Video editing promotional videos for business is different than editing a company event video or training video. Of course the basics still exist- you still have to keep the audience entertained; you have to educate them; and you have to motivate them to take some sort of action. This post is the first of a three-part series that explains best practices when video editing promotional videos for business.
Start with a Video Script
Good editing flows from the material you have to work with. And the material you have to work with flows from the script. If a particular shot isn’t called for in the script, it’s not going to be filmed. And if it’s not filmed, then there’s no material to work with! That’s why I always suggest to our clients that no matter how anxious they are to get started with video production, a script that identifies what will be filmed during the production phase of the project needs to come first. The script identifies what will be heard and what will be seen. Once we have the script written, we prepare a shot list, consolidating all of the different locations where we’ll be filming.
Include a Call to Action
I can’t stress it enough that every promotional video needs a call to action – whether it’s ‘call us’, ‘click here’, ‘send us an email’, ‘buy this product’, ‘attend this trade show’, etc. The call to action can show up throughout the video or at the very end. But it needs to be at the end at the very least. It could be subtle, such as listing your website and phone number. Or it could be more blatant, where the voice over tells the viewer what to do or where to click. However you present your call to action, it’s important to include this component when video editing promotional videos for business because your chances of getting business will be higher if you’re clear about the action you want your audience to take.
Target a Specific Audience
Once we’ve filmed the shots we need, we can get to the business of editing them. As with any video, you need to be keenly aware of the audience you’re targeting. If you’re video editing promotional videos for business, you’ll want to keep the attention of your audience on the specific message you’re sending them. As a rule, the younger the audience, the shorter the attention span, or the more you need to capture attention, the shorter the shots you’re editing should be. For a low attention span audience, a shot should probably not last for more than 5-6 seconds. Of course it depends on the nature of the shot and the product or service you’re promoting, but this is a good rule of thumb. A more mature or patient audience will appreciate a slower pace so they can fully absorb the message(s) of the video.
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