In the last 30 or so years, the internet and computers have completely transformed the world and, in particular, the way we do business. From email newsletters and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to social media and web marketing it is now easier than ever for companies to reach out to new markets and expand their opportunities for increased sales.
However, while having a strong website, social pages, and enhanced presence online is now almost a pre-requisite for firms wanting to improve their marketing presence, there is one form of media that has been proven to trounce all others when it comes to generating attention – namely, internet video.
Why is video so important?
Video has been proven to have by far the highest engagement rate of any online media – a point bolstered by the fact that industry-leading platform, YouTube, can now also boast of being the world’s second-biggest search engine. In very real terms, if your company is not producing video content of some form, you could be missing out on untapped markets and opportunities.
However, while the video is important, just producing a presentation is not enough. In a similar way to having a badly designed or unworkable website can detrimentally affect your branding and corporate image, so can featuring poorly produced videos have a disastrous effect on your firm’s credibility. With so much corporate reputation at risk, here are a few tips to help make your next corporate advert or presentation stand out and successfully work for you at promoting your operations.
Preparation and original thought are key when it comes to content – particularly video
The truth is, in 2021, the world is absolutely saturated with content. All the major social platforms offer options for posting a video (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and, of course, YouTube), making it harder and harder for marketers and film-makers to find an original angle.
As with most other areas of life, preparation is key if you are to end up with the best, most-effective, and most-engaging results. Taking time to think about camera shots, script, and devising interesting angles for what you are trying to say will pay massive dividends in terms of capturing and, crucially, holding interest.
Remember too that accents or languages can prove a barrier for many viewers so consider adding captions or subtitles like those provided by Verbit to get around potential dialect or language issues. The internet is global and there is really no reason your video should not be too – particularly if you already have world-wide clients and know where the majority of your foreign customers are based.
Ideas to capture the interest
Humans are naturally curious – particularly when offered the chance of learning something new that they do not know already. When producing your video (both filming and editing) try to think about bringing the most salient and engaging points to the fore. A good way to do this is to pose questions at the start of your video or, better yet, to include a short opening sequence to summarize the best parts of your footage. Recent research suggests that, if a viewer gets past the first three seconds of a video, they will go on to watch at least the next 30 seconds. Get in early and capture interest as quickly as you can.
Tips to hold an audience’s attention
There is no greater way to hold an audience than through knowing their interests. Most business owners already have a fairly clear idea of the buying habits of the majority of their clients – and hence should also have a relatively good notion of what is most likely to be of interest to them. Stick to the subject, do not get overly-elaborate with your wording, and project your message clearly. When you are just starting with video production, this can seem challenging, but analyzing the likes, comments, audience retention rates, and channel subscriber numbers will soon allow you to start tweaking content.
Do not just rely on filmed content – also use graphics, transitions, cut-away shots, etc
Some forms of video are easier to make engaging than others. For example, an interview-style video will rely largely on the personality and knowledge of both the presenter and interviewee to remain interesting. Conversely, high-action videos are considerably easier when it comes to holding attention. Think about the type of video you are producing and consider adding text, graphics, animations, or cut-away shots to keep the presentation interesting. Static shots get very tiring, very quickly so think about mixing up your footage – even just a close-up of someone drinking tea can prove interesting when interspersed with other types of footage.
Appeal to your viewers’ sensitivities by way of story-telling
Humans are emotional beasts and one of the best ways to engage a viewer is to appeal to their sensitivities. Viewers are far more likely to form an emotional bond with a brand if the content invokes some form of mental or emotive stimulus – whether that be through humor, happiness, hope, excitement, or even (if used cautiously) sadness. Clearly, different types of video are better suited to the inclusion of emotive content than others, but if you think carefully about your subject matter, you should find there will be openings for including more emotional-type footage to increase engagement and viewership figures.
