You’ve probably heard that your business should have a promo video. Great. What is it, and how do you do it well? Today we take a deep dive into the world of making great promo videos that actually sell your business.

What is a Promo Video?

There’s a lot of video content that’s important for businesses in the modern digital marketing landscape. A promotional video is not the same as daily content. Rather, it’s something of a ‘teaser’ for your business, drawing people in. It could be used to introduce your business or to bolster a specific marketing initiative, event, or sale. It’s not a product video, and it’s not really a brand video either. It’s what makes them want to seek those out, instead, like a good movie trailer.

Promo videos are best used to attract new eyes and create awareness of events and promotions. They can also powerfully ‘remind’ existing customers of what you have to offer them. Video content is easy to consume, so it’s powerful. This makes them fun and effective ways to convey information.

What Makes a Good Promo Video?

So a promo video is something simple that does a powerful job. This means you need to meet some key goals.

• Tease, don’t lecture: This isn’t a deep dive, it’s a quick attention-grabber. Think catchy sound bites, fast cuts, and smart use of video overlay to entice customers. Remember, this is a graphic, visual call to action, so make sure that video overlay focuses on what you want them to remember.
• Stay focused: Keep the details on the event, not your whole brand
• Shake it up: Create multiple versions using it on social media. People get bored of seeing the same thing. Luckily, smart edits mean you don’t need whole new content, just fresh presentations.

How To Make A Promo Video (That Works)

1)  Script it

This is the utter basics. What are you promoting? What playful angle will you take? What keywords and concepts will be central to the video? Remember, keep it short and sweet- we want our promo video under 90 seconds at a minimum, but under thirty ideally.

2)  Storyboard

Storyboarding is where you take your basic script and ‘apply’ the images to go with it. And yes, it’s worth doing this step! This helps you make a coherent, flowing project from start to finish. It also helps you keep your budget tight and make sure you don’t waste a cent on content that won’t go into the video.

3)  Produce

Exactly what it says on the jar. Time to take your script and storyboard, and create the actual visuals. This will still be raw film, so don’t worry if it’s done in separate batches or there are glitches.

4)  Assemble

Now you’re going to ‘post-produce’, or edit, the video to its final form. Double-check you haven’t missed key information like deadlines, dates, discount codes, addresses, and other pertinent facts. Make creative use of graphics to highlight what you need.

5)  Promote

Now it’s time to put the ‘promote’ in promotional! Your baby is ready to take its first steps in the world, so send it out there on your email, social feeds, paid ads, and website.

While promotional videos can seem a straightforward concept, they’re a powerful tool in the right hands. Make sure you take the time and effort to ensure your promo video really speaks to the heart of your brand, and maintain high production standards. You can (and will) be judged on the content you create, after all. Keep a strong brand identity, and have fun, too, so that people see the human side of your brand!