4 Types of Videos You Should Never Make Yourself (& ones you should!)
When it comes to making a video, there are clear advantages to doing them yourself, but not all videos should be DIY’d
Having a great marketing video can be better than having the greatest salesperson. Sure, both deliver perfect sales pitches every time, and both close deals that grow the business. Videos, however, work 24/7, they don’t ask for commission, and definitely don’t waste the boss’ time with expense reports.
If you’re looking to add more videos to your marketing arsenal to grow your business, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most popular tools in a marketers tool belt today.
To make a marketing video, there are two ways to get them done: hiring a video production company to handle the process for you, or make a video yourself using one of the many tools available.
Videos you should never make yourself
Unless you’re a seasoned video production whiz – experienced in video script writing, codecs, aspect ratios, rigging, etc – you’ll likely want to avoid DIY-ing the following types of marketing videos for your business:
1. Explainer videos
Explainer videos take complex concepts and distill them into 1-2 minute videos. They’re typically showcased front-and-center on your homepage or a landing page, so they get a lot of visibility. Avoid having yours turn out amateur and trust a pro to produce them for you.
Explainer videos are usually front-and-center on your homepage or a landing page, so they get a lot of visibility, avoid DIY’ing these
*Pro tip – Even if you have an idea of what you want in your video script, have the video production company you’re working with write a video script. Not being so close to your business can actually be an advantage as they may have a better angle and ideas that you may not have considered.
2. Product videos
Product videos are also typically short, but they feature details of a specific product or feature. For example, if you sell a software product, sure it’s possible to use a screen-recording program to show off your product in no time, but since your product is mission-critical do you really want to risk it looking slightly amateur?
And if you’re selling a physical product, you may be tempted to use that expensive digital camera you bought for your last family vacation. But again, with lighting, sound, and other production details you don’t want to risk it coming out poorly.
3. Customer testimonial videos
Customer testimonial videos are powerful tools that explain what it has been like working with you. So if you’re going to spend the time showcasing a customer story in a video form, you’ll want to feature the customer in the best possible light (pun intended), and have a professionally written narrative. After all, if they’re willing to go above and beyond for you, make sure both you and the customer can be proud of the results.
4. Videos with voiceover
As a general rule of thumb, avoid making a video yourself if it includes a voiceover. Professional voiceover artists are trained to deliver video scripts with the right pitch and accent that will resonate with viewers, without being a distraction.
Audio can make or break a video. If you are going to make a video yourself, at the very least pay for a professional voiceover
And audio many times makes or breaks a video. So if you are going to make a video yourself, at least pay for a professional from a voiceover artist network like voices.com.
Marketing videos you should make yourself
1. Salesperson videos (used in email signatures, marketing emails, etc)
For salespeople looking to include a short video of themselves in email footers, DIY-ing it is the way to go since what you’re going for here isn’t overly-produced content, it’s an authentic video that gives viewers an accurate sense of who you are and why you rock.
2. Logo animations
While you can hire a video production team to create your company’s logo animation, there are a number of tools (both free and paid) you can use to create your own logo animation. Here are a few of the best options:
3. Video remixes (be sure to hire a professional voiceover artist)
Already have high-quality video content? Great! No need to hire a professional to edit for you into a new cut, just use Apple’s iMovie or Adobe Premiere to edit your next video. Just be sure that whatever platform your new video will play on is in the correct format and aspect ratio.
Conclusion
So when you’re looking to make a video with high visibility, like a homepage or product page, it’s typically best to hire a video production company to avoid having it turn out lack-luster. But if you’re going for authenticity – such as sales videos looking to connect – making a video yourself is a great option if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves.
Questions about video production? We’re here to help! Contact us today to speak with one of our video producers.
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