Video marketing has become an essential tool in the digital marketing playbook. According to HubSpot, more than 80 percent of all businesses use video in their marketing strategy, marking a 20 percent increase in the last year alone.
Interest piqued? Here are some additional insights:
- Mobile video grows 100 percent every year
- YouTube is the second most popular search engine
- A single minute of video is equivalent to8 million words
At the risk of boring you with too many statistics and not enough actionable resources, we’ll assume you get the idea. Video is here to stay. It’s the way the world prefers to consume content, so if you haven’t yet started to integrate video into your digital marketing strategy, we’re here to light the fire that gets you started.
Making Videos: Getting Started
Videos come in all forms. Some are professionally produced, and others are selfie-style made on-the-fly, but depending on the intent behind it, both are equally viable to the marketing process.
Easily the biggest hurdle to getting started with marketing videos is shedding the perception that they all have to be slick, expensive, cinema-quality productions. Sure, there’s a time and a place for all of that, but for marketing purposes, the focus doesn’t always have to be on a high-end output.
You want the content and the information to be high quality, but it’s much easier to do than you think. In fact, you can do much of it on your smartphone and still get a fantastic result.
Videos You Can Make With Your Smartphone
Marketing is about creating a connection between the product, the brand, and the customer. When you deliver your message authentically, in other words, without all the production bells and whistles, you come across as more relatable, human, and authentic.
Ultimately, consumers today are more relationship-oriented. They want to feel an affinity with a product or a brand, so anything that immediately comes across as selling is not the way to their hearts. Making marketing videos on your smartphone is a way to level the playing field a bit and speak to them on the same level.
Here are some examples of marketing videos you can make on your smartphone:
- Introduction Videos. Whether you’re introducing yourself or the newest member of your team or to a new prospect, an introduction video is a great way to do it. It’s more effective than text in an email as it puts a face and a personality to the message. Make it light-hearted and friendly, and you’ll have a winner.
- FAQ Videos. You have probably noticed that you get asked the same questions quite a lot. FAQ videos are a great way to engage your potential customers while providing the answers they seek. Use humor, if appropriate, and don’t go too long. You could even turn it into a series, with each video answering a separate question. Keep it short; keep it sweet. They’ll love you for it.
- Thank You Videos. Just had a showing or finalized a sale? These are perfect opportunities to reach out and say thank you. Doing so with a quick video makes the gesture even more meaningful as you’re giving more of yourself to the process.
- Customer Service Videos. Making short videos that demonstrate specific customer service topics is a great way to engage your audience. For example, you might offer a quick customer service video to illustrate how you handle contact-free showings.
- Expertise Real estate agents have a vast repository of knowledge when it comes to home improvement products, projects, and their return on investment. Making a series that gives your insights on these topics delivers value and builds your authority.
Now that you’ve got a few ideas in your back pocket, let’s run over some tips on how to make your smartphone videos amazing.
Tips for Shooting Marketing Videos on Your Smartphone
True – a smartphone video does not need to be a major production. But a little pre-production planning never hurts.
Here are our top tips for making the most of your time and effort:
- Quality. In your settings, configure your video for the highest resolution and frame rate possible. This assures a nice, fluid result that will look good on any device. Choose a 4K setting if you have it.
- Frame your shots in widescreen. This means turning your phone horizontally, so you get a “letterbox” aspect ratio. It’s a more cinematic perspective.
- Image stabilization is also a setting you can enable, but using a selfie stick, a tripod, or setting your camera on a stack of books will help compensate for unwanted camera movement.
- Frame your shot nicely. Think about what’s going on in the background too. Position the bottom of the frame at about chest height and place the subject to one side of the frame for best results.
- Manage your lighting. Be sure your face is illuminated well without casting shadows. Position yourself in front of a window, or turn on a lamp if it’s a bit dark in the room. Also pay attention to light in your background so it doesn’t change the exposure setting on your camera. Natural light is best (and free), but if you’re a bit challenged for light when shooting, you might need a ring light. There are hundreds of affordable options on Amazon.
- Check! Your audio, that is. If your sound is bad, distorted, low-level, or hard to understand for any reason, it’s not likely anybody’s going to watch it. People will watch poorly-shot video as long as it has good audio, but the reverse does not apply. If you’re shooting outside in the wind, getting a good recording can be an issue. External microphones can help you avoid a reshoot because of bad audio.
- Shoot multiple takes. Even professionals don’t often get it on the first take. You need to be confident with the result, so keep reshooting until you get a take you like. Once it’s out there, you can’t take it back!
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the key to making great marketing videos is in the palm of your hands. Okay, maybe it’s in your pocket or on your desk – the point is, you have what it takes to start shooting great videos today.
When you’re ready to start leveraging that talent to delight your audience and build your brand, we’re here to help make it that much more awesome. Sign up for a free ZipperHQ account today.