Planning video content for next year? Five mindsets that really could make them work harder for your brand.
- Accept that nobody cares
I’m sorry to break it to you, but despite how much you or your team enjoy making videos, ultimately your audience doesn’t feel the same. They are not waiting patiently for this content to be released, in fact, they didn’t ask for it in the first place. When you allow yourself to realise this, you unlock a whole new perspective. You get to remind yourself that actually, the audience apathy isn’t a negative thing, it’s an exciting challenge. It allows you to be much more ruthless with throwing out the crap ideas and ditching the vanilla video providers and focus on only the decisions that will make your audience care. When you realise nobody cares, you can work damn harder to convince them to.
- Prioritise moments, not messages
Even in 2017, brands can fall into the trap of commissioning a video that essentially does the same thing as a printed brochure. The whole brand story is crowbarred into a video, which dilutes the very thing that makes video special…feeling. In 2018, put moments first, and messages second. Use your video purely and solely as an emotional buy-in, a trust tool, a feeling factory. That feeling could be trust, re-assurance, intrigue, excitement, indulgence. Whatever it is, whatever your industry is, choose one single meaningful moment and use that as the DNA for your entire video.
- Plan for mute-friendly
So not only does nobody care, but nobody is listening. If your intended reach is social channels, assume they can’t hear. Last year 85% of video on Facebook was viewed without sound. This year they are rolling out auto-playing sound, but the audience backlash is significant, auto-playing sound is the quickest way to get audiences to switch off. That means the most tactical approach is to plan for mute, win for both. Don’t worry though; there are plenty of ways to ensure it performs just as well in a mute-friendly environment.
- Anyone can make a video, so best idea wins
Almost anyone has access to a camera, so the barrier to entry is lower than ever before. In 2018 only the most compelling, captivating and meaningful content will win. Even in 2018 video is still an irresistable click over a static image, in fact viewers spent five times longer looking at video content than static content on Facebook and Instagram in 2017. Your content planning should allow for objective, creative consideration, not just the first idea from the loudest person in the meeting.
- It’s hip to be square
There is a growing amount of data that suggest the shape of the video can have a significant impact on its performance. As the dominant platform for video becomes mobile, the rise of square video is unstoppable. So as you go into 2018, and if your target reach is in social channels, square video needs to be a strategic part of your planning process.
It’s a fascinating time to make video content. I have designed a framework that will make planning video content easier and harder working than ever before through the meaningful moments method. If this is the kind of thinking you’d like from your video agency, then let’s have a chat.
