Some folks think that to make a video, you must have a thoughtful blend of writing, producing, and directing skills you’d find only in Hollywood.
I can relate. When I was asked to make a book trailer video for my wife Kathy’s children’s book, H is for Houston, I first thought it better to find someone to do it and outsource the work. Then, in looking at the prices for what we expected to be a video lasting no longer than 1 ½ minutes (if that), we realized that we were better off doing it ourselves…especially if the video creation tools were already in place. (You can see the video here.)
You don’t need to be a Hollywood big-shot (or big-shot wannabe) to make a successful online video. Good writing for online videos is the same as good writing for anything else. You must know what you’re trying to say, to whom, how and why your message is important, and what kind of reaction you want from your readers.
Stated another way: If your video is meant to get people to take a specific action, such as buy a product, the sales figures are more important than advertising awards.
Follow these tips when writing and preparing online videos:
- As with any piece of writing, consider what you want from your viewers. What do you want them to do? Why and how would they take these actions.
- Keep your videos short, no more than a couple of minutes.
- Make sure your videos are search engine optimized, because YouTube is the second-most used search engine after Google. (And, for good measure, Google owns YouTube.)
- Do not use copyright information without appropriate permission. People will sue.
- Focus on editing well, not perfectly. We can all tinker a bit more with our creations. Finish and post the video.
Consider these tips when considering your next online video preparation assignment.
