If you’ve read our post on “Why you need an ‘About us’ video”, we hope you found it inspiring, and that you are now thinking of having your own “About us” video made.
Did we leave you wanting for more? Well, you’re in luck. Here’s the sequel: 12 things you totally shouldn’t do when making a corporate video.
Here at Wooshii, we are strong advocates of video marketing – Obvs! However, we do need to warn you that not every video will automatically translate into a fat ROI.
Why not? It’s actually a combination of factors that contribute to a video’s less than “bankable” performance.
Below is a list of the most frequent examples of failed performance.
PRE-PRODUCTION
Low Budgets
Fact: Video production costs money.
For a skilfully-made video or animation, you need to hire professionals who have trained and gained invaluable experience crafting the perfect visual (and audible) to sell your service or your product. There is just no way around it.
If your budget is really tight, you might want to consider using a free tool to create your own video. But that’s a whole different thing.
Here are some of the parameters you need to take into account whilst budgeting for your video:
- style of video
- complexity of the scenes
- actors / voiceover artists / music
- location
- and experience level of your video production company
Your video should reflect your company for years to come: it is worth investing in it.
Poor Distribution Plan
Don’t bury a great video on a page of your website that gets very little exposure and visits. Post it on the home page, or/and the About Us section (second most visited page on a website).
Another good way of sharing your video is to feature it in your blog posts, or in your lead marketing campaign (follow-up emails). Last but not least, take advantage of your social media channels.
Unrealistic oCncept
Feeling creative? Want to shoot for the moon? This is all very well, but as a marketer, you also need to keep your feet on the ground. Whilst brainstorming ideas and cool concepts for your corporate video, don’t forget to check that it’s got the feasibility factor, and see if it’s in line with:
- The timeline
- The budget
- The technical skills
- The available resources, etc
Plagiarism
Copying your competitors is. not. cool. Copying brands in other industries is not cool either. And ignorance is not an excuse: it’s you job to know what your competitors are up to and you should strive to stand out instead of trying to fit in.
A rushed or unfinished project
“Do it well or not at all”.
Every step the process requires time: pre-production (budgeting, creative thinking, selecting a crew for the video, etc), production (shooting, synchronizing, etc), post production (edits, marketing). Don’t just settle for the “ok” concept, or frame, or text – you’re in it to win it! Make sure that you’re doing something you will be proud to show around.
On the other end, don’t get overwhelmed by the project. Allow plenty of time to planning your project if you don’t want to see your video end-up in the “fail” box. In order to not fail in the trap of languishing projects (waiting for approval, etc), make sure that all the people involved in the project have thought everything through: agree on plans, don’t leave any questions unanswered, don’t adopt a “we’ll see when we get there” attitude. Instead check that every step of the project is good to go.
Pre-production is considered to be the most important stage of any video project. Get it right and the rest should fall into place nicely.
PRODUCTION
The Script
No engagement
Once you have decided to make an About us video, be clear on what you are trying to achieve. Get the word out there about your company? Your product or service? A video is a sales tool, and the grail is the all important engagement. Now how do you get your audience to engage? You need to prompt your audience and tell them what they need to do next: “subscribe to our channel”, “visit our website”, “contact us”, “try our products”, “sign up for a free brochure”…
Don’t forget to include a call to action to your video!
Confusing information
“Too much information kills information” ⇒ Simplicity pays off! Focus on one key message, one service or one product. One effective story/video per product: highlight your competitive advantages. Leave the video viewers wanting for more (Call To Action: invite them to watch more videos).
Don’t try and include every single aspect of your company, products or services as this would overwhelm and confuse your reader/viewer.
It’s always a good idea to run some ideas (for the script) by non marketers, within your company to see how they feel about it.
Script filled with jargon
Jargon is like a superpower. It makes us feel as if we were trusted members of a secret organisation who shares some impenetrable secret. But jargon won’t impress your average joe, it’ll just confuse them. Filling up your script with indecipherable jargon is like signing its death warrant, instead opt for simple language that will make sense to someone who has zero knowledge of your business.
Waiting too long to get into the thick of it
According to marketing experts, you’ve got just 5 seconds to get a viewer’s interest (see our article 5 second video ads are the future). “Blame” YouTube skippable ads and FB auto-roll ads for that. Make sure that you don’t waste this precious time with unnecessary plot details or lengthy introductions. Pick the viewer’s curiosity and mention the product before they decide to stop watching, or bounce off your site… and never visit again. You’ve got just one chance at it. Use it wisely.
Using the wrong tone of voice or type of humour
Remember who your audience is (economic status, demographics, etc), and why they’re watching your video in the first place. Be careful not to offend anyone. A corporate video is a serious thing: if you do decide to use a bit of humour, make sure you “test-drive” it in front of people who are not actually working on the video, and welcome their feedback.
Production Issues
Poor Production Quality
Poor framing, bad sound quality, cut-out interviews, messy surroundings… Take a good look here at what your video should NOT be!
During shooting, take time to check the takes you’ve just shot. If you’re not entirely happy with it, shoot again. And again. And again. Same goes with the audio.
POST PRODUCTION
Poor sound choices
Background music plays a major role in your video. It creates an emotion around your message: How do you want your audience to feel whilst they watch your video? Whatever the feeling you want to evoke, there is a music style for it.
As a rule, remember that “good background music is the music that you didn’t even notice”. Music shouldn’t get in the way of someone talking.
Music is great, it’s fun, and it can totally change the mood of your video and the impact on your audience. Going off-track is tempting. But don’t go mad with it, and keep it simple instead.
Now that you have been acquainted with the Do’s (Why you absolutely need an “About Us” video) and Don’ts of Corporate Videos, we are confident that you have a good understanding of what your video could actually look and feel like.
We know a great deal about awesome videos your audience will want to engage with! If you are unsure where to start, why don’t you just drop us a line? You could be just weeks away from adding incredible value to your business!
