Here at Verb we love video, obviously, it’s our job. But I’ve got one beef with video and I’ll tell you what it is…the ease of making video content has created a double-edged sword with the availability of tools so accessible to creators. And what I mean by that is because everyone can now easily create video content…some of it is good, some of it is bad and some of it is just copied from someone else (who might have not even known what they were doing in the first place). So today, lets discuss a couple clichés made by early adopters of video (and even experienced video makers) that way you can make the best video possible for your audience.
- VIDEO IS TOO LONG
I’ll start with my favorite one – the video is TOO LONG. Maybe the human attention span is shrinking, maybe people are becoming busier than ever, maybe it’s a mixture of the two, whatever the reason, shorter is better. This mistake is so common because it is so easy to do. You might be surprised to know that for one minute of video you only have around 130-140 words of voiceover text to play with. Doesn’t seem like much does it?
At Verb, we’ve found that video content performs better when they are between 60 and 120 seconds, with 90 seconds being the sweet spot. So the only way to not become a victim of this cliché is to keep these figures in mind – this is one rule you don’t want to break.
- POOR QUALITY
I spend a lot of time on the internet - more than I’d like to admit. But hey, don’t judge me, it’s part of the Job. And what I’ve seen over and over and over is a poor-quality video. It can be tempting to try and cut corners to save a little bit of the budget while making a video for your brand. Maybe you’ve opted for the cheapest company you can find or maybe you’re going to try and do it yourself without any experience. In MY experience, going down either of these paths is a huge mistake.
If you post a video online that isn’t of the highest quality, you run the risk of your brand looking unprofessional and maybe even a bit dodgy. In other words, you won’t appear like a legitimate business that people would feel comfortable giving their money to.
The best way to make sure your video is high quality? Consult an expert. It’s important to remember that the quality you pay for is the quality you will get.
- IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU
I think it’s great to speak to people who are so passionate about their brand. But customers…they don’t care very much. Customers are very busy people. As such, they’re watching your video with one very clear question in mind: What’s in it for me?
Customers want to know what you’re offering, and they want to know FAST. They don’t have time to listen to you list off your top fifty attributes and features. All they want to know about are the benefits. So don’t be a part of the self-absorbed cliché and make sure your video discusses what YOU can do for your customer.
- NO CALL TO ACTION
I think we’ve all watched a video and said to ourselves once it was done, “okay…but what now?” We, as content creators, do not want to fall into this cliché leaving our viewers (who’s interest has peaked) wondering what to do next. Adding a clear call to action at the end of a video will help with a return on your video marketing efforts.
Your CTA should highlight whatever it is you want your video to achieve. Want people to get in touch? Ask them and show them how. Want people to download your app? Ask them and show them how. Want people to donate to your cause? You guessed it…Ask them and show them how. The bulk of your video should be all about your customers and how your product, service, brand or cause can benefit their lives, but the last few seconds is your time to shine.
- PROMOTION OF THE VIDEO
Another cliché I’ve noticed is once the video content has been created the creator doesn’t know what to do with it or know the best placement for it. These are things that need to be thought about prior to it’s completion. It will save you time on the backside when all you want to do is sit down with a glass of wine and watch your newly created masterpiece on loop.
A great place to promote your video is social media. Social media has been around for a while now but are still dominating the internet. Even better, video is fast becoming the most popular content on these sites, with 100 million hours of video being watched on Facebook every day. Also, don’t be shy to post your video to social media more than once. With social media algorithms and news feeds moving quickly, your followers (who may be your potential customers) may not have gotten a chance to see your video. So post your video(s) on different sites, on different days and at different times.
As a matter of fact, go ahead and get to our website and create your own interactive video right now. It's so simple, my daughter knows how to get in a piece of the action. See it for yourself, click here.
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