind of potential customers. You might also want to make a video so that your target audience understands your products or services better or how the whole thing works. This, in turn, can lead to greater brand engagement. Even, a shock factor can work wonders, like this video shows. Sharing interesting, informative or fun videos on social media platforms can get you more followers, improve the click-through rate to your website and boost conversions. Your video marketing goal might be to keep loyal customers intrigued as well or to stay on their minds long after they have shopped from you. Also Read: Top 7 Video Marketing Practices for Business Success No matter what your goal is, make sure you and everyone else involved in the video production process knows about it. And of course, the goals should be SMART, or specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Know Your Target Audience So, how to create a video with pictures, music or even effects, and make it truly successful? First figure out who will watch it and why. In other words, beyond demographics, you need to understand your target audience’s problems, questions, and interests. Short online surveys might help you to get an idea about that. You also need analytics tools to study your potential customers’ browsing behavior, the search phrases they use while looking for something you sell and understand their behavior on social media channels. Qualitative studies like focus groups can also help you understand your target audience better. This will not only help you frame the content of the video, but also the tone. For instance, if you sell baby care products, fun and adorable are elements that you can use in your video. But if you are wondering how to make a video to sell insurance, the tone needs to be serious yet optimistic. Also, no matter who your target audience is, no one likes hard selling these days. Avoid jargons as much as possible, even if your potential customers are tech-savvy, since not everyone knows everything. Prepare and Convey the Core Message Effectively Once you know your target audience, it is time for you to reflect on the content you will be presenting in the video. Think about what action you want your audience to take after watching the video. Now, if you are thinking of how to create a YouTube video on computer, remember that the attention span of an average viewer is just a few seconds. So, get your storytelling right, as the Alibaba ad below does, to grab their attention fast and hold it. After all, compared to just plain facts, storytelling is 22 times more memorable. Put simply, your video should revolve around a problem or conflict and show how your product or service solves it. And the faster you get to it, the better it will be for you. Importantly, let the video reflect your brand’s unique personality. Since most people watch countless videos every day, yours is not going to stand out unless it’s different. Also, don’t assume that everyone knows everything about your brand or product. Explain whatever you need to, but don’t drag on. For instance, if you are a tech company introducing a new app for stock trading, your video can show how exactly to use it. Make sure your video has a powerful call to action button or link embedded in it. This way, the viewer can take the action required directly from the video and not go anywhere else (which can be a bummer). For example, if you are a fashion outlet, you can embed your e-store’s link or if you are a college that wants candidates to apply, you can embed an Apply Now button that takes them to the application form directly. Keep in mind that tangible benefits like discounts or free samples pull in more crowd. So, if possible, try to insert relevant links in your video that help viewers to enjoy such benefits with … Continue reading The 3 Main Steps of Video Production: A Short Guide