Video, the new document: Where do you start?
A lot of people don't know where to begin with video in today's digital space. Usually, it begins and ends with "Let's make a video and put it on our website."
1 Oct 2019
Image credit: Vanilla Bear Films on Unsplash.
This, unfortunately, doesn't cut the mustard in this 4IR-obsessed day and age. The video ocean has expanded and there are plenty of radical new waves to catch.
So where do you begin?
A solid video strategy looks at four critical areas:
- Video Production - that is the making of your video.
- Video Marketing - that is branding and advertising.
- Video Hosting - that is where your video lives in the cloud.
- Video Platform - that is the type of video product you will build.
Understand those four areas and you can tackle your video strategy with confidence. Let's look at each one in more detail.
Video production
One should never make a video without a clear plan for it.
- Why are you making a video?
- Who is the intended audience?
- What is the intended outcome?
- Where will the video do its work?
Once you can answer those questions then production becomes a smooth process.
The key points in your video's production are:
- Editorial voice – how will your brand values be upheld?
- Messaging and script – the words for voice over or the screenplay.
- Storyboard – the flow of images about the words.
- Voice-over – is it needed or is it text-driven?
- Music licensing and sound – a vital element too often overlooked.
- Graphics and text – how much is too much?
- Stock or filmed footage – this affects production cost.
Once your video is ready it needs to work for you.
Video marketing
One should avoid trying to squeeze too many messages into a single video. A brand builder is not a sales video and vice versa. A brand video is like a roadside billboard.
A classy and timeous reminder that keeps you top of mind. A brand video may generate general interest traffic to your site. Don't expect a brand video to do a direct sales job for you.
A sales video is a product or service based video that drives home a single offering and price point.
- Where is your audience based?
- Are you running complimentary campaigns?
- What is your budget and desired CPM?
- What times of the day and what geo-locations should you target?
These are all questions that inform your hosting. Teads, YouTube, Facebook, Linkedin and Instagram are just a few video marketing options available to you. There are plenty more.
Video hosting
You can host a website video for free on Vimeo and YouTube. There are other options but these are the two main platforms used for free hosting. YouTube seems like the right place to host right? But what about the recommended videos that pop up afterwards?
This breaks brand immersion. Vimeo offers great business and professional packages but they come at a cost.
- Do you plan to generate leads or ask for email addresses during or after your video?
- Is your video an advertising tool or a website informer?
YouTube is great for advertising so you may choose to host the advert on Youtube. Then you could host the website version on Vimeo. You could compress for WhatsApp. You could host the advert on Facebook as well for advertising purposes. You could publish on all the platforms or a single one.
Again, it all depends on what function you are expecting your video to perform. A well-managed budget can be flexibly shifted as monthly data informs. Video is a fluid medium. Your hosting strategy can be fluid as well.
Video platform
Do you want to build your own platform to monetise your video content? It's like building your own video-on-demand platform. A VOD is a great way to build an audience and add value to your production efforts.
Again, there are a plethora of options. From Udemy to Vimeo OTT to Youtube Premium. Brightcove is another platform engine of note. But it all comes down to cost and model.
As you can see, there are a lot of details when it comes to making the right choices for your video strategy. To navigate those waters can seem daunting.
This is by no means an exhaustive article but it does help with getting the video juices flowing. There's a lot more than just moving pictures under those waves.
About Travis Bussiahn
Travis Bussiahn is the Executive Creative Director of the Happy Media Video Agency. He solves creative and business problems for both Happy Media and its clients. He understands the importance of emotional connection in content, branded or otherwise and believes in traditional media's ability to be blended with new media to profound and holistic effect. He loves and excels at concept and the art of story. Contact details: website www.happymedia.co.za | Twitter @TravisBussiahn
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