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Sussex Innovation
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Joseph Bradfield from the Sussex Innovation Centre offers some vital assistance when considering using video as a business marketing tool
THE AGE OF DIY VIDEO MARKETING
There are two frustrated cries I’ve been hearing more and more frequently over the past few years from stressed-out marketing managers:
“We need to make more videos!” And: “Making videos is too difficult and expensive!”
It’s true that for many businesses, video is an incredibly important marketing asset. There are lots of studies that show how video is far more effective than text or static images for getting audiences to stop, pay attention and take action.
When someone is scrolling through a social media feed, it takes them far less effort to pause for a video clip than it does to read a post or click a link. Videos communicate more information, more quickly, and often in a more engaging and entertaining way – which is probably why they receive around five times as many likes, shares and comments than other media.
It’s no wonder, then, that content marketing has been gradually shifting towards video for years. Every major
❛❛ Ask any marketeer and they will tell you that authenticity is one of the most prized assets a brand can have ❜❜
social media platform, from Instagram to LinkedIn, promotes posts featuring video more prominently to its users.
Make no mistake, if you’re using digital channels to promote your business, you DO need to make more video. But what about that second claim? Is making video too difficult and expensive? Is regularly filming and editing content out of reach for most small businesses?
When people say that video is hard to make, costs too much and takes too much time, they’re imagining scripted, professionally shot and edited films. Those might not be prohibitively expensive if you’re producing a one-off showcase for your product or an introductory film for your website, but might become a challenge if you need to keep producing new videos week after week.
We watch self-shot smartphone footage on social media all the time, so why not use it when representing our businesses? Ask any marketeer and they will tell you that authenticity is one of the most prized assets a brand can have. Audiences respond to personality and intimacy, especially on social media. We see enough glossy advertising with high production values elsewhere – this is a space for connecting and communicating as people.
Most new smartphone cameras are good enough to shoot in high resolution, and the rise of vloggers, streamers and social media influencers has made it easy to find and purchase other equipment. If you’re filming regularly enough to want better angles, smoother motion or brighter lights, the kit exists and is relatively inexpensive. Professional videographers and editors are still a hugely valuable investment when you’re looking for the best possible results, but DIY video marketing is here to stay. It’s a world that any business owner would do well to familiarise themselves with.
THREE TIPS FOR MAKING BETTER DIY VIDEOS:
1Lighting – good lighting is the most crucial factor that makes video look and feel of higher quality. Filming in low light, with a light source behind your subject, or underneath the kind of strip lighting common in offices can make your video hard to watch in different ways. The main thing to remember is that you want bright or warm light to point at whatever you are filming, rather than into your camera. If you’re filming a lot of yourself sat in front of your computer, invest in a ring light that will shine directly on your face, rather than casting lots of shadows. If you’re filming out and about ‘on location’, wait for a bright, sunny day and use natural light wherever possible. 2 Framing – think about where you are going to use your video while you are filming it. If you’re making an Instagram Reel or YouTube Short, it’s going to be viewed on a vertical phone screen – so make sure to fill the space at the top and bottom of the frame. A more traditional video is viewed in landscape, so think about what is in the background of your shot, to either side. And if you’re going to use the same video on multiple channels, try to put all the essential information in a smaller square area, right in the middle of the shot.
❛❛ Every major social media platform, from Instagram to LinkedIn, promotes posts featuring video more prominently to its users ❜❜
3Writing and editing – use a simple bullet point script that will give you some flexibility when you’re filming. Remember, the goal is to feel natural and authentic; the viewer will notice an overwritten script even if they can’t put their finger on why. Think about the natural way you would talk in front of a room in a meeting, rather than memorising something word for word. And if you want to change the way you said something, just go back and do it. Remember, editing your video is a second chance to write it.
