Let’s tackle the age-old question that even Aristotle could not answer (because he didn’t have videos back then, duh):

Should my video be Live Action or Animated?

While there are no wrong answers to this, here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• Is the video about the idea or is it to show off the product?
• How many uses do you want to repurpose this video for?
• Will you need to update your video frequently?
• What’s YOUR reason for leaning one way or the other?

Now, keep your answers in mind for later.

The Live Action Process

To start, Live Action involves an entirely different production method than typical animation.

While Hollywood has the budget to go crazy, I think we can safely say your budget will be somewhere under a few hundred million. That means you’ll need to keep things simple.

BUT even the most understated scripts still need:

1. Location
2. Cast
3. Directors
4. Props
5. Wardrobe
6. Editor
7. And many more movie-making aspects….

All That For One Video?! What’s the Point?

Relatability! Reputability! Recognition!

(AKA the three Rs of Live Action.)

Live Action brings a distinct realness that stands out for its authenticity. On top of showing your real product, live-action connects with the audience from an empathic standpoint.

There are a few ways to show viewers that you’re willing to put your money where your mouth is:

• Cast your CEO to show how committed you are!
• Got a physical product? Shoot it in Live Action to show it in ACTION!
• Use real customers giving authentic reactions!

Aging With Grace

There is a flipside to the trust you build with Live Action. It can erode over time if your video doesn’t age well.

Trends are constantly shifting on the internet. Your video can look in one day and obsolete the next. And, going back to change your live action video will be costly.

**TIP: Keep your scripts timeless and avoid topical jokes! This will prolong the life of your video!**

Re-doing your live action video involves reassembling your team, which can be tedious, costly, and sometimes downright impossible.

Why Pick One Style?

But let’s step out of the binary for a second.

True or False: You can combine both Live Action AND Animation.

TRUE!!

This new trend in the world of online video content is a no-brainer to some.

1. Shoot live action
2. Throw in some animation
3. BOOM! You’ve got yourself a video that can easily be edited if need be.

Still not sure what style you want, OR ready to move forward? Schedule a call to get started!

Some of the most seasoned companies/well-established businesses (like you!) don’t really understand what they’re selling.

Most of these clients are on the hunt for the perfect video to explain their latest business venture. Or promote their hot new product. Or update their staff on the newest anti-harassment policies.

The one thing all of these clients have in common is the desire to grow their business.

That’s what we sell: growth.

We don’t just sell a combination of the right script, the right voice, and the right visuals to achieve your business goals. Just like you don’t buy a hammer to sit on the shelf, you buy a hammer to hammer a friggin’ nail.

A video is simply a tool we create for you to grow your business.

So, here’s your homework: sit down and start listing out what you actually sell. Here are some of the most common points:

• Livelihood
• Growth
• Time
• Convenience
• Status
• Experience
• Security
• Health
• Knowledge
• Joy (although I think Coca Cola trademarked this?)

“So, why is this important?”

Well, because your prospects don’t really care about much else… especially when you first meet them. We know you’ve spent the last 10 years developing your groundbreaking new technology, and you’re proud of every single feature,, down to the last panel, button, and widget. But at this stage, the features of your product are only good for putting your viewers to sleep. .

Your prospects are already inundated by over 20,000 brand messages a day, so please – do us all a favor – and get to the point!

“But, my features are important, right?”

Yes, but later, once they’ve seen the true  value in your service. Don’t be that person who spills all their guts on the first date ( – nobody likes that person).

Until you understand what your company sells, there is no such thing as the “perfect video”.

“Well, what if I have multiple selling points, smarty-pants?”

Great! Lots of companies do. But, which is most important to your audience?

The true beauty of video marketing is the ability to easily split and test all of your selling points with your audience. Don’t be afraid to shorten your videos and stick to one selling point per message. What points are catching fire? What’s blowing in the wind? Once you understand what’s truly important to your audience, then you can begin making informed decisions about your marketing, branding, and, you know, the actual product.

And if you need help figuring any of this out, don’t hesitate to schedule a call with me here.

Why do you even need a video?

Everyone knows social media marketing is vital to growing your business. That’s not rocket science. Actually, it’s not science at all.

But the question is: how do you market on social media? If you answered with articles and texts, you would be right… if this was 2010.

Did you know Facebook predicts that soon their newsfeed will be 90% video? That is why you need Social Media Marketing Videos.

This type of advertising is the modern version of TV advertising.

TV but BETTER

You can get incredibly more targeted and precise results with Social Media Marketing Videos than you ever could with TV advertising. People used to focus on advertising on specific channels, but now you can target to a much more narrow degree. But before diving into that, we should discuss what exactly a Social Media Marketing Video is and just an importantly, what it is NOT.

