Why do you need to create a focused message for your brand video?
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”
Aristotle
The answer is related to purpose and outcome. If you do not know the purpose of your video how can you create your desired outcome for your marketing investment? The best brand videos have a focused message that leaves their audience in no doubt as to why it is worth watching their video.
How do you deliver a focussed message with your video? I find the best way to achieve this is by always making sure you ask yourself these 3 questions when planning a video project.
What Are You Trying To Achieve?
Start by asking yourself why are you creating this video. What is the message that has inspired you to create this video? What value does your message provide for its intended audience? Will your audience consider the time spent watching your video value for the time they invested in it?
Most of the answers to these questions must point to the value your content generates for your audience. Providing value to your audience must always be the driving force for any video project.
How Are You Going To Do It?
This is probably the most important question to ask when you are planning a video project. A bad implementation can easily lose the point of your video. Not only must you know your message but you must also implement it in a way that your audience can easily understand. The video needs to be visually appealing with a complementary soundtrack that enhances the storytelling. The length of the video should only be the minimum length needed to tell your story in a simple manner. Time spent at this stage of the video production can save expensive mistakes occurring later.
What will success look like?
At the start of the video project always ask yourself what a successful outcome will look like ? Too many video projects are completed without the brands having a clear idea of what success will look like. Think carefully about how you are going to measure success for any video project before you start it. Think about the metrics you are going to use. Understand the actions you will want the audience to take after watching your video and always have a “call to action”.
Moving Forward
“A person hears only what they understand.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
These questions are the starting point for delivering a focused message for your brand video. In addition at every stage in the video project you need to review the actions you are taking and continually ask yourself are they contributing to delivering an effective message. My suggestion is you share your ideas with others and ask them for feedback on the messaging. Building a small circle of people with whom you can “bounce ideas” off will help keep your video project focused. The important point is to keep reviewing your project as you proceed with it to ensure you are delivering the intended message.