Post by iamin114112 on Nov 10, 2024 5:19:03 GMT
Like it or not, content marketing is embracing today’s visual culture and moving to video. According to HubSpot, 43% of people want to see more video content from marketers, and four times more shoppers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it. Which, unfortunately, doesn’t bode well for blog posts. With written content becoming less effective over time, you’re probably already thinking about creating video content as part of your marketing strategy.
You may be itching to get started making videos website development service right away, but planning your content early on has proven invaluable in keeping your story — and your creative team — on track. That’s what I want to help you with today. Before you pick up a camera and head into the studio, make sure you have a storyboard.
What is a storyboard?
A storyboard is a series of sketches representing individual shots planned for a video, film, or commercial. They often include directions for camera angles, lighting, and transitions, as well as dialogue and other notes. Just as all good writers begin their articles with sketches, good marketers begin their videos with storyboards. You’ve probably seen them used in animated films. John Lasseter, Pixar’s chief creative officer, calls them “the comic book version of the story.” Here are some storyboards his team used to make Finding Nemo:
But I'm making a marketing video, you might argue. Does this technique really apply to me? While storyboards for marketing videos may not need to be as detailed as those used by major Hollywood studios, they are still necessary.
Why are storyboards important?
Storyboards help you plan your video from start to finish. What will the lighting be like? How will the filming take place? Will there be voiceover or dialogue? What do you want the audience to feel? Storyboards allow you to collaborate with other team members to bring your overall vision for the video to life. In many ways, storyboards are like a dress rehearsal for the actual video.
Storyboarding allows you to identify flaws and identify gaps in your video before you spend any money on production. Working through these issues early on ensures that the final product is exactly what you envisioned. Storyboarding allows you to give direction to the people who will take your idea, prepare, film, cut, and edit it into the final product. Make sure your marketing video is exactly what you want it to be. Start with a storyboard.
Some examples of great marketing videos
Let's look at three extremely effective marketing videos. We'll refer to them in the next section when explaining the basic components of a storyboard.
Introducing Dropbox
Dropbox's introductory video was released in 2009, but marketers are still talking about it. At the time, Dropbox was still relatively unknown. They then put the video on their homepage, where it was viewed 30,000 times a day for several years, helping the company grow rapidly.
The results show that this was a successful video. But why? The unique cutout animation style grabs the viewer’s attention. Dropbox makes the problem of organizing digital files applicable to all aspects of life, such as everyday problems like accidentally leaving your wallet at home. Dropbox can solve your organizational problems at home and at work. Plus, the video is short enough to keep the viewer engaged and ends with a clear call to action: download Dropbox.
The Basic Structure of an Effective Marketing Video
Every successful marketing video has the following basic storytelling structure:
Opening part
Statement of the problem
Solution
Call to action
Let's look at each of them in turn.
Can opener
The opening should grab the viewer’s attention right away. It should intrigue them and make them want to keep watching. For example, a Dropbox video starts with, “You’ve been there. You’re about to buy lunch and you realize your wallet is in the wrong pants.” Now the viewer is wondering, “Okay, that’s happened to me. Are they going to tell me how to fix it? I’ll keep watching to find out…” Aim to create a sense of urgency or mystery in the opening.
Statement of the problem
The problem statement outlines the problem the viewer is facing. When scoping your problem statement, think about who your target audience is. The Dropbox video wanted to be as relatable as possible, so it focused on a universal problem like organization. On the other hand, the Salesforce video is aimed at account managers, so its message is much more targeted: “What if you could spend more time selling and communicating with customers?” Then, in the solution portion of the video, you’ll explain how your brand can solve this unique problem for the viewer.
Solution
You've hooked your viewers with an intriguing introduction. Then you've connected with them by learning about their problem. Now it's time to show viewers how your product can solve their specific problem. This is where you need to go into detail, show people happily using your product, and include screenshots to help explain it. All three of our video examples do a great job of this.
A simple 2D animation in a Dropbox video simulates how easy it is to organize files using Dropbox. Salesforce takes the viewer through the entire sales process with a presentation that helps them imagine what it’s like to use the platform and how useful it will be for their career. A Facebook video shows how stickers make Facebook a little (a lot?) more fun and help them connect with their friends — after all, it’s a relationship product.
Call to action
And finally, the “money maker.” The call to action is where you literally ask the viewer to take action: filling out a lead form, visiting your website, or buying your product. If the video wasn’t compelling enough, Salesforce further sets the viewer up for being easily persuaded with the final frame. Before the final CTA, Salesforce displays the expected results on the screen and showcases logos of big brands using the platform. Then, the video ends with a strong CTA and includes YouTube annotations so users can quickly navigate to their site instead of typing it out themselves. Make sure your brand name, website address, and CTA are clearly displayed in the final frame of the video and stay long enough for the viewer to absorb them.
8 Steps to Create a Storyboard for a Marketing Video
Now that you have an idea of what makes a compelling video, let's look at the steps to creating a storyboard. Following these steps will help you move toward your end goal: creating a marketing video that matches your vision.
Determine the timeline
Storyboarding is the structure. This is where you decide on the sequence of events in your video. What story do you want to tell?
Make sure you follow the order: discovery - problem statement - solution - call to action.
Identify key scenes
Beyond the final call to action, identify key moments in the video. Perhaps it’s a zoom-in on a feature of your product, a montage of customers using the product, or a celebratory opening shot. Essentially, what scenes engage the viewer and motivate them to take action?
Decide how much detail you need to add to each scene.
