Video Best Practices:

We’ve heard it a million times by now – video content is king. It’s the most shared and interacted with a piece of content on the internet now, but it comes with its own challenges. Brands do not get an awesome video department overnight (unless you have some major cash to hire external experts). If you’re recognizing the power harnessing video can bring to your brand but are nervous to set out your own, here are a few tips to get you started!

 

  • Tell me a story.

Give me a reason to watch your video and give me a narrative to follow. It can be something as small as a how-to video or as big as a full documentary-style interview. We need something to keep our attention.

 

  • Keep it exciting.

No one wants to see or hear a monotone presenter on-screen tell me why I need to do or try something. When it comes to recording video, make sure you have your most charismatic people on screen.

 

  • Audio is key.

Did you know that when it comes to video, most people can live with a slightly flawed image but if the audio is bad they turn it off immediately? Be smart about where you record. Is it overly windy outside? If yes, find a nice spot inside to record. Noticing a lot of echoes when you move inside? Go to a room that still works for your video but has more items around that will deaden the sound. Large empty rooms and windy exterior shots will bring the viewing experience crashing down for your audience.

 

  • Create a compelling visual scene.

Think about your scene and what’s around you. Are you standing back-to-back with a plain white wall? What if you moved forward ten steps and put some objects between the wall and yourself to create a sense of depth and give the viewer something more interesting to focus on. Depth in a scene can make what’s appearing on the screen feel more natural and compelling.

 

  • Don’t overthink it (or overproduce it)

It’s easy to fret over details of video, but when it really comes down to it the audience doesn’t need a full cinematic experience shot on cameras that cost thousands of dollars to enjoy what they see. As an agency, we have seen videos shot on an iPhone outperform our cinema camera, and we have seen videos with no budget do better than videos with a high budget. If you follow the principles listed above – tell me a story, keep it exciting, pay attention to the audio, a create a visually interesting scene – you will have a video that captivates audiences.