Video marketing is already a $100 billion business in the United States, and there are no signs of that fact slowing down anytime soon. As consumer continue to not only grow comfortable with branded videos, but come to expect them, it can ultimately become a major deciding factor in what company a customer decides to patronize.
That’s especially true in a crowded niche.
That means that if you are a company that has not yet moved to creating branded video content, you could be losing countless leads and customers as a result. Beyond that, if you are creating video content, but are not working with the right video production company, you could be missing out on a lot of opportunity to grow as well.
So how can you remedy such issues?
If you happen to be a smaller or growing brand without a massive advertising budget, you can still get fantastic video content. The main things to keep in mind is that you need to focus on both written and graphic content to keep the focus of potential leads. Doing that, however, is certainly easier said than done.
If you are interested in what kind of factors and considerations to think about while searching for the right video production company for you, consider these five aspects.
When accepting pitches, focus on brands that truly love what they do
If you don’t have the budget of a major company, you are not going to be able to hire one of the most accomplished video production companies available to you. That is a simple fact, but it is not something that cannot be worked around and overcome.
If you think that heading out with a camera and a couple of your employees and trying to shoot a branded video on your own is going to cut it, you will likely want to think again. No matter what your budget is, you should try to find some experts within the industry who are willing to work with you.
One good idea if your budget is less-than-ideal is to find a company that is just starting out, but have passionate and experience professional within it (even if they are just coming out of college). Another is to ask a more established production company if they would be willing to take a lesser rate in exchange for some kind of contract that guarantees future work. It might not work, but it’s certainly worth a try.
One of the main things to look for when you are taking meetings and pitches for a new branded video campaign that you want to roll out is love and passion. From directors to cinematographers, sound department to lighting, the men and women in this field typically do the work because they love it. Why else would they work long and hard to tell stories?
Video production can often be a stressful, hectic and labor-intensive profession, even when it comes to the world’s most experienced and expert outfits. That is why you want to work with true experts who have been able to show their worth time and time again.
Hiring a great production company can actually save you money
Video production can get pretty expensive quite quickly. It requires several people working on, expensive camera, sound and lighting equipment, and can require long hours of work during pre-production, production and post-production.
These prices can lead you to think about working on the branded video content that you need made on your own, hiring employees, colleagues or friends to help you out. If you do this, however with little experience beforehand, you could very well end up costing yourself more money.
The reasons why are clear. First off, if you own a small business that is not going to be regularly making video content, you very likely do not want to invest in expensive equipment necessary. It’s best to simply employ pros when you need them, negotiate a rate that is workable for both sides, and proceed from there.
A great video means greater engagement which leads to greater profits
More than the price you will be paying for your branded video content, you should be focusing on what you can gain financially from it. The simple truth is that video results in increased page visits, longer times spent on pages, and increased brand awareness. These three factors are some of the most important when thinking about sales and conversions.
Consider one customer visiting your page. In one event, there is nothing but wall of texts, perhaps some images, and some customer testimonials. They like what they see, but nothing is really pulling them in. They click around a bit, go to your About Us page or your online store before moving on without finding anything all that interesting about your site or business.
Now, consider that same customer heading to your site and being welcomed to your site with a fantastic, professionally produced video that outlines who and what you and your brand represent. They watch the video, and then head to your About Us page or online store to learn more.
Out of those two experiences, which do you think is more likely to lead to a sale? If you’re not convinced, consider these statistics:
- 62% of consumers watch product review videos before making a purchase.
- 84% of consumers surveyed were convinced to buy a product or service after watching a brand’s video.
- 97% of video marketers reported that video increased user understanding of a product or service, and 76% reported video helped them increase sales.
- Including a video on your landing page can increase conversions by more than 80%.
- 56% of consumers believe that a company should have video content on its website.
Video is no longer seen as an added option to consider when trying to expand your company’s reach. It should be considered a requirement.
Video production companies can tell your story – sometimes even better than you can
Another reason why hiring the right video production company can make or break your brand is because the right company can tell your story. Sometimes, they can even tell your story better than you can.
While branded video content is certainly a business, it is also certainly an art form. Some of the world’s most famous directors have spearheaded commercial campaigns, with the confines of branded content sometimes leading to truly revolutionary campaigns.
The reason why the right video production company can sometimes tell your company’s story even better than you can is two-fold. First off, they are naturally story tellers and do it for a living. They can see narratives in even the smallest details and have the ability to connect with your customer in a creative and unique way. The other reason is because, unlike you, they are able to see your company from the outside in. They aren’t too close to it and are able to identify some things that to you, might be completely overlooked.
It might be something of a surprise to read that fact, but it is true!
Video production companies keep up with the latest tech and trends, so you don’t have to
One of the best parts about outsourcing these kinds of complex and work-intensive responsibilities is that you can depend on the people you hire to keep up to date on the latest tech and trends that might give you an edge over the competition.
After all, it is their responsibility to keep up and compete with other businesses within their own niche, so it benefits them to be on top of the latest advantages as much or more than it benefits you!
The simple truth is, you should let the pros handle this one. Video production companies hire experts who know about the tech and marketing trends available to you are the ones that are the most likely to help you succeed. They can help you strategize and make decisions not only about the video creation process, but the equally important marketing and promotion process that follows.
In the end, the best that you and your company can do when it comes to hiring a great video production company depends on the money you have available to you. Do not, under any circumstances, move money around that you need for production or for your employees to pay for branded video content. That being said, if you do have more money available to you after a strong period, consider using it to invest in rolling out new video content.
It can really be the difference between being somewhat forgotten in the ocean of competitors, and standing alone, looking down over your competition.
Hopefully this breakdown has helped understand why this kind of work is so important and can be so beneficial to your company. The next step is to start doing your research and looking for the best video production companies in your area.
Good luck!
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