The Secret to Making a Great Product Video

By Victor Blasco

Video is an integral piece of the digital marketing puzzle. For brands, it’s an opportunity to showcase their products in a fresh and engaging way. And if audiences also crave meaningful video content, they will share it with their friends and followers until it (hopefully) goes viral.

It’s a trend that rings particularly true in these times when online shopping has become the new norm—video is the most effective way to promote what you’re selling. Many customers can be doubtful about buying from a new brand, and this is where product videos come in.

Product videos are amazing assets that show audiences what you’re offering and prompt potential customers into closing a sale.

But there’s more to it than just filming your product in slow motion. In this post, I’m going to go over the essentials of making a great piece that delivers the results you expect.

Before you start: Understand your product’s key value propositions

There are a couple of things you should think about before you start production on your video. The following questions will help you get to the essence of your piece and highlight the key aspects of your product that will make it memorable for your viewers:

1. Who is this video for?

You must have a picture in your head of your ideal customers. Now is the time to determine your customer personas: What are they like? What troubles them? What interests them? How do they talk? What type of content makes them tick?

Knowing more about your customers will also help you choose the right tone and language to address them in your video. Videos that speak directly to their viewers create a stronger bond with them than those that feel generic and too “salesy.”

Note: If your target customer is “everyone,” then you probably need to do some serious research.

2. What are you selling?

Most people don’t know about you or your product. They only know about themselves and their own problems, so the only way to get them interested in you is to show them how you can solve their problems.

Think of your product as more than just an object. It should be a solution that will improve the lives of your customers. Therefore, your script should emphasize the benefits of your product, not just its features. It’s okay to go over the features, but only if you can show how they directly help your customers. Otherwise, what are they good for?

Answering these two questions will not only nurture your video, but help your entire marketing strategy as well.

Choosing the right type of video for the right product

Settling on one type of video will keep your message consistent. Plus, if you stick to one style, you’ll avoid ending up with a piece that feels disjointed. And while your video will be a unique piece with its own unique message, you can always get inspiration from other videos on structure and tone.

Here are some examples of different kinds of videos:

Demonstration videos

One of the simplest types out there is the demonstration video. They are usually short pieces that show off what your product looks like in the real world. These work great for product pages and will give your customers a clear idea of how to use your product.

Explainer videos

Explainer videos are more elaborate pieces that use animation and a narrative to tell the story of how customers can benefit from your product. Audiences love explainers because they feel like tutorials or how-to videos since they offer meaningful information, rather than just try to sell.

Review videos

A type of video that works great for social media is the review video. If you’ve ever seen an “unboxing” video or checked the reviews of a product before buying it, then you’ll know what I’m referring to. Review videos are great at building trust in your brand by putting the spotlight on the customers whom you’ve already helped with your product.

Video production tips and tricks

No matter what type of video you choose, there are rules to follow which apply to each and every format. Here are some tips that will guarantee the effectiveness of your video:

1. Plan before you shoot

You can’t start producing a video without having a comprehensive plan first. Scripting or storyboarding your video is the smartest first move you can make, so you will have a clear idea of how you want your piece to look.

Even if you’re planning to interview a customer for a review video, you’ll need a script to plan your shooting and structure your piece. And remember, the secret to great videos comes from capturing emotions that your audience can identify with. Keep that in mind as you work on your script.

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2. Keep your video short

When your audience finishes watching your piece, they should have a clear idea of what your product is and how it can help them. However, no one has the time to sit through a long-form product video. The way to ensure your audience watches the whole thing is to keep it short, preferably under the two-minute mark.

If you’re having trouble with the two-minute limit, here are two pieces of advice you can follow:

• Use a three-act structure in your script (beginning, middle, and ending), and distribute your two minutes accordingly.
• Consider making a series of short videos, each focused on a specific benefit or feature of your product.

3. End with a compelling call-to-action

The main reason you want people to watch the end of your video is because of the call-to-action (or CTA). It’s the moment of your piece when you prompt audiences to take an action.

Here are some basic CTAs to include in marketing videos:

• Visit our website
• Download our app
• Contact us (or one of our sellers)
• Buy our product or service (online or at your local market)
• Subscribe to our mailing list

Whichever you choose, make sure your audience has instructions on where to go next.

Promoting your finished video

Once you finished your masterpiece, it’s time to get it out there!

Where you’re going to upload or promote your video should ultimately depend on where your ideal customer spends time. And one of the greatest strengths of video is you can embed a video almost anywhere: your landing page, your newsletter campaign, and each of your social media platforms.

And one more piece of advice: Consider producing multiple versions of your video, each adapted to a specific stage of the customer journey.

If someone finds your video on social media, they probably don’t know about your brand and you’ll need to introduce yourself first. But if they’re watching on your website, chances are they know about your product and they just need that extra push towards the purchase decision. You can also customize your CTAs accordingly.

Even small businesses can produce videos

Video ads used to be a luxury only available to the most resourceful companies. But in today’s world, producing a video only needs a reasonable budget, time, and planning.

Feeling inspired? Good, now it’s your turn. Start researching and scripting your piece, and get ready to watch those sales numbers grow.

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