Category Archives: Professional Services

8 Tips for Stretching your Video Production Budget

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How to get the maximum value out of a video production

It’s important that you maximise any investment these days. And despite video production being more affordable than ever it’s still important that you maximise your available budget.

Here are 8 great ways to make your video production budget go further.

1. Keep the filming locations to a minimum

If you have lots of filming locations then the video will take longer to produce and therefore will cost more. By simply reducing the number of locations you will reduce the cost of production. Think about the locations that are a ‘must have’ and those that are a ‘nice to have’ and decide if you can do without them. Often you can replace some live footage with ‘stock footage’ or animation – this is another way to reduce costs.

2. Minimise the distance between filming locations

As you want to maximise the amount of time the film crew are working its best to try and keep the film locations close together. This avoids them having to break down their kit and re set-up too many times. If the locations are close then it means that you’ll be making the most of the actual filming time and not be paying while the crew are packing equipment or travelling.

3. Use existing footage

If you have had videos produced previously then you may be able to re-use some of the footage. This will save you money on filming new material. As mentioned previously, you may be able to substitute some footage with graphics or animation, which again can save budget.

4. Get full sign-off

One of the most common ways that budget is wasted is when changes are needed to the voice over or video after it is completed. Most video companies have a procedure where you sign off various stages of production, such as the script. If the script is signed off and voiced and then you need to make changes the voice over will charge to make the re-recording. So make sure that you get all the necessary approvals from colleagues and stake holders as you go to avoid expensive changes.

5. Avoid date and time references

One of the ways to lengthen the shelf life of your video is to avoid references to dates, events and times. This could either be in the voice over or in interviews. Also think about the location, for example an office with Christmas decorations in the background will date the video immediately.

6. Film at your own location

Hiring studios is an expensive process so consider filming at your own premises. This also adds authenticity to your video.

7. Maximise the film crew time

On your filming days make sure that your premises are all prepared for the crew. Make sure they are tidy and that everyone knows what to expect. If you have anyone speaking then brief them beforehand. If on the day the crew have any spare time then get them to record some extra content.

8. Digital distribution

Distributing your video digitally will save budget having to have DVDs produced. It’s also the best way to get your content to the maximum amount of viewers.

If you’d like to improve training or boost sales then video is the best way to go. If you’d like any help and advice on video production then we’d love to help. Call our friendly experts today on 01527 910050

 

 

Guide to Keeping Your Viewers Engaged for Longer with Online Video

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Online video and how to keep your viewers engaged for longer

Online video marketing provides businesses with a powerful new way of bringing their product to new audiences. When you put your video online, however, you’re putting yourself in competition with many other demands on your viewers’ attention. As a result, the conventional wisdom about video production is that you need to keep your video nice and short. The most commonly quoted ideal length is a minute or less.

The numbers definitely back up this idea; studies have shown that viewers are far less likely to turn off a 30-second video than they are to turn off a video between one and two minutes in length. The lesson seems simple: keep your video short.

This is all very well, but what if the subject you need to cover in your video takes longer than one minute to explain? After all, a minute isn’t very long, and complex subjects necessarily have complex explanations. A sixty-second explanation of a two-minute subject isn’t going to turn viewers into customers; it’s going to leave them confused and dissatisfied. In video production as in everything else, content is king — and as a result, you’re occasionally going to have to create a longer video.

So how do you keep the attention of fickle viewers throughout a longer video? Nothing is certain, but there are a few tips you can use to encourage your potential customers to stick around for the conclusion.

First and most importantly, don’t make your video any longer than it needs to be. Viewers are willing to be patient if they see that a long video is long because it contains lots of important information. They won’t wait for a video that seems long because the script isn’t tightly constructed or because unnecessary details are being included.

Creating an element of suspense is another important factor in keeping the attention of viewers. Begin your video with a question that you intend to answer, enticing the audience to follow along with you as you explain the process.

