Last month we attended the 2013 Streaming Media West conference in Huntington Beach, CA and ran two sessions for the show’s new Producer Live track. These are the key takeaways from our final presentation – How to Brand Your Online Videos. According to comScore, 178 million Americans watched 33 billion online videos in February 2013 along. There is a huge audience and demand for branded online video. They are the visual identity we leave with our audience, industry peers and competition.
Planning and strategy need to play a major role in online video marketing. It’s important to get input from the right people when you’re creating your initial strategy. For example, the legal team will let you know what you can and can’t show in your online videos. They can also help with trademarking and logo usage.
Pre-production is the time to decide who the face of your brand will be. It may not always be the CEO, but it should be someone that’s going to resonate with your target audience. You should also keep this in mind with wardrobe and the tone of your video. Decide if being funny or serious is going to help or hurt your brand.
Lighting, backgrounds, colors and composition can convey certain emotions for your brand. Try to incorporate items that match your company’s identity. Make sure the production style matches your brand and that you’re not doing something just because it “looks cool.” Keep in mind that you’re producing for the small screen, so you’ll want to frame subjects and products tighter than in the past.
Post-production is where your brand’s online video comes to life. It’s important to make sure the pacing of your edits also match your voice. Use music, transitions and graphics that appeal to your audience.
Distribution and marketing are crucial to making sure your target audience actually sees your online video. Think about where your video is going to live on your website and make sure people know it’s a video. Avoid posting your online video to every single platform our there. Instead, pick the 2 or 3 platforms that make the most sense for your brand. Stay active on those platforms and keep your content fresh.
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