Creating A Video Strategy for Small Businesses and Brands

Online video is essential to any small business or brand’s marketing strategy in today’s digital world. Videos allow you to connect with your audience personally, engagingly tell your story, and showcase your products or services in a way that text and photos cannot match.

But with so many different types of videos (explainer, testimonial, brand films, etc.), how do you know which one is right for your business? And once you’ve decided on the type of video you want to produce, how do you go about creating it?

Deciding on the Right Type of Video for Your Business

The first step in creating an effective video strategy is deciding the right video type for your business. Here are a few of the most popular types of videos that small businesses and brands use:

• Explainer Videos: Explainer videos are short, usually 1-2 minutes in length, and they focus on explaining a specific problem that your product or service solves. These videos are perfect for businesses that offer complex products or services, as they can break down the critical points in an easily digestible format.
• Testimonial Videos: If you want to build trust with your audience, testimonial videos are a great option. These videos feature customers or clients discussing their experience with your business and why they would recommend you to others. Because they come from real people (aka prospective customers), testimonials are incredibly powerful in swaying someone on the fence about using your product or service.
• Brand Films: Brand films are similar to commercials but tend to be longer (2-3 minutes) and more focused on telling your brand’s story. These videos typically feature interviews with the founder or key team members and footage of your team in action (whether in the office or out in the field). Brand films are a great way to humanize your business and show potential customers what makes you different from your competitors.

3 Tips for Creating an Engaging Video

Once you’ve decided on the type of video you want to create, it’s time to start production. Here are a few tips to ensure that your video is engaging, informative, and inspires viewers to take action:

1. Keep it short and sweet. Ideally, your video should be no longer than 2-3 minutes. This may seem like a short time, but it’s the sweet spot for holding someone’s attention span. Any longer than that, and people will start losing interest.
2. Focus on one key message. Trying to cram too much information into one video will only confuse viewers and ultimately cause them to tune out before reaching the end. After watching your video, pick one main message you want viewers to remember, and ensure everything else supports that message.
3. Include a call-to-action. The whole point of creating a video is to inspire viewers to take action (signing up for your email list, downloading a white paper, etc.). So be sure to include a call-to-action at the end of your video, so viewers know exactly what the next step is.

Conclusion

Creating an effective online video strategy doesn’t have to be complicated-start by deciding on the correct type of video for your business based on your goals and target audience. From there, focus on keeping it short and sweet while delivering one clear message. And finally, don’t forget to include a call-to-action, so viewers know what they need to do next! You’ll be producing engaging videos by following these simple tips in no time!

Our production house in Toronto can help you with all your video production needs, including headshot photography. We understand how to produce videos that capture your company’s unique story, and we’re excited to help you bring your vision to life!