The world is slightly obsessed with videos - on youtube, facebook and just about anywhere you look you can find people streaming videos. 75 million people watch video everyday! So, the question is - Have you considered how beneficial videos could be for your business? We have done some research and found videos are important for the growth of your business.

According to Hubspot....

• 97% of marketers say video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service
• 76% say it helped them increase sales
• 47% say it helped them reduce support queries
• 76% say it helped them increase traffic
• 80% of marketers say video has increased dwell time on their website

These stats say it all. Video helps drive traffic to your business and leads to actual sales! We know making a video is easier said than done. That is why WCE has created a video content marketing checklist for you! The checklist is simple to use and will help you get on the right track to making videos for your business. There are 5 topics on the checklist that we have broken down below.

The first step is to Plan and Prepare! You need figure out what your main goal for the video you are creating. Do you have a product you want to talk about? A new service that you are excited about? Whatever it is, plan what you want your customers to do with the video they are watching. Make clear point and try to make a call to action at the end of the video. Another important thing to focus on when planning your video is your target market. Who is your target market and what do they like? Make the sure the content in your video appeals to those in your target market! 

Next up is the equipment. You can can stay simple by sticking with your smartphone for your recording device. Other options to record on are a  Go-Pro or any type of a camera that records video. You will want to use a tripod to reduce camera shake. The tripod keeps your recording device steady while filming. An external microphone is recommended, but not necessary.  You will also need editing software or an editing app on your phone. The software that were recommended by Aja Vickers of Aja Vicker Global Media are: Adobe Premiere Pro ($21/month), Blender, Lightworks, Shotcut, DaVinci Resolve, and Openshot. And for the apps creativebloq.com suggests apps such as Adobe Premiere Rush, Lumafusion, Kinemaster, and good old iMovie. Other optional items when shooting your video are a backdrop and some lighting.

Now onto the fun stuff ~ the Recording of the video! The first thing to do is find a location that is well lit (preferably with natural light), quiet (so there is no distracting background noise), and a background that is simple and not distracting to the viewers. If you are unable to find a spot with good lighting or a clean background this is where the backdrop and lighting would be needed for extra equipment. After you find your location and you set up your equipment do a test round to make sure audio is working and so that you can get comfortable with the content. It is a good idea to take multiple takes,  you then can edited the best takes together with your editing software or app. Added tip ~ when taking multiple takes leave a few seconds of silence before and after talking for easier editing.

Speaking of editing ~ once you feel satisfied with your recordings it is time to move onto editing. Use one of the editing software or apps mentioned above or chose one that you have found that works well for you. When editing continue to be mindful of the length. Here are some stats from singlegrain.com on importance of video length:

• “Shorter videos tend to have better engagement:
• If a video is less than 60 seconds, over two-thirds (68%) of viewers will keep watching until the end.
• If a video is over 20 minutes long, only 25% of viewers will finish it.
• Generally, videos that are 2-4 minutes long perform best and will have more people watch to the end. But if your video supremely engaging, time is not as critical a factor.”

Another thing to keep in mind when editing is branding your video. To brand your video you can put your business logo in the corner of the video or simply put a clip at the end of the video with your logo and contact information. It is always best to not use music or sounds that you don't own or that are not copyright free.

Last on the checklist, but certainly not least is the uploading of the video! When uploading the video make sure the title of the video is relevant to the content. Do the same for the description and add keywords that relate to the content and your business. Include video tags that will make your video easy to find and be mindful if you want comments on your video to auto load or if you want to approve them. These tips pertain mostly to YouTube, but check the features on Facebook or other social media platforms to see what upload features are available to enhance your reach.

We believe this is a great place to start to making professional quality videos! But, it really is just the tip of the iceberg. To get more in depth learning check out past Workshop on How to create Professional Videos with your Smartphone and our upcoming coming Workshop Getting Over Your Fears of Being on Camera!   

This was a lot of information, but is all on the FREE printable Video Content Marketing Checklist that you can download HERE or by clicking the image below!

If you found this useful please go through our other Articles where you can find more helpful tips and more FREE downloads. And please head over to our Upcoming Events or our Shop to see our other upcoming & past workshops we have more than just video production! Our  workshop topics are created to help you become the best business owner you can be! We always have your back here at WCE!