In today’s competitive landscape, there’s no better way to get your message across, memorably, than with video content. According to recent statistics, 84% of people say they have purchased products and services after watching a brand’s video. Over the past 5 years, we at Markitects have been working diligently with our clients to incorporate video into their marketing toolboxes—with great success. Let’s explore the art and science behind making a great video, tapping into the brain’s left (language and speech) and right (attention and problem-solving) hemispheres no matter which is dominant for you.

The Science

As with every form of marketing communications, proper planning is needed to begin a video project. In our experience, it’s important to address the following six points:

1. Budget: how much you are willing to spend
2. Timeline: between the video shoot and going live
3. Target Audience: demographics and industry
4. Goals: educate, elicit action, or brand awareness
5. Messaging: what you are trying to communicate
6. Placement: where and how it will be viewed

Start by gathering information from your sales teams or product specialists to develop successful tactics that can help you craft your messaging. Remember, your audience will relate to pain points or challenges they are typically trying to solve. These factors can make a huge difference in setting a successful video strategy and will help you flex those creative muscles.

The Art

Decide what type of video you want to create. Will it be live action, animation, a demonstration, or all of the above? What genre of music will work best in the background? Will there be a voiceover or narrator? Research examples both inside and outside of your industry to gather ideas and don’t hesitate to solicit feedback from others regarding relevant videos that stuck in their heads.

Now it’s time to create a storyboard to document what the audience will see and hear—step by step, from start to finish. Allowing ample time to flesh out your ideas and properly build your storyboard is paramount to success. This takes some creativity and discipline, but that’s the job of your marketing team—bringing your vision to life.

It’s likely that your video isn’t the only piece of the puzzle, so make sure to plan out your entire marketing campaign, including where the video can be viewed and how it will be distributed. At Markitects, we like to take all of these things into account—by building integrated marketing campaigns that make an impact regardless of where your audience may view your content.