Save time and money with this strategic approach to video creation
Do you have unlimited budget and resources for content creation? Me neither! So it's important to approach content creation in a way that makes sure you're getting as much bang for your buck as possible.
For video content, this means thinking ahead about all the different places you can use it and the different audiences it can be repurposed for.
So, with that in mind...
If you do one thing this week, make it…. think strategically about your video content
Why?
Repurposing your video content is one of the smartest things you can do for your digital marketing. It will save you a load of time and energy when those things are already in short supply.
Think of it this way - if you are planning content for your website that you know will resonate with your ideal customer, why on earth aren't you planning to use it in other places you are also talking to that same ideal customer?
Note: you may have multiple ideal customers and be talking to them across different platforms, so of course use your discretion when it comes to what content can be repurposed for which platforms. But do bear in mind that there will likely be overlaps between the content that your different audiences are interested in, and this means opportunities for repurposing creative using different messaging angles.
How?
Let's imagine you have commissioned a video showing a day in the life of your team to show how you work with and help clients.
Before you start filming, be really clear on the purpose of the video. Is it to promote specific services? Is it busting myths around your industry and showing how you do things differently? Is it looking to help your prospective clients get a view into how your team works together? Is to to showcase your internal culture for recruitment?
Now think about all the different places you could use that video. This could look like:
Your website - think about where it would make the most sense - likely the homepage, news, about us or blog section depending on context
Social media - is it aimed at one specific audience? Could it work for more than one if you change the messaging angle? For instance, if you're a comms agency showing your team at work, your footage could be re-worked for a prospective client audience for LinkedIn and new talent audience for Instagram, with different messaging.
Email - could you direct your email list to the page it will be hosted on, or embed it within the email? If you segment your list, should different versions of the video work be shown to different segments?
What now?
Now you know the why and the where, think about logistics. This is the nitty gritty of the formats and adjustments you'll need to factor in. Understanding what you need in advance will significantly reduce the number of times you need to go back to your creative team with amends, and will save you time, money and hassle.
Will you need different interview questions / b roll / activities shown if you are filming for multiple audiences?
What sizes of videos will you need for all the different placements? For instance if your vision is a series of Instagram reels, your output will need a 9:16 ratio, whereas if Facebook newsfeed video typically works best for you, you'll need your snippets in 1:1 ratio.
How long do you need your content to be? Think about a longer version for your website and a series of snippets for socials. Brainstorm how to make each snippet attention grabbing to attract and hold your audience.
Will you need this content to work across different languages? If so, think about what you will need translated for subtitles and captions, and how to make this process as simple as possible.
Get that list together and you're ready to make that content creation work as hard as possible for you.
Any questions? Drop me a DM, I'd love to chat.