Videos have almost become a must for businesses to use — in ads, organically, and on websites. Videos make it easier to communicate messages and ideas, allowing viewers to absorb information in a more entertaining, personal, and effortless way, especially compared to text. The good news is that it’s absolutely possible to start producing videos yourself to market your product.
The first thing you can start with is planning what you’re going to create and developing a strategy. This can be a simple production plan where you brainstorm ideas and schedule publishing. If you’ll be speaking, think through what you want to say in advance — but be careful not to get too fixated on reciting a script word for word, as that can become a hindrance instead of a help. Trust that you know what you’re talking about.
Viewers have shorter and shorter attention spans, so focus on keeping your video short and clear. For marketing use, aim for 5 to a maximum of 30 seconds. If it’s used on a website to explain something, viewers can handle a slightly longer attention span.
Now you’re ready for video production! If you don’t have experience using a professional camera, a smartphone is a great alternative. If the video will mostly be viewed on small screens, a phone camera is perfectly fine. Good audio is also important — almost more important than the image — so consider investing in a microphone and recorder. Lighting also makes a huge difference in quality. If you don’t have studio lights, use windows or experiment with lamps or light reflected off a white wall, for example.
Then comes the editing! There are several free or affordable editing programs for cutting, adding text, transitions, and music — including iMovie and DaVinci Resolve. It’s smart to spend some time learning about video production and editing to make your videos look more professional. There are countless tutorials on YouTube if you want to learn more! The most important thing is to start and experiment — allow yourself to make mistakes; over time, you’ll get better.
