Hiring A Video Marketing Agency

Is Hiring A Video Production Company Worth The Money?

In the state of our current economy, video is more important than ever before. The content, including video and images, that you post on your website and via social media is a direct representation of your brand. The higher quality the video, the more people are going to trust in your product.

When it comes to content, nothing can beat video. Often times though, businesses that want to incorporate video content into their marketing strategy have no clue where to start. Smartphone cameras, friends or family with DSLR’s, or recent graduates looking for experience lead to subpar content and disappointment. While professional video production can seem like a huge expense for your business, the return is almost always greater than the investment, especially if you do your homework first.

Professional video done right should enhance your company’s brand, engage and inform customers, and involve a comfortable on-set experience. The process will even develop strong relationships with professional creatives in your area, and generate more clicks and conversions for your company.

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Bolster Your Brand With Video Marketing

Every business owner knows that it’s important to have high quality, reliable products, and services. But how you present those products and services to your potential customers is equally important, if not more so. So why try to cut corners when making your video content? Poorly made video will only serve to reflect poorly on your brand and will be money wasted.

While there’s certainly a case to be made that amateur smart phone content has a role to play in effective marketing campaigns, even then it has to be done with an eye on bolstering your brand image. It’s true that video content will be more effective at reaching your audience, whether it’s through traditional marketing channels or social media, but if that content reflects poorly on your company, than any attention it draws will have a negative impact.

The best way to avoid such problems is to hire a professional video production company that has the experience, gear, and style to execute on your vision. Content is king, but only if that content is high quality.

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Tell Your Company Story With Video

The best part about video is how it’s able to convey a story in an engaging manner. This makes it the perfect medium for companies that want to connect with their customers and create a lasting impression. Professional videographers almost always got into this career because they want to tell stories, which is why partnering with them can be so effective.

Make sure that during the hiring process you identify a video production company that aligns with your business’s sensibility and aesthetic. Make it clear what you want to convey to your audience, and find out if they have previous client (or creative) work that aligns with your vision. There are a lot of talented filmmakers out there, but not all of them will be the right person to tell your story effectively.

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Why not just use my cell phone?

In 2021, cell phones have reached the point that they are good enough to film Hollywood movies. But those movies are being made by trained directors who could make beautiful footage from a thirty-year-old camcorder. The fact that technology has advanced so far means it’s more important than ever to hire a professional. That’s the only way to ensure your content will stand out.

Besides, there’s a lot more that goes into making a beautiful looking movie than just the camera. Lighting, sound, stabilization gear, editing, motion graphics, and more all come into play too. That’s what separates the professionals from the amateurs, all of the ancillary equipment and skills.

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Professional lighting is essential for high quality video

The most important factor that goes into whether your video will look good is the lighting. Have you ever wondered why professional photographers and videographers are so obsessed with the sun? It’s because they know the secret to great images is great lighting. The sunlight in the early morning and later evening is softer and has a golden hue that is naturally more attractive, especially when compared with the harshness of the midday sun.

The same is true for indoor shoots. A professional video production team will have expensive lighting equipment that they either rent or own that will be able to mimic whatever sort of lighting conditions that you want. This allows them to create the style and aesthetic that matches your brand.

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Don’t forget about good audio

Nothing ruins a video shoot like lousy audio. You can have the most beautiful images in the world, but no one will care if the sound is inaudible or scratchy. And unless you’re a librarian, it’s likely that your office, factory, retail space, or production facility is usually noisy and chaotic. Capturing quality audio in that environment is not easy, and definitely requires a professional with professional sound equipment.

The truth is that sound is one of the most challenging parts of quality video production, not least because many videographers are more interested in capturing images anyway. That’s why a professional video production team will include a dedicated sound technician. Their one and only job is to capture crisp, clean audio so your shoot isn’t ruined. They will have laveliers, wireless microphones, multi-channel recorders, wind guards, and more that will work even in very challenging sound environments.

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Make sure you have a plan before shooting your video content

Whether it’s writing a script, preparing interview questions, staging the set, properly dressing your talent, hair and makeup, or any one of a million other little details, the best way to ensure that your shoot comes off without a hitch is to plan ahead carefully. Work with your video production team to establish your expectations as early as possible, and then take all necessary steps to execute on that vision.

One of the biggest obstacles is that often the people in your videos will not be professionals, and in fact will be staff or clients that may be extremely nervous at the thought of being on camera. This is another reason to hire a professional. Video professionals have seen it all, and they will have mastered techniques for coaching talent to relax and be more natural. This is also why it may be better to avoid having a script, and instead make your video more conversational in tone. Another option is to have a teleprompter on set to make it easier on your talent.

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Figure out how your video will fit into your marketing strategy

Before hiring a video professional, you should put a lot of thought into how your video is going to be incorporated into your overall marketing strategy. This will make it easier for your videographer to match your intentions, while also ensuring you get maximum value out of your video content. Repurposing the same video for multiple channels is also a good idea.

If you want a landing page video for your site, you might also ask for several short cutdowns of the video for social media. You might want the video exported in different orientations for different platforms (vertical vs landscape, for example). If you’re making a Kickstarter video, you might also plan a separate edit that doesn’t mention the fundraising campaign, so that video will still be useful after the campaign is over.

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