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How Video Will Grow Your Business
Grow your business with a persuasive video…
Video marketing has been one of the most important internet trends of the last few years. For a cynic, it would be easy to dismiss it as just another fad. It isn’t, though — new methods of video production and hosting have changed the face of marketing, putting powerful tools within reach of independents and small businesses. Video marketing can take the form of viral videos to be shared on social medial platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, explainer videos hosted on your business’s own webpage, or components of other marketing initiatives such as Kickstarter campaigns.
Video marketing can make a huge difference in getting your message out to potential customers, but it’s most effective if it’s done wisely. Like any form of marketing, video marketing is fundamentally about storytelling, and good storytelling has several important characteristics.
First, a good marketing video won’t take any longer than necessary to make its point. Studies demonstrate that videos start losing viewers as they get longer, with some dropping out as early as the 30-second mark. That doesn’t mean that a marketing video has to be short; it just can’t be any longer than it needs to be to make its point.
The basics of a clear marketing video message are simple. The video needs to begin by explaining what’s known in marketing circles as “the question” — the problem that the product intends to solve or the audience to whom it’s being marketed. Next, the video needs to demonstrate expertise. This can mean showing the creator and the product at work, or it can simply mean showing you speaking clearly and authoritatively about the subject.
Establishing authority is important, but it isn’t the only important part of creating a marketing video. To be really effective, a marketing video has to end with a “call to action” — something that spurs the viewer to take the step you want them to. This could be as simple as clicking on a link or as complicated as purchasing a product.
Second, a good marketing video has to represent the personality of the company or individual it represents. Video marketing gives you a chance to communicate directly with potential customers — to let you embody your own brand. Paradoxically, slick production values can actually interfere with your ability to communicate what it is about your product that makes you stand out.
This isn’t to say that good production values aren’t important in a marketing video. An experienced explainer video agency can make an important difference in communicating your message. In order to communicate your point, your video has to be easy to watch and understand; professional audio, lighting and camera work can make a difference here.
The real key to success is to communicate the enthusiasm and passion that drive you and inspire your product. This is the chief advantage that an explainer video has for the small company or lone businessperson; its unmediated nature lets producers speak directly to consumers.
A video that goes viral can reach thousands upon thousands of users, more than almost any other form of marketing in the same price range. Most videos, however, don’t reach such a huge audience. This doesn’t mean that they’re unsuccessful, though. By communicating a clear core message and demonstrating your commitment and energy, video can completely transform you online marketing strategy — which, in today’s world, means completely transforming your business.
Here at Stormnet Media we produce videos that work. There’s no guesswork, just clear thinking and a passion to make your video work. For a no obligation quote please contact us on 01527 910050.
How to Make Your Web Visitors Watch All Your Video
Engage with your web audience for maximum clicks…
If you’ve decided to take your first steps into web video marketing, you may be spending a lot of time thinking about how to make people click on your videos. While it’s definitely important to get people to watch your marketing video, it’s equally important to make sure that they watch it all the way through. Even videos that are successful at attracting viewers may not necessarily be successful at retaining them. Here are a few reasons why:
Length
It may sound surprising, but studies show that videos begin to lose viewers as early as the 30-second mark. At over a minute, a significant number of viewers will have simply stopped watching. You won’t be able to retain all every viewer, no matter how interesting you make your video, but these figures do serve as a reminder that marketing videos need to be brief in order to be genuinely effective.
Clarity
The best way to get people to stick around through the length of a video is to make sure that they know enough about the payoff that’s coming at the end to know that it’s something they’re interested in. If you start your video with a question, make sure that your audience knows that you have the answer and you’re going to share it with them. If you’re explaining a process, make sure that even before the first step your audience knows where you’re going.
Directness
Some successful marketing videos have a rambling, conversational tone, and you might think that it’s a good idea to imitate this. It’s certainly true that the personal touch is one of the big advantages of video marketing, but that doesn’t mean you want to spend your video wandering around the point. You can get away with this kind of thing once you already have an established brand, but if you’re just “meeting” your customers for the first time, you want to make sure that they know you’re not going to waste their time.
