If you’re thinking of investing or already have invested in corporate video production, you’re on the right track. Video is one of the most popular tactics for marketing online. This isn’t a passing trend. Studies show that video is set to be responsible for more than 80 percent of online consumer traffic by 2020. It’s also one of the most effective tools for conveying information. 55 percent of people have been shown to pay closer attention to videos compared to other types of content.
Whether you intend to use corporate video for training, sales, marketing or recruiting, it’s important to ensure that you create engaging content that will help you meet your objectives. Below are some of the most common corporate video mistakes people make and how to avoid them.
- Not making their objective clear
This may seem obvious, but many companies fail to do this from the beginning of the production process. They don’t outline their objectives for the shooting of the scenes. They don’t know why the video is being created nor do they have a clear goal of the intended results or a set budget. As a result, the cost of production skyrockets and the resulting content isn’t engaging.
Don’t make a video for the sake of it. Have an objective. Determine the problem and the solution you want to present in your video. How is the video going to help you meet your business goals?
- Not thinking of the target audience
The purpose of creating a video is to present your target audience with engaging content. If the content doesn’t resonate with the audience, they are not likely to watch it. Your message will therefore not reach them.
Keep your target audience in mind when writing your script and planning the production. Focus on their problems and the solution that you offer. What are their interests? What makes them tick? How can you use this to present a solution?
- Creating a long video
More than 30% of viewers don’t watch ads beyond 30 seconds and 60 percent will stop watching a video after two minutes. If you make your video too long, chances are that your audience will get bored and move on to other content.
Keep your video as short as possible. Get to the point as quickly as possible to capture your audience’s attention.
- Telling your audience and not showing them
Many corporates place emphasis on the narration or discourse and not on images presented. However, if you want to create award winning content that gets attention, you will have to ensure that you not only tell the audience but also show them. After all, one of the rules of great filmmaking is, “Show don’t tell”. Many platforms play videos on mute. 85% of Facebook viewers for example watch videos without sound. Your videos visuals should therefore be engaging even without sound. For example, if you want to show your blenders are more powerful than others in the market, consider a video showing your blender in action blending items other than the typical veggies. You can even make use of effective on-screen titles to inform your audience without using audio.
- Delivering too many messages in one video
Some corporates try to cram as much as they can into one video. This only results in the viewer becoming confused and lost. They’re likely to stop watching.
Identify your most important message and determine the best way to deliver it to the audience in a concise manner. You can add a second, minor message; however, it is best to stay focused on a single message with each video you produce.
- Not including a call-to-action
Videos are often made with the intention of getting the audience to do something. Whether it is to share the video, like it or visit the website and make a purchase. However, if you don’t tell the viewers what to do, they are not likely to do it.
Include a call to action that clearly tells the audience what to do. It should be clear and persuasive. It should also be relevant to your brand and your audience.
- Not carefully considering the placement
Many companies are in a hurry to get their videos out to the online community as quickly as possible. However, not all platforms are created the same. If you want to reach more of your target audience, you’ll need to think about where they are likely to be.
Think about placement during the planning and production of the video. If majority of your target audience is on Facebook for example, you should ensure that your video is engaging even when watched without audio.
- Making an obvious sales pitch
This is one of the top mistakes businesses make. Just because you want to sell something doesn’t mean you should make a direct sales pitch. Modern consumers have become wise to direct sales tactics. They’re more informed and want to be presented with something that they didn’t know before.
Focus instead on telling a story and entertaining your audience. This will provide you with the opportunity to establish an emotional connection with your audience.
- Not paying attention to the audio
Many corporates focus on the visuals and ensure that they are of great quality but forget about the audio. However, audio is very important. Investing in a professional video production team will help to ensure that production quality is considered all around and not just on the visuals.
- Not optimizing for mobile
Many businesses overlook the mobile audience when more people are using their mobile devices to access the internet than ever before. Not optimizing your video for mobile will mean that you’re missing out on a large portion of the market.
Create mobile-friendly videos. Ensure that consumers can view them on their mobile devices.
Now you know the mistakes people make in corporate video production. You can avoid them and produce a fantastic piece and harness the true power of video.