These days anyone can make a video. It can be produced and presented
to an audience quickly, easily and with very little spend involved.
As the owner of video production company and owner of a PR company, that might seem like an odd thing to say. But it’s true.
There are, however, one or two important caveats to consider
when examining this fact.
I was recently invited by PRCA MENA to speak about the role of video in today’s communications landscape and its use in social media and PR campaigns.
Rather than extol the virtues of moving images on a screen and
their impact versus print or social media it was important to explain that, without
a strong story at its core, most video content can easily end up being unfit
for purpose.
As a former journalist, I understand the power of a story, how
it can carry a message to a wide audience and elicit a response. People are hard-wired
to remember stories – our belief systems are based around stories; they unite us,
inspire us, create movements, influence behavior and build cultures.
Stories are at the heart of everything. They are used to
cement power and start revolutions.
The principals of what makes a great story apply to any
format, be it written or video. A story must engage, inform, entertain, and
relate to its audience.
Because of the way people consume video content nowadays, these
principals are even more important.
There’s endless data out there to show what type of videos
are watched by certain kinds of people, at a particular time of day and in
specific countries.
But the underlying fact is unless you’re producing a quality
product, all you’re doing is adding to the hundreds of thousands of hours of
forgettable content that already exists.
If your story is strong enough, it will achieve the greatest
results. It will get your message across and it will meet the needs of your
client.
For your message to have the desired impact, you need to
‘humanize’ it. People’s interest will always be piqued by other people – by
what they are doing and feeling and how they are acting.
No one wants to be TOLD how a brand or movement is relevant
to them, they want to be SHOWN in an engaging, informative, entertaining and relatable
way.
From a PR perspective, the market for great video content continues
to grow and grow.
People often talk about the shrinking media landscape, but
it is expanding with new online platforms appearing all the time – and video
gives you incredible access to these new publishing opportunities.
As traditional media outlets come to terms with reduced editorial
and broadcast budgets, they are eager to use supplied video content that meets
their standards. Be this bespoke social media or web content, B-roll for events
or on-camera interviews, it is all in demand.
There are tangible results to this – a great story in
partnership with great media relations can deliver a powerful message.
However, video, like print before it, is also a slave to people’s
reduced attention spans. With viewers willing to spend less time watching a
video, the content needs to not only be strong but also tailored to the
platform that best engages with your desired audience.
How it’s presented has a huge impact on how it is received.
From using the correct format for the platform, editing size
and running time for social media, to something as simple as adding subtitles, this
all plays a role in how your message is consumed.
At its very essence, making effective video content is
straightforward.
Create the strongest possible idea. Decide on the process
and agree on the desired result. Be original and cut through the clutter. Catch
people’s attention and tell a truly great story.
If all these ingredients are present, you’ll have the recipe for success.
Watch Gregg’s presentation to the PRCA at: https://vimeo.com/342918793