Passion
In a world where hundreds of videos are competing for your viewers’ attention, you can’t afford to create a video that lacks commitment. Production values are good, but the beauty of internet marketing video is that it’s available to people who don’t have the budget to hire a website video production company for every aspect of the job. But no matter what your budget, if your video suggests, even for a second, that you aren’t enthusiastic about your product, viewers will pick up on it — and if you’re not convinced, why should they be?
Production
That said, production values do make a difference. A well-shot video is easier to watch and easier to understand. Making sure that your set is well-lit and that your microphone records clear, natural-sounding audio can help you get your message across. Viewers aren’t necessarily looking for Hollywood production, but they won’t keep watching a video that makes them work hard just to see what’s happening or understand what’s being said.
Individuality
The boom in video marketing has been a huge help to small businesses, but it has downsides as well. One of these is widespread competition. Another clever marketing gimmick isn’t enough to stick in the typical viewer’s mind any more. Your video, more than anything else, has to demonstrate what it is about your business that is unique, whether it’s your product, your methods or simply your personality. Even before you start production, it’s vital to sit down and identify this point, because you’re going to want to start hammering it home from the first second of your first video.
If you’d like an engaging and effective video production then we’d love to help. Contact us for a free no obligation quotation today on 01527 910050
Basics of video marketing
How to take advantage of video marketing
The proliferation of affordable high-quality digital cameras, either separately or as part of smartphones, laptops or tablets, has made video marketing, once reserved for large companies, affordable to small businesses and individual entrepreneurs. For those just entering the world of video production, however, it can seem difficult to know where to begin. What does a good marketing video need, and how should it be organised and distributed?
One classic model of a successful marketing video divides the video into three stages. The first, and perhaps the most important, is the question. A video can’t simply exist in a vacuum. Potential customers have to have a reason to search for it and click on it. Short of hitting on some viral marketing masterpiece, the simplest way to do this is to ask a question people are likely to want to know the answer to.
One way to find out the questions people are asking is simply to talk to the intended audience: questions could be solicited through a blog, through discussions with existing customers or in conversation at trade shows or other events. However, it’s also possible to use tools provided by Google to identify common searches. By looking for searches within their areas of expertise, would-be video marketers can identify subject likely to appeal to viewers.
The topic of the video, then, should address how to perform a certain task or solve a certain problem. The next step is to answer the question. This part of the video has to fulfil two goals: not only does it have to answer the question in a way that’s helpful for the viewer, it has to do so in a way that demonstrates the creator’s expertise in the subject. By creating value for the viewer, the video begins to build a community in which both business and customer are participants.
The last part of any successful marketing video is known as the call to action. The call to action links the video to some further action on the part of the potential customer. This may be purchasing a product, but it doesn’t have to be. It could be as simple as getting the viewer to visit the advertiser’s website, follow the creator on social media or watch more videos. Relationship building can be a slow process, but it can also be more valuable than any single sale.
The call to action should be the very last part of the video. It often takes the form of a link to the creator’s website, promising more of the fun and helpful content that the viewer has just enjoyed.
Although these three key points form the basis of any successful marketing video, many first-time video creators worry about production values. However, while steady camera work, clear lighting and persuasive delivery are all important, they are not as vital to the success of a video as many people seem to believe. The personality of the creator and the directness and intimacy of a video can go a long way toward offsetting any technical problems with the video. It’s important that the creator demonstrate expertise in his or her field, not expertise at creating marketing videos. Technical proficiency will come with experience.
Once these three basic building blocks of video marketing are understood, creators can begin to add the personal touches that make for distinctive and memorable videos. The question, the answer and the call to action aren’t the only things that go into a successful video, but they are the basics without which a marketing video can struggle to find and successfully engage an audience.
