We’re a production company, so video steadily taking the world by storm is exciting news for us, to say the least. But – more video means that our social media feeds, web searches, and any other channel where we consume content is becoming overwhelmed with it. So with the competition for consumer attention spans stiffer than ever, how do you go about making your video standout?

It’s not enough to have gorgeous graphics, attention-grabbing music and a great script (though they certainly help.) In reality, the success of a video starts in the planning process. That’s where the rubber meets the road, when pen first meets paper to start developing an idea. It’s during that process we’ve found 5 questions that organizations need to ask themselves to start the journey to production success.

What is the purpose of this video?

Purpose is power, so that’s where you need to begin. This is the why behind your video – what are you trying to communicate? What’s exciting about it? Why do you feel your audience needs to hear about it? As a general rule, simply saying ‘to announce a new product’ doesn’t go deep enough. Think about why your customer needs to know this product is launching. “The purpose of this video is to announce that X is launching, and it’s going to help our customers with X, Y and Z.”

Always start with the why. 

Who is our audience?

This question follows the same logic as our first – take it a little deeper. Your audience shouldn’t be broad. If you’re launching a cell phone case that has a state-of-the-art travel feature, your audience can’t just be, ‘Anyone who owns a cell phone.’ Dig a little deeper. ‘Consumers who own smartphones that travel at least 1-2 times per year.’ By understanding exactly who your audience is, you can tailor the theme, script, visuals and overall feel of your video to speak directly to them. 

What is the most important message for us to convey?

This one, you do want to keep simple. Whenever the video creation process begins, the hardest part is looking at all the things you really want to say, and determining which are the most important. The average marketing video is 30-45 seconds in length, meaning you don’t have time to go on and on about every single product feature or every benefit to a membership or subscription. You have to hit the highlights. 

Sit down and make a bulleted list of the top 10 things you want to tell your audience. Then see if you can combine and condense them down to 5. Then cut the least important two. Keep following similar exercises – cutting and combining ideas – until you’re left with the 2 or 3 big, bold statements that get your message across. (Then hand it to your scriptwriters and let them make magic!)

What action do we want our audience to take?

Essentially, what is your call to action. Are you designing a recruitment video hoping to attract new talent? Your basic CTA may to be apply, but think about other important information you’ll want to include like where applicants can apply and where they can find more information. If you’re launching a new service, your call to action may be to reach out on your website to talk about how it’s a great fit for them or their company. Being specific and intentional ensures you’re driving your audience to take the correct action.

Where do we want this video to ‘live’?

Considering what platforms you want to use your video on early in the process is key, because it can influence a number of factors like length, visuals, call to action, and more. Maybe you want to do a larger video for your website, and then use small 15-20 second soundbites for social media. If that’s the case, your scriptwriter is going to want to break up the flow of the video so that’s easily done. 

These are our big 5, but there’s a number of important factors to consider when planning a video. Working with an experienced video production company (like, you know, VIP) can not only lighten that load, but can ensure you’re taking all the necessary steps at the earliest stages of the process to set you up for success.