10 Easy Steps to Making Video Content for Your Small Business
There's no need to feel overwhelmed by creating video content-- all that matters is that you create something your audience resonates with!
It doesn't need to be a fancy polished video, with perfect people, perfect lighting, or perfect locations.
At least, you shouldn't feel that by not having those things you can't produce quality content that your audience will gain value from.
At your fingertips are infinite types of video, with infinite styles-- and that includes the super basic.
Even if you're only equipped with yourself and your smartphone, you can begin creating video content that will capture your audience's attention.
We're going to show you how with these 10 Easy Steps to Making Video Content for Your Small Business:
Gather Your Gear
Arrange Your Editing Software
Develop Your Message & Goals
Construct Your Shot List & Storyboard
Write Your Script
Arrange Your Branding Elements
Edit Down Your Video Length
Commit to Social Engagement
Activate Your Advertising
Review Your Analytics
Gather Your Gear
Again, you don't need fancy camera equipment to begin making video, all you really need is a single device that will record.
All you have is a phone? Got the smallest budget ever?
No problem.
Three basic buys to make your video content journey easier are a smart phone tripod, a set of lights, and a mic. Now you can begin making video immediately, all under $70.
Want some mobility?
Get a gimbal, like this one for only $75.
If you've been blessed with a DSLR camera, consider the lenses that best suit your needs and camera type, as well as a compatible mic with a windshield or pop filter. Bluetooth compatibility is a must in today's creative landscape.
Arrange Your Editing Software
Without a doubt, Adobe's Premier Pro is the best video editing platform to navigate, and produces the highest quality files that you can optimize for various online platforms.
However, it’s not terribly intuitive, it doesn't accommodate vertical video (for Instagram or TikTok), and it’s on the pricier end of editing software. It is, in fact, what professional video editors use to produce film quality videos.
That being said, TikTok is an incredibly easy tool for video editing. Besides the AI-supported video templates that provide built-in special effects, transitions, animations, filters and more.
Don't like the TikTok template? No problem. With one button, the editing tracks open for you to customize your video to your desire. Just be sure to save drafts as you go, and to keep your internet connection smooth.
Or, go ahead and edit your own videos from scratch! TikTok allows you to easily create professional looking Reels with ease.
Develop Your Message & Goals
Creating one-off videos will only spark one-off attention from your audience.
Content Creation is a long-game that pays off big in the end by securing your brand as the expert in your industry.
But in order to craft your key message, you need to understand your overall goals.
Click here to learn Why You Should Start Making Video Content For Your Small Business!
The following questions serve as a guideline for developing a strategy for your video content that will keep your messaging (and your budget) aligned with your goals.
What are your overall goals of including video content within your content marketing strategy?
Are you looking to build brand awareness?
Sell a product or service?
Increase your email subscribers?
Gain social media followers?
Educate your audience?
How will this video fit in with your overall Content Marketing Strategy?
What are you trying to achieve with this video?
Who is your intended audience?
Consider your audience when developing a strategy that increases website clicks and conversion rates.
Where are you going to publish this video?
Will it be available on social media, your Google listing, your website, your YouTube channel, your Periscope profile, or another platform?
What's your audience demographic?
Are you attempting to reach Millennials, Gen Zer's, or Baby Boomers? Are you focusing on a local, national, or international audience?
Are you creating this video to use as an advertisement?
You'll want to narrow the objectives of each video you create, tailoring them to only 1-2 desired outcomes.
Because Simplicity Converts!
Keep your message simple for your audience, and clearly identify what it is you are hoping to achieve with their viewership. You'll find that by doing so, you will retain their attention, and be more likely to achieve the clicks and conversions you're aiming for.
Construct Your Shot List & Storyboard
Before writing your script, develop a shot list.
This will help keep your video short and to the point, and to remain within your overall objectives, which will aid in retaining the attention of your audience.
[Insert IMAGE: Example Shot List]
When working with a team-- large or small-- develop your shot list into a storyboard to illustrate angles, close-ups, and movements, as well as shoot locations or backgrounds.
It will also help you develop a concise storyline, complete with beginning, middle, and end.