Beginning with a question or promise doesn’t mean that you should conceal the point of your presentation. In journalism, leaving critical information out of the introduction to a story is known as “burying the lede”. In video production, it’s just as serious a mistake. Unless viewers understand the content and importance of what they’re about to see, they won’t stick around for the finale.

If you’d like an online video production with a great story that will keep your viewers engaged and will persuade them to buy then contact us. We are your friendly experts in video production – call us on 01527 910050

How to Write a Video Production Brief

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Guide to how to write a video production brief

Getting a video production can sometimes seem like a daunting task. There are loads of video production companies and they all say that they can deliver what you want. However, how do you make sure that you have an easy to understand video production brief that will outline what your goals and aims are?

The best way is to write your own video production brief and it’s easier than you think. Just follow our tips below and you’ll be able to create a document that you can supply to your chosen video production companies.

1. Define the purpose of your video

Think about what the video is going to be used for. Is it a health and safety video that you want to use for staff induction or is it an explainer video for your website? Whatever the need make sure that this is clear in your brief.

2. Target Audience 

Who are the target audience for your video. For example, if they are visitors to your website that you want to convert into sales then you’ll probably need a short explainer video as Internet viewers are impatient! This would be different to an audience who are going through a safety training induction. By defining the target audience the production company will be able to put together a suitable proposal.

3. Distribution

Where will the finished video be shown. Will it be online on your website, on TV, used on DVD in training sessions or embedded in an e-learning platform. Include how you want the video to be used in the brief.

4. Script

Think about the main messages that you want to convey. If it’s a sales video then think about the objections that you want to overcome for your customers. If it’s a training video then consider the learning outcomes that you want to achieve. A good video production company will be able to help you define these messages.

5. Voice over, interviews

Lot’s of videos use voice over to tell the story. Often this is combined with interviews that provide social proof. If you have any preference then include this in the brief. Again, a good video production company will be able to guide you through what will work best.

6. Style

Often, it’s a great idea to include links to videos that you’ve seen and like (or don’t like) to help the production company visualise what you’re looking for. You may want a video that is all live action, or you may want an animated video – again state your preferences and ask for recommendations

7. Budget

Letting a production company know the budget from the get-go is a good idea. There are lots of ways to approach getting a video produced and these all vary in costs. By letting the production company know the budget you’ll ensure that you receive quotes that meet your financial needs.

8. Deadline

Be clear about your deadline. State when the video will be shown and the date you want to receive it.

If you’d like any help with writing a video production brief or ideas on how to produce a video then we’d love to help. We’re an affordable and trusted video production company that produce videos that get results. Give us a call on 01527 910050 today.

 

How to optimise your website video for search rankings

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4 Ways to get your website video to the top of the search rankings – FREE guide

OK, so you’ve got some awesome website videos and now you want to drive loads of lovely traffic to your website. You know that videos are indexed well by Google but how do you actually go about getting your video in the rankings.

Here’s our quick guide to how to do it.

1. Use YouTube

It sounds obvious but it’s amazing how many people forget to use this free platform. Basically Google gets information from thousands of different places on the Internet. These are compiled into the results that you see when you do a search. The great news is that YouTube and Google seem (albeit denied) to have a special relationship with each other in terms of favouritism. This means that videos on YouTube are 85% more likely to show up in the rankings than other platforms.

So definitely use YouTube but also don’t exclude the other channels such as Vimeo and Google Video.

2. Optimise your video

Again, this seems obvious but many people simply upload their videos but don’t bother optimising them. It’s vital that you optimise your video titles, description and tags. And you don’t forget to optimise the actual title and file name as YouTube look at all these factors. It’s always a good idea to do some keyword research so that you use tags that are relevant and not too competitive. Long tail keywords work well, especially ones that are geographically based (such as a town / county).

3. Video sitemap

If you have a video hosted on your own website then you’ll need to create a video sitemap. While videos are indexed by the search engines on the platforms such as YouTube automatically they’re not on a ‘normal’ website. This means you’ll need to create and upload a site map with meta data about the video title, content and running time.

