Generate free video marketing this holiday
October 28, 2016
Online video marketing is the future
In a survey of 150 top advertising executives, 68% believe video is more effective than regular social media marketing. According to Nielsen, using video in your advertising campaign will increase brand recall (in other words, remembering who you are) by +33% and increase message recall (remembering what you’re selling) by +45%. The best news of all? Statistics show that 90% of users said product videos helped them in their decision-making process. Video marketing is definitely here to stay.
Lights, action, camera!
So where do you begin? Personally, I get a little overwhelmed when I think about adding video rather than just a nice photograph. Maybe it stems from hours of 16mm movies from my childhood where my entire family just sits there…waving. It could be that I’m too much of a perfectionist. Or, I just needed to get over it. It really is easier than you think.
Biteable
The beauty of Biteable is that they are 100% free. They do offer a $99 annual package that removes their name from your video (which you can see is quite large) and offers you the ability to download it to use anywhere. There are a bunch of customizable templates including one for a clothing shop, a wedding boutique, a furniture store and a home decor boutique. Their instructions are a bit lacking however. I really had to spend some time figuring out the steps to a finished product. Once you’ve added scenes, chosen a color scheme and music, you then need to have Biteable put it all together. Depending on how complicated your video is, this can take awhile. I’m also not happy with how our logo rendered on the finished product. It was, however, free.
Wideo
I’ve also discovered Wideo, a free-trial video-making service. Not one to read directions first, I highly recommend watching the four short “First Steps” videos that will guide you through the process. It took me a couple of hours to put together my first video, but once I figured out the process, I’m sure a second one will be much easier. The Wideo site also offers a lot of tips and tricks for newbies like me. There are a variety of customizable templates including holidays. Overall, I felt Wideo was easier to use and offered a better quality. You can change the font style, add a link and build layers upon layers. You will, however, have to sign up in order to do more than a couple of videos.
Use your iPhone
Hello? It’s right there in our hands practically all the time. The truth is it can be very easy (and definitely free) when you use your iPhone to create videos. Wistia, a video hosting company, offers great tips and tricks for making videos on your phone. In a recent blog post, they gave a couple of hints on how to improve your iPhone movies to use in video marketing.
1.) Keep it steady
If possible, Wistia suggests using a tripod. You can purchase an adapter for a regular tripod like a Joby Grip Tight or buy a Grip Tight GorillaPod Stand that steadies the camera on a small tripod. Both are available for under $30. If the purchase of a stand or tripod isn’t possible, be sure to keep your iPhone as close to your body as possible and rest your elbows on something sturdy.
2.) Don’t zoom
According to Wistia, the digital zoom on your phone can distort an image. If you need to get a closer shot, move your iPhone closer to the subject instead.
3.) Use off-camera lighting
The lights on phone cameras always create strange shadows and colors. You’re better off to incorporate either actual photography lighting or in-direct lighting from lamps around your shop. Whenever possible, use the light from a window to add a natural glow to your subject.
4.) Get the proper sound
If your speaking in your video, be sure to get a microphone as close to you as possible. This means you’ll need one phone for video and another for sound. Or, you can purchase a microphone adapter that can be used to connect a mic directly to your iPhone.
5.) Editing
Edit your film on a computer whenever possible. By downloading your video, you’ll be able to see it in greater detail. Use Windows Movie Maker or purchase iMovie for your editing tool.
