12.22.2022 Katie Hughes
Video marketing is one of the most potent means of reaching prospective clients. A 2011 study by Google and Forbes Insight found that 75% of senior executives watch work-related videos on business websites weekly or more, while 52% watch work-related videos on YouTube at least weekly.
The study also revealed that one of the most watched types of video marketing was the case study, with 56% of executives saying that video case studies were what they watched most often on business-related websites, while 19% said that they were the type of video marketing they watched most frequently on YouTube.
In light of these statistics the potential for high ROI from video case studies is clear, as is the opportunity to demonstrate very elegantly just what your products or services can help a client to achieve. But in order to achieve excellent results, you need to create a highly polished video production that will appeal to businesses, and tell them all that they need to know in a concise manner.
Your video production
Once you’ve lined up a client to take part in your video case study, you should create an overall plan of what the video will contain, followed by a shot list that details exactly what you will film.
When planning your video, first and foremost it is important to aim towards keeping the finished project succinct and results-focused. Have firm ideas of what you want to demonstrate before you start, and stick to this ‘core’. Removing anything extraneous and unnecessary during the pre-production process will streamline your video production, and make it easier to edit later on.
Some aspects should be included as a matter of course to ensure the effectiveness of your video case study. Essential shots include:
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The client interview – It’s important to put a human face to the business you’re profiling, as this makes it easier for viewers to relate to the video. Have your client state clearly and concisely the nature of their business, and then have them discuss how you have helped them to become more efficient, solve a problem, or reduce costs.
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Sequences of the client at work – This should include multiple shots of the client working in a manner that specifically emphasises the positive results that they have achieved through utilising your products or services. If your company has provided the client with something physical, such as equipment, be sure to highlight this within your video production.
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Context shots – Although your video should focus on what you have achieved for the client, it’s important to also show it within the wider context of the client’s business, to place it firmly in the ‘real world’.
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Text overlays - These can be useful for highlighting relevant statistics and facts, and can be effective in helping to break up the video.
Once you’ve gathered your footage, it should be edited together tightly to create a compelling self-contained narrative of your relationship with the client (roughly 3-5 minutes long), which makes clear, in a non-intrusive way, how the viewer of your video may benefit from your services.
Download our web video marketing white paper to learn more about how you can use video to great effect in your business.
Image by: libraryman
