How Videos Can Be Part of an Effective Business Strategy

Videos are a great way to boost your business. Here are some tips to kickstart your video creation process.

If you are considering leveraging the power of video content to boost your business, you are on the right track. In fact, videos attract 62% of internet users, followed by news articles and multimedia articles. Why are we telling you this? If you have put all that work and effort into your business you want to be able then share this. Blue Ninja Louisa learnt video management a couple of years ago and knows first hand that if businesses can take video editing on board as part of their business strategy, it can be very effective for promoting business content.

Think differently about how to use videos, as not only can they serve for external promotion, they can be very helpful internally for training and how-to elements of your business. If you have a large team you could develop videos for tasks or systems so the team can learn from a tool that guides them through business processes and procedures. It also means leadership can endorse what is being taught as employees aren’t seeking external sources of training to guide them through. It may also help induction processes as it will reduce the amount of paperwork a new employee needs to read!

For anyone who has not had any professional experience in creating video content, this may seem to be a complex task. Here are some tips to help kickstart your video content creation project for your business.

Writing your content script versus being spontaneous

In creating video content, you may choose to write a script or do an impromptu recording. As to which one will be more effective depends on the purpose of your video, the context and also your personality.

Scripting allows you to convey your message just at the right time but some video content requires spontaneity so you can show more of your personality. But if you have to write a script such as for a how-to video, you will need to make it thorough in order to get the elements you are conveying all covered. However, short-form videos only need to have a short and concise script, maybe with highlights or talking points, rather than a full word for word script.

If you are thinking of doing a spontaneous video, you may want to look at some training on how to get the most out of your videos. There are many courses available so have a look for something that works for you. 

Editing videos to make them more professional

Creating professional-looking videos takes time, patience and lots of practice. You need to be mindful of what devices will give you the content you need, such as a good video recorder and a microphone. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to generate content, now that mobile devices are of such a high quality, but you do need to be aware of elements such as lighting, noise and staging to make sure you are capturing the best elements of your video.

To get you started, here some elements to keep in mind:

Choose the right tool

To create a professional video you need to choose the right software that will suit your business needs and preferences. When choosing the right tool, review its features and limitations to see if they meet the requirements of your project, and of course, consider your budget as well. You also want to check what features the product you are looking for offers, such as split screens, overlays, styles etc. As you get the hang of editing your videos, you may want to also use split screens, voice overlays, embedding elements etc. There are a lot of features packed into software so get a feel for what you like.

Use a computer with capability for large video files

Your computer needs to have the right specifications (storage drive, memory, graphic card, processor) to be able to handle the video editing tasks. Video files can get large so you need to be mindful of your computer space needs in advance. If you wish to send your video files to others (and have not posted to an online video system) you may like to look at a website like wetransfer.com to send files that are too big to be emailed.

Learn the lingo

Get acquainted with video editing terms and what they can do to help you create a fantastic video presentation.

Be Prepared and plan ahead

Be prepared to spend time making the video elements fit together. Plan in advance how you want your video to flow including what intro and outro you may need to develop as well as transitions, subtitles etc. Look at other videos for their formula on how the video is set – you’ll find many videos have a consistent structure with new content added in the appropriate sections.

5 software options for professional-looking videos

We’ve offered a few suggestions below but there are a lot of apps available for video editing, such as free software for iphone / android. Make sure you research compatible options for your devices as well. Find free options and test them out before purchasing to confirm the tool will give you the usability you are looking for. Also check for watermarks as some free video editing tools will automatically add them in, and they cannot be removed without upgrading to a paid option.

• Filmora 9 by Wondershare – Filmora 9 is good for beginners and intermediate video editors with easy to use drag and drop workflow. Filmora is used by Blue Ninja for our video editing needs.
• Biteable – Biteable is ideal for creating explainer videos, video ads, animation, and video presentations, and more.
• Animoto – A cloud-based video creating software, Animoto allows user to produce video presentations using clips, photos, and music.
• InVideo – InVideo will let you transform any content into a presentation video. It comes with built-in templates and animations, as well as various size and ratio options for social media posting.
• Vimeo Create – Vimeo Create offers video template which you can customise as well as unlimited stock videos and photos, and licensed music.

Marketing to your audience

Once you have created your video, the next step is to promote it. Make sure each video has a Call to Action, so people are guided on what to do once they’ve watched the video.

To boost the visibility of your video, you can do the following:

• Publish your video on popular platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, and Facebook to target your customers.
• Optimise your video with relevant keywords, descriptions, and titles, so it is searchable.
• You may also choose to advertise and promote using social media ads.
• Share with online communities in your market.

Lastly, produce your video content with your audience foremost in mind, and that means telling stories that will resonate with them. Video content that evokes emotion and connects with its audience is more likely to be shared and attract larger viewership.