Creating online video is a daunting task, so thankfully Ben Clissitt, director of visual journalism at The Telegraph, has some handy tips. Speaking at a British Society of Magazine Editors (BSME) event, Clissitt shared 10 pointers that marketers – as well as journalists – can apply to beef up their content. Here are his top four.
Online video is not TV
Pointing out that online video is more intimate than TV, Clissitt says that a clip should lasts about two minutes.
Don’t forget words
To click on a video, it’s usual that a viewer has to be first seduced by the words that surround it. Saying that, “no one will come through the front door unless the words are right,” Clissitt added that viewers should know beforehand how long the video will last, why they might want to share it and, most importantly, why they would want to watch it.
Think shareable and evergreen
If you’re going to invest in creating a video, you’ll get more value for money if it can be shared and viewed over the long-term. That means creating content that is relevant today and six months from now, plus making it available in a format that can be easily distributed.
The Telegraph, for instance, puts its focus less on producing “news-reactive content,” and more on content that lasts the long-term, such as its popular ‘…in 60 seconds’ set of explainers.
Invest in production
Although you might want to skip Clissitt’s advice on hiring a producer, a post-production team is a must. These are the folk who can make your video “really live”, and are crucial to creating engaging content – even by turning relatively boring footage into something appealing. “A lot of what really works online is about graphics [and] energy,” he said.
Visit Content Cloud to sign up as a creator, or commission the content your business needs
