Just like a child hoping Santa will be coming down the chimney at Christmas, many companies have put their hopes and dreams for their company’s videos in many things that are not true. Here are 6 of the biggest myths companies believe about online video:
Myth #1: Making a video is easy!
It’s easy to assume that, with cameras at the tip of our fingers in our cell phones, computers, and iPads, just about anyone can shoot a video. While this can work for making a video of your cat playing the piano or a video of your toddler’s birthday, novice video skills are inadequate to help you achieve your goals for your company video. The art of story and sequence are necessary for creating a video. These are skills that can be learned but it takes years to perfect them. Video creation is a team effort. That team has many experts, from script writing to lighting and editing.
Myth #2: We can do it ourselves!
There are a lot of experts out there saying you can do it yourself. They are saying this because they are trying to sell another service, such as video hosting or search marketing. While it may seem like a cost-saver to use the kid in the mailroom who has shot a few skateboarding videos and pay him a few bucks to make a quick video, this method, is not cheaper in the long run. Is it worth your company’s time and money if no one ever watches the video or if only a hundred people watch your video? Without mastery of branding, creativity, and audience targeting, your video will likely look the same as all of the other run-of-the-mill company videos that are out there. As a result, your investment – however small – will be a net loss for your company because it won’t reach any measurable goals.
Myth #3: It’s only going on YouTube! No one there cares about quality!
While this was true in 2007, it is now 2015. The Millennials have grown up and many of them have kids of their own. They are savvy to what good video should look like. They might not know the technical terms for why your video doesn’t look good but they vote with their eyeballs. If you ever hear someone at your company say, “Well, it’s just YouTube,” you should make them write on the whiteboard 1000 times after school “I don’t know anything about YouTube.”
Myth #4: We can write our own script!
Because script writing does not require any cinematography, people mistakenly assume that it’s a task that doesn’t require professional skills. Anyone with a word processor and a few hours of extra time can write a script, right? Think again. The script is the guiding aspect of your video and will make all the difference between a video that soars and a video that bores. A good script will illustrate your company’s features and benefits, providing a heart that your viewers can connect with. It will help connect them with your brand and learn not only what your business does, but also why those features matter to them. A professional scriptwriter will help you design your script to speak to your audience’s wants and needs, while avoiding common pitfalls, such as overly wordy sentences.
Myth #5: Animated video is easier and cheaper than other types of video.
Some people incorrectly assume that animation is cheaper to produce. In reality, the cost of high-quality animation or live-action footage varies depending on the length, style, and the company you hire. There’s also the time factor to consider. The complex process of creating animated scenes from scratch may take longer than hiring a video company to shoot a few scenes over a couple of days.
Also consider your target audience when choosing between animation and live-action. Depending on what your company does and who you’re trying to target, animated scenes could come off as too juvenile or cheesy and may not be taken seriously.
Live action scenes may better benefit your marketing video by giving a human face to your company. Your goal is to increase your company’s visibility while also establishing rapport with your viewers. When there are real, live people, viewers will identify with people they see as similar to themselves. People like to connect with other people. The video will help people perceive your company not as a distant corporate entity but as a group of people whom they can trust and will want to work with.
That being said, when you have the time and money to have it done correctly, animated, or motion graphic, video can be very powerful when used properly at the right phase of the buyer’s journey.
Myth #6: YouTube is easy! Just upload it and you’re done!
While YouTube is a great tool, there are little things that need to be done when setting up a YouTube video that will help the video’s success. These things can help your video be found. While uploading, you’ll also need to add a title, a description, and search tag. These parts may seem small but they actually make a huge impact on whether or not people will find your video and decide to press play. It also helps Google learn what your video is all about.
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