Companies from all over the world are using videos within their online marketing strategy. Startups, in particular, can benefit significantly from the promotion that videos bring. One of the best investments a startup can make is to create a good explainer video. When we see the final result, it may seem simple, but it is important to know all the phases of the project
We want to help you make the video project for your startup a success. We have written a series of two posts in which we will give you the best advice for the pre-production, production, post-production, and promotion phases of your startup video.
Why do I need an explainer video of my startup?
An explanatory video of your startup can be used for your explanatory speech to investors ( pitch ), to generate traffic, to increase conversion, or to increase sales by making the service known and making it more attractive.
What are the advantages of the video format?
These are some of the advantages of using videos in your online marketing strategy:
- The video format has a high conversion power. Without a doubt, startups that include explanatory videos in their online marketing strategy manage to increase their sales and leads and obtain better CTR ratios.
- Videos are highly shared across social media channels. 68% of videos are shared. When producing your explainer video, keep in mind that videos that are less than 15 seconds get 40% more shares than those that are 30 seconds or more.
- Statistics show that 95% of the message is retained after three days of viewing an explainer video.
Once the importance and advantages of creating an explainer video have been clarified, we will reveal the best advice.
PREPRODUCTION
During the design and pre-production phase, you must take into account the following aspects:
*Do a good preliminary research job looking for professional videos with a good script, duration, sound, clarity of message, etc.
*Clearly define the objective of your video: explaining the company, product, or service, increasing sales, and attracting users.
*Design times and messages are always based on your target audience.
*Briefly explain why your service or product is different.
*Time is a key factor.
You have to explain what is necessary for 100 seconds (or less). It must be designed in the same way as a pitch: say what is necessary for the shortest possible time.
The time that a human being maintains attention is very short, especially for videos on the Internet (an average of 60 seconds).
The maximum duration of the explanatory video should be 2 to 3 minutes.
Look for an emotional connection with your clients, make them feel important, and connect with their feelings. Give the video a title that:
*Clearly define the content.
*Be attractive.
*Be easy to remember to view it again.
*The script works a lot.
*Turn the idea into words.
*Use convincing words and messages.
*Focus on the initial message, the benefits of the product or service, and the call to action.
*The timing of the script is very important!
PRODUCTION
A complete explainer video project for a startup should include:
*Scriptwriting
*Graphic guide ( storyboarding )
*Video production
*Sound and music.
*Marketing.
We must take all these elements into account when hiring our freelance video project for a startup. When choosing a freelance professional, we must bear in mind that those who are technically good at the production are not always capable of writing a good script.
Writing script
The script is the core of an explainer video. Getting the sequence of words and messages right is key. Failing this can lead to disaster.
Here are some tips to keep in mind in your script:
*Measure words and times: About 70 to 80 words are communicated in a 30-second video.
Decide the duration of the video to calculate the number of words.
*Focus more on the benefits of the product or service. Don’t turn the video into just a sales pitch describing product features. Focus on providing quality content that offers value and a solution to what the client needs.
*Show the differential aspects compared to the competition.
*Make it interesting and entertaining for the viewer. Regarding the message, focus on the beginning and the end. They have to grab attention quickly and hold it for as long as possible.
*Add a call to action that we want people to do after watching the video. The call to action can be from a click to a demo page or invite them to finance us and register.
We must be clear with what we are asking for:
*We can use Final Draft or Word to write the script.
*Try to be global and local at the same time. Include subtitles in other languages or have multiple language versions.
*Avoid jargon or acronyms known in the sector. It is necessary to guarantee understanding by the widest possible public.
*Graphic guide the Storyboard.
With the Storyboard or graphic script, we can have a complete vision of what our video is going to be like. Storyboards contain step by step all the frames of the video. They can be done on paper or digitally. Google SketchUp can be an option for creating storyboards.
Voice
The most important thing about a voice recording is that we have to simulate a conversation. It cannot sound like a text being read aloud. Pronunciation and accent must be impeccable to ensure that there are no comprehension problems. We must add emotion and feelings to the voice. This will help maintain the interest of the viewer.
The sound is as important as the video, and we must pay close attention to the sounds in our video. The tone and personality of the voice are key elements.
