Top 3 Tips For Amateur Video Marketing
Video marketing is huge these days and more and more businesses are giving it a go on their own, so I thought I’d write about some of the mistakes amateurs tend to make.
First, I’m on the record here. If you’re with an established company and value your reputation, please find a pro to help you. The likelihood of you pulling off an amateur video that lives up to your good reputation is slim. Okay, that’s my disclaimer.
Now, for those of you with young companies or small businesses with zero marketing budget, here are some things to keep in mind.
- it’s not about the camera, it’s about the person behind the camera
Look… everyone has an HD camera in their pockets. Whatever you use as a camera is probably going to deliver a good-looking image. The key is picking the right person to operate the camera. Who’s a good still photographer? Who has a creative eye? Do they understand even a little something about composition and lighting? These are the people you need to think about.
- good pictures aren’t enough
Video includes both sight and sound, and nothing screams “amateur” like a video with beautiful images and crappy sound. Invest in a good microphone. If you’re having someone talk on-camera, think about the environment where you’re doing it. Is there competing sound somewhere in the area? Remove it, or remove yourself from the area. Your sound needs to be crisp with little or no background noise seeping through.
- know when you’re in over your head
Producing quality video isn’t easy. If your experience isn’t going like you would have hoped, stop. Please stop. Whether you give-up completely or turn to a pro, that’s up to you. A bad video is just a bad idea. It makes you look like amateurs, and the last thing you want people thinking about your company is that you’re a bunch of amateurs.
So… that’s about it. I’m not a fan of most amateur videos, but if you have to do it… be smart about it.
–Tony Gnau
Tony Gnau is a three-time Emmy-winning journalist. He is also the founder and chief storytelling officer at T60 Productions. T60 has won 11 Telly Awards for its work over the last eight years.