Here at Stormnet Media we specialise in helping businesses take advantage of video marketing. If you’d like to boost business leads and revenue then please contact us today on 01527 910050 or use our contact form.
Video Production for Vine
Why you should consider Vine for distributing video content
Since its arrival for iOS in January 2013, Vine has quickly become the most popular mobile video app on the market, with versions available for both iOS and Android and a Windows phone version in the works as well. Vine doesn’t have many bells and whistles, but it’s simple and easy to use. For Twitter users, it has one huge advantage: studies show that Vine videos are far more likely to be retweeted than others — four times as likely, according to a study by Unruly Media.
Since Vine only permits six-second video clips, it may seem that it doesn’t have much application for video marketing. In fact, however, even six-second clips can be very important marketing tools, and several companies have made extensive use of Vine in their online marketing campaigns. The principles behind video production for Vine are just like those behind any other viral video, only more so.
As with any marketing video, the key to a good marketing Vine is clarity and simplicity. Each video needs to clearly communicate one idea; a complex message is unlikely to come across in only six seconds. This has several implications for video marketing.
First, it means that Vine is a great boon to companies with a physical product to sell. A six-second Vine can show a product from all angles in a way that a photograph can’t, and is more likely to be retweeted than a YouTube or similar video. It’s also a great way to show the product at work.
One unique way to do this is using Vine’s interface to create stop-motion animation. Vine records only when the user is pressing the screen. When the user’s finger is off the screen, however, the video doesn’t end, but simply waits for the user to press it again. As a result, Vine is one of the simplest tools for stop-motion animation in the world of video production. Several companies have turned products into the stars of their own videos using stop-motion animation.
The second similarity between Vine and ordinary video marketing is that videos need an artistic or comedic element that will make them stand out. Unless the product itself is visually arresting in some way, the video needs an easily-graspable visual hook. Bear in mind that not all viewers will have audio switched on, so it’s better to produce something that doesn’t need a spoken explanation to be understood.
Like other marketing videos, six-second Vines often serve as teasers for another product — perhaps a full-length article for a longer video, while a Vine can even serve as a teaser for an ordinary explainer video. Short Vine videos can also act as links to contests, giveaways or other tools to draw users to your main site.
Lastly, Vines have a very short life cycle, even compared to other types of viral video. If you’re going to make Vine a central part of your marketing strategy, you’ll have to produce them steadily, not just once. Produce them regularly and you’ll build recognition as a company whose Vines are worth watching out for.
Just like other forms of viral video, then, Vine has its own strengths and weaknesses. Its simplicity, versatility and simple integration with Twitter make it easy to learn and use, and the fact that the app is free means that production costs are kept to a minimum. It’s easy to experiment with Vine production until you find the presentation that suits your product and your potential customers perfectly.
If you’d like to get an awesome and creative video for use on Vine to promote your business and boost profits then speak to your video production experts at Stormnet. Call us on 01527 910050 or contact us using our form.
Video Production Process Explained
Video production process explained in 6 easy steps
With no hidden costs or nasty surprises, Stormnet clients of all sizes and budgets enjoy a stress-free path to a broadcast-quality marketing video that delivers measurable results.
From family-run businesses to large major brands, we deliver the same care and attention throughout the video production process.
To ensure the best value for money we can offer, we leave no stone unturned when it comes to researching your project. Our goal is to help you achieve your goals, so we’re not precious about realising our own artistic ambition. Your video is all about your business.
You’ll benefit from regular consultation and communication throughout the process, leaving no margin for misunderstanding or misinterpretation of your brief. If you have any feedback or suggestions along the way, we’ll work hard to incorporate them in your video.
And if you’re worried about supplying a script or creative brief, you can relax. We’ll take care of it as part of the highly-recommended service we provide. From the storyboard to the editing room, we have experience in all the key creative fields to ensure your video surpasses your expectations.
