2019 is an exciting time for marketers.  Social Media provides us with more transparency and data than we have ever experienced with traditional forms of advertising.  Video has also progressed to the forefront providing more in-depth viewer insights and generating results.  Inbound Marketing is making it's way to the forefront of every conversation and video is right along side it.  The combination of both can be VERY powerful.

What types of businesses does video work for?

• The more people move toward content consumption on social/digital/mobile the more relevant and useful video becomes.  That is true for almost any category or vertical.  This can vary from B2B to B2C businesses, businesses with highly transactional products or bespoke services.  Imagine video as a one-to-one conversation your company can have with a potential customer.  According to HubSpot research, 77% of consumers research before engaging with a brand. Therefore, the earlier and more consistently you can engage potential customers along their buyers journey the better chance you have of engaging them and converting them into clients.  Video is the starting gate and a vehicle to help drive leads and customer engagement for your brand or service.  Furthermore, the benefits of video for social media advertising extend beyond just being eye catching and engaging but also by providing key data, especial video view time!

Storyboarding and Preparation

• There are strategic reasons for different forms and lengths of videos.  Long-form video (1-15 minutes) can be useful for detailed education.  Short-form can be useful as content or ads on platforms such as Instagram and Twitter.  The storyboarding process should not only focus on how to create one video but also how a production project can result in a tree of assets.  Post-production will then allow for assets to be modified for different distribution platforms.  A good storyboard will allow the production team to work with the client visualizing not only the central production but also cut-downs and variations.  That will not only make for a more efficient video shoot but also help maximize results against business objectives.

Audiences

• We have amazing tools at our disposal these days for strategic distribution.  However, it takes a fair amount of research and practice to do it with efficiency.  The most important step before making video content is determining business goals and also the ideal audience to target with the video assets.  The more focused you can be on the business objectives and audiences prior to filming the better the videos will perform.  Furthermore, what is your plan to re-engage viewers who watched the content for an extended period of time.  How about a plan to re-engage those who did not?  Thinking of video as a part of a long term plan as opposed to something to just shoot once and send out hoping for results is a key piece of the puzzle.

Omni-Channel Editing

• We are no longer at the mercy of TV as the only form of video distribution.  We now have access to free distribution platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter and Snapchat.  Those are only just a few of the many options.  Each platform has a very different way in which audiences engage with video content, accept video content and react to video content.  So your video production project must be prepared to format and style for each platform.  That way you can engage with your target audience on each platform in the appropriate fashion.
• This video from Gary Vaynerchuck speaks to the power of video and social media marketing.  Pay close particularly close attention from 12:30 to 12:55 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9W6SyqHxXg 

Interviewing Subjects, Camera Equipment and Sound

• Here is a great video that details the process of a good interview shoot.  One thing that should be considered is your comfort level with the interviewer or the production company.  A good interview requires preparation and collaboration on both sides.  The interviewee should come across as natural and conversational as possible.  Scripts can be useful but never at the expense of losing the comfort level and delivery of the interviewee.  No one wants to look like they are sweating or fumbling for words while on camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7ENEuqXDwY

Hopefully this helps to answer a few questions and provide some ideas on how video can help your business.  Whether you are producing videos yourself or hiring and outside company, it's important to start with audience and business objectives and work backwards from there.