Tips for Video Content on a Budget

In the marketing world, everyone is talking about video content being the key to reaching consumers. Here are some tips from a video marketing expert, The Digital Team, on how to create content on a shoestring budget!

1) The more planning ahead, the less time spent on video
Think about, what is the goal? Who is speaking? What should they say? Where should we do the interview? What about lighting and sound quality? Create a storyboard to plan out the details. A storyboard can be a simple word document or PowerPoint of what the outcome will be, shot by shot. This will help a videographer provide exactly what you’re looking for or assist you in the field!

2) Shoot more than you need
It’s always good to have a plan B. You never know what you might need for the project and with a busy schedule, you might not get a chance to go back out with the equipment. You can always edit it out, it's harder to gather more footage when in the editing process.

3) Think about where the video will be posted
The normal frame ratio for video is 16x9 (1920x1080 pixels is Full HD | 3840 × 2160 is 4k UHD). Instagram prefers square (1x1 pixels) video, Instagram stories are 9x16, Facebook and Twitter can post anything but square is optimum. Optimum meaning that on a mobile experience it takes up the most vertical pixels during a user’s page scroll.

Think of it in newspaper column inches, the more space you take up, the more it is visible. See if the video makes sense as a square and edit it as such. Note: YouTube will post a square video but will make the edges black so it is not ideal to use square on Vimeo or YouTube and some website CMS video platforms.

4) Think outside of the box
The time to grab the attention of consumers is getting shorter and shorter! We only have a few seconds to grab their attention. With standard interviews, you can spice up the footage you get. Use creative angles, high, low, etc. Try to not keep the camera at eye level. Tell the story by taking the viewer where they can get the best experience.

5) What about equipment?
If you’re on a shoestring budget, a newer iPhone matched with an audio recorder can do wonders. You can even use wireless microphones and external lighting to help make the shot perfect. All very affordable options!

A special thank you to The Digital Team for these quick tips. If you’d like to learn more about their affordable video services please contact [email protected].