Simple tips for scripting great video products
The information and related articles below are useful ideas on how to set up a script. Tell a story and plan properly to be efficient and save time.
A storyboard for an eight-minute animated cartoon. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Simple tips for scripting great video products
When you finish the research for your video product, it’s time to start the script. Don’t let the research drag on too long. Many people fall into the trap of thinking that they need to go on gathering information before they can begin to write a script. This is one of the deadliest forms of procrastination; we feel like we’re working all the time, but when the day is over we haven’t gotten anything done.
The only way to avoid this trap is by setting deadlines. Establish a clear time frame for your research. It’s always good to give yourself not quite enough time to get the job done-then start writing the script. During the scripting process, you will make new connections that show you how to enrich the script by adding to it or taking away from it. Invariably I find myself needing to do new research in the middle of a script as new ideas push their way to the surface.
The more I work at this, the less up-front time I spend researching a project-I know that the scripting process will trigger new insights that call for new research as discoveries are made, so how do I know what to research before I get it all down on paper? The bolder I become as a writer and project developer, the less time I spend on research before I write a first draft of my script.
People with little experience in business-and I’m talking about any business, not just video production-believe in the myth that good decisions are based on facts. All successful entrepreneurs and business people know that good decisions are based on opinions. Start with a hunch based on experience and intuition, then apply your skill and ability to develop that concept into a script. The best time to research your facts is after you’ve finished a first draft of your script.
Depending on the type of video you decide to create, you may want to write a storyboard along with your final script. A storyboard is a visual representation, drawing by drawing, of what the key scenes in your video will look like. A storyboard helps you see the whole video in your mind before you shoot it, and it is one of the best ways to trigger your creativity. Cartoons and animated films use very detailed storyboards, of course, and many directors of live action also use storyboards.
If you are planning to hire the services of a production company to create your video, make sure to work closely with them during the planning process. If you are creating a how-to or motivational video in your area of expertise, you are the best person to write the script. Concentrate on getting your ideas on paper and then work with the production company to arrive at a final script.
One last tip: Use humor whenever the script allows for it. Laughter is one of the best ways to connect to your audience and build a bond of trust.
Related articles
1
Tips for Enhancing your online videos
Online Video Enhancement
Countless numbers of studies and surveys seem to agree that online video viewership is generating huge numbers and is unlikely to slow down soon.
During the first month of 2011, more than 170 million American Internet users watched an average of 14-?nd-?-half hours of online media content.
Going even further, 66 percent of participants in ? recent study indicated they watch more online video content than they did a year ago; a figure expected to grow significantly in the coming year.
The rising increase in online video viewership has prompted many companies to realign their advertising campaigns by putting additional focus on the Internet.
In another study, companies reallocating at least 5 percent of their TV advertising budget to online marketing efforts increased their brand exposure and reached new viewers previously inaccessible through television.
These findings underscore the enormous value online video campaigns can have for B2B marketing firms and their clients. In addition to costing significantly less than traditional media campaigns, online video content can be accessed by Internet users anywhere via mobile devices.
Online video content can be an extremely effective tool for branding advertizing and generating leads. However, getting your content in eye’s reach of the intended target base can be challenging due to the shear amount of video floating on the web.
Whether you’ve already launched an online video campaign or are in the process of making one, here are some suggestions that will improve your business to business marketing efforts on the web.
Image by Wrote via Flickr
YouTube Text Summary
With over two million viewers daily, YouTube is perhaps the most reliable online platform for promoting video content. But simply unloading your content onto YouTube is not enough to draw in viewers.
One of the primary ways people discover YouTube video content is through ? keyword search. With Search Engine Optimization (SEO) playing such a key rely in exposure, it is important that ? text summary accompanies s all your YouTube videos. The summary should be an accurate and compelling description of the video that incorporates keywords and a link to your website. Failing to include ? text summary essentially defeats the purpose of the video marketing campaign as it’s unlikely anyone will view your video if they don’t know what it’s about.
E-mail marketing
Video is able to convey more information per minute and is the most persuasive method of delivering product information compared to any other media platform. With this in mind, it is only practical to include video in your ?-mail marketing efforts. Some surveys suggest e-mail marketing campaigns that include video can increase conversion rates by as much as 300 percent. Using video will also increase your chances of reaching prospective customers who primarily access their ?-mail through mobile devices.
These are but two ways to enhance the online presence of your B2B Internet Marketing video campaign. No matter how you decide to promote your video content on the Internet, it is important to remember the quality of your viewers is more important than quantity.
Other Resources
Related articles
- YouTube’s Own Marketing Advice For Retailers: Create Content, Not Commercials (reelseo.com)
- 5 video marketing myths (greatvideomarketingtips.com)
- Video Marketing Pioneers: How America’s Most Skilled, Most Inspired, Online Video Advertising Creators are Transforming the YouTube Landscape (50 Interviews) (greatvideomarketingtips.com)