These days, one can hardly visit a web site that doesn’t incorporate video in some form or another. In a previous post, I talked about how vital it is to make video a part of your overall web content strategy. One of the mistakes people often make is they think about their video like this:
“I need to shoot one video of my CEO talking about our new line of business.”
There is nothing wrong with producing a video of your CEO – in fact, it can be a very powerful communication tool. However, there is a fundamental problem if that’s the only video you’re making. I’ll explain.
I could go on all day about how critical it is to have well thought out content in your videos – but that’s a topic for another day. Content is indeed King, but creating amazing content can be time consuming and expensive, if you haven’t thought about how to maximize the efficiency of how it’s created.
Let’s say, for example, that you have actually managed to get your CEO in a room long enough to talk on camera about the new line of business. That in itself is challenge enough. You’re geared up to shoot 3 or 4 minutes of stellar content that your clients and prospects are going to LOVE. That is terrific, but after you’ve shot the piece, are you just going to let your CEO walk out? Who knows when you’ll be able to harness his undivided attention again!
Now, consider this. What if, when you were setting up the interview, you asked your CEO’s assistant to schedule him for 30 minutes instead of 15? You may need to wait a bit longer for an appointment, but eventually you’d get
a bit more of his time. Then, what if, instead of shooting 3 minutes of footage on the new business line, you decided to shoot 15 or 20 minutes on a variety of topics…you could talk to him about anything – strategic vision of the company, the importance of hiring good people, the success of the latest software release…the list goes on.
Suddenly, instead of a one-off clip, you have a whole pile of content to work with. You could then edit a whole series of “From the CEO’s Desk” videos that can be posted on your site, and even set them up like a podcast so people can subscribe to receive new content automatically!
There are other great reasons to approach your content from a “series” perspective. Many companies these days are opting to hire professional video producers to help them with their video content. This can be a great way to ensure you get a professional quality product without taxing your already busy in-house resources with the task of scripting, shooting and editing.
If you opt to go the pro route, then you’re going to save a ton of time and money by shooting and editing your videos in “batches”.
Instead of bringing in a video crew every time you want to shoot a new segment, you can bring in your videographer and interviewer for a full day or two. You’ll be able to bang off several interviews at once, often with only a few location changes (or all in the same location if you use a portable green screen, which allows you to superimpose any background you want). You pay once, but you get several “episodes” worth of content.
In addition, considering your content as a series (as in the “From the CEO’s Desk” example from earlier), allows your production team to create a graphic look and feel that is consistent across episodes, and therefore you’re only building graphics once and re-using them. That’s healthy for your budget and your brand.
So, what’s your next video project? Do you have an idea for a one-time clip? Is that idea something that could easily be worked into a series? Food for thought as you plan your online video strategy.
