January always starts off with the best intentions, whether it’s a goal to exercise more, eat healthier, or commit to learning a new skill. As we all know, it’s easy to fall off the wagon as the year unfolds.
Today, we’re here to help you make – and keep – an important resolution for your business. Make 2019 the year you make more video content than ever before. Keep reading to learn our top eight tips for making 2019 the year of video content for your business.
1. Create a Content Calendar
Start out the year with a detailed plan of the biggest video projects you hope to achieve over the year. Then, use this as a skeleton to create other, smaller videos around it.
Fill in your video content calendar with product launches, company events, holiday themes, and other campaigns. Some videos might be one-offs, others might be part of an on-going series.
For example, you might have an upcoming conference where you’ll be able to film live speakers, obtain testimonials and quotes from attendees, and capture b-roll on location. From that single event, you can produce several different types of video:
- Long-form videos of experts addressing different topics
- General event recaps
- Short promotional clips
- Executive reactions to event content
Consider your filming opportunities from all angles to maximize the content you can make from each project.
It’s okay if your content calendar doesn’t work out 100%. Having a plan and working on project management is crucial to making plenty of quality video.
2. Repurposing Existing Content
Repurposing content from your older videos is a quick and easy way to make even more content. Using these videos as a foundation, you can build them up to be bigger and better than before.
Do this by reusing footage and b-roll, reformatting and updating information, or making an updated version of existing video content. For instance, if you released a video about your company’s goals and intentions for the year, make another in the same format later on to recap your achievements and keep your customers in the know. Using it to tease exciting projects or products can be an easy way to retain an interested audience!
It doesn’t have to be video content that you repurpose, either. If you run a blog, for instance, choose a popular blog post and make a video to present the information in a different light. You can widen your reach and find new audiences with this approach.
On social media especially, video content is much more engaging than text or image-based posts. Dig through the archives and see what you’ve got lying around before making too many big plans for new content.
3. Finding Your Formula
Tasty found short recipe videos shot from above worked incredibly well on Facebook. Dove discovered authentic emotional storytelling really resonated with their female audience. Now, both brands are essentially synonymous with those formats.
The lesson? Find your formula, and stick to it.
In order to determine what will work best for your firm, test different formats and concepts until you see the results you want. This is all about strong branding, knowing your audience, and taking some risks.
If you want a deeper dive, here is a thorough guide to finding your recipe for success with video.
Not every type of video is suited to every business. Depending on how you choose to present your company to the world, a different style of video will be more appropriate. In order to make plenty of video content, find your style and stick to it.
4. Staying Relevant
Trends come and go quickly, and staying relevant is crucial but difficult. In terms of creating video, the turnaround time needs to be quite speedy to get content out in time before a trend fizzles out.
Make sure your business stays on top of the curve and keep an eye on any viral content that you can utilize the success of to make your own videos stand out. Whether it’s the Ice Bucket Challenge, or an airline taking on its own version of PSY’s Gangnam Style back in 2012, widespread trends are usually a good bet.
5. Make it a Series
Planning out a few video series means that you can re-use the format a few times with new content. Depending on how your company works, there are plenty of simple video series you could invest a bit of time into.
- Interviews with your team members – introduce your audience to the people that make your business run
- Tutorials on how to use your products or free “taster sessions” of the service you provide
- Lectures given by your team or guest speakers – like a smaller scale TEDx, personalized to your community’s needs and interests. You could even look into livestreaming these for your audience
- Behind-the-scenes “vlog”-type series to give your community a sneak peek of how your company runs and create a more personal relationship between consumer and company
- If you want something really out there, take a leaf out of Blendtec’s book with their Will It Blend? series. Create something fun and memorable that showcases your product. Of course, we don’t advise putting your own gadgets into a blender!
6. Varying Your Video Formats
You don’t always have to go for a huge production. Sometimes, inexpensive and easy videos are just the ticket.
Focus on making simpler videos in between your bigger projects. For example, think of behind-the-scenes clips, short interviews with team members, or presentation-style videos sharing interesting information.
For further inspiration, here are ten ways you can easily make a video using only a laptop.
7. Phone It In
Most mobile phones now have powerful cameras and software which can be used to shoot, edit and upload video content. Sure, it won’t be quite as high-quality as a professionally shot and edited piece, Still, filming on a phone can be ideal for a casual talk, a lighthearted video on social media, or company update.
With practice and the right tools, quality doesn’t really have to suffer. For example, back in 2016, Kate Hudson shot a majority of her ad campaign for Fabletics on her iPhone, making it feel personal and natural.
It’s also incredibly time and cost-effective, and can be done by just one or two people per video. Since the barriers to filming with a phone are so low, phones can help you capture more content on a regular basis. Don’t be afraid to grab yours and start filming!
8. Asking The Audience
You always want to ensure you’re making content that your audience has an interest in, and the best way to make sure you’re doing this is to ask. Whether you make a direct social media post requesting ideas or check the analytics of existing content to see which videos have historically garnered the most popularity, this will help to supply you with endless ideas that are sure to be well-received by the community.
In Conclusion
Creating plenty of video content will help you make a splash online this year, keeping your audience interested in the work you’re doing and growing your community further. Practice makes perfect, and hopefully these guidelines will give you a helping hand in honing the best, quick content for your brand.
Any further questions, tips or ideas? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter @sproutvideo!
