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You poured your heart and soul into your video, but when you released it… crickets. If you’re trying to do everything right, but still are not gaining much traction, there could be a reason for it! Take a look at these thirteen common mistakes that can turn off your viewers, and learn how to correct them.
1. Is It Over Yet???
People just don’t have the time – or the patience and attention span – to view long videos. Try to keep your online videos under two minutes, and to fit the most valuable information for your viewers in the first 45-60 seconds.
2. Wet Blanket Syndrome
Whether it is you, a team member, or a paid actor, whoever is speaking in your video should engage your viewers. This person (or people) should have high energy, inspire the viewer to try your product or service, and to tell their friends about it.
3. Can You Repeat That?
Audio is something you might not give too much thought to until it is too late. During the filming process, microphones can pick up noises the human ear does not, and background noises can be amplified if you are not careful. When finalizing your video, if the volume is too low, too high, or somehow not in sync with the rest of your video, your viewers will notice right away and may be unforgiving.
Get your audio right with these tips.
4. And Your Point Is…?
Did you offer a call-to-action, explain something, delight or amuse them, or otherwise help them out? Make sure there is a point to your video, otherwise, you just annoyed your viewer by wasting their time and you may pay for it.
5. Logos… Logos Everywhere!
Do not bombard viewers with your logo. At best, it is distracting and at worst it is a turn-off.
6. It is ALL About You
Of course you have to tell your viewers about your product in your video but make sure it is in the right context. Identify their problem and explain what it can do in terms of how it will solve that problem and/or make their life easier.
7. You Have No “Voice”
This happens when videos are too few and far between. Aim to post frequently – at least once per week – in order to establish a rapport with your audience and to feel more comfortable in your video offerings.
Note: If you are just starting out, you may not have found your voice yet, but stick with it and you will find that as you produce more content and more feedback, and you will know what they want and what you need to offer in terms of your online video persona.
8. Amateur Hour
We are all for video production hacks but the goal when using them is that your audience has no idea. If your video looks more like a school project than a respectable business video, be honest with yourself and consider investing your money and time into improving it.
9. You Bite Off More than You Can Chew
If you tried to squeeze too much content into one video, chances are it is confusing for the viewer and will likely be ineffective to your marketing bottom line. They may miss some of your points or be unable to keep up, and will lose interest if there is too much thrown their way. The good news is that you can spread out the extra content you have into multiple videos, thereby creating more opportunities for engagement.
10. Where Are You Going With This?
Your video is simply all over the place. Whoever edits your videos should have a clear idea of the objective of the video and a plan to get there. Be sure they have the expertise necessary for pulling together all of the creative footage you worked so hard to produce!
11. Is This Thing On?
One of the highest compliments a viewer can pay you is to comment on one of your videos, so make sure you are responsive! You want to keep the comments and questions coming, so thank them for their input and help them out however you can.
12. Variety is the Spice of Life!
If all your videos are the same type, (i.e. all are testimonials, or tutorials, or product offers, etc.), your audience may lose interest. While you may find that one type of video produces the best results, mix things up at least every once in awhile to keep your viewers on their toes.
13. Or Maybe They Do…
Perhaps people do love your videos but you do not realize it because you did not give them a way to show it! Be sure to include “Share” buttons for platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and Pinterest when embedding videos on your site so your viewers can easily share your videos with their friends! Also, be sure to check your analytics and engagement data!
What are other reasons people may not like the videos of a company? Share your thoughts and experiences with us here, on Facebook, and on Twitter.
