If you're looking for ways to present your company in its best light and pave the way for big success in 2011, the wise use of video may be just what you need. This is particularly true when you harness it with the power of the internet. We'll focus on professionally produced Internet video in this article. Maybe we'll cover self-produced Internet video in another article.
The Internet has made online video into a virtual gold mine for companies. It has become a powerful tool for company Web sites and for social media applications. A well crafted video can offer a virtual version of who you are and what you can do for them better than almost anything else. Google, YouTube and other research suggest that 136 million people watch web videos monthly. Fifty-four percent of Internet traffic is now video related and Web sites with video hold attention an estimated 10 times longer than text-driven sites.
But that's enough of the facts. Here are a few tips for building customized videos into your Web site.
You can get an attention-grabbing, professionally produced video on your site, beginning in the $12K to $15K range. This would allow for videos which include a talking head or a voice-over announcer (maybe the president, business owner or a designated spokesperson). If the company representative does not present herself or himself well, find someone who does. O ne of the resources our company uses for voice-over talent is www.Voice123. There, you can listen to many voices from the comfort of your own computer, and select the voice that best fits your company 's image . You can then negotiate the pricing with the talent directly. O ften talent will try and convince you to pay them in renewable flights or union scale, or based on coverage. We always try to buy our talent out-right, on a one time, full usage basis. If you have a strict budget of only a few hundred dollars, hold to it. Announcers are pretty hungry these days. Also, have several voice options, just in case. This video will be an invaluable first impression of your organization.
Statistics suggest that the average viewer watches videos which are 2.7 minutes in length. As such, you should keep your content brief. Hire a scripting pro or take ample time to write things that clearly identify your vision and how you can benefit the viewer. This is a time for simple, yet powerful messaging. A well written and effectively delivered message can do wonders for your branding and your image.
To bring visual interest to your message, you can have your videographer shoot select scenes in or around your company, if they are visually captivating. One of the important production elements is lighting. Proper lighting takes time and special equipment. A dimly lit scene makes your company look unprofessional. We don't have time in this article to cover the numerous tricks to good lighting, but be assured that a well lit scene and/or spokesperson goes a long way in presenting yourself professionally. Sometimes, if a budget is tight, we may recommend previously created video segments (or still photography) to insert at appropriate times within the production. This content can include landscapes, scenes of people from all walks of life, generic animations and so forth. You can buy several scenes for a few hundred dollars. Of course others may choose the same scenes that you want to use in your video, but there are thousands and thousands of such scenes out there, so it is not worth worrying too much about. Two good resources for this are iStockPhoto.com and ShutterStock.com. Both offer video footage, as well as still photography.
There is so much more to say about other presentation approaches and post production/editing tips, but so little space remains. Fortunately, your Carlsbad Chamber is planning a Web Video Seminar in the first quarter (include specifics of the seminar here). Ask for details, then be sure and sign up. BizVid Communications will be among the presenters. We'll look for you there.
Caz Taylor, co-owner BizVid Communications can be reached at [email protected].
The Internet has made online video into a virtual gold mine for companies. It has become a powerful tool for company Web sites and for social media applications. A well crafted video can offer a virtual version of who you are and what you can do for them better than almost anything else. Google, YouTube and other research suggest that 136 million people watch web videos monthly. Fifty-four percent of Internet traffic is now video related and Web sites with video hold attention an estimated 10 times longer than text-driven sites.
But that's enough of the facts. Here are a few tips for building customized videos into your Web site.
You can get an attention-grabbing, professionally produced video on your site, beginning in the $12K to $15K range. This would allow for videos which include a talking head or a voice-over announcer (maybe the president, business owner or a designated spokesperson). If the company representative does not present herself or himself well, find someone who does. O ne of the resources our company uses for voice-over talent is www.Voice123. There, you can listen to many voices from the comfort of your own computer, and select the voice that best fits your company 's image . You can then negotiate the pricing with the talent directly. O ften talent will try and convince you to pay them in renewable flights or union scale, or based on coverage. We always try to buy our talent out-right, on a one time, full usage basis. If you have a strict budget of only a few hundred dollars, hold to it. Announcers are pretty hungry these days. Also, have several voice options, just in case. This video will be an invaluable first impression of your organization.
Statistics suggest that the average viewer watches videos which are 2.7 minutes in length. As such, you should keep your content brief. Hire a scripting pro or take ample time to write things that clearly identify your vision and how you can benefit the viewer. This is a time for simple, yet powerful messaging. A well written and effectively delivered message can do wonders for your branding and your image.
To bring visual interest to your message, you can have your videographer shoot select scenes in or around your company, if they are visually captivating. One of the important production elements is lighting. Proper lighting takes time and special equipment. A dimly lit scene makes your company look unprofessional. We don't have time in this article to cover the numerous tricks to good lighting, but be assured that a well lit scene and/or spokesperson goes a long way in presenting yourself professionally. Sometimes, if a budget is tight, we may recommend previously created video segments (or still photography) to insert at appropriate times within the production. This content can include landscapes, scenes of people from all walks of life, generic animations and so forth. You can buy several scenes for a few hundred dollars. Of course others may choose the same scenes that you want to use in your video, but there are thousands and thousands of such scenes out there, so it is not worth worrying too much about. Two good resources for this are iStockPhoto.com and ShutterStock.com. Both offer video footage, as well as still photography.
There is so much more to say about other presentation approaches and post production/editing tips, but so little space remains. Fortunately, your Carlsbad Chamber is planning a Web Video Seminar in the first quarter (include specifics of the seminar here). Ask for details, then be sure and sign up. BizVid Communications will be among the presenters. We'll look for you there.
Caz Taylor, co-owner BizVid Communications can be reached at [email protected].