by Seth | Sep 9, 2021 | General
Getting started on filming for your main marketing video is exciting, but before you dive in, you might want to consider the opportunities of what you’re about to capture. You might have thought that film day preparations ended with setting up plans for this one video, but you’d be doing yourself and your brand a disservice to not think further ahead.
As part of your overall marketing strategy, you should be integrating this video into a solid sales funnel or enrollment funnel set up for your school, nonprofit, or business. Whether you’re looking to get more leads, increase sales, improve enrollment, or promote more fundraising opportunities, creating “evergreen” video assets — as in repurposing content used or not yet used — will set your organization up for continued success while saving time and money on filming.
Creating evergreen video assets is a matter of identifying what you should film and edit so that you have a bounty of usable footage for future videos. Properly build up evergreen video assets during your film day(s) by keeping the following tips in mind during your pre-production, filming, and editing processes.
Planning During Pre-Production
As you’re looking to create assets that will capture your brand identity and achieve conversions, you should be doing ample research on your film location and the people you’ll be interviewing. While you think ahead about actions, events, and wide location shots that you can capture on film to build up valuable B-roll footage, you should also compose interview questions that will elicit both general and specific comments from interviewees with future video subjects in mind.
For example, if you are filming a marketing video for your private school, you’ll probably have a list of students and faculty to interview. You’ll of course want to get their comments on their experience at the school, but you’ll also want to ask questions targeted towards their expertise and interests. If you interview a student who is very involved in the music program, you should ask them about their experience playing in band and plan to shoot B-roll footage of the music department. You might not use this footage for the first video, but these shots can be utilized for other content.
Staying Flexible While Filming
A general rule of thumb for film day is that you should get more footage than you believe you’ll ever use. Once filming is over and you sit down to review the footage, you’ll likely realize that there are many options to work with, but for this particular subject, a majority won’t be needed for the first video you produce. That doesn’t mean your film day was a waste, but rather you can use that footage for future video content to improve your sales funnels. Maintain this mindset as you film throughout the day, and don’t be afraid to think on your feet. Stick to your plans to capture footage for your first video, but think about all the footage as reusable in the future.
Make sure to capture enough shots of the location and the activities that take place there. As you interview people, notice whether they’ve said something really interesting that can branch off to become its own video. For instance, if a teacher mentions how they’ve integrated technology into their classroom, make sure to get footage of computers and other equipment in the school.
Editing with Potential Content in Mind
Once you sit down to edit, you’ll realize you have hours of footage for only a 2- to 3-minute video, and that’s great news. Not only will you be able to pick out the best shots for your first marketing video, but you’ll be able to shelve hours of content for future use.
As you go through each shot, think about the content in different lights. Does this interviewee have something really unique to say? Ideally, you would have planned ahead for this scenario and captured relevant B-roll footage, but sometimes people have surprising answers to questions. If you didn’t capture enough relevant footage, you can still use their soundbite as a short video for social media, email marketing, or other lead-nurturing content.
Fill Your Content Vault with Evergreen Video Assets
When you’re going through the video production process, it’s essential to plan ahead and remain flexible. Whether you have one day to film or a whole week, you can properly plan and film with evergreen video assets in mind.
To fully utilize your filming time, you can hire experienced professionals who prioritize your marketing plan and set you up for success. Monzo Media Productions is passionate about telling your story and helping your organization achieve its goals.
Ready to tell your story? Connect with us today to maximize your video content production and optimize your audience reach.
by Joe Monzo | Jan 27, 2021 | General
Being in business for over five years, you often start seeing patterns of success (and patterns of failures) for your work. From there, you can learn based on experience what works and what does not work for your clients and how your new clients (and recurring clients) can benefit from those experiences.
It’s no secret that having a multi-video strategy will get you the best bang for your buck, and either though having one video is a good start, there’s very rarely a case of a one-hit-wonder in the video marketing world. But while you may have tons of ideas on what kind of videos you need to create, perhaps, you don’t have the budget or don’t have time/resources to work on all 100 of them :).
So in this blog, we will explain the top 3 videos to have, why they are successful, and how they fit into your overall marketing strategy whether you are a private school, business, or non-profit organization. We call this the Sales Video Trifecta.
- Branding/Value video- This is the main video on your website, the flagship of your online presence, and perhaps the most important video you can have in your arsenal. This video sets the tone and tells the story of who you are, what you do, and what makes you unique in under 3 mins. While the goal is to help nurture leads, the approach this video should take is more of an emotional connection to the audience and is not necessarily meant to collect a sale at this moment (though it will depend on the structure of the organization). Having a strong call to action at the end will help continue nurturing those leads more effectively.
- Testimonial Video- Referrals and testimonials are the best way to get new qualified leads. There’s no denying that. Having a video (or in some cases, multiple videos) is a great way to showcase the consistency of your product, service, or organization and how it has improved the lives of the testimonial. Out of the 3 videos, this will most likely be the last video your audience will watch and will help increase the speed of trust for them to shoot you an email or a phone call to learn more.
