{"id":3141,"date":"2016-04-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-18T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sproutvideo.wpengine.com\/?p=46"},"modified":"2022-01-27T14:03:02","modified_gmt":"2022-01-27T19:03:02","slug":"how-to-make-a-product-video-that-doesnt-suck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sproutvideo.com\/blog\/how-to-make-a-product-video-that-doesnt-suck.html","title":{"rendered":"Ten Tips for Making a Product Video That Doesn’t Suck"},"content":{"rendered":"
Image Credit: Basement Studios<\/a><\/h6>\n

The thing about product videos is that they\u2019re more of an art form than a science. It\u2019s hard to pin down the exact formula that\u2019s going to capture your target audience\u2019s attention, get them back to your website, and compel them to buy.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s easier to spot, though, are the really bad product videos. You know the ones I mean\u2014the ones you immediately click away from, the ones that scream \u201cinfomercial,\u201d the ones that you forget as soon as they\u2019re over.<\/p>\n

In this post we\u2019re laying out a few tips for making a product video that doesn\u2019t suck. We\u2019re pointing out the things you shouldn\u2019t be doing, and highlighting some of the things you should \u2026 because even if product videos aren\u2019t a science, there\u2019s still a methodology involved.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what NOT to do.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. Don\u2019t try to do everything<\/h3>\n

One of the biggest challenges of making a video is often the fact that we tend to try to do too much at once. It\u2019s easy to see why it happens: you put on your creative hat, start brainstorming, and soon you\u2019re dreaming up a Steve Jobs biopic-level epic film about your product. Don\u2019t do it. Cut your idea down to something small and achievable, that your audience will be able to understand in 3 minutes or less.<\/p>\n

2. Don\u2019t give a standard presentation<\/h3>\n

When it comes to engaging with a product, most audiences want a story<\/a>, not technical details or a bulleted list of benefits and features. We respond better to things that give us an emotional thrill<\/a>: suspense, laughter, joy, surprise, nostalgia. Bulleted lists don\u2019t do that; stories do.<\/p>\n

3. Don\u2019t leave out the context<\/h3>\n

Your product video should give a sense of who you are, what you want to achieve, and how this product fits into the bigger picture. An example: The video below for Oh Joy! gives a bit of the creator\u2019s vision and mission, around the presentation of the book itself.<\/p>\n