As you’ve probably heard, short marketing videos are much more engaging than longer ones – and that definitely holds true. Marketing videos generally lose viewers over time, and so keeping your video short will let you retain most viewers all the way to the end where your call to action will be placed.
In order to create short and engaging marketing videos however, there are a few tips that will definitely prove to make a world of difference:
1. Restrict each video to a single message
Considering you want to keep your video short, you should ensure that it only has a single message. Adding any more messages will only serve to make the video unnecessarily longer, and could distract viewers from the main message as well.
If you have two important messages that you feel need to be in a marketing video – make two videos instead. Try to make that decision in advance however, so you can plan each video accordingly.
2. Place a hook in the first few seconds of the video
Despite being short, your marketing videos will likely see a significant drop in viewers after the first few seconds. That is because viewers will normally decide during that time whether to keep watching or not.
To persuade them to stay and watch your video, you need to place a strong hook in the first few seconds. That hook should outline the benefits that they stand to gain by watching the video, to give them a compelling reason to do so.
One of the more common ways to hook viewers is with the standard problem-agitate-solution formula. Essentially you open by outlining a problem viewers may be facing, agitate how bad it is, then serve up a solution in the form of the video.
3. Use visuals to deliver the message
Ever hear the phrase ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’? Well – visuals in videos are worth even more than that, and if you use them creatively you will be able to deliver your message in a far more effective manner.
That is why it is important to try to ‘show’ the information that you’re putting across in your video rather than simply telling your viewers about it. Admittedly coming up with ways to visually convey information can be tricky, but it is well-worth it and will help you to engage more viewers in the long run.
4. Trim the fat in post-production
After you’ve recorded your video and compiled it, you should go over it carefully and see if there’s any improvements that can be made. In particular you should look for ways you can trim the fat out to make your video leaner and shorter at the same time.
Trimming any dead space should be on the cards, but sometimes the visuals could be simplified in various ways as well. In particular rather than spelling things out visually, you may be able to remove certain parts and visually imply the point instead.
It should be noted that the tips listed above can be applied to any type of video, including animated shorts or whiteboard and slideshow videos. For example you could use Movavi Video Editor to compile a video from images to structure it and make sure it is short and engaging.
As viewers’ attention spans continue to get shorter, it is important that you use the tips above to create short and tightly-focused marketing videos. That will give you the best odds of engaging viewers, and help ensure your video has the impact that you want.