4. Compelling thumbnails

When you upload your website videos make sure that you pick a thumbnail that’s going to make the viewer hit the play button. Think about what will draw the user to the video and select the thumbnail accordingly.

If you’re considering website video production then talk to us first. We help loads of businesses like you achieve huge online success and improved conversion rates with stunning explainer videos and website videos. We back this up with making sure all the techie stuff (as above) is done to ensure maximum exposure.

Give you friendly video production company a call today on 01527 910050.

Are your website videos legal?

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Some legal basics for website videos

Website videos are the fastest growing means of communication for lots of businesses. From explainer videos through to how-to-guides and video blogs. The explosion in affordable video has also meant a lot of people making their own videos and unwittingly facing copyright infringement cases.

This is obviously a shock for many and can end up ruining a business as well as a businesses reputation. The most common charges are for copyright and trademark infringement, defamation and right of publicity.

As you may imagine, most of these cases are when people use or download copyright content that they don’t own. By far the biggest offender is a downloaded image that’s then used in a video. However, there also lots of cases of people using company logos, music and video clips that they simply don’t own.

So, in a nutshell you can’t just download stuff and use it in your new video. If you have any doubt then it’s worth checking with a solicitor first.

The fines for copyright infringement with your new website videos can be very high. This is not only the actual fine but also the court fees and solicitor costs. Simply saying you didn’t know your should have used something is not an argument that will stand up in court.

If you don’t fancy producing your own website videos and would like to use a professional video production company then we’d love to help you. We’re trusted by a wide range of organisations from SMEs to global brands to produce persuasive videos that work.

We can help you achieve the online success that you deserve. Our website videos (typically called explainer videos) are short, attention grabbing videos that boost sales. The great thing is that they can massively increase your website conversion rate.

“The kind of revenues the videos have helped us generate is amazing. We whished we done them years ago” Carrie Rice – Marketing Manager, RDI Ltd

Contact your friendly experts today on 01527 910050 – we’d love to hear from you.

 

Ethical Video Production Company

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Your ethical video production company

When brands like Citizens Advice, Telefonica, Pepsi, Nestle, Trading Standards, NFU and Royal & Sun Alliance want to engage an ethical video production company they speak to us first.

Our ethical and sustainable approach to producing videos has delighted our clients and delivered real business benefits. We work with lots of businesses like you who want to improve training, promote their business and basically sell more stuff.

We always want to do the right thing by our customers. We work tirelessly with your goals in mind as we realise that your success is also our success.

“The video that Stormnet Media produced on behalf of the Post Office and our Partners has supported the up skilling of our teams in a fun and user friendly way. They are professional, enthusiastic and come highly recommended.” Tracy Bond – Training Manager, The Royal Mail Group

Our ethics have stood us in good stead. We have an open and honest approach in everything that we do. We’re consistent, fair and trustworthy. We hold confidentiality in the highest regard and respect the privacy of our customers and everyone we interact with.

We’re conscious of our carbon footprint and we’re proud to be green – We’re conscious of our environment and operate a totally paperless business. We save unnecessary travel where possible and provide online previews of videos to save you valuable time, and of course unnecessary use of fuel and emissions.

Here’s just a few things we do to ensure that we are an ethical video production company.

Recycle and reuse – We try to limit our impact on the environment and this includes recycling packaging and eliminating the use of paper

Energy audit – we carry out regular energy audits to see how we can best reduce our carbon footprint. This includes low energy lights, timer switches and improved insulation

Reduced commuting – We encourage our team to car share on the way to work and allow flexible working hours and home working. This improves productivity, reduces our carbon impact and creates a happy working environment

Buy green – We work with our suppliers to buy sustainable and green products where possible. We look at how long products will last and not just make a buying decision on price

Go online – We love seeing our customers but we also realise that sometimes we can use video conferencing, e-mail or a phone call instead. We provide video previews online to save you travel time and allow you to share video at a touch of a button

These are just a few reasons why we are chosen as an ethical video production company. We’re green and proud and love what we do. This shows in our enthusiasm, professionalism and awesome videos.

