As we are sure, you are aware, creating video content can be a great investment for marketing your business. However, whether you hire a video production company or do it yourself, plenty of things could make that investment feel more like an expense. Here are the top 5 common mistakes companies make when creating video marketing content.
Mistake #1 Skipping Pre-Production
If you are just showing up with your camera and “winging it, " you are most likely skipping this important step. Pre-production includes everything from writing a script or outline to making sure you have sunscreen packed on the day of the shoot(Yeah, don’t forget your sunscreen, kids). Basically, it’s having all your production needs squared away before you start shooting your video. Yes, this process may take a bit of time, but it makes the production much easier and stress-free!
Mistake #2 Cramming too much information into one video
We get it, you want to maximize your budget and time. But not only does this make the video really long, it also makes it confusing for the viewer. If time and money only permit you to make one video at the moment, it’s best to focus on one specific aspect of the business rather than telling its whole life story. Maybe, just focus on the latest product or service promotion and only tell that story.
Mistake #3 Doesn’t focus enough on the audience
We see a lot of people doing a little too much talking about themselves in their videos. Maybe they are trying to position themselves as one of those celebrity business owners or feel like they need to tell the world how passionate they are. These may seem important, but not so much for the audience. Every video you produce should have your customers in mind. You want to be able to connect with your audience on an emotional level and be able to communicate that your brand is the answer to all their problems.
Mistake #4 Missing a call to action
You may be getting a good number of views on your videos, but if nothing tells the viewers what to do next, the conversation ends there. This doesn’t always have to mean adding a big button that says “Buy Now” or “Learn More.” It could also be something as simple as asking the viewers a question to answer in the comments or tagging a friend for a free giveaway. Having something for them to do keeps the relationship going.
Mistake #5 Not knowing what to do with the video
So, you finally complete your video. It came together just the way you wanted. Now what? The worst thing you could do at this point is throw it up on YouTube or wherever and pray that the magical algorithm takes it from there. This happens way too often. Having a posting plan is crucial to getting your video content seen. Otherwise, you did all that hard work for maybe a few hundred views(if you’re lucky).
Strategy is the answer.
All 5 of the above mistakes have something in common. They are all results of not having a strategy in place. The strategy is the first step everyone should take when creating video content. It all starts with the question, “what do I need this video to do?” or what is the goal? Every video made needs to have a specific purpose, whether it’s introducing your brand, striking up a conversation on your social media feed, or making a sale. When you know exactly what you want your video to do, you can properly plan your shoot, communicate the right information to the right audience, and call them to action.