To create high-quality, standout content, you need two things: a quality marketing video production set-up, and a certain level of technical knowledge.
With that in mind, this article is going to show you exactly what you’ll need to make brilliant marketing videos. That includes:
- The equipment you’ll need to make engaging marketing videos
- How to add professional branding to videos
- Tips on how to record the best video content
As a video marketing company, we know a thing or two about making quality content here at Viddyoze. We’ve created tons of content to promote our own product, and through our easy-to-use video animation software, it’s our mission to make video production for marketing simple and impactful.
By the end of this article, you’ll know how to create engaging video content to market your products or services.
Filming Equipment You Need (And Why You Need It)
First things first. Whether you’re a YouTuber creating a lifestyle video or a digital marketing specialist looking to boost sales, high-quality video content production requires certain filming equipment. Here’s a comprehensive list to get you started.
- 2 cameras: An A-camera and a B-camera – we’ll explain more about this in the next section
- 2 tripods, one for each camera
- Lavalier clip-on microphone – you’ll need one of these for each person speaking in a video
- Sound recorder
- Softbox or ring light to illuminate your shots
Video Content Production Tips & Best Practises To Create The Best Marketing Videos
When it comes to video marketing, these 7 tips will have you making high quality videos in no time.
Use A Two Camera Setup
From Hollywood blockbusters to corporate interviews, a two-camera setup is one of the most used techniques in marketing video production.
Essentially, you use two cameras, positioned at different angles, to film the same subject, at the same time.
Using this type of setup allows you to capture multiple shots without disrupting the scene or interview you’re shooting.
Not only does this save on time both on set (you only have to set up one shot) and in the video editing suite post production, but it also makes for much more engaging content.
Jumping between different angles will give your video an exciting, dynamic feel, increase engagement, and add a higher level of professionalism to your advertising video production.
Capture B-Roll Footage
B-roll is alternative footage that is used to supplement your main footage. It’s used to make videos more engaging and visually appealing – particularly interviews or other static content – and is usually added in post production.
For example, take an interview. The main footage is your subject; B-roll is any footage you use to emphasize or illustrate the subject’s points.
So, if your subject is discussing one of your products, include some B-roll footage of them using said product. Simple, right?
It’s video marketing best practice to film all your B-roll at the same time as your main shot. That way, you already have your set, lighting, and location ready to shoot.
The great thing about B-roll is that you can use it for any type of video projects, including brand videos, product videos, video ads, and customer testimonials.
Cutting To B-Roll Is An Option To Hide Cuts
Jarring and unprofessional, messy jump cuts can completely ruin a video for your viewer.
For those new to the video game, a cut is a transition between two shots – and you want this to be as smooth as possible. Great marketing videos never jump.
Let’s go back to our interview example. Maybe your subject hesitated a lot during the shoot. You can cut out all those “umms” and “ahhs” so that the sound remains slick, but the footage will appear jumpy – B-roll footage will give you a professional transition every time.
B-roll footage is a simple way to hide any scene cuts that you can’t take care of when you edit your videos. This is especially useful if you’ve only got the budget for a one-camera setup.
Main Light Should Ideally Be 45 Degrees From Camera-A
The camera captures light in a completely different way to the human eye.
So, while your set might look bright and clear, it could come across as dark and dingy when you watch your videos back later.
We recommend using one light as an absolute minimum when shooting a marketing video production.
Imagine your subject is at the center of a clock. Your main camera should sit at “6”, with your light positioned between “4” (40 degrees) and “3” (45 degrees) from your main camera and pointing directly at your subject.
This setup is basic, but it’ll get professional results for your video content and help you develop your digital marketing strategy.
Choose Locations With Plenty Of Background Depth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAAu8xJB9XE
A good location can make or break a video shoot.
Ideally, it’s best to choose a place where the subject (the focus of your videos) has a good amount of distance from the background.
Then, using the aperture setting on your camera (this is measured in f-stop numbers), you can then alter the level of depth in your shot.
For example, to create a shallow depth of field – with a focus on the subject and a blurry background – you need a wide aperture. This means using a smaller f-stop number, such as f/2.8.
To create more depth – where the subject and background are both in focus – use a narrow aperture and a larger f-stop number, such as f/22.
Other things to think about when choosing a location include good natural lighting, background noise, and setting – for example, will a controlled environment, such as an office or studio, work, or do you need to get out in the field?
Frame Your Shots Using The Rule Of Thirds
Whether you’re filming a “behind-the-scenes” lifestyle video to show off your awesome company culture or a simple testimonial with a customer, the composition of your shot can be the difference between “pro” and “poor” video marketing.
Think of your shot (the scene you see through your camera’s viewfinder) as a grid made up of nine equal boxes. This is called the “Rule of Thirds”, and it’s one of the core principles used in videography.
By positioning your subject along one of the “thirds” (the grid lines where your boxes meet), you can make a shot more visually appealing and interesting.
It’s important to note that the “Rule of Thirds” is just a guide. Generally, using this will create more visually appealing videos.
However, in some cases, such as promo videos or product videos, occupying the center of the screen will work, too.
Keep Your Audio Volume To A Maximum of -6D.B.
As strange as it may sound, good audio is the most important part of any video.
The reason is, if your viewer can’t understand what’s being said in your content, they’ll switch off in seconds.