- Promo Video- This video is often the shortest of the three videos mostly because this is the kind of video that will be used in social media ads…in fact that’s what it’s designed to be, to quickly catch the attention of your audience and get them thinking, “huh that seems interesting”, clicks on your landing page to your branding/value video and then they can check out some of the testimonials as well. Generally, you want to keep this video under 60 seconds if you can tell the story effectively in that time.
While there are many types of videos your organization can create these are by far the most important and have the easiest ways of fitting into your marketing and sales funnel. The best part is you’ll be able to repurpose some of the footage from all three from each other or use footage that maybe didn’t make the cut from the branding video, but makes it to the testimonial video. At the end of the day, the goal is to get more phone calls, more inquiries and ultimately grow your organization.
by Joe Monzo | Jun 12, 2019 | General
This
guide will cover how to move and upload video content onto Instagram,
especially if the file is coming from a desktop computer. A brief history on
Instagram as a marketing tool: In the past, Instagram has marketed itself as a
digital photo archive platform. But in recent years, the app began including
videos in stories and posts as publishable content. To compete with other apps
like Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter, Instagram entered the digital video
publication market on social media.
Because
the inclusion of video on Instagram is relatively new, the process of uploading
and creating content to post isn’t always intuitive. Instagram offers simple
ways for video editing and publication on your smartphone device.
By
taking advantage of Instagram’s platform to grow your business through video marketing, you
can create a multi-sensory experience for the audience that helps them attain
and retain important information about your services and brand.
The
Basics
Videos
can be uploaded in multiple ways on smartphones. The best file format is
usually going to be MP4. Often confused for an “upgrade” of MP3, MP4 is solely used for
multimedia content, meaning files that include audio and visuals.
Instagram
caps their video time at 60 seconds. The screen allowance offers a 1080 pixel
width and 920-pixel tall experience, which is useful to keep in mind as you
edit and upload. This is the allowed video resolution, which indicates the
number of pixels Instagram’s software permits for
posting multimedia content.
Once
you understand the basics of Instagram video file format and resolution, you
can dive into how you can get your content on the Gram.
Moving
your Files from Desktop to Phone
Publishing
video content is similar on both Android and iPhone as the apps are formatted
the same. However, if your video file is not already on your phone, such as if
it was shot and edited professionally, you need to do an extra step. There are
two ways you can transfer your video file from your desktop to your smartphone
device.
One
way to move the files is through email. If you have your email on your phone,
you can download the video file from your email app directly to your smartphone
device. The file will most likely appear in your media or photos folder. If
not, accessing your device’s file folder through your settings is another
option.
The
second way to move the video file is to plug your phone directly into your
desktop. This is done using your device’s USB charging cord, minus the little
brick that actually plugs into the wall. This WikiHow article goes into more detail on how
to do this on different devices.
Publishing
via Phone
Once
you have secured your file on your phone, you can upload it to your profile.
When opening up the Instagram app, you will find a thread of options at the
bottom of your screen. The one you want to use is the plus sign.
After
clicking on this symbol, you will be brought to a page that shows all the saved
photos and videos on your device. Scroll through and select which one you want
(a preview will be showcased above the archive of photos).
After
you have selected the correct file, click “next” in the top right corner.
Instagram will offer the option to use its basic editing software. You can
utilize this or continue forward and click “next” again. The final page will
give you the opportunity to create a catchy caption or tag any other Instagram
users to finish up your post. (If another user is featured or mentioned in your
video, it’s a good idea to tag them to give them the opportunity to share the
video to their followers, as well.)
You
should also add any appropriate hashtags at this stage. Once you’re satisfied
with your post, click “share.” Now, your audience can view your content, like
it, and share it with their own followers to start building you some traction
and brand recognition.
The
Final Product
After
publication, you can view your video and edit your captions and tags. Instagram
users will have the opportunity to comment and like your content. If you want
to further increase your visibility, you can also consider paid campaigns to
endorse your product or service.
Using
Instagram is a great way to increase your business’ social media following and
exposure to your brand. The app’s success and 800 million active users will
provide a large potential audience for your content.
by Joe Monzo | May 28, 2019 | General
Video can communicate quickly and more effectively than any other marketing medium. It makes more sense to use video in your email marketing if you want to increase brand awareness and help educate your customers, especially if you have a lead nurturing system in place.
Email marketing remains one of the top distribution tactics for engaging target audiences.
However due to email marketing becoming easy and reliable to use everyone has started to use it, which means many people receiving these emails can come across looking like spam.
The end goal here is to create something that is eye-grabbing and will rope your viewer in. Here is a guide on how to use video in your email marketing.
Using Video in Subject Line
By putting the word video in the subject line you are letting people know that there is a video. It has been proven by multiple companies that just by putting the word video in the subject line you increase open rates. People like watching something more than having to read something. An example subject line would be
{VIDEO} Learn How To Grow Your Company!
Embedding a video and using HTML
One way to share a video is to embed it into the email directly. If you want to embed the video into your email the best way to do this is to use a Youtube or Vimeo link. Embedding a video can allow a video to play directly in an email.
