Video is an investment. No way around it – no loophole to bypass it. When you put money into creating a video for your organization – whether it be a branding video, a product or service launch, or recruitment video – you need to see ROI from it. So, what’s the key to keeping your video budget on the right side of that revenue graph? So glad you asked!

Assess Your Needs

We’re the first ones to admit we’re a little addicted to video… obviously. But you can burn valuable dollars awfully fast by not doing a thorough assessment of how your video budget should best be utilized. If you’re not actively hiring or looking ahead at an expansion, then a recruitment video probably isn’t the best use of your time or money.

Look at your organization’s calendar for the next year – what major events or changes might be coming up that video could best support? New product or service launching next quarter? Hosting a conference or event at the end of the year that could be a game-changer if attendance is high? Those are all things to look at when determining just how best a video project can support your growth.

Use Past Experiences to Guide You

Have you used video for your organization in the past? Take a good look at the video’s performance, what you used it for, and where it ultimately resulted in the most growth. A seasoned video professional can help you deep dive into previous video a bit more, but take note of the things that worked and the things that didn’t.

Did you find that people watched your video from start to finish more often than they didn’t? That means you may have found your audience’s sweet spot for video length. If you found that people were bouncing before getting to the good stuff, you might want to explore shortening up your video time this next time around to get to the punch a bit faster.

Put Money Where it Matters

Yeah, this one does go without saying – but we wanted to say it anyway. Allocate your video budget to provide the most support to the aspects that matter most. If you have a great office with killer scenery and lots of natural light… there’s your set location. No need to cipher from the budget to rent a space or book a venue. Besides, in-office video has been known to create some of the best visuals we’ve ever seen!  

If a voice-over is what’s the most important for your video’s message – and what’s really going to hammer it home – don’t skimp on your scriptwriting or voice-over artist. Those are the biggest key players for you, and they’re what’s going to drive the most ROI in your case. Not the place to pinch pennies!

When it comes down to it, the best way to ensure you’re getting the most out of your video is to talk to your video production team about your goals. Communication is key to get you where you want to go.