Digital media has become a disruptor. For many years, text was the way to go with online content, but now video is much more effective. Video is easier than text for a viewer to become emotionally attached to the message. When a person watches a video, they become immersed in the video and create an empathetic connection with the screen. According to Dr. James McQuivey of Forrester Research, 1.8 million words is the value of one minute of video. Who has the time and energy to write 1.8 million words? That’s the equivalent of 3,600 typical web pages!

I decided to reach out to local entrepreneurs and businesses, to find out what they thought about online videos. The locals I met with were John Raines, Sarah Brooks, and David Hawthorne. Here is what I found:

Prep

Preparatory work before the actual filming is a must. Giving thought to the message that you want conveyed, how to say it and what action the viewers are to take, is essential to having an effective video. It helps to visualize the look and feel of the finished product.

Keep it Short

The shorter, the better. One to two minute videos are about as long as anyone will give their attention.

What is Said – “The Script”

The script is the most important part of a video, even though it is not seen. One could have the highest-quality animation and production value, but if the script is poor, the video won’t convey the desired message. A script must quickly captivate viewers, explain your product or service and convince them why they need it. Then, it needs to provoke them to take action. And all of this needs to happen within 60 to 90 seconds. Professor David Hawthorne, a local prominent Vedic astrologer, said that he rehearsed his script several times to be sure he delivered the information in a clear way. This also helped him determine when additional images were needed to reinforce a point or for added visual interest.

The Main Character

When a viewer watches a video, they need to immediately connect with the message and that message starts with the main character. Most videos have at least one “character” who becomes the face of your message. This may be the business owner or a spokesperson for the business. John Raines is a business owner providing professional financial advisor services, so John was the obvious main character in the video he produced.

Graphics

The animation direction chosen can make a video a major success or a huge flop. Viewers need to be engaged throughout the entire video, until the very end. A video that has interesting and entertaining animation will accomplish this. Sarah Brooks, a Classical-Five-Element Acupuncturist, had a clear picture of how she wanted to connect with her viewers and wished to add images from outside her practice as well.

Background Sounds

Little details, like the background music and sound effects, really bring a video together. While these background sound details might seem insignificant at first, you can test it yourself. Listen to two identical videos, one with background music and sound effects, and the other with only the voiceover.

One can individualize their video with a unique soundtrack. For example, Sarah’s brother is a musician and he recorded a unique sound background which was incorporated into her video.

Setting

The environment for your video is important to give the look and feel. Background images can be inserted if the filming is done on a green screen. Images help to represent and reinforce the ideas of a message.

Call to action

Be sure the video lets the viewers know very clearly what action they are expected to take.

The videos of our local business owners can be found at:

By Diane Prather

Diane Prather is the Director of Productions at HHW Media

She can be reached at Diane@hhwmedia.com