In the tech-intensive 21st century, it simply isn’t enough to throw together a video without much thought and consideration. Audiences have a refined taste that has been curated by the extent of the technology that’s been made accessible to all of our fingertips. If you want to create a video that truly reaches and engages your target audience, you need to focus on overall quality. And that can only be done if you pay attention to the details.
What details are we talking about? Continue reading to learn more about the qualities that make for a compelling video, whatever kind of video you’re producing.
How to Take Your Video from Good to Great
Sure, the content of your video can speak for itself despite any quality issues. But discriminating audiences may turn up their noses if they aren’t satisfied with every aspect of what they’re viewing. Here are some things that you should keep in mind if your desire is not only to reach your audience, but to engage them in any kind of meaningful way.
A Solid Script
The words used in your video mean nearly everything. The script not only determines what is said on-camera, but also conveys the tone that you want associated with your brand. The language in your video answers the viewer’s questions while being phrased in a way that pulls them in and makes them want to continue watching. Your script should be informative as well as entertaining.
Perhaps most importantly, your message should be delivered in a concise and confident manner. Viewers are looking at your video to get information. Drawing out the message for the sake of a longer run time is just going to make them click away.
Knowledge of Your Audience
Of course, it is essential that you know who you are trying to reach out to. No enterprise is going to have “everyone” as their target audience. Whether you’re targeting a small niche audience or a much grander one, it will pay off to create your video with this group in mind. This will inform the language and imagery used in your video.
Create a Deeper Understanding
Yes, listing off accurate information about your brand is essential to making a solid video, but that’s not all. Viewers should be made aware of how the subject matter relates to their lives. After all, how useful can any information you give be if nobody can figure out how it applies to them? Use examples and situations to convey the relevance of the subject matter. This will further engage the audience and make them feel that you genuinely care about the people you’re reaching.
Use Visuals Expertly
Sure, having a spokesperson addressing the audience plainly can be an effective strategy in a video. But doesn’t that get a little dull? If you’re trying to describe an exercise, for example, isn’t it much more useful to show the exercise either via photographs or live video rather than a 100-word description? We certainly think so. And we can guarantee that your audience does, too.
Keep it Light
Solemn and somber certainly is the right approach for some subjects, but not for advertisement or informational videos about products and services. A light-hearted video full of positive energy is usually the best way to reach your audience and reel them in so that they continue watching. Your video should be enjoyable, not a bummer.
Choose the Right Music
Even if you don’t notice it outright, nearly every video that you watch contains music – either in the foreground or the background. Music assists in setting the ambience, factoring into the overall mood and helping to engage viewers so that they watch until the end. You’ve got a multitude of effective choices available to you, from epic orchestral tunes to a whimsical little ditty.
Carefully Plan the Presentation
If your video involves a presenter, make sure that the speaker is capable of effectively delivering your message. If necessary, you can hire a professional to bring their unique flair to the video presentation. After all, the words are only as powerful as the delivery used to express them.
This is also true of any text that you may use in your video. If you’re accompanying the presentation with text or you’re implementing subtitles, make sure that the font chosen is appealing and easily legible.
Call Your Viewers to Action
You’re creating a video with a purpose, so you need to reinforce that purpose at some point in the video. This is typically done at the end but can be strategically worked into other points during the video’s runtime. Refer the viewer to your website, a phone number or other means to contact you. The goal here is to get them wanting to learn more!
Effective video making is an essential part of any campaign. When you incorporate all of these elements into the creation of your brand’s videos, you will reap the rewards. Your viewers will watch the video all the way through, and then continue to follow through on your call to action.