By creating and publishing remarkable content in a form that educates, informs, inspires and entertains, marketers can begin to build relationships.
Jonathon Lister
50% of all mobile traffic is now video content. There is no underestimating the importance of video content in your overall marketing strategy. It is therefore critical that your video content stands out for all the right reasons. I have listed 7 common mistakes that you should avoid when planning and creating video content.
The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing.
Tom Fishburne
1. Do not create a TV advert
Most online video content should not replicate a TV Ad and unless you are Steve Jobs launching the Apple McIntosh in 1984 and you have hired Ridley Scott to direct, there is a strong chance nobody is interested in your TV Ad.
Think about the last time you rushed to see an Ad on YouTube. Chances are you have rarely done it, you need to create video content that solves your audiences problem in a way that exceeds their expectations.
Plans are nothing; planning is everything.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
2. Do not forget to plan your video content
Video production can be an exciting creative task and it is very easy to become over excited and just jump into the process. Before starting it is best to invest some time researching and planning your video content. Most expensive mistakes can be avoided with a robust planning process.
The complexity of the project will determine the level of planning required.
For complex content a storyboard and script will be required, for smaller projects a detailed outline with a proposed shot list will usually suffice. Time spent in planning will ensure that the final video will meet the original objectives.
The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself.
Peter Drucker
3. Do not forget who are your target audience are
One sign that you have not targeted your audience successfully is low engagement metrics. Further investigation usually reveals that you ignored your initial audience research, which led to poor planning.
At every stage in the planning and research process keep asking yourself “who is my audience and what do they want?” this will help you create content that your target audience wants.
Knowledge of who your audience is will dictate every aspect of the video from the content, style, and tone to the various other elements that are involved in creating video content. Audience research and knowledge dictates every aspect of the video content and is the starting point for every video project.
Just be useful.
Jay Baer
4. Do not disappoint your customer
It is not enough to understand and know your customer, with video content you must meet their expectations. Your content marketing must be transparent and not mislead them. If you cannot create the video content they want and need you should consider other options.
Your customer research should highlight the type of content they require at any given time in the buying cycle. Video content that solves their particular problems will definitely engage them.
Quality is not an act it is a habit.
Aristotle
5. Do not produce low quality video content
Given the abundance of relatively cheap editing software and quality cameras there is no excuse for poor production values. Your audience knows that quality output is not beyond the grasp of the average person so they expect quality video content.
Watch out for poor audio quality, as most viewers will be more annoyed over poor audio than poor picture. Obviously both are to be avoided.
Lost time is never found again.
Benjamin Franklin
6. Do not think you can waste your audience’s time
With video production so easy there is an urge to video everything going on around you and sharing it with your audience. This is a mistake, as you need to filter the content. Always ask yourself
What does my audience gain by watching this content?
This will help you think about their needs and not only your own personal requirements. You need to value your audience’s time and treat it as a valuable resource.
Keep in mind with any video content that your audience typically has a very short attention span and video content should be edited accordingly. Any video content longer than 120 seconds should be justified by having compelling content. As with any guide there are exceptions such as educational content, however they do remain exceptions.
Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.
Mahatma Gandhi
7. Do not leave out your call to action
You have created riveting, entertaining and engaging content that your audience loves and you are busily congratulating all your team. You may however have forgotten one vital ingredient, the ‘call to action”.
This is the reason you have created the content in the first place and it is fundamental to your marketing strategy What do you want your audience to do after they have watched your content and more importantly do they know this.
Your “call to action” is what clarifies this for your audience and if the content exceeded their objectives they will be happy to take the next step. Your “call to action” should be simple to understand and easy to complete.
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of errors you can commit when creating video content, it is however a good starting place. If you plan your content carefully, target your audience, exceed their expectations, value their time and give them quality content you will create great content.