Producing great video content is achievable these days, leading many marketers to move away from traditional TV, writes Simon Palan.

Marketers are increasingly realising they don’t need TV networks and big budget commercials to promote their products. TV audiences have become heavily fragmented and mostly they skip through the commercials anyway. In today’s digital world, companies are producing their own video content and hosting it on their websites, social media and email. This is a more targeted strategy and the rewards are not in dispute. Consumers who view online product videos are also 85% more likely to make a purchase (ComScore).

Recent research by Cisco further supports this, showing video is projected to make up 81% of Australian internet traffic by 2019. But what’s driving this, and how can marketers make sure they get video content right?

Video is now attainable

Rapid technology advances have seen video production costs fall markedly over the last 10 years, with no impact on quality. Today, high-quality videos can be produced cost effectively and can be edited and delivered quickly. With this in mind, marketers are taking advantage of this medium to regularly engage their audiences in a visual, highly engaging way.

Media fragmentation

The heavy and growing fragmentation of the media is leading some marketers to increase investment in channels other than traditional media advertising. Consumers have become switched on to traditional advertising intentions, so marketers are increasingly focused on creating their own content that consumers actually want to watch. A quality video, with interesting footage, themes, graphics and music is an effective way to engage customers. Video is also being used as an internal communications solution for companies looking to increase staff engagement and share information clearly without having to fly executives around the country.

Speeds and access are driving uptake

Continual investments by telco providers and the expanding National Broadband Network (NBN) are leading to increasing internet speeds and the ability to consume online video immediately. Gone are the days when we had to wait minutes for a video to load. We can also watch web videos from almost anywhere on our mobile phones.

Changing consumer behavior

Today’s consumers are well researched and educated on their choices. With shoppers making purchase decisions based on active Internet searches, it’s important businesses provide video marketing material on their websites. Video is a great way to show how a product works, and for many time-poor consumers, words on a page is simply not an option.

So what do marketers need to know when selecting a provider?  

With an increasing number of video suppliers, it’s important to know how to get the most out of your production experience and budget.

1. Check they’ve got professional equipment. If you’re investing in video, make sure broadcast quality cameras are being used. Professional lighting and audio equipment is a must. A low quality video can often do more harm than good.
2. Have a purpose. Having a clear brief and understanding of what you want to achieve through video will help your supplier create the right content. Videos will also appeal to different audiences, so make sure you know who you’re talking to.
3. Always have a producer as well as a camera operator. Whether shooting a corporate video or an executive interview, make sure you have an experienced producer who can ask the right questions. Some companies like to script their content to the last word, but this can lead to a video appearing contrived or impersonal. That’s why it’s important to have a producer who knows how to generate content through interviews. This could be someone specifically trained, or with a journalism background.
4. Shop around. Look around online and find corporate videos that have a similar look and feel to what you’re after. Video production companies have different specialties, so make sure you pick up the phone and call a few of them. Each will have different ideas and costs.

Demand for video content is only going to escalate, as more and more businesses start to understand its true value. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth so many more.

Simon Palan is director of Refine Media.