The importance of video in content marketing can no longer be overlooked. Every day, more research and stats are released to support this.
A 2020 survey on video marketing found that over 86% of viewers would like to see more video content. But as brands run to make a kill with video content, one thing remains clear: the video landscape has changed immensely.
Technological advancement has enabled breakthroughs that were once considered impossible possible. There is more competition and clutter than ever before. The pandemic, too, has limited in-person meetings and interactions, forcing many employers and employees to work remotely.
If you plan to use videos to market your brand, adapting to the recent changes is the surest way to meet the ever-changing needs of consumers. Otherwise, your viewership will tank, causing a drop in your ROI.
Let’s take a look at how you can create first-class videos from the comfort of your home.
01. Take care of your setup
Any video producer knows a setup will determine whether your video shoot will be successful. So if you are doing it remotely, there are some factors to consider, just like you would do in a studio.
The first thing you would consider is where you will do the filming. Since you will most obviously be at home, avoid busy backgrounds and places with background noise. Consider also what type of light source to use: is it an artificial or natural light source?
After which, you can dive into other factors like:
- Your gear or equipment
- Video capturing software
- Camera
- Mics and speakers
- Desk setup
- How you face the camera
- How you will face a light source
- Internet connection
02. Record your editing
Unless you are doing a live webinar or virtual event, record your videos for editing and future use. There are several reasons your video will benefit from an edit.
- Editing allows you to send the best video to your audience.
- Through editing, you can make your videos more enticing by adding colors, background music, and other graphics.
- It is also easy to translate them into a blog post or repackage and optimize your videos for social media marketing purposes.
03. Add mixed media
Mixed media such as animation, dynamic audio, stock photos, and photography can help make your videos more engaging and intuitive. The visual element brought by adding mixed media also helps to make your video more unique.
Besides, it is cheaper and easier to animate characters you can’t recreate in the actual word or replacing complex videos.
Where you may lack stock photos or photography to use, add existing footage you never used in the past in your current project and make your videos more lively and engaging.
For example, in the video below, the producer has incorporated animation, motion graphics with live-action to improve its appeal.
04. Engage in interviews and virtual meetings
The advantage with videos is they help deliver information in a simple and easy-to-understand manner because of their ability to show and tell. To make them more interesting with multiple perspectives, add interviews and virtual meetings by connecting with thought leaders to share useful information.
While doing so, avoid long interviews but stick to a time frame, e.g., 45 mins. Ensure also to make questions available early, so viewers know what you will be discussing.
05. Consider using user-generated videos
User-generated footage helps to connect viewers to your story, increase engagement, make your brand feel more human, authentic, and relatable. Besides, they are uplifting, inspiring, entertaining, and a great way to promote an organization’s culture.
Like animations, user-generated content or videos can be put to use when you are low on resources. Check out the below video from Copa90, where content creators told different stories during FIFA World Cup in 2018.
There are two factors that will help you with user-generated videos. One, ensure you work on a theme that may include tackling questions affecting your brand. And second, mobilize your community to send videos.
06. Record a test shot
Another aspect of video production you can’t ignore includes investigating your test shots. This step helps to expose areas that need change.
You may share a light recording of the video with your teammates and decide where changes may be appropriate. Some obvious changes you may make regards your background drop or changing the position of the webcam or your mic.
07. Make your videos inclusive
As the world becomes a global village, the need to embrace inclusivity and diversity in what we do is becoming more crucial. Brands, therefore, are needed to be at the forefront in embracing inclusivity and diversity. A few tips to ensure your video is accessible to all people include:
Adding captions
Captions appeal to a wider audience as they not only make your videos understandable by those hard of hearing but also with viewers who prefer to play videos without sound or those who don’t understand the speaker’s language.
Diversify your guest speakers
CES organizers received a huge backlash for having an all-male speaker lineup for their 2018 conference. You don’t want the same thing happening to your brand. Thus, make sure you invite speakers from different races or gender in case you are hosting an interview, conference, or virtual event.
Conclusion
Producing videos remotely may sound strange and hard to execute. Nonetheless, it is possible. The advantages of remote video production are immensely visible when you have limited resources and not only when you can’t meet your film crew or actors.
While different brands may use different methods in their remote video production process, factors like enhancing your set up, adding mixed media, and aiming for inclusivity in your videos will help you improve your remote video production process and become more creative to produce videos that can cut through the noise and overcome the competition.
