1. Decide What Type of Video You Want to Create
There are many different types of videos you can make. Which type of video is right for your project? That depends on how you want to film your video and what the purpose of your video will be.
Pick a video type for this project. For example, you could make a: Creative or “viral” video How-to video Video interview Talk show-style video
film in HD? Do you want to record using a 16:9 (or wide screen) aspect ratio? (Many companies do!) Perhaps you will create a stationary set, and use a tripod to film your video. Maybe you will hold the camera while recording. To help you decide, watch other videos to see what you like.
2. Set Your Video Goals
Creating video is a lot of fun, but as with any marketing project, it’s important to set goals for the video you produce. What do you want to achieve from your video?
Suggested Goals:
1. Increase “direct traffic” to your company’s website
2. Grow your YouTube Channel’s subscribers
3. Grow your blog RSS subscribers
4. Build inbound links into your website
5. Develop company personality and brand
6. Recruit new employees or build company culture
7. Increase brand awareness (search traffic for your company name)
3. Storyboard Your Video
Storyboarding is a technique to map out a video sequence prior to filming. In true form, a video producer would draw the scenes on paper as they would appear on camera. For marketing purposes, create a storyboard in written form to plan for your video’s content.
A. Pick your topic. What will your video content be about? This could be a simple interview subject or a complex plot and storyline. Brainstorm the topic of your video with a team.
In your brainstorm, you could ask: What’s popular in mass media or on the news? Does someone in our company have an interesting talent? Could we do a parody of a popular song? TV show? What does our target audience find funny? What does our target audience want to learn?
B. Write the script. Once you’ve picked your topic, you need to write your script. If your video will require multiple shots, characters and scenes, script out your video in detail. Be sure to include the sets, stage actions and dialogue.
If your video will be mostly conversational, create a list of bulleted notes. It will keep you organized during filming and save you time later.
C. Decide on your video’s call-to-action. Too often, marketers leave a video’s call-to-action to the very last minute. Decide what your call-to-action will be while writing your script. What do you want people to do after they watch your video?
Be sure to connect your call-to-action with the goal you set for your video.
Here are some call-to-action examples: Google
It’s also important to remove as much “corporate friction” from your video calls-to-action as possible. If your call-to-action (or the video itself) is too corporate in nature, people will be discouraged from sharing it with their network, decreasing its reach. You don’t want people to think your video is a commercial if that’s not its purpose