We’re based near Birmingham in the West Midlands and have production facilities in Warwickshire and Worcestershire. We work for clients all over the UK.

Contact your ethical video production company today on 01527 910050.

 

10 reasons why you need an Explainer Video for your company

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Ten sure fire reasons why you need an ‘explainer video’ for your company

1. Boost sales

One of the important factors that Google considers when ranking a website is the time that visitors stay on your website. This is just one of the reasons why explainer videos have become so popular. An explainer video will keep a viewers interest and make a big positive impact on the time someone stays on your website. The explainer video will quickly sell your proposition in an engaging and compelling way, increasing your conversion rate and boosting your sales.

2. Skyrocket your website conversion rates

In a recent survey by ‘Forbes’ 85% of people are more likely to buy your products or services if they see an accompanying explainer video. Not only this but you can also see how many people have viewed your video which gives an insight into how many prospects are hitting your site.

3. Clearly explain your proposition

Text can be interpreted in a number ways that means that your audience may miss your main selling points. However, if you tell a story there is no confusion. An explainer video will take the guess-work out of explaining what it is your are offering. What’s more the messages are persuasive and compelling, which means you get more conversions and your competition loses out!

4. Up the interest levels in your product or service

Big businesses have already identified the importance of spreading the word about what they do with online video. Explainer videos are perfect for creating interest and being shared. They are evergreen and go on and on being viewed and converting leads into sales consistently.

5. Improve your Google search ranking

According to research completed by the SEO consultants (Spork Marketing) websites with a video rank higher than those without. Generally, if your website contains lots of blocks of text and images then it puts customers off and also it will rank lower in Google results. So, an explainer video not only quickly sells your proposition but also boosts results. On average a web visitor will take less than a minute to make a purchasing decision – an explainer video will ensure that your key messages are delivered quickly and succinctly. Securing your sale.

6. Go viral and get more website visitors

The great thing about explainer videos is that because they are often humorous and engaging people share them. This means that people start sharing your content via platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. This means more reach and more sales for you.

7. Make your sales pitch memorable

OK, we’ve all been in a sales meeting when the dreaded PowerPoint comes out (Death by PowerPoint as they say). Even worse is when someone hands out leaflets of brochures to read. Everyone just glazes over.

Well, instead imagine a 60s explainer video that gets your message over in a fun and engaging way. Leaving your prospects wanting more and understanding what your product or service is all about. So, you not only get all the online benefits but also maximize usage by using in sales meetings. Perfect.

8. Get the attention you deserve

Packing loads of text and images on a web page can have a double negative effect. Firstly, studies have shown that this can put-off your audience. And secondly this can slow down a webpage. Both these things can have a disastrous effect for your conversion rate and search rankings. However, an explainer video production will allow you to have a clean and simple design yet pack a real punch and get your message over quickly.

9. Massive exposure

The explosion of video online means that there are lots of FREE opportunities to distribute your video to a large audience. There are loads of video platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo that rank well in search results – so you can get lots of extra traffic from these channels. In addition we can submit your video to hundreds of other video sites which gives our clients massive domination of search results for long tail keywords.

There are also the social channels such as Facebook, Google + and Twitter which allow you to share your content and deepen your reach.

10. People buy from people

The old phrase that ‘people buy from people’ is still true. The trouble is that with websites a lot of the face-to-face rapport has gone. We want lot’s more sales but how does a prospect judge your product and service as well as who they are buying from?

An explainer video production will allow you to showcase your personality and build trust with the prospect. Something that text and images alone can never do. This is why so many big brands have woken up to explainer videos.

If you would like a compelling explainer video production for your business then we’re here to help you. We are based in Birmingham in the West Midlands and produce explainer videos for companies like you all over the UK.

We are trusted by start-ups and SMEs through to global brands to produce compelling explainer videos that work.

“Sales conversions on our website has increased by 140% since adding the video – incredible.” Alan Davies, Head of Sales – Mobile Signal Booster

Contact your friendly experts today on 01527 910050 to get started – we’d love to help you.