3 Tips To Producing Engaging Online Videos

In the world of internet video, engaging content is king. No one’s forcing anyone to sit there and watch your video, you must win their attention through quality content. Online video, although related to television, is a bit of a distant cousin in regards to content. In television, businesses piggy-back on hit sitcoms, dramas, news, etc. (in other words, content providers) to promote their products via commercials. While websites such as Hulu offer similar “sponsorship” opportunities for businesses, their is a tremendous opportunity for companies to shift away from content sponsors to content creators.

Online video is no longer riding on content providers for exposure, it is the content. What am I talking about? BMW, an early online video adopter, captivated the world when they began posting short motion-pictures online that felt more like the latest Fast & Furious movie than a commercial. The buzz about these videos spread like wildfire, and while their competitors were busy trying to sponsor the next hit show, BMW was the next hit show.

This shift away from content sponsorship toward content creation turns out to be a double-edged sword. To one extent, marketers are salivating at the thought of owning their target market’s eyes for 3 straight minutes via the Web. However, don’t jump the gun just yet. First you must actually think up, produce, and distribute that great online content. As much as you’d just love to produce a video that outlines each of your product features to the tee, and why you’re the best in your industry – don’t do it! Web surfers don’t care about your product features – at least not yet. Remember, online video requires a different mentality.

Let Your Hair Down

One strategy at this stage in the game is to focus on capturing the imagination of your audience by displaying your human qualities. Yes, your business produces the best widgets, but first you must convince your viewer that behind those widgets are a team of real, eating, breathing humans that enjoy their lives. By revealing the humanistic qualities of your business you are creating a bond with your market that extends far beyond your product’s features. Don’t be afraid to goof off in front of the lens, this will help the viewer feel as though they aren’t about to be ’sold’ on something – even if they are.

For example, Carl’s Jr recently hired us to shoot behind-the-scenes footage of their latest commercial with Audrina Patridge. Although we’d rather shoot the commercial, the footage we captured actually ended up landing 47,394 views in the last month alone on their all new You Tube channel. So why would so many people be interested in watching B-role footage? In short, consumers are desperately looking for the personalities behind the products, and video is the perfect stage to deliver this character.

Provide A Valuable Resource

Oakley can offer us a bit of guidance on this one. For surfline.com, a website for all things surf culture, Oakley produces a video series where they provide “trick tips” from professional surfers on helpful ways to become a better surfer. By providing a valuable resource for free, they establish a top-of-mind position among their target audience. Later, when this audience goes shopping, Oakley may just make the sale.

Be Relevant

Topics are driven by trends. This should be obvious, however it never ceases to surprise me how often businesses launch videos on topics that have already come and gone, or are just too vague. First, ensure that any topic you are addressing is actually relevent to your audience. Second, don’t just define the issues. Look at the video as a platform for you to solve issues, and in the process you’ll enjoy a position of authority. This ties in with being an authentic resource to your audience, but it also requires that your resources are fresh, not expired.

Don’t use video when a picture is enough. Although online video is indeed a rising star, we must be mindful of the fact that not all content is suitable for video. So what information isn’t ripe for video? Where photography and copywriting falls short, video is generally the medium of choice. Do you have a story to tell, or a new technology to introduce? Video can often articulate these better than a series of photographs.

I hope these tips have ignited some thoughts about how to use online video for your own unique business. Do you have any questions about a particular project? Do you have a concept you’re currently batting around? Drop us a line anytime, we’d love to talk about it!

Cheers!

Seth