Brands are leaning on video to fuel their influencer campaigns. From YouTube tutorials to engaging TikToks, video can drive brand awareness and encourage sales.
If you’re planning a video collab with an influencer, video quality is important. Here are a few production tips to make sure your video stands out:
Short videos are ideal
There are a handful of reasons to keep your videos short.
For starters, people have a short attention span, just eight seconds long to be exact. People are easily distracted on social with their “scrolling thumb” ready to dismiss your video. And they will. Research shows the average person watches four seconds of Facebook videos before moving on to the next.
Brands should collaborate with influencers to keep video length tight.
Make a plan for each video
What’s your strategy to shoot a video? Since people only engage with videos for a handful of seconds, it’s best to think through each video.
Brands might provide some direction on this, but many follow the cues of influencers who know how to engage their audience.
The beginning should have a hook — something that intrigues viewers. The middle should provide substance; something of value. The end should happen naturally and encourage people to take a specified action.
Give viewers direction at the end
Speaking of the end of a video, what do you want watchers to do when they’re done with your clip? Do you want them to subscribe to your channel? Leave a comment? Download an e-book?
Every video should end with a direction or a call to action. Of course, you need to plan this out before you shoot so you can add it seamlessly to your close.
Do multiple shoots in one session
Shooting takes time. From fixing your hair and getting the right outfit to getting out materials and rehearsing lines, video production can be time-consuming. To maximize your efforts, consider shooting several videos at one time.
Try to group videos by location. If you’re doing three makeup tutorials at a vanity, shoot those together, and then move over to the bathroom sink to shoot facial wash reviews, for example. The goal is to minimize the number of times you have to move the gear and equipment around.
To make each video look fresh and different, you can change your shirt, pull your hair back, or make subtle changes to your looks.
If you can shoot three to five videos at a time, you’ll have enough content “in the can” to spread over a handful of days.
Pay attention to lighting
Dark videos get ignored.
The subject of your video should be well-lit. If you do product reviews or videos where you talk to the camera, consider buying a selfie-light ring to help illuminate your face. As long as you stand fairly close to your phone, the light will brighten up your shot.
When you can, take advantage of natural light.
If you’re outside, consider shooting in the shade. It might seem strange to shoot in a darker space, but the sun can cast harsh shadows. In shade, light is even. You can always increase the exposure when you edit.
Add subtitles
Most people scroll through social with their phones on silent, so if you post a talking-head video, no one will know what you’re saying.
In addition, adding captions makes videos more accessible. There are caption-authoring tools that you can use like CADET or Jubler.
Fight the urge to cross-post
This tip might seem counterintuitive. After all, you should cross-promote your content on multiple channels, right? Yes, but when it comes to video, dimensions matter. The same video you shoot for TikTok, for example, won’t look quite right on Facebook.
As a result, you should shoot different videos for different platforms. The content or subject matter might stay the same, but you might shoot the video horizontally rather than vertically, for example. Cater the video specs to the platform that you plan to post on.
Video sizes, resolution, and orientation differ by channel and they’re hard to keep straight. SproutSocial has an always-updated guide of video specs that can help.
Influencer marketing gives brands an authentic way to get in front of prospective audiences. Video campaigns in particular connect with viewers and offer an advertising alternative that’s effective for both brands and influencers. The tips above can elevate your next video production.