Video is now the most dominant form of media on the Internet. In the same way that video killed the radio star, it’s quickly creeping up behind the blog medium for a finishing blow.
In fact, in research conducted by eMarketer — an online digital marketing tips resource — from 2011 to 2015, the average amount of time spent watching digital video per day by U.S. adults went from 39 minutes, to almost 2 hours. This surpasses social networks, digital radio, Pandora and even Facebook!
With that in mind, wouldn’t it be advantageous for your company to start looking into making video content for your business? Not only that, but also to create video content that’s meaningful and relevant to your customers? You don’t want your content to be just another sound bite or click bait headline, you want to be a place where people get real, relevant info.
If the answer to either of those questions is “yes,” we’ve gathered a few tips for helping you create videos that grab people’s attention, and doesn’t let go (unless they want to go. This is a free country, after all).
Come In With A Bang
Just like the first chip from a freshly opened bag gives you a burst of flavor that makes you crave just one more bite, so does the intro to your video need to be, in a way, mouth-watering. Whether it be a fantastic intro, complete with catchy music or awesome animation (if you have the skills), the intro to your video is astronomically important. If it doesn’t catch their attention in those first few seconds, you can forget about them sticking around for the full length.
Make It Aesthetically Pleasing
You wouldn’t dine-in at a restaurant that was dirty, smelled of old cheese and baby diapers, and had roaches in the kitchen (no, not running around on the ground. I mean literally preparing your food. They are the cooks. It’s a roach-staurant), would you? Would you. Everyone loves to eat in a clean, aesthetically pleasing restaurant. In the same way, make your videos aesthetically pleasing. If you need to, hire a professional to put in all the whistles and bells to attract curious customers. But remember, don’t sacrifice your content for the sake of a pretty video. What’s that old saying about polishing bodily waste?
Establish Brand Identity
Your brand’s identity needs to be firmly established and apparent in any video you create. Whether you’re a happy go-lucky business that loves to joke around with its customers, or you have a more reserved, traditionally professional demeanor, be sure to clearly show that in your video content.
Watch Trends
Watching trends is important no matter what you’re trying to accomplish. But, in the case of creating video, following trends can separate you from the “noobs” (short for newbies, or inexperienced people) and the media legends. If whiteboard animation videos are in style, do those. If it’s a parody video that you can use to show off your product, do that. But please, no more Gangnam Style or Harlem Shake videos. Those are so three years ago…
Keep It The Right Length
With so much media available at the click of a button, businesses have to compete for viewers attention. If a video is too long, viewers will quickly lose interest in it. If it’s too short, you’ll more than likely have a hard time trying to stuff all the right info into it. I’m not going to tell you how long your videos should be, that’s really up to you and what you’re trying to accomplish with it. But on average, most people will only stick around for 2 – 3 minutes.
Try To Be Original, and Don’t Be Afraid To Take Risks!
With so much content already out there on the interwebs, it can be kind of tough to distinguish yourself from the hoards of voices already screaming at viewers to “hey, look this way!” Try to be original with your content, and take risks with what you produce. You might not hit a home run every time, but the rewards far outweigh the potential risks.
Video isn’t going anywhere anytime soon (unless it’s strapped to our noggins thanks to virtual reality technology). So, don’t be afraid to dive into the world of video content, and see what kind of things you can create!
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