I recently celebrated my 50th birthday. My older brother, knowing that that I want to get into online video but continue to procrastinate about it, got me a Sony camcorder as a gift, and I thank him for it. He gave me a push to finally start to better educate myself about how to shoot and produce online video, which is red hot in PR and marketing.
So, I’ve spent the last two weeks discovering the many moving parts to creating online video, and have had to disabuse myself that, Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, I would take the camcorder out of its box, punch a few keys and my years-long dream of producing a documentary about Moondog would soon morph into a tentative reality.
Man, was I ever wrong. Shooting video of my cat pondering the significance of her water bowl, and playing it back, is easy. But transferring the data, whether to my smartphone or my laptop—not to mention the editing process—is going to require me to take many lessons online and probably look to my younger colleagues for reverse mentoring.
My nascent venture into online video has made me appreciate the challenges that PR execs now face in creating online video programming that can boost the brand against competitors. The effort requires both a long-term commitment to make online video a regular part of your communications as well as constant conditioning to what is still a relatively new aspect of public relations.
Machinations aside, in order for online video to work with your audience, it must have a sharp message and purpose. Technical wizardry won’t hurt your brand or organization, but the larger goal should be figuring out how the message in the video will tie to corporate objectives, financial and otherwise. It’s a steep mountain to climb (and I’ve got my Sherpa lined up).
With that in mind, here are a few video-scripting tips, with a hat tip to Reg Rowe, founder of GrayHairPR, a virtual PR agency based in Dallas, TX.
> Call to action. The idea of your video is to get the viewer to do something. Be sure to include a call to action: buy our product, attend our seminar, download our latest infographic, sign up for special offers, etc.
> Tone it up or down. Don’t write down to or over the heads of your audience. Know your audience intimately, its likes and dislikes, its level of expertise and write accordingly. A video for mechanical engineers will have a much different tone than one for soccer moms. The tone you set will influence the setting, talent used and type of dialogue.
> Support the message. After you’ve stated your key message, you need to back it up with facts and figures. Tell the reader/viewer/listener how your brand or client’s company will deliver on the key message and provide benefit to the customer. Credible third-party endorsers (subject-matter experts, analysts, satisfied customers, etc.) can provide believability and support your key message.
What would you add to the list?
Follow Matthew Schwartz on Twitter: @mpsjourno1