All of us “video people” are constantly looking for ways to make our inbound marketing videos better and more engaging. Over the past few months, I’ve been compiling helpful tips I think will make your video marketing instantly better. Here’s what I’ve gathered so far.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.
A crucial part of inbound marketing is figuring out who your potential buyers are and what they want to see. A great way to determine this is to talk to your existing customers. Engage with them to figure out what they like and, more importantly, what they don’t like. This will allow you to create videos your potential customers want to see.
WRITE A STORY.
Storytelling is one of the most difficult yet important parts of making a great video. If you aren’t telling a story in your videos then you need to start. I find the easiest way to write a script is to start by asking, “guess what?” For instance, guess what? I have five tips for making your inbound marketing videos better. See how easy it is? If you are finding it difficult to tell your story, then let your customers tell their story. A compelling case study or customer review can make for an awesome video.
MAKE IT SOUND GOOD.
It’s been said that good sound can make or break a video. The first part of making your video sound good is making sure you are recording good sound. If you don’t have a good microphone or don’t have money to buy one, make sure you are in a room that has good acoustics. The room should be relatively quiet and should not have an echo when you speak. Always test the sound of the room before you commit to recording there.
The second part to making it sound good is the music. Please, please, please don’t use music from your iTunes library. You most likely do not have the proper music license to use that music, so when you post your video, it will eventually get flagged and removed from the video hosting site you are using. The best thing to do is subscribe to a stock audio library or purchase royalty free music. If you can’t do this, you might be able to convince one of your friends or family members to record some music for you. Even if it’s just an acoustic guitar, it’s still better than nothing.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE LIGHTING.
Lighting is the second most important part in videography. When you are picking a place to film, not only does it need to be quiet, but it also needs to be well lit. The most ideal place would be a room with a large window. Natural light is the most appealing form of light and the cheapest! So if you want to look great in your video for zero cost, all you need to do is sit opposite of a big window. The downside is you will only be able to shoot your videos during the day. The most ideal situation would be to purchase a professional lighting setup. It’s not hard to create, and it will give you the most professional look.
LISTEN TO FEEDBACK.
Some people have a hard time accepting feedback. Feedback is essential in the process to figuring out if your videos are connecting with the people they need to reach. Encourage people to leave feedback and to engage with you after the video. This will help give you an idea of what is working and what isn’t. One of the worst things you can do is reject constructive feedback. People are smart and they know what they like. If someone is spending the time to engage with your video and, on top of that, they leave feedback, it is important to engage with them and listen to what they have to say.
BONUS TIP—BE PASSIONATE.
OK, so I know the title says five tips, so this one is more of general advice. If you want to produce better videos, and better content for that matter, you need to be passionate about what you are creating. Showing emotion and being passionate really helps your audience connect with your video. So don’t be afraid to be you, and don’t be afraid to let your personality show.
