Product videography is a highly engaging marketing strategy that has a very high potential. Research by Red Stag Fulfillment reveals that eCommerce stores using product videos can potentially increase sales by up to 144%. To achieve similar figures for your brand, you must have the appropriate skills and technical know-how to create unique and interesting videos. This is why we have come up with a quick guide to help you get started.
1. Have a goal
The process starts by identifying the main objective of making the video. This is usually one (or more) of the following:
• To drive sales for an existing product
• To introduce a new product to the market
• To demonstrate how a specific product works
• To describe the benefits of using a particular product
With a well-defined goal, you can develop an appropriate storyline to get the message across. The goal lets you focus on a particular theme instead of heaping a lot of information into one video, which the audience might find confusing.
Alternatively, you can share your ideas with product videography professionals, such as Square Daisy who will be able put in place a strategy for a strong product video, alongside taking this strategy and bringing it life.
2. Identify the target audience
A good video should have a well-defined target audience. Knowing whom you’re speaking to lets you decide on the appropriate language and tone. For example, a product video targeted at teens can have hyped-up street language, whereas one aimed at an older population should be more neutral. Choosing the right language and tone use ensures your video has a huge impact.
To decide on the target audience, you need to analyze your customer profiles and categorize them according to age group, gender, likes, location, religious beliefs, or attitudes. Of course, you may end up with several groups, and it’s more impactful if you create unique videos for each.
3. Draft a video script
A video script takes the viewers through a visual journey to help them form an emotional connection with the subjects, thus spiking interest in the product. It’s never enough to describe the features of a product; most viewers want something entertaining.
Take your time to come up with a captivating storyline. Craft characters that’ll likely strike a chord with the audience and evoke positive emotions. Make sure to do this in writing before you step out for the actual shoot.
4. Get the right equipment ready
Those who come across your video will judge it for its quality. A high-quality video is eye-catching and convincing, whereas one with inferior quality might put off the viewers. To avoid compromising the quality of your video, you must use the right equipment. Some of the must-haves include:
• A tripod to prevent shaky footage
• A video camera or high-end smartphone
• Good lighting
• External mics for top-quality audio
• A sophisticated video editing software
• Memory card with sufficient storage space
• High-capacity batteries
All these tools come in different quality categories. For the best results, invest in professional-grade equipment. After all, you can’t expect the cheapest camera on the market to shoot premium quality videos.
5. Film the actual video
The next step is to ferry all your gear and crew to the shooting location. Before you start shooting the actual video, it’s good to start with a few practice shots to:
• Confirm everything is working per your script
• Identify any missing equipment or crew member that might impede the video shoot
• Test the lighting and ascertain that it’s sufficient for the shoot
• Test the microphones to ensure they capture the subjects’ voices adequately
• Tune the video camera to the correct settings, such as the white balance, ISO exposure settings, shutter speed, aperture speed, release mode, file type, and focus area modes.
Practicing helps you reduce the time spent in production. Once you confirm every setting is perfect, proceed to shoot the raw footage.
6. Edit your video
After getting the raw footage, the next step is to edit and polish it to make it better. This process involves:
• Choosing the best shots to go into the final video
• Combining clips
• Adding transitions between different scenes
• Adding cinematic effects
• Adding background music
• Adding captions
For this, you’ll need feature-rich video editing software. While there are several such free tools online, they may not have advanced editing features. Moreover, they might have restrictions, such as the maximum video minutes you can edit or a mandatory watermark bearing their logo. You’d rather purchase a professional video editing tool, especially if you intend to produce a series of product videos.
7. Market your video
If you already have a website, uploading your video there is the best option since it helps improve your website’s ranking in the search engine pages. Alternatively, if the video is uploaded in a popular video platform, you can grow your own channel and share them via your website or your social media page. You can also use appropriate video marketing tools to set up effective campaigns to distribute your video to different platforms.
Conclusion
Successful product videography takes skill, experience, and the right resources. This is why it’s highly advisable to work with reliable video production companies who are already familiar with the process. This saves you time and helps you get more impressive results. Ultimately, you’ll create interest in your products among the viewers and improve your chances of converting some of them into buyers.
