Video is the most important part of any marketing campaign and when it comes to startup marketing, one must not ignore this medium for sure. Let me tell you why?
- Video ads get 480% more click than image ads on Facebook (Source)
- According to Mark Zuckerberg, reels across Facebook and Instagram were generating over 140 billion play every day (Source)
- On YouTube, watch time for “Which product to buy” related videos is doubled year on year (Source)
- Over 90% users says, they have learned about new products or brand on Youtube
- Over 60% of users says, online videos have given the inspiration in making purchase decision.
Apart from these, there are 100s of such authentic statics that proves the importance of video marketing while you are promoting your startup or any size of business.
Do you want to create marketing videos for your startup? Do you feel you can’t afford the budget require producing them? While it is true that some marketing videos cost thousands of dollars (or more) to produce, the fact of the matter is that it is possible to create marketing videos on the cheap as well. In this article, we will share some useful tips about how to create marketing videos for your startup by spending less.
At the end of the day no matter how tight your budget may be, you should be able to create the marketing videos that your startup needs. All that you really need is to know how to go about it.
Plan the Video on a Budget
If you want to create marketing videos on a budget, you need to plan them as such – and that means tempering your expectations. When you’re coming up with ideas for a video, you should think about what it will require to create that video, and whether or not your budget can stretch that far.
As far as possible, you should keep the plans for your video as simple as possible. Avoid any ideas that may require travel, lots of professional actors, extensive video effects, or any other complicated logistics. On top of that you should try to keep the video short. Not only are short videos easier to record but they are much cheaper, and make for far more engaging marketing videos.
After you settle on an idea, plan it out as thoroughly as possible by writing a script, listing down the logistics that you’ll need, and estimating how much it will cost. If it’s still within your budget then you can proceed, but if not you may have to go back to the drawing board.
Use What You Already Own
Rather than buying new equipment or items for your video – you should try to use what you (or friends and family in your circle) already own wherever possible.
Instead of getting a professional-level video camera, you could make do with your existing digital camera or use a smartphone in a pinch if it is good enough. Similarly you could use old clothes as costumes, find props from around the house and office, and so on.
It is best to be methodical, and list down what items you need based on your plan. After you do that you can then take stock of what you have any see if any of it can be used to replace an item on the list.
The more items that you’re able to cross off your list by using what you already own, the less it will cost for you to record your marketing video.
There Is No “I” in “Team”
As much as creating marketing videos for a startup on the cheap will involve a lot of DIY – there is no reason for you to do it yourself. Instead, you should get your team onboard to help. Earlier we have also mentioned about hiring unlimited graphic design service that will save your time and money while getting best creative work from the remote team.
Try to especially keep an eye out for people with skills that may help when creating a video. For example if someone is a talented writer you could put them in charge of the script, while someone else may have great on-camera presence and could be the subject in the video.
In short you should carefully consider the strengths of every member of your team (including yourself) and try to use them to your advantage when creating the video.
Consider Other Types of Videos
Although the majority of marketing videos are ‘live action’ videos – you should also consider whether or not that is really the way to go. Not only are live action videos difficult to make, but they often require the most logistics.
Instead of live action videos, there are other alternatives that you could pursue such as screen recording, white board videos, animated clips, or video presentations. Some of these options are much easier and far less expensive to produce – for example to create a marketing video with screen recording you just need to learn how to record your desktop videos by using desktop recorders such as Movavi Screen Capture Studio.
It should be noted that this doesn’t mean that you should rule out live action videos when you’re on a budget, but just that you should carefully consider all your options before making up your mind. You can easily hire freelance video editor from these websites to get your screen capture work done at lowest price ever. I have tried Fiverr many times and happy with the result. Make sure you discuss your requirement with freelancer to get best possible output from remote resource.
Spend Where It Matters Most
Whatever budget you do have for your video you should spend wisely, and try to stretch each dollar as far as it will go. Some of the areas that you may want to invest in are:
#1 High quality microphone
If you’re recording audio of any kind it is important that you use a high quality microphone. The difference in the audio quality between entry and professional-level microphones is significant, and your video will turn out looking a lot more professional if you use a good microphone.
#2 Video editor
While you could teach yourself to edit videos and may even do a half-decent job of it, the difference that hiring a professional video editor will make is significant. An experienced professional will be able to go over the video footage that you’ve recorded, fix any issues more effectively, and cut together a much more impressive final product.
That one caveat is that the services of professional video editors come at a premium, which is why you may want to consider film making students as an alternative. But there are also some video editors for starters. FlexClip is an AI-powered video editor perfect for beginners, now featuring tools like AI Photo Colorizer to restore old photos and AI Image Extender to expand images seamlessly. These new AI functions make image and video creation even easier.
#3 Basic lighting
Nowadays there are a lot of affordable lighting solutions that you can use to help record better footage. Depending on the video and the location where you’re recording, having some basic lighting could make a world of difference.
#4 Tripod stand
To be honest having a tripod stand is so important that you may not even want to regard it as optional. With a tripod stand you can set up your camera and ensure that it is steady while you’re recording – which will help you avoid numerous issues in the process. Considering these stands are really very affordable, there’s honestly no reason not to get one if you don’t already own one.
#5 Acting or voice talent
While your video should keep the need for talent to a minimum, you may still need to hire one or two actors or a voice actor. If that is the case you could look for student actors, but it may take time to find someone who is the right fit.
Final Words
By this point, you should be having a rough idea about how you can create marketing videos for your startup that don’t break the bank. To be completely honest; it will be a challenge, and you may feel frustrated at times – but if you persevere you can definitely pull it off.
We need to accept this truth about how videos are helpful in promoting your business, even if you are on a tight budget. It is best to think of it as an investment, as the benefits that marketing videos will provide your startup will justify their cost many times over. Of course that doesn’t mean you should go over-budget – but rather that you may want to consider allocating enough funds to give your startup some great marketing videos to help get it off the ground.