Storyboarding is a simple process, and doesn't need to involve more than a few simple sketches to visualize and clearly define your desired shots to your team (and yourself), creating accountability and keeping you on track with the objectives of your video.
This is also a great time to consider when and where to place important keyword copy and call-to-actions on-screen.
Write Your Script
With your objectives in mind, and shot-list with storyboard in place, you've got a great outline from which to build your script.
Keep these 5 tips in mind as you write your script:
Have A Beginning, Middle and End
Find Your Voice to Form a Personal Connection
Employ SEO
Convert with CTAs, Encourage Sharing
Revise, Revise
Have A Beginning, Middle and End
Remember that no matter what the goals of your video are, you are building a story for your brand, and so you'll be telling a story through your video.
That requires a beginning, middle and end.
The Beginning includes a quick introduction to your brand, and the purpose of the video you're creating.
The Middle guides your viewers through your objectives.
The End quickly reviews the content you covered in The Middle. Conclude your video with a clear Call-to-Action to motivate your viewers to further engage with your brand.
Find Your Voice to Form a Personal Connection
The best way to find your voice is to actually practice your script out-loud as you write it. By listening to what you write, you are more likely to catch bad cliches and poorly-written phrases, and it will encourage you to be conversational.
There's nothing worse than a dead-pan, canned voiceover in a video that is supposed to depict "fresh, professional, and friendly."
By practicing a conversational voice for your video, you will come across as more authentic, friendly, and interesting to your viewers, which creates a welcoming environment.
In fact, you can literally invite your audience into your video experience, creating a sense of inclusivity with your viewers. To them, it will feel like a warm hug! They will be more likely to engage further with your brand, and even share your video with their network.
Employ SEO
There are several ways to use SEO within your video. The most obvious is to use the most relevant keywords in your video's title, subtitle, meta descriptions, hashtags, and geotags.
But you'll also want to use relevant SEO within your script copy, and any text that appears on-screen.
What's the point of using SEO in your script copy? The search engines aren't exactly scanning video content for individual words and phrases.
Or are they?
AI Transcribing tools are being employed across more platforms than ever before.
As it is, by creating a transcript and using closed captioning for your video, you will increase your SEO capabilities, making your video scannable by search engines, and therefore, more likely to reach potential viewers.
In addition, your viewers are tuned into your relevant search words-- that's likely how they found you to begin with. You'll want to use the same language they do to address shared topics within the body of your script.
By continuing to use the same keywords they are familiar with, you are increasing your relevance sub-consciously, and reaffirming your expertise in their minds.
Convert with CTAs, Encourage Sharing.
This seems to be where most small business video content differs from "influencer" content. Influencers use Call-to-Actions frequently, whereas small businesses tend to forget this vital component to their video content.
At the very least, include a CTA that encourages your viewers to share your content with their network, spreading your message, your expertise, and your brand awareness.
Revise, Revise
Simplicity is king on the internet.
Your audience has a very short attention span, whether they mean to or not.
Edit and revise your script again and again until only the absolute essential information is present.
Got something really entertaining that will help you stand out from the rest? Leave it in!
Keep what's golden, and toss the superfluous.
Arrange Your Branding Elements
Branding elements go beyond just your logo (though that is essential)!
Video creates the opportunity for a whole new collection of graphics and styles to communicate with your audience, and to keep their attention.
You'll need each graphic optimized for video-application, and to set a style of delivering on-screen copy, transitions, and music that resonates with your brand and your audience.
Working with a professional video editor can really help in this arena, in addition to your usual graphic designer. Together they can create all the brand deliverables to make your video truly unique, and polished.
[FIND A LOCAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER OR VIDEO EDITOR BY CLICKING HERE!]
Other branding elements to consider?
Any props you may use on-screen, including background boards.
Background boards add a sophisticated touch to either your video content or still-frame photography.
A single 2 ft x 3 ft photography board typically begins around $70 each, but are made of sturdy, high-quality materials, and most come double-sided with varying styles or patterns.
However, video production may require a larger background to accommodate the people on-screen.
These vinyl backdrops from Back Drop Style have video-suitable sizes for under $20 each, and their photography options run under $10.