Here’s how we do it…
Step 1: It’s all about you
It’s our mission to understand your brand as well as you do. Everything from your brand personality to your customer expectations is thoroughly digested before we do anything else. This helps us design a killer brief together that’s precision-engineered to meet your business goals.
Step 2: A compelling script draws your customers in
In order to meet your business objectives, you need to engage with your audience and capture their imaginations from the very first frame. We’ll create a water-tight script that speaks to your audience with flair and imagination. A script written specifically to further your business needs.
Step 3: Great design makes a more memorable video
Armed with a killer script, we go to work on designing the right look and feel for your production, based on all the research we’ve done about your business. This is where we develop storyboards, illustrations and mood boards to really give you a feel for how your video is shaping up. And of course, ask for your feedback before progressing.
Step 4: Live action sequences add credibility to your message
Live action sequences are great for helping your audience to see themselves as part of your message. And we’re experts in broadcast-quality, cinematic on-location filming. Using the latest technology, we promise a pin-sharp picture quality delivered in smooth HD (high definition) all shot with the utmost care and attention to detail.
Step 5: Professional editing puts your message at centre stage
Trusted by a long list of independent film producers, directors and agencies, our fully-equipped digital editing suites are where the raw footage, audio and ideas are consolidated into a slick, compelling, high-performance finished film. Expect crystal clear sound and broadcast-standard HD picture quality. During the edit we can also add effects, voice-overs and 3D animation to ensure your film is truly unforgettable.
Step 6: Are you ready to hold your own premiere?
Your video is finished, and ready to start working hard to meet your objectives. Delivered in all the formats you will need, including full HD for TV and web formats, you’ll be able to launch immediately and start reaping the benefits. And to help create awareness of your new film, we’ll even provide some FREE video blogging as a customer courtesy.
If you’re ready to start building your business using video, visit our contact page, or call our friendly team on 01527 910050 today.
How Long Should an Explainer Video Be?
What’s the sweet spot for an explainer video?
So you’ve decided that an explainer video is going to help you get your ideas across to thousands of new potential customers – if not more. You know the topic you want to cover, you’ve selected the points to get across, and now you’re sitting down to write your script. You don’t know it, but you’re also about to make a big mistake.
It’s a simple mistake and a common one: you’re going to make your video too long. It’s easy to see why this can happen – almost by definition, no one is going to make an explainer video without being enthusiastic about the subject. Add to this that people tend to be bad at estimating the length of a speech or conversation and it’s no wonder that most videos run over their optimum length.
What may surprise you is just how short that optimum length actually is. Video hosting firm Wistia studied the average length of time viewers were willing to watch the business videos on their site. The results showed that viewer attention dropped off sharply the longer the video was – fewer than 10% of viewers made it to the end of hour-long videos. But, strikingly, the numbers were relatively low even for much shorter videos. Fewer than 50% of viewers made it to the end of videos in the 2-3 minute range.
In fact, the data suggests that the optimum length for an explainer video may be in the 30-60 second range. It may not be much, but you can fit a surprising amount of information into a minute – and you have a much better chance of communicating your complete message to the viewer. This is especially important for business videos, which are typically trying to convey a single unified message. An explainer video abandoned by the viewer halfway through is as bad as one not watched at all.
If you have decided to create a short video, then, you’ll need to use some simple techniques to package your message in a manageable format. The simplest – and one of the most important – is to break up your message into as many smaller chunks as possible. The second is to front-load the video with material that keeps the viewer interested. Even short videos run the risk of losing viewers part of the way through, so beginning with the point will help you grab the viewer’s attention.
In some cases, of course, it simply isn’t possible to compress your message into the short space of a one-minute video; if this is the case, you’ll simply have to run the risk of losing some viewers, trusting that the ones who do make it all the way through your explainer video will come out the other end well-informed.
If you’re looking for explainer video production then contact the friendly experts at Stormnet Media. We create persuasive and powerful explainer videos that boost sales. Contact us today on 01527 910050 – we’d love to help.
