5 steps you must take BEFORE creating a video By JENNIFER ROOK “Let’s make a video!” You’ve probably heard this phrase once or said it yourself. Marketing experts would agree that video is the most effective selling tool, even more so thanks to the pandemic. It’s a common wish that you create a video and it turns out to be the next YouTube sensation that “goes viral” and amasses millions of views and sends thousands of new customers to your business. Realistically, the probability of your video going viral is > 0.0001. In fact, according to Statisa.com, roughly 50% of the YouTube videos never cross 1k views and 30% never cross 500 views.
“We see lots of businesses create a video then try to figure out how to get people to watch it. The days of ‘If you build it, they will come’ are long behind us.”
“Regardless of the type of video it is, like a How-to video, an advertisement, or an informational piece, all videos tell a story,” said Spaulding. Your video needs to flow like a story. It needs a beginning, a middle, and an end, regardless of the content.” Spaulding also advises keeping the viewers perspective in mind during the creative process. “Viewers have a very brief attention span,” said Spaulding. “You are competing against a sea of videos. In fact, more than 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube and Facebook every minute. Viewers only care about your video if it is useful or entertaining to them.” Look at your content through the lens of the viewer and ask yourself: what’s in it for me if I watch this? If you find the video is more about appeasing yourself or your business interests, then you need to revisit your plan because your audience inherently knows the difference. If you are short on content, use case studies and customer testimonials. Both are fantastic tools to use to tell an authentic story. The other part of this is making sure your viewers can relate to your content.
So, setting aside any viral aspirations, the question becomes not if you should create a video, but how do you create videos that are effective and get watched? We sat down with Tracey Spaulding, head writer and producer of Lansing-based Cold Box Films to discuss what needs to happen first before yelling, “action!” 1. DETERMINE WHY YOU NEED A VIDEO It’s natural to want to jump into creating a video thinking you can figure it out as you go. “It’s a common mistake,” said Spaulding. “We see lots of businesses create a video then try to figure out how to get people to watch it. That approach wastes a lot of money. The days of ‘If you build it, they will come’ are long behind us.” Spaulding says to take the time to write up a quick plan by answering these questions: • What do you hope this video accomplishes for you? • Who should see it? • Where are people going to see it? • How are you going to get people to watch it?
Planning saves time and money in the production stage. Photo by PATRICK KERWIN
You should revisit these questions and your answers often to keep the project and everyone involved, on track. “Consider your plan to be the foundation of your project,” said Spaulding. 2. FLUSH OUT YOUR STORY It’s tempting to just wing it to give the impression of authenticity, thinking viewers will be enamored with the visuals or the information you’re providing. Nothing can be further from the truth, says Spaulding.
For example, if your video showcases people, how are these characters reflective of your audience? Will they see themselves in them? The more your viewers can identify with what they see (and who they see) onscreen, the more likely it is that they will agree with your message. This is POWERFUL. 3. FOCUS. FOCUS. FOCUS This point is so important it bears repeating, says Spaulding. Focus your video on a single topic with a single objective. It’s tempting to continued on page 18 WWW.RETAILERS.COM AUG / SEP 2021
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