Edit Down Your Video Length
The hardest, yet most vital step in all content creation is the editing process.
At the very best, you've got 2 minutes tops to keep your audience's attention.
In fact, 20% of viewers close videos within the first 10 seconds. http://blogueandoalos50.com/video-marketing-principales-5-tendencias-y-5-metricas/
So, put your best 8 seconds first!
That's barely enough time to introduce your brand (hello!) and the purpose of the video.
Outline your objectives, and make your strongest pitch within those first few seconds of video, and you'll be more likely to retain your viewership.
Commit to Social Engagement
You've worked so hard at this point to produce your video, and have finally published it online.
Congratulations!
Whether it lives on your blog, on your social media pages, or strictly on YouTube, you've got to begin sharing it to your eagerly awaiting audience.
But don't stop there. Don't just share!
Create multiple teasers of your video to post across various platforms, including email.
Send these teasers out as a press release to journalists and industry influencers before sending the full-length video.
Cross-post to different platforms, and into industry-specific groups where your customers are waiting.
Share your video in your email campaigns, and ask your subscribers to share with their networks.
Find private Pinterest boards or Facebook Groups that will not only click, comment, and like (for increased engagement rates, which improves your online presence), but who will share within their own networks and provide authentic engagement with your brand.
And perhaps most importantly, respond to comments and engage in conversations with your audience!
Chances are, your viewers will have questions-- they'll want to dive deeper into your products and services, grilling you for answers before they are persuaded to buy.
They'll expect you to reply open-heartedly, and your timely response can easily convert them into paying customers.
Activate Your Advertising
Advertising your video content is likely to generate higher engagement and conversion rates than other forms of content marketing, therefore, it is recommended that you focus much of your advertising budget on your videos.
You'll want to plan out your advertising strategy-- knowing which platforms your customers use the most, and where they are most likely to be persuaded is valuable information that your analytics can help provide.
Having a strategy in place for advertising your video content in advanceof producing your videos can help you decide how to write your script, and which Call-to-Actions will be most effective.
Review Your Analytics
After you've published the video, shared it, and advertised it across various platforms, take a deep breath!
You've just achieved an incredibly powerful tool in your content arsenal!
You are absolutely justified in doing a happy dance, swigging a glass (bottle?) of wine, and tuning out for a couple of days while the internet works its magic.
But as the week closes, it’s time to sit down (take another sip of wine), and review your analytics.
How has your video performed over the last week?
Has your website been clicked? How often, and at what point in your video?
Have you converted your viewers to purchasing your product or service?
How many comments have been generated?
How many shares?
Where have viewers dropped off (closed the window) of your video?
Did your video teasers help or hinder your performance?
What can you do to improve for next time?
Don't feel discouraged if the results aren't what you were hoping for, especially if this is your first video-- remember, it’s only been a week since you published!
It can't be stressed enough: Content Marketing is a long-term game (it is a marathon, not a sprint, as they say!), and only over time do you accumulate real success.
Success is also more likely to follow more produced content, so keep going!
Chances are, your audience is secretly waiting for your next video to be released before they click your website, or join your email list. They might need just a tad more convincing before becoming your customer.
So try again!
In fact, 48% of marketers create 4+ videos every month, which may seem like a lot, but many of those videos can be produced from your single, original video without much added effort. https://tubularinsights.com/sponsored-content-q2-2017-report/
Remember those teasers you made?
Consider making follow-up videos in similar fashion-- remind your viewers to rewatch your original video, or address other topics of interest that you missed in the first one. You can use clips of the original video to provide reference in the follow-up videos, especially as you encourage viewers to share and engage.
An Important Thing to Consider
As a small brand, it is important not to let perfectionism get in the way of the creative process.
Truthfully, your audience cares most about authenticity and the value provided-- they don't care as much about scene transitions or occasional background noise, or whether your lipstick has bled onto your teeth (if its really bad, using your editing magic to point it out within your video, and move on)!
As long as your message is clear and the goal of your video is achieved, your audience will forgive you for the mishaps and will look for more videos to watch.
Where do you go from here?
Still feeling apprehensive about producing your first video?
Reach out to one of our Content Strategists here at Rising Mountain Content Design.
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