Creating Your Own Online Video

There are many ways to creating your own online video. These are a few key things to keep in mind when developing your offering as suggested by media experts polled by B-to-B.tv.

1. Write down what you want the video to convey to the audience. Review that with company personnel and any professional outside source you can. Agree before you start as to what you want to convey and keep that at the forefront of your thinking. Remember, a video usually can convey only one concept. Make sure you don’t send mixed or too many messages at the same time. Every element in the video must build on these benefits rather than merely describing the features of a product or service.
2. Where possible use a professional cameraperson. Usually a local studio is best but review what they have done in the past. Make sure they understand your product or service before you start shooting. Remember also that they work for you but listen carefully to their suggestions.
3. Create a script and review with the cameraperson, internal staff and ask one or two non-company personnel to look at it. Ask them to give you their impressions of what you are trying to say. Make changes if their suggestions seem valid. The key to this effort is getting the message across.
4. Like script writing, good editing makes a major difference in how successful the video Keep the show moving and always directed to the most important viewer - your client's clients. Ruthlessly eliminate anything that's weak. Remember, shorter marketing videos are generally better than longer ones.
5. Use plainer backgrounds so the product, or individuals stand out and the background doesn’t overshadow the message.
6. Where possible, start with a statement about how your product or service benefits the viewer. Don’t extol the virtues of the product or your company, until after you have established why a viewer should be interested in them. Take a cue from television commercials, which always start by trying to get the viewer’s attention. The Internet is just as crowded as a television hour.
7. When using actors or company personnel, have them well groomed, articulate and rehearsed in what they are going to say. They should be smiling and project a clear case of authority about their product or service.  Use a professional photographer because they can get the best out of the subject.  Poses should be professional and not include products or props that overshadow the message.
8. If there are attractive publicity photos, consider using them in the video. Some very effective videos and films have been constructed entirely from still photographs. One catch -- a photo can appear on the screen for only a few seconds.
9. When filming, always shoot a lot of close-ups. On TV these close-up shots are generally more compelling than wide shots. They're also a lot easier and cheaper to light, arrange and shoot.
10. Special effects and cool animations are fun to watch, but can be expensive and time-consuming to produce even when you're working on your own system. In most cases this "eye candy" contributes little to the sales message. So if the budget is tight, concentrate on a telling a story that addresses the needs of your audience.
11. Create product shots that are individually staged or in no more than three products to a scene.  Again, light the shot so that the labels and products are clearly visible and distinct from the background.
12. If you take stills from the video production, have them available in both print and electronic format.  The print version should have the names of the people and products typed on the back.  The electronic version should have this information clearly stated in the file name.
13. If the product or service is used outdoors, frame them so that they are clearly shown as to how they are used, and in what situations.  Have an individual using the product close to the camera with the environment behind the subject.
14. If the company has a celebrity endorser, use a setting that shows him or her actually using the product, not just smiling into the camera.
15. Have a variety of scenes available that show the product and have an editor create an interesting montage. 
16. Always have the company’s logo within the context of the scenes but don’t make it overpowering.
17. Repeat the usefulness of the product or service to the visitor at the end of the video and offer a call-to-action. Ideally, this call-to-action should include some sort of free demonstration or trial.