08 Jul VMP Tips & Tricks – Creating “How To” Videos
Creating an engaging “How To” video that will leave your audience informed!
In the age of the pocket oracle (known affectionately as the smartphone) it’s never been easier to access information. Amid the deepest crevasses of the interweb, you’ll find instructions on how to do anything and everything. What’s the best way to make a breakfast smoothie? How do ninjas do what they do? Maybe you just need to know how to master the Windsor knot? Whatever the reason, around 55% of people watch videos online each day: meaning there’s a tonne of people just like you searching for answers on anything from how to animate to how to zest a lemon.
Convenience aside, all that content means you absolutely need to to crack out the ol’ razzle dazzle to create a ‘How To’ video to remember. The VMP team have put together our favourite tips and tricks to producing an engaging and informative How To video that will dazzle. But hey – if you ever need professional help, you know who to call.
1. Choose a topic that you’re an expert in.
Listen, we’re not saying that we don’t enjoy Snoop Dogg narrating nature documentaries… but the fact that he’s more familiar with rap than reptiles doesn’t exactly make him the next David Attenborough. As entertaining as Mr Dogg’s videos may be, a How To video needs to present well to the audience with strong topical knowledge in order to achieve its purpose. Bring something new to your How To video with your own personal experiences and methods but remember to assure your audience by guiding them in the right direction on their quest for knowledge!
2. Short and Simple.
We’ve said it once and by god we’ll say it again – keep it short and simple! With studies showing that viewers will stop watching your video by around the 2 minute mark, you need to convince your audience pretty quickly that this is the video they’ve been looking for. Do whatever it takes to grab their attention and keep them there for the entire video!
3. Be Creative.
So, you’ve grabbed their attention. Now, how to keep it? It’s crucial to aim to bring something to the table that the other, inferior How To videos haven’t. By doing your research on what the other content creators are doing before the production process begins, you can avoid any double-ups on concepts or information. Use animation, sound design, friends, music, props, and anything else you think will make your How-To video extra special. Viewers love creative concepts, so be sure to engage them with your fabulous ideas!
4. Know your Audience.
A video detailing how to make the perfect scrambled eggs will be received differently by a trained chef than it will an average schmoe with a Kmart frying pan and a fridge full of expired cheese slices. How To videos can be aimed at audiences on completely different levels of experience, from beginners to experts, and you have to understand who you’re talking to in order for it to engage. Understand that for some videos, you need to really get into the nitty gritty of the process and showcase every small step. Others, you can assume some knowledge from the audience and create videos which are shorter but tackle more complex work and/or methods. Be sure to establish your audience before filming, otherwise you can end up with a video that doesn’t land where it should.
5. If you’re unsure… call for help!
After all of this, if you’re still not sure about how to plan, produce, or release your How To videos – call in the experts! It can be daunting creating your first How To video, so consulting with video production experts (*cough* VMP *cough*) can save you a lot of grief, while teaching you new ways to appeal to your audiences for the future!
VMP have actually created a small series of How-To videos for video production beginners, which you can watch on our YouTube channel here. If you’d like to harness professional – one of the fastest expanding and most successful phenomenon’s in online communication – for yourself, feel free to contact us any time!
CONTACT US AT VMP
VMP is a Brisbane video production house which specialises in many forms of media production. Our services range from television commercials to promotional videos, corporate videos, online video production, e-learning projects and more. Delivering quality screen productions for over 20 years, VMP is one of Brisbane’s leading video and film production companies.
We are your one-stop shop for corporate video production in Brisbane. For more information, quote, or just a chat about how we can deliver your message more effectively, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Give us a call on 07 3324 0900 or drop us a message, today!
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