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10 Secrets to Producing a Video that Drives Results

Authors: Andrew Follett Andrew Follett
Posted Under: Content Marketing
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Anyone can create a video and post it online, but creating an effective video that drives action is more science than art. So whether you’re shooting a quick interview with your phone, creating a fancy PowerPoint presentation, trying your hand at animation, or wanting to simply learn how to make a viral video for your business, here are 10 secrets to producing a video that sells.

1. Start with your potential customer’s pain point

Think about what your product or service can do to help your customers solve their problems, no matter how small or large they may be. Begin your video with a story that helps your customer see that you can relate to the problems they are struggling with. If you’re not sure how to find your customer’s pain point, then read more about what’s in a pain point.

Throughout this article, we’ll use clips from a video we created for CrazyEgg to help illustrate the point.

2. Present your solution

After you have engaged viewers with your story, present the solution to them in a simple way that helps them fully understand the results your product or service has to offer. Don’t just try to wow them with the “shiny new object” side of what you have to offer.

3. Demonstrate your solution

Give your customers a visual tour of how your product or service will solve their problems using screenshots and product photos. Better yet, show someone actually using what you have to offer!

4. Present a call to action

Don’t just hope that your viewers know what to do next – tell them. If you want them to sign up for your mailing list, register for a customized online demo, call your sales line, or go to your product’s purchase page, incorporate that message into your video. While you can add your call-to-action beneath the video in the description or the transcript, remember that not all videos will be watched on your website, YouTube, or other video network. Add the call to action to the video itself, just in case someone else has embedded it on their blog or website. For example, if you have an AdWords for video TrueView Ad, you can create overlays for videos played on YouTube – learn more in the YouTube Help Center.

5. Keep it short and sweet

Remember that the average person’s attention span is pretty short, and you don’t want them to stray from your video before you’ve presented what you have to offer. In 2008, the New York Times found that 19.4 percent of viewers abandoned a video after 10 seconds, and 44.1 percent abandoned it after 60 seconds. This means…

6. Introduce your company in the first 30-seconds

Speaking of attention spans, you will want to let your visitors know who you are before they start cutting out of the video. Even if they only hear part of it, just putting your name in their heads will be an achievement.

7. Use clear, crisp visuals

Whether they like to admit it or not, people do judge books by their cover, businesses by their website, and videos by their quality. You don’t need to use the top-of-the-line video equipment that filmmakers use, but you do need to make your video look clean and professional. Try incorporating stock images and/or video from websites like istockphoto.com or stock animation sequences from sites like videohive.net when needed.

Also, don’t forget about your video’s setting. If you’re shooting live video, do it outside during what photographers call golden hour – the hour after sunrise or the hour before sunset. If you are shooting your video indoors, make sure to use a lot of artificial and natural lighting.

8. Add a professional voiceover

There is nothing worse than bad audio – it can make even the best video seem amateur and unprofessional. If your voice doesn’t make the cut, try voices.com where you can find professional voiceover talent for your video content.

9. Create a soundtrack

Add some music to keep your video upbeat and interesting. Just remember you can’t use the latest tunes you heard on the radio due to copyright restrictions.  You can, however, find plenty of royalty-free options online using sources like audiojungle.netpremiumbeat.com, and ibaudio.com.

10. Don’t be afraid to be funny

Your customers are people just like you – they like to laugh and be entertained. Adding humor to your video will help them see the human side of your business. Inc. suggests thinking beyond your product and more in terms of humor to maximize your advertising effectiveness and you should too!

Using these techniques will help you create better videos that in turn increase conversions and sales. What secrets did we miss?

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