Videos have become an essential marketing tool for businesses, offering educational, informative, and entertaining content that engages audiences. As a digital marketer, you understand the significance of video production content across various platforms, from YouTube to social media. The impact of videos is evident in the higher open rates of emails with “video” in the subject line and the impressive statistics surrounding video marketing.
With videos attracting 300% more traffic, increasing organic website traffic by 157% (according to Marketing Sherpa), and influencing purchasing decisions, it’s clear that video marketing is a powerful medium. However, many digital marketers may feel overwhelmed when it comes to starting the video production process for their business. In this comprehensive guide by a leading video production company in Columbus, Ohio, we will take you step-by-step through the corporate video production process so you can choose a video production company that will create the most compelling videos and yield desirable results for your brand.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Identify Your Goals
The first step in video production is defining your ultimate goals for the video content. Consider whether you aim to raise brand awareness, deliver an internal message to employees, or achieve a specific objective related to your business. It’s essential to establish SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals that align with your overall marketing strategy. By identifying the purpose and desired outcomes of your video, you can effectively communicate to your video production company to tailor the content according to your objectives.
Step 2: Research Your Audience
Understanding your target audience is crucial for the success of any video project. Conduct thorough research to gather insights about your viewers, including their demographics, preferences, and mindset. This information will enable you to make sure your video production company creates video content that resonates with and engages your audience. By defining your target audience persona, you can base creative decisions on solid research and ensure your video content effectively captures their attention.
Step 3: Define Your Core Message
Clearly defining your core message is as important as understanding your audience. Determine the desired action you want your audience to take after watching the video – whether it’s subscribing to your channel, signing up for discounts, or any other specific call-to-action – and communicate it clearly to your video production company. While it may be tempting to include multiple messages, it’s best to focus on a few key points to avoid overwhelming your audience and also to provide a clear brief to your video production company.
Step 4: Create a Strategy
Developing a well-defined strategy is vital for successful video production. Consider various aspects such as content creation, distribution channels, repurposing opportunities, budget allocation, and deadlines. By crafting a comprehensive strategy, you can ensure that your video production company creates a video that aligns perfectly with your brand and overall marketing goals and maximizes its impact.
Step 5: Write a Video Production Brief
Whether you produce the video internally or work with an external production team, a video production brief serves as a guiding document throughout the production process. The brief should contain all the essential details gathered from the previous steps. It provides a clear direction and ensures that everyone involved is on the same page.
Step 6: Write Your Script
With a solid understanding of your audience and core message, it’s time to write the script. Incorporate specific core messages and visuals that align with your goals and resonate with your audience. This stage allows for creative brainstorming and collaboration with your video production partner. If needed, involve the agency in scriptwriting to benefit from their expertise and ensure that all important details, such as camera angles, dialogue, and locations, are incorporated effectively.
Step 7: Planning and Scheduling the Shoot
This is where the excitement begins, as you collaborate closely with your video production partner to plan and schedule the shoot. Your production partner will handle tasks such as location scouting, assembling the crew (director, camera operator, sound technicians), casting actors if necessary, organizing equipment, and obtaining any required licenses or permissions. Working with a professional video production company ensures a stress-free experience, as they take care of all the logistical details.
Step 8: Begin Filming
With everything in place, it’s time to bring your vision to life. Trust in the expertise of the director, producer, and video production crew as they execute the shoot according to the planned script and guidelines. While it’s important to let the professionals handle the technical aspects, it is also important to stay involved in the process and provide feedback at every step.
Step 10: Editing
After the filming is complete, the editing stage begins. Skilled video editors carefully review the footage and select the best clips to create a cohesive and engaging final video. They utilize various techniques to enhance the video, including cutting the footage for clarity, incorporating visually interesting elements, adding B-roll footage for variety, including calls-to-action, integrating graphics and effects if necessary, and enhancing the overall audio-visual experience with background music and sound effects.
This stage is crucial in refining the video and ensuring it effectively communicates your core message, so make sure you stay alert and active during this process.
Step 11: Implementation and Distribution
In the final step of the video production process, the video is coded in the appropriate format to ensure maximum distribution across multiple devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and desktops. Hosting the video online allows for easy sharing and distribution according to your predetermined strategy. With the right implementation and distribution, your video can reach a wide audience and achieve its intended impact.
Conclusion
Creating a compelling video for your business involves careful planning, research, and collaboration with a trusted video production company. By following the step-by-step guide outlined above, you should have gained valuable insights into the video production process.
Remember to communicate effectively with your production partner and trust their expertise to deliver a video that captivates your audience and achieves your marketing objectives. Good luck!