What makes up a Social Media Marketing Video?

This type of marketing video is short. Very short.

Its goal is not meant to go into detail about you, your company, and what you stand for. Instead, its goal is to pull in new customers and remind prior customers that you still exist. Think of it this way: if it were a bird, Social Media Marketing Videos would be a peacock, not a turkey.

They are nice and shiny, but they are NOT a full meal.

But why do you even need one?

In layman’s terms, you need a Social Media Marketing Video because everyone is on Social Media.

BUT posting anything on Social Media won’t work either.

If it is anything but a video, hate to break it to you, but people are just going to scroll past it. Doesn’t matter how well-written your post is, people don’t have the patience to read anymore.

And since the goal of a Social Media Marketing Video is get have people move from the social media platform to your website, you are doing yourself a disservice by only using texts. The only way your potential customers will go to your website is if you lead them there. And Social Media Marketing Videos have proven time and time again that they pull viewers to your site. And they have the numbers to back it up.

Know Yourself. Know Your Viewer.

Who is your viewer? If you answered everyone, you are in for a rude awakening.

Posting your video on Facebook won’t do much at all. You might get a few new followers, but that’s about it. You need to have targeted video advertising on Facebook and Instagram.

Targeting means controlling who sees your commercial because it is better to have 50 eyes see it that then click to your website, rather than 10,000 eyes who see it and just keep scrolling.

When you post your Social Media Marketing Video make sure you know your audience. Things like their jobs, demographics, age, and many other important details play a crucial factor.

In fact, you can even use retargeting. That means you will only show your Social Media Marketing Videos to people who have already been to your website before. This keeps customers coming back, rather than completely forgetting about you. All that thanks to your targeted Social Media Marketing Video.

Size Length Does Matter

Now that you know who you want to see your Social Media Marketing Video, how long should you make it for them? Well, the real question is, “How short can you make it for them?”.

Take this video. This is really the absolute longest your Social Media Marketing Video should: https://vimeo.com/292028052

Your video must be quick and efficient. That means it should stand around 15 seconds long. Remember, your Social Media Marketing Video is a peacock, not the turkey.

Just a taste!

It is meant to garner eyes to your website, not go into detail explaining your product or business. That is why is it called a Social Media Marketing Video, not an Explainer Video. But when it comes to Social Media Marketing Videos on sites like Facebook, you have a few different routes you can take.

You got options. Use Em!

In fact, Facebook and Instagram have many options when it comes to Social Media Marketing Videos. Your shortest option is a gif, which is exactly what it sounds like.

An (entertaining, hopefully) gif of your product or company. Then there are Vertical Videos and ads in Instagram Stories. These are the bread and butter of Social Media Marketing Videos. They are short, sweet, and eye-catching.

You can see them in action here: https://www.facebook.com/business/ads-guide

Now, there are many other options to choose from, like Canvas, Collection, Live, and In-Stream. These each have their own perks, but also have room for potholes. That is because Canvas can get too text-based and Live and In-Stream can seem more like a TV show rather than a Social Media Marketing Video. But it is always best to research, and see which style would work best for what your Social Media Marketing Video is trying to accomplish.

Now lets go OVER voiceOVER

While some of these Social Media Marketing Videos may allow voiceovers, do you think you should utilize this feature? Most likely: NO!

Of course, there are exceptions, but a crucial thing to understand is that most people DO NOT turn their sound on when scrolling through various newsfeeds. That means if all of the meat in your video is in a voiceover, then most of your viewers will never know it.

That is why text-on-screen is so important to your Social Media Marketing Video. But if you do decide to do voiceover, make sure to have captions. Since many people watch videos in public places, they do not want to draw attention to themselves.

By giving them captions, they can understand what is being said without literally hearing it. In fact, after putting captions on their Social Media Marketing Videos, people saw a 30% boost in viewership.

What happens after your post your Social Media Marketing Video?

Make more! Once your viewers see your Social Media Marketing Video, any other time they see it won’t be special.

That is why you should constantly be making new, quick Social Media Marketing Videos. It will keep you in the mind of your audience in a fresh way each time. And even better, if your videos have a common theme or look, you will be able to teach your audience to recognize your videos immediately as they scroll through their newsfeed.

You can do it! (and you should….)

There are many factors that go into keeping eyes on your Social Media Marketing Video and translating them into hits on your websites. While it may seem overwhelming at first, the process is extremely rewarding. You have the chance to target and communicate with your customers in a new, more efficient way. And if you need any help along the way, Promoshin is always here to lend a hand.