Five ways to ensure your marketing video will suck

Online video marketing has become a staple, with 81 percent of companies producing video content for their websites, and 69 percent producing it for social media, according to the 2014 Online Video Production Trends Report. There are loads of marketing videos on the web now, and some extremely effective, but there are plenty that just don’t work. Based on the latter, here are five ways to ensure your marketing video will suck.

1. The video takes too long to get to the point

In the age of the “tweet,” marketers have only a few seconds to capture a viewer’s attention. In order to get the viewer to engage, a marketer must put serious thought into what the main point of the video is, and then clearly communicate that message as quickly as possible. The attention span for video watching seems to be about 60 seconds, so viewers don’t want to hear a marketing message that goes on and on. Every word counts! Don’t use five words when three will do. This is where the practice of writing, rewriting and then rewriting a script helps.

2. The video content is inauthentic

Today’s consumers value authenticity, and they can smell B.S. a mile away. Never try to portray yourself or your company as something you’re not. Embrace who you are and what you actually offer; people will relate to and engage with that content. As soon as viewers suspect pretense, their trust will be gone. In today’s market, the truth shall set you free. Take some time for self-reflection about what you offer potential customers and authentically communicate that message.

3. Distracting noises on the audio

Rule of thumb: The visual can suck, but the audio can’t! Visually, you don’t have to do anything fancy. A simple shot of you speaking in front of a nice background will never be distracting. However, distracting noises in the audio will kill your video every time. If you’re on a budget, put your money toward a decent microphone as opposed to a fancy camera. It’s amazing what you can do visually with an iPhone. However, without a proper microphone, the recording will pick up too many distracting noises. Try the Audio-Technica ATR-3350 Lavalier Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone to get started. It’s affordable and compatible with an iPhone; you just need the adapter.

4. The intention of the video is not clear

This goes back to No. 1 and the importance of putting serious thought into the point of the video. Too often we get distracted by special effects and features, or telling elaborate stories, and forget that the video needs to have a clear and concise message. Never shoot a video simply because you think you’re supposed to have a video. If that’s the only reason you’re shooting one, you’re pretty much guaranteeing it won’t be strong because it will lack intention for the viewer. BEFORE you ever pick up your audio equipment and camera, spend significant time clarifying the intention of the video and composing your script around that intention.

5. Viewers can’t take immediate action

The whole point of a marketing video is to get your viewer to take some sort of action. Internet video marketing technology has advanced significantly with the dawn of the smart video, which allows viewers to take immediate action directly from the video itself. We all know the power of the impulse buy! Consumers are much more likely to follow through on a decision if they can act upon it instantly. Therefore, smart videos are a marketing video’s best friend. If you haven’t already started using a smart video marketing platform for your videos, it’s time to start. InVidz.com has made the process extremely easy and affordable. It even offers a free membership to get you started.

Remember the rule of quality over quantity. One extremely effective video is better than 10 ineffective videos. When considering your next marketing video, check down this list to ensure it doesn’t suck. You’ll see the difference in your conversion rates!

Jennifer Santoro holds a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communication and Management from Florida State University and is a specialist in online video marketing. She’s the Chief Happiness Officer for InVidz Smart Video Technology. A Certified Professional Coach through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching, she has more than 10 years of professional communication experience in the non-profit and private sectors.