[MUSIC PLAYING]
Hi.
I'm Pete from HubSpot.
And today, I'm going to talk about how
to create a professional promo video on a budget.
If you enjoy this video, don't forget
to like it and subscribe to our channel.
Post any questions or suggestions
you have in the comments below.
Let's get started.
Right now, content creation is moving
toward video-based mediums.
Even for landing pages, videos have shown
to convert better than text.
So why isn't every single business
exploring a video strategy?
The biggest barrier?
Videos have a reputation as an inaccessible form of marketing,
especially for businesses on the smaller side.
And while it's partially true that videos are usually
more time-consuming and more expensive to create
than text-based content, smaller businesses
can still have success investing in them.
But not all video content converts.
You can't just throw up a random video on your landing page
and expect it to increase conversions.
Not to worry.
Today, we'll look at a few of the most important elements
of a converting video.
Let's get started.
Number one.
Keep it short and sweet.
This is perhaps the most important element
in driving conversions with video-based content.
People are growing more impatient
when it comes to online content.
We all want answers now, ASAP, yesterday.
According to YouTube, it's totally normal
to see a gradual decline in audience retention
after the first few minutes of your video.
This just means viewers are losing a bit of attention
over time.
At HubSpot, we've found that the best-performing videos
clock in around two minutes.
As a basic rule of thumb, the longer
you take to get to the main point,
the fewer people will stick around.
But if your video strategy needs to be long-form,
don't sweat it.
You should focus on providing the best, most informative
experience for your viewer.
Avoid fluff, but don't rush through important information.
Take the time to explain your point completely,
and your viewers will stick around.
Number two.
Optimize your video size and placement.
Size, placement, and dimensions are three important factors
that can influence your video's conversion rate.
In another study from Wistia, they took a look
at 95,000 different pages to understand how video size
impacts conversion rates.
To achieve this, they divided the typical landing page
into seven distinct zones as per this image.
Video content that appeared in zones displayed above the fold
got more plays than those that appeared below the fold.
Check out this chart to visualize the drop off
in views across zones.
Video height and width are two important factors that impact
play rates and conversions.
According to Wistia, videos with a width
between 401 to 600 pixels and a height
between 301 to 450 pixels tend to drive more plays,
as these dimensions won't dominate your screen
or appear too small to click.
Number three.
Develop a compelling script.
The first step in producing any great promo video for cheap
is coming up with your own script.
Most marketers will hire a company right out
of the gate to develop a video script, but to save money,
you can complete this step within your own team.
You need a video script that resonates with your audience.
Luckily, you can often come up with a script
based on your existing written content pages.
To break it down, here are some of the key factors
to include in your script.
First, use an intriguing opening line to capture attention.
Then use visual social proof to back up those claims.
Next, show how easy it is to use your product.
After that, show what your product does
and what benefits it provides.
Finally, explain how the user derives value from it.
More conversions?
Better sales?
Name the problem it'll solve.
Number four.
Find the right style for your target market.
You'll also need to figure out what style of video
is best for your target market.
For example, a video for a GoPro is
going to be vastly different from a SaaS product, right?
The GoPro video will show the product in use in real time,
showing actual footage rather than animated clips.
The SaaS product video will likely
show the application in use and animated shorts
to add style and appeal to the video.
The key here is to understand your market
and what they want to see.
To get started, conduct some basic competitor research,
or search from the top companies in your niche.
For example, if you have a mobile app,
you can search for the top applications of 2017.
The goal here is to get familiar with the most popular companies
in your niche to create video that
performs just as good as, if not better than, theirs.
Once you've done this, it's time to get the video produced.
Number five.
Produce it for cheap to minimize risk.
Creating compelling video content isn't cheap.
Agencies can cost thousands of dollars
to produce a single video for your business,
but a good video shouldn't come at the risk
of bankrupting your budget on one that
doesn't resonate or convert.
Minimizing risk is key when introducing a new medium
to your content marketing plan.
The goal is to identify ways to produce your video
with a small budget, allowing you to test the waters
before diving in head first.
A great place to start is by heading
to a freelance service like Fiverr,
depending on your needs.
If you need an animated-style video short for your landing
page, Fiverr is your best bet for getting
it done on a budget.
You can quickly find great video animators and production
specialists at a low cost.
If you can't find a good production specialist
on Fiverr, try locating one on Upwork.
You can also post a job listing to have qualified freelancers
apply to your job.
If you prefer to make your own animated video,
you can easily do that using Biteable,
a free software online that allows
you to create amazing animated promo videos and product
explainers.
It has tons of pre-crafted animation
slides that you can drag and drop to create a fantastic
promo video for your business.
Remember, video content doesn't have to be expensive,
but as marketers continue to find new ways to reach
customers, it's not always easy moving your budget
into new mediums, especially those that have a reputation
as costly, like video marketing.
But in this case, it's necessary and doesn't
have to break the bank.
Looking for even more help with your video marketing efforts?
Click the link in the description to learn more.
Thanks for watching.
If you enjoyed this video, be sure to like it and subscribe.
Let me know how you're doing in the comments below.