The problem with doing this, however, is that most big email providers don’t support embedded video. While this may improve user experience the cost of doing it is too much. There is something much easier that you can use.
Don’t use links try using GIFS.
You will want to make it obvious that what you are offering is a video for people to watch. Saying “click the link and watch the video to learn more” and inserting a link will simply not do it. Instead, offer a big enticing thumbnail image inside your email.
The image should link directly to the video when selected. For more added effect use a fake play button. This will get the point across even more.
Video playback is not supported in most email clients however ‘playing’ an animated GIF is. This will make it clear that a video is waiting for them to watch. The subtlety of the GIF will draw people to the video and hopefully want to click. That is if the GIF is enticing enough.
Send people to your landing page, not someone else’s
When a person clicks on the thumbnail image the video will not playback natively in the email. The question is then where are you going to send them? and the answer to this question is your own landing page, not someone else’s. Now, what you don’t want to happen is for a person to click the thumbnail and be taken to a page where the video does not exist or is difficult to find.
Autoplay? Or no Autoplay?
Often times people do not like it when they receive an email and a video starts playing. However, since you already told and show people that there is a video in your email this time around you will want to use autoplay. So, when a person clicks the thumbnail in your email the video should autoplay. That way it reduces the amount of steps that people have to take.
Call to Action
Like most marketing outlets, having a strong CTA or the Call to Action is super important. After someone watches your video, you want your viewers to take the next step in your sales funnel. Therefore, it is important to keep it clear and urgent, Otherwise, the viewer may not know what to do next. And example CTA would be to give you a call the number below or request a demo depending on your product/service.
by Joe Monzo | May 1, 2019 | General
“Uploading natively” describes the process of
uploading content directly to a website, rather than linking content from
another website. On LinkedIn, you can use either method, but uploading natively
has distinct advantages.
Put simply, sharing linked content sends traffic and engagement away from LinkedIn to their competitors.
To keep the viewers on their platform, LinkedIn provides tools to increase engagement and circulation of content that is uploaded natively, in addition to boosting natively uploaded content within their feeds and playing videos automatically.
Take advantage of LinkedIn’s built-in tools to
create high-performing posts with natively uploaded content. The best
performing posts utilize every available tool in a way that engages with your
existing network and expands that network simultaneously.
Requirements
and Restrictions
These technical specifications define the
boundaries of your natively uploaded videos. Videos must be no less than 3
seconds and no more than 10 minutes, in addition to being no less than 75KB and
no more than 5GB. Experienced videographers will be familiar with these
constraints, and will take them into account when creating your promotional
videos.
(Why isn’t the length of the video enough to
determine the file size? The KB per second varies depending on the resolution
and dimensions of your video.)
There is no need to upload the longest
possible video. As Viveka Von Rosen writes for Social Media Examiner, “People have
short attention spans, so it’s a good idea to keep your videos shorter than 3
minutes.”
For more detailed specifications, check LinkedIn’s technical FAQ.
Contextualize
Your Video for New and Familiar Audiences
You can write up to 700 words to accompany
your video, and that is more than enough to help your audience understand it’s
context.
In one or two paragraphs, give viewers
descriptions of your video and your business. Be sure to introduce yourself
thoroughly so people who are unfamiliar with your business can understand the
video. To describe the video, sum up the content in a sentence or two, and then
add some background information that connects the video to your business.
Invite
Viewers to Continue the Conversation
You should always include an explicit and
inviting offer to follow up with your audience about any questions they may
have about your business or the video itself.
Simply adding “To learn more, contact us here” along with ample avenues
for contacting your business is a good start.
Adding prompts that can be answered in the
comments is a great way to build engagement. For example, if you are promoting
a spring sales event you can ask your audience, “What is your favorite part of
spring? Answer in the comments below!”
Choose
Your Audience
LinkedIn will automatically set your posts to
“public”, visible to everyone including visitors outside of your LinkedIn
network. You have the ability to change that if you wish, before or after
posting.
Another option is the “Public and Twitter”
setting, which can push content to a connected Twitter account when you post.
Additionally, “Connections Only” will limit the visibility of your post to
those connected to your LinkedIn network.
Note that choosing “Connections Only” will
make it impossible for people outside your current audience to find your
content, so avoid that setting for your marketing posts.
Always
Allow Comments
Comments often include questions about your
business or the content shared. By answering them you provide clarity to
potential clients and supporters, gain trust, and boost the visibility of your
posts.
Captions
or Subtitles
Using subtitles and captions allow your video
to be understood without sound. This is helpful for audiences who are hearing
impaired or otherwise unable to access sound at the moment.
LinkedIn doesn’t have automatic subtitles yet, but you can add subtitles to your video by uploading a separate SRT file along with the video.
I recommend Rev if you are interested in adding subtitles to your video. Contact me to learn more about video marketing on LinkedIn. I’m always happy to answer your questions or speak more about how to maximize video marketing for your business.
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