Seven Deadly Sins of Video Content Creation
We’re living in a visual world today. Most of us would rather watch a video than read a description. Creating content that converts is tricky, though. In this post, we’ll go through the seven deadly sins of video content creation. You’ll learn what these mistakes are so that you don’t repeat them.
1. Being too Cheap with Production Costs
You don’t need the budget of a Hollywood blockbuster. We are saying that you should put some money aside to have the production done professionally. Anyone can haul out a smartphone and take a video these days.
Now:
That’s fine if you’re venting about your feelings on Instagram. It’s not the best choice with video marketing, though. Publishing an amateurish video with bad lighting or sound won’t get you far.
2. Making Your Video too Long
With video content, you’ll want to stick to a maximum of two minutes at the very most. Hubspot recommends tailoring your video for the platform. They suggest a maximum of between 30 seconds and two minutes, depending on the platform.
Make your videos short and punchy by getting to the point fast. Write a script upfront to help it flow well and cut out any waffling.
3. Trying to Get too Many Points Across
We understand that you want to get the best value for your money. But packing your video with too many messages is going to reduce your conversion rates. Sticking to one message per video improves retention and helps keep the video on point.
Need to get more information across? Then create a series of videos that build on one another.
4. Inadequate Branding
Your aim is to create killer content that is clearly associated with your brand. There’s no point in a video going viral if no one remembers that your company created it. Think about how to incorporate clear brand references in the video.
At the very least, incorporate your logo and reference your company name and URL in the content. You can do this by including signage in the video itself, using clear product placement, or simply ensuring that you use the brand name a few times.
Bring it all home by including this information in the description or transcript as well. You’ll want to work it in so that it appears naturally in the content and the write-up.
5. Coming Across as a Spammer
Steve is that annoying salesperson that is always trying to push you to buy their product. Don’t be like Steve with your videos. Showing people why they should buy your product is a lot more effective than trying to convince them to do so.
Forget the sales pitch and focus on improving the relationship with the viewer. Provide valuable content that they’ll want to watch instead of content that they’ll prefer to avoid.
Think of it this way, which of the following would you rather watch:
- Ten reasons to buy product A?
- A tutorial about using product A.
Let your viewers come to the conclusion that product A is the right product for them. That way, they’ll seek your company out. If you’re trying to drag them there kicking and screaming, you’re not likely to be successful.
6. Not Telling Them What You Want Them to Do
What’s the point of the video? What do you want them to do at the end? While you might feel that the next step is obvious, your prospect might not feel the same way. Let them know exactly what the next step is.
It might be something as simple as, “Visit our site to book your demonstration” or “Download our app.” The point is that you need to create a simple call to action. Without it, the viewer might never know what the next step is.
7. Not Monitoring Your Video’s Performance
Would you put an advertisement out there without evaluating its performance? Would you put out a product without monitoring how the market responds? Then why would you create content and not monitor how well it performs?
In today’s marketing environment, there is no room for assumptions. You can assume that a particular format will be successful, but without statistics, there’s no way to confirm this. Checking your video analytics is fairly simple.
What’s more:
It’s also a great way to narrow down what works best with your particular market. Try videos in different formats and different lengths so that you know what your market responds to best overall. That way, every campaign can build on the successes of the last one, and you can avoid making the same mistakes time and time again.
Think of it in the same way that you do split level testing when it comes to advertising. You’ll want to tweak one aspect in each subsequent video until you find out what works the best for your business.
Wrapping it All Up
Be guided by your target audience at all times. What do they want out of your video? What peaks their interest? What will turn them off the video completely? Include content that does more of the former and less of the latter.
In effect, that means creating content that is valuable to your audience rather than just focusing on selling. Think of each video as a chance to create a valuable resource. That way, people will be more likely to share your video than not.
Always ensure that your video contains clear branding so that there’s always an association with your brand. And, finally, never assume that you’ve gotten it perfect. There are always small changes that you can make to improve your results.
By monitoring the results of each video carefully, you’ll be able to narrow down what’s most successful in your particular target market. By doing a little more work upfront with each campaign, you can build your own highly successful strategy.
Want to learn more about how to make your video marketing campaigns great? Then check out the infographic below.