So, it’s important to take extra care when recording your audio – especially if your digital marketing strategy features dialogue-heavy videos, like testimonials, tutorials, or interviews.
We recommend keeping your levels at a maximum of -6D.B. That means there should be no “peaks” (loud occurrences) that go above -6D.B. Go higher than this point and your audio will begin to distort.
To stop that from happening, run a quick audio test before you begin filming. Simply hook your subject up to the mic and have them say a few sentences so that you monitor their levels.
How To Brand Your Videos Quickly And Easily
The problem for most businesses is that creating professional-looking branded video content is difficult and usually expensive.
This causes a dilemma because without thoroughly branding your videos you risk making your content forgettable or worse, cheap looking.
Unless you’re a videographer or animation specialist, creating high-quality video intros and transitions means one of three things:
- Either you learn to create them yourself – a huge time-consuming process
- You pay someone to do it for you – a quicker option, but it’s going to hit your bottom line
- Or you use Viddyoze – the best of both worlds
The Viddyoze app allows you to create professional branded animations for your videos in minutes, without needing any prior editing experience.
For a small one-off subscription fee, you can access our library of amazing marketing video templates, which you can customize with your branding and imagery in just 3 clicks.
Elevate your video marketing by signing up to Viddyoze. If you register now you’ll be posting epic branded videos before the end of the day.
Video Marketing Tactics To Make Your Content More Engaging
In such a crowded digital market, standing out can be tough. Here’s how to make engaging content that speaks to your target market, influences buying decisions, and fosters brand credibility.
Grab Viewer Attention In The First 5 Seconds
Recent online marketing research by Microsoft found that the average human attention span has dropped by almost 25% in the last few years.
Generally, that means you’ve got about 5 seconds to hook your target audience into your video.
Now, that may not sound like a lot, but in video time, it’s more than enough – if you do it right.
As soon as the viewer clicks play, they need to know exactly what they are watching. Tell them why they are here and what they will get out of your video.
Another way to grab your viewer’s attention is to promise a story. Create an emotive intro that drags people in, leaving them wanting more. Distinctive in style, this type of intro can also help create a strong sense of brand identity, too.
By monitoring important video metrics, such as bounce rate, video views, and watch time, you’ll be able to see which videos are working, and which aren’t.
Include Call-To-Actions Within Your Videos
When creating video content – from search ads to mini- documentaries – everything you film should have a point – a tangible action the user takes at the end of the content.
If you’re making product videos, you’ll want to drive sales. Making a tutorial video? Maybe you’re after subscribers. Video ads. Customer testimonials. Promos. Whatever you’re making, they all need a goal.
To make things easier, create a detailed marketing strategy before you start to film. That way, you’ll know what each piece of content is supposed to achieve when you come to make it. Once you’ve figured this out, you can create a call-to-action to prompt your viewers and successfully market your products.
Remember, most viewers need a little nudge to commit to an action. By including an animated call to action in your video, your content is much more likely to convert. Depending on your CTA, you can easily track your success with key metrics, such as sign-ups, click-through rate, and sales.
How do you make an animated call to action? Viddyoze can help you with that.
Format Your Video For Mobile
Over 60 percent of adults in the US access social media on mobile (Statista).
That means there’s a pretty good chance your target audience will be watching your video content on a small screen.
To make sure you’re serving the best user experience possible, format all of your videos are properly formatted for social media.
We recommend using MP4 (MPEG-4) for social media because it retains a video’s quality while compressing its size.
In terms of sizing (pixels, aspect ratio, width, etc), it’s also a good idea to check the optimum video spec for all the different social media platforms. That way, you’ll get the best results.
Oh, and one last thing: make your videos play in portrait mode so that users don’t need to rotate their phones – nobody likes it when that happens!
Subtitle Your Videos If Posting To Social Media
Want to hear something crazy? A whopping 85 percent of video on Facebook is watched without sound, according to Digiday.
And you can bet your new tripod it’s a similar story for other social media channels.
So, how can you hook someone into your video if they can’t hear what you’re saying?
One word: subtitles.
You see, most video content is automatically muted when users scroll through their timeline. The videos still play, it’s just the sound doesn’t.
The solution? Subtitles allow you to get the message across to your target market in silence.
It also helps if your videos’ intros are visually engaging, too. Think eye-catching colors and dynamic animations.
Tell A Story
Compelling storytelling should play a key part in your video marketing strategy. The goal is to make a connection with your target audience with something relatable and authentic.
Think about it. Which one of the following product videos is more persuasive?
- A short video where you list off all the great reasons the viewer should buy your product
- A documentary-style video where you show the user how your product helped someone with a problem
It’s a no-brainer, right?
We suggest looking at one of your favorite brands for inspiration. Hey, we’ve got a YouTube channel full of great content, too.
Summary
By the end of 2022, Cisco predicts that digital videos will account for 82% of all consumer internet traffic. In other words, the future of marketing is video.
That means one thing for businesses: creating stunning, professional video marketing is a must.
Now you know how to make it, it’s time to act. Get the equipment you need, devise a comprehensive video marketing strategy, and start creating.
Once you’ve shot your video content, add the finishing touches with Viddyoze. From slick branded transitions to a clickable call to action, our easy-to-use software will give your videos the added credibility they need to stand out in a busy marketplace.
Join the Viddyoze movement today. Take your video marketing to the next level.
