Did you know that in 2021, video accounted for 81% of all consumer internet traffic? This means that 80% of the time when a person is on the internet, they're watching a video.
And it makes sense; video is much easier to watch, and understand. It's a very versatile medium to engage with your audience which is why it's the most popular material to consume. That said, if you run a business, you have no choice but to jump on the bandwagon.
What Makes a Good Video?
Joining the video movement is critical. However, you still need a strategy, and your videos will only be helpful if they're good videos. So what makes a good video?
Good Planning
It takes more than pressing the record button to make a video. Several variables go into making a video stand out from the crowd. And, believe it or not, the majority of them have to do with how well you plan your video before actually shooting it.
As such, plan for your video: set a goal, identify your target audience, choose the right video type, write a script and pick a good location to shoot your video. This forms the foundation of a great video.
High-Quality Camera
Video quality has a lot to do with the right camera. To generate decent quality videos, however, you don't always need an expensive or professional camera. You could use also use a decent built-in camera on your phone. Whichever you opt for, select the largest resolution and largest bit rate.
Good Lighting
Another important aspect of any excellent video is lighting. If your video is too bright or appears too dark, it won't be good to watch, and people will quickly lose interest. The 2 main sources of good lighting are natural lighting and studio lighting.
Natural light is a fantastic alternative for beginners. It is completely free and capable of making the subject of your video appear a lot better. However, at some point, you may want to invest in lighting equipment as you expand your production capacity to improve the quality of your videos.
Good Audio Quality
Your video's audio can make or break your content. Therefore, there are a few basic things you can do to ensure you preserve the audio quality of your video. One of these is using a microphone other than your camera's built-in mic. There are 3 types of microphones you can use in general: lapel or lavalier microphones, dynamic and condenser microphones.
It’s important to rember audio levels when editing. Music should be low and soft when people are speaking and can easily go louder if the talking stops or there’s no talking. And remember, whilst videos can be watched without audio, if they do listen to and they can’t hear it, they won’t watch it.
Well-Edited: Powerful Video Editing Software
Video editing software is a necessary component of the production process. This will let you make transitions, colour grade your videos, add titles, subtitles, intros, and outros, and stitch them all together in an easy-to-understand manner. There are various free and premium video editing programs to pick from so simply choose one of the more popular ones that are easy to learn.
Well-Segmented
Filming in segments is an excellent method to stay focused on the issue at hand. In addition, editing the footage in post-production becomes easier. Assume you're creating a film about 10 easy recipes to make for dinner. You can start recording, talk about one recipe, stop recording, and continue the process for each point.
The Perfect Video Length and Size
Essentially, the ideal video length and size are determined by the type of video, use, industry, distribution channel, and which segment of the marketing and sales funnel the video content belongs. For example, a video that is further down in your marketing funnel will be lengthier than one that is further up. Similarly, while live streams might be lengthy, home page videos must be short and to the point.
The general rule is that most videos should be under two minutes long, however, bear in mind that the ideal video length varies based on where you distribute or embed it. How-to videos should last 3 to 6 minutes, while explainer videos should last 60 to 90 seconds.
No matter what the length or type of video it is, you need to engage your audience within the first 3-10 seconds. On social media channels like Facebook and Instagram, you need to hook the viewer in 3 seconds for them to keep watching your video. On YouTube or your website, people will often give the video more time regardless. But it still needs to remain engaging right from the get go.
When it comes to size, a good file size for 1minute videos is 2MB for 480p (SD) resolution, 5MB for 720p (HD), and 20MB for 1080p (FHD). 4K videos can go to 84MB. Remember, however, that even size is also determined by the type of video and where it's being posted.
Your Guide to Video Resolution & Aspect Ratios
The video aspect ratio is the ratio of width to height in pixels that indicates the orientation of a video. The figures in the ratio aren't always accurate representations of the height and width in pixels (px). It's simply the proportion of width to height.
A video with a 16:9 aspect ratio, for example, would not be 16 pixels wide and 9 pixels height. A video that small would be impossible to see. 1920 px by 1080 px is considered full HD and is one resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio. There are multiple equivalent resolutions for each aspect ratio. Aspect ratio and resolution are inextricably linked.
To get the resolution, multiply the width and height. On the other hand, the aspect ratio is calculated by dividing the width by the height. The number of square pixels on the screen is calculated by multiplying the width by the height. In terms of video quality, the greater the number, the better.
There are instances when settling for a lower quality product is the best option. If you need smaller file sizes, a lower-quality video would be beneficial. In these cases, you'd capture your video at the best HD streaming quality possible and then use encoding software to create lower-resolution copies.
When Should You Use Which Video Size
- Vertical video resolution is perfect for social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
- Square video resolution is best for Snapchat and Instagram stories.
- HD quality video is best for YouTube videos, TV and websites
Top 3 Best Practices for Planning a Successful Video
1. Set a goal
Before you begin creating your video, you must first determine why you are doing making it in the first place. Understanding the purpose of your video will aid you in planning, shooting, editing, and promoting it in a more organised manner, saving you time and money.
2. Identify your target audience
You can’t reasonably target everyone on the globe, because then who are you really talking to? Your message and video content will be diluted if you don't have a clear image of your ideal viewers. The way you compose your script, shoot your video and edit it will all be determined by your target demographic.
3. Research your topic
Finding a topic that not only appeals to your target audience but also helps you reach your objectives is critical. Focusing on a keyword is an important component of deciding on a topic. If you want to rank on Google and other search engine result pages, this is especially vital.
Final Thoughts
The more professional your videos appear, the more they will help your brand. Making professional-looking videos does require some skill and know-how, but it isn't magic or something that requires years of study. By using these fundamental tactics discussed above, you can drastically improve the quality of your next video.
For stress-free videos, feel free to reach out. We can help you scale greater heights with our video production skills. The ball is in your court!
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