What are some myths relating to video?

There are a lot of myths out there and they depend on where people are at in their adoption curve of video.

1. Myth: It costs too much. Reality: Yes, it can cost a lot, but it doesn't necessarily have to. It all depends on the type of video that you want to do.
2. Myth: You need a script. Reality: You don't need a script for every single video, especially if it's a business communication.
3. Myth: The first time you do video you need to get it 100%. Reality: The reality is that you're not going to -- video is something that’s different. It's not necessarily complicated, but it's different from other forms of content. It takes a little while to learn how to go through the whole cycle of creating a message, planning the production, editing the video and then marketing that video. Once you go through that once, you're going to be better for the next time that you do it.

What are some top tips for someone creating video content for the first time?

1. For most videos, you don't need a script. You need to be real, natural and come up with talking points. We suggest three bullet points per video. Typically, business professionals talk about these things every single day -- in front of prospects, in front of clients, at trade shows, on the phone -- without a script. So, imagine the camera is a prospect or a client or somebody you're just having a conversation with. Those three bullet points allow somebody to be very focused on camera for that one specific video.
2. Don't necessarily think about the visuals first when editing the video in post-production. When we send a preview out to clients, we ask them not to watch it first, but listen to it first. If what you hear sounds good, we can fix any of the visuals. We can add B-roll or graphics or edit accordingly, but if the message is not on point, then the video is not on point.

What are some of the biggest mistakes you repeatedly see people make?

1. Thinking about the visuals first is a mistake. A lot of people tell us what they want to see in the video, but then we ask them what the messaging is, and they don’t know what to say. They don't think that they already have a lot of the talking points down in a brochure. If it's a sales video for a product, they have a product brochure. If it's a service, they have a webpage or maybe the first 3 - 4 slides of a PowerPoint -- they have this content. So, it's a matter of just making sure that the video aligns from a messaging perspective with the other types of marketing and communication.
2. Thinking that you need a Corporate Overview video or an About Us video first. That comes second or even third to some of the FAQs you might have. When people go to Google or they come to your website -- or even if they get a referral to you or your company -- they want information. They don't necessarily care about you; they care about them. So, start with video content that is more educational-related, thought leadership and FAQ-driven instead of “Hey look, this is how great we are as a company.”
3. Not thinking about how you are going to utilize this video until after the fact. That's something that should be started in the very beginning. When we have conversations with people, we ask them about their business objective -- what is the strategy? Is it SEO, conversion or social media awareness, for example, from a strategic standpoint? Then we ask them what the distribution channel is and then we talk about the content. So again, most people want to talk about the content first, but the strategy and the distribution are important because the distribution is going to say what you do with the video afterwards. If you don't have a plan for that, I don't care what the investment level is or video, you're not going to have ROI on that video.

What is a video first content strategy and why is it preferable?

Video first content marketing strategy is starting with video. The premise is that all marketers, all business people, entrepreneurs etc. need a lot of content to get out there, to do different activities, to drive leads etc. So, if your content marketing strategy starts with the video first, it's a lot easier for people to talk about something they know, than to sit down and write a blog. After you come up with that one video that has those three bullet points on a specific topic, you can now take that video and transcribe it into a contextual blog post (like this one!). Then, you can take the images of that video and screen capture them to create 5 - 6 social media posts off that video -- all driving traffic back to that video, blog post, your website etc.

Robert Weiss, President of MultiVision Digital, is an expert in video strategy, production & distribution. Incorporating previous experience in digital marketing & sales processes, Robert helps clients use video to gain more qualified leads & customers. Watch the video interview here.