Do you want to take a cleaner approach like Dropbox and Facebook, where the focus is on cut-out animations or screenshots? Or do you prefer the more animated approach of Salesforce, where you see the salesperson using the platform in different scenes? Perhaps you want a completely different concept. You don’t want to overwhelm the viewer. Whatever route you take, make sure your product and your message cut through the noise.
You may be itching to get started making videos website development service right away, but planning your content early on has proven invaluable in keeping your story — and your creative team — on track. That’s what I want to help you with today. Before you pick up a camera and head into the studio, make sure you have a storyboard.
What is a storyboard?
A storyboard is a series of sketches representing individual shots planned for a video, film, or commercial. They often include directions for camera angles, lighting, and transitions, as well as dialogue and other notes. Just as all good writers begin their articles with sketches, good marketers begin their videos with storyboards. You’ve probably seen them used in animated films. John Lasseter, Pixar’s chief creative officer, calls them “the comic book version of the story.” Here are some storyboards his team used to make Finding Nemo:
But I'm making a marketing video, you might argue. Does this technique really apply to me? While storyboards for marketing videos may not need to be as detailed as those used by major Hollywood studios, they are still necessary.
Why are storyboards important?
Storyboards help you plan your video from start to finish. What will the lighting be like? How will the filming take place? Will there be voiceover or dialogue? What do you want the audience to feel? Storyboards allow you to collaborate with other team members to bring your overall vision for the video to life. In many ways, storyboards are like a dress rehearsal for the actual video.
Storyboarding allows you to identify flaws and identify gaps in your video before you spend any money on production. Working through these issues early on ensures that the final product is exactly what you envisioned. Storyboarding allows you to give direction to the people who will take your idea, prepare, film, cut, and edit it into the final product. Make sure your marketing video is exactly what you want it to be. Start with a storyboard.
Some examples of great marketing videos
Let's look at three extremely effective marketing videos. We'll refer to them in the next section when explaining the basic components of a storyboard.
Introducing Dropbox
Dropbox's introductory video was released in 2009, but marketers are still talking about it. At the time, Dropbox was still relatively unknown. They then put the video on their homepage, where it was viewed 30,000 times a day for several years, helping the company grow rapidly.
The results show that this was a successful video. But why? The unique cutout animation style grabs the viewer’s attention. Dropbox makes the problem of organizing digital files applicable to all aspects of life, such as everyday problems like accidentally leaving your wallet at home. Dropbox can solve your organizational problems at home and at work. Plus, the video is short enough to keep the viewer engaged and ends with a clear call to action: download Dropbox.
The Basic Structure of an Effective Marketing Video
Every successful marketing video has the following basic storytelling structure:
Opening part
Statement of the problem
Solution
Call to action
Let's look at each of them in turn.
Can opener
The opening should grab the viewer’s attention right away. It should intrigue them and make them want to keep watching. For example, a Dropbox video starts with, “You’ve been there. You’re about to buy lunch and you realize your wallet is in the wrong pants.” Now the viewer is wondering, “Okay, that’s happened to me. Are they going to tell me how to fix it? I’ll keep watching to find out…” Aim to create a sense of urgency or mystery in the opening.
Statement of the problem
The problem statement outlines the problem the viewer is facing. When scoping your problem statement, think about who your target audience is. The Dropbox video wanted to be as relatable as possible, so it focused on a universal problem like organization. On the other hand, the Salesforce video is aimed at account managers, so its message is much more targeted: “What if you could spend more time selling and communicating with customers?” Then, in the solution portion of the video, you’ll explain how your brand can solve this unique problem for the viewer.
Solution
You've hooked your viewers with an intriguing introduction. Then you've connected with them by learning about their problem. Now it's time to show viewers how your product can solve their specific problem. This is where you need to go into detail, show people happily using your product, and include screenshots to help explain it. All three of our video examples do a great job of this.
A simple 2D animation in a Dropbox video simulates how easy it is to organize files using Dropbox. Salesforce takes the viewer through the entire sales process with a presentation that helps them imagine what it’s like to use the platform and how useful it will be for their career. A Facebook video shows how stickers make Facebook a little (a lot?) more fun and help them connect with their friends — after all, it’s a relationship product.
Call to action
And finally, the “money maker.” The call to action is where you literally ask the viewer to take action: filling out a lead form, visiting your website, or buying your product. If the video wasn’t compelling enough, Salesforce further sets the viewer up for being easily persuaded with the final frame. Before the final CTA, Salesforce displays the expected results on the screen and showcases logos of big brands using the platform. Then, the video ends with a strong CTA and includes YouTube annotations so users can quickly navigate to their site instead of typing it out themselves. Make sure your brand name, website address, and CTA are clearly displayed in the final frame of the video and stay long enough for the viewer to absorb them.
8 Steps to Create a Storyboard for a Marketing Video
Now that you have an idea of what makes a compelling video, let's look at the steps to creating a storyboard. Following these steps will help you move toward your end goal: creating a marketing video that matches your vision.
Determine the timeline
Storyboarding is the structure. This is where you decide on the sequence of events in your video. What story do you want to tell?
Make sure you follow the order: discovery - problem statement - solution - call to action.
Identify key scenes
Beyond the final call to action, identify key moments in the video. Perhaps it’s a zoom-in on a feature of your product, a montage of customers using the product, or a celebratory opening shot. Essentially, what scenes engage the viewer and motivate them to take action?
Decide how much detail you need to add to each scene.
Do you want to take a cleaner approach like Dropbox and Facebook, where the focus is on cut-out animations or screenshots? Or do you prefer the more animated approach of Salesforce, where you see the salesperson using the platform in different scenes? Perhaps you want a completely different concept. You don’t want to overwhelm the viewer. Whatever route you take, make sure your product and your message cut through the noise.