5 ways to make video part of your media toolkit

Since the advent of television, businesses have embraced ‘moving pictures’ as a medium to enhance their public profile, communicate brand values and engage with customers. Now, the rise and rise of social media channels is only strengthening the demand for videos as we consume huge volumes of content on mobile phones, tablets and laptops, making video a vital part of any brands media toolkit.

From a marketing standpoint, videos give organisations an opportunity to capture attention to tell stories, establish distinct personalities and foster trust. Plus, thanks to their visual nature, videos are especially advantageous when seeking to increase understanding of a product or service.

At TheNewsMarket, we’re passionate about multimedia strategies and collaborating with companies to amplify their voice. Here are our top five tips on executing a successful and rewarding video campaign through your media toolkit:

1. Number crunching

Videos come in all shapes and sizes, from webinars to sit-down interviews to client testimonials. But before you begin storyboarding ideas, think carefully about the amount of cash at your disposal. Budget constraints needn’t stifle creativity, however, it’s important to know whether a third camera operator or custom music, for example, are within scope.

2. Factor in pre-production

It might be stating the obvious but planning is crucial. The pre-production process ensures everyone is on the same page and prevents unnecessary delays or extra costs. For instance, drafting a rough script guarantees the key talking points are covered in the desired duration. Another must-do is providing the correct branding elements – such as opening title templates and colour schemes – in advance for the editors to work with.

Furthermore, if a shoot is being scheduled, make the most of the crew’s time on location by filming extra material for future projects. Footage of office exteriors/interiors and employees at work, along with general soundbites, will prove to be valuable down the line. We find that building a content archive allows you to maximise the budget.

3. There’s no one-size-fits-all

Be bold and experiment with diverse styles and formats. Consider the ever-popular explainer video – a complex concept can be explored through animated infographics (our client Immense found this particularly useful when illustrating their smart tech solutions). Or you could commission an event promo with dynamic stock footage and kinetic typography (check out our piece for Autovista Group). Or how about C-suite interviews which offer interesting insights and demonstrate industry knowledge (see Arrival’s investment announcement)?

4. Getting comfortable on camera

We understand that being “on-air talent” might be a strange experience for many executives (rest assured that plenty of Hollywood stars struggle with stage fright!). This is why media training is a profitable investment – just a handful of coaching sessions can make a significant difference by boosting confidence, sharpening message delivery and making filming fun.

5. Publish on several platforms

Once you have the finished product, the next step is publishing and sharing. You’re likely to rely on YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn in addition to your online newsroom. Remember each platform serves a specific purpose, so the video should be crafted to suit the audience. This could mean producing 30-second ‘teases’ or snippets for Twitter while posting the full version on YouTube and LinkedIn.

One final point: Always add a ‘call to action’ at the end of your video. This can be a contact name and details, or your company website and/or social media handles.

To learn more about how TheNewsMarket can help your company with your media toolkit, visit our services page or feel free to contact us.