Video production: What do marketers need to know?

If you’re not yet using video production as part of your content marketing mix, this is a gap you should think seriously about addressing. Video marketing is a proven road to success, with those doing this effectively enjoying significantly better results, across a range of metrics, whether this is improved brand awareness, increased engagement with customers or more converted leads.

What are the benefits of video production?

You’ve heard the adage that a picture says a thousand words. Well moving pictures say even more. It’s said that most people are visual learners, so if you’re trying to convey information, colourful motion graphics will often work better than text. 

Visuals also do a much better job of catching a viewer’s eye if they’re scrolling on social media, or breaking complex concepts down into smaller, easily-digestible chunks. Therefore, no matter what type of message you’re trying to get across, video can offer a great solution.

Why do marketers need to consider video?

Put simply, everyone else is doing it, and doing it well. Brands that are not already using video will definitely be missing out to competitors who have already embraced this form of marketing as part of their content strategy.

If you’re still not convinced, consider these stats: 

• 96 per cent of marketers consider video to be an important part of their strategy
• LinkedIn users engage with video ads for nearly 3x longer than other options such as a text ad
• 92 per cent of marketers reported that video marketing gave them a positive ROI in 2023

What can video marketing be used for?

There is a wide range of purposes for video in your digital marketing, from raising initial brand awareness to acting as a key lead generation tool. Some of these use cases include:

• Promotional Video: Show off your company – who are you and what are your values?
• Marketing Video: Focus in on a specific campaign or product launch
• Social Video: Engage with customers and connect directly with users
• Training Video: For either employees or customers, show how your products or processes work

You can learn more about some of the key types of video below, but if you’re unsure of what would work best for your business, a good video production service should be able to offer clear guidance.

What makes a great video?

A great video needs to be attention-grabbing, lighthearted and to the point. Generally, the shorter the better, as research has shown people’s attention spans dip significantly after as little as a minute. Therefore, it’s important you know exactly what to say and how to get this information across as succinctly as possible. 

To see success, you’ll need to make sure you’re telling a strong story, while keeping your brand visible – but not overwhelming – throughout. It can be very easy to fall into the trap of trying to say too much, which can result in  a video losing focus, so a good production company can help keep things on track.

What type of video production can you use in your marketing?

One of the great things about video is there’s an option for every occasion. No matter what you want to achieve or the audience you want to reach, there’ll be a compelling video format that’s perfectly suited.

However, it’s important to make the right choice. A great video marketing agency can offer its expertise to help, but it pays to have a good understanding of what the options are. Here are some of the most common types of video marketing you’re likely to come across.

Product videos

A product or explainer video is a great way to showcase what you offer to prospective customers. This might be an introductory video for a new service, or a how-to guide that shows off a physical item’s key features or capabilities, for example. Whatever you’re looking to achieve, a product video should tell a compelling story and have a human element to help viewers connect with your brand. 

Social media videos

Social media videos can offer a wide range of benefits. They’re fun, highly shareable, grab the attention of viewers and help show that your company is up-to-date with the latest trends. In order to get noticed on social feeds and stop users simply scrolling past, however, they should get straight to the point and have strong visuals to stand out from the noise.

Corporate videos

This term covers a few different aspects, including explainers to introduce your business to new customers, promotional tools that showcase your culture or ethos, events such as webinars or keynote speeches and more. A corporate video production can even be used internally, communicating everything from key training processes to celebrating major milestones.

Documentary videos

If you want to offer a more in-depth insight into your brand’s story, a documentary video is a great choice. This can provide a number of benefits, including highlighting your key values, explaining how you’ve solved a customer’s pain point, or demonstrating your success. Documentary video production lets you tell your story in a highly engaging way and focus on the people that make you what you are.

Live streams

If you want to engage directly with an audience, a live streaming video is often the answer. Many services offer the ability to do this, including YouTube, Facebook and Twitch, so it’s easy to get started, but with the right help, you can make this the cornerstone of a wider strategy. Whether it’s answering questions in real-time or responding quickly to a new development, a live video helps you connect with your customers and build a trusted brand.

Why opt for video production services?

You could just pull out your iPhone and start shooting, but if you really want to make a professional-looking marketing video, you’ll need much more than this. However, high-quality cameras, lighting and editing equipment are expensive, as well as requiring experience to use properly. Therefore, most businesses should consider turning to a specialist video production company for help.

What are video marketing services?

For starters, an experienced agency will provide all the hardware you need to make a complete video, as well as the skills to put this to good use. As well as the shooting itself, a partner will be able to help at every stage of the process

However, the value of a video marketing agency doesn’t end once production is wrapped. A full-service partner will also be able to help with distributing and promoting your video content. They’ll be able to advise on the best platforms to post your video in order to reach your target audience, as well as providing supporting content, whether this is social media copy, graphic design or creating a hub on your website for this content.

What are the steps in video production?

As noted above, there’s more to video than just filming, and the right partner will be with you from the first brainstorming session to final publication.

The video creation process essentially breaks down into three key stages, each of which require their own skills and expertise in order to achieve the best results. These are: 

• Pre-production: Before the cameras roll, this stage of the process includes both creative elements, such as scriptwriting and storyboarding, as well as strategic planning such as identifying your target audience and setting out goals for the content.
• Production: The filming activity itself. This may involve on-location cameras, lighting and sound, the creation of 2D or 3D animation and supporting activities such as managing a live stream.
• Post-production: As well as editing raw footage into its final format, this stage includes all the activities you’ll do to publish and promote your video. This can involve adding supporting landing pages or blogs, or cutting up the video into smaller, digestible chunks for use on social media.

What are the tools needed for video production?

Among the essential tools you’ll need for a strong video are:

• Camera 
• Tripod
• Microphone
• Lighting
• Video editing software

Using a professional video production agency ensures your company will be able to take advantage of professional-quality hardware and software to give your branded content everything it needs to look good and stand out.

If you want to know more about how the right partner can help you with every aspect of your video production goals, get in touch with Axonn today.