7 ways to create the biggest impact with your online video

In our blog yesterday, we explored 5 good reasons to keep your online video less than 60 seconds long.

If you’re going to create an online video, you want it to cause a splash. Use the tips below to help your online video attract, engage and sustain the widest possible audience.

1) Pick an interesting and dynamic thumbnail – not your logo.

What’s the most engaging shot from your video, the one that will pique the interest of your viewer before they’ve even started watching? Use this shot as the thumbnail.

2) Put your key information up top – not everyone will get to the end.

Think about what you’d want your viewer to take away from your video if they only watched the first 10 seconds.

3) Save your logos and contact details for the end of the video.

Start with a bang.

4) Think about the opening shot to your video.

Make it compelling. With so much other tempting material at your viewer’s disposal online, your opening shot could convince them to watch until the end or click away immediately.

5) The text that you put alongside your 60 second video is your pitch.

Before anyone even clicks on your video they will probably want to know what it’s about. Your video’s description should be short, succinct and interesting.

6) Drive traffic to your video and publicise it.

The more views and likes that your video has, the more likely it is that other people will watch it. Think about the time you last watched an online video on Facebook or YouTube because it had millions of views. You want to know what all the fuss is about, right?

7) Include subtitles.

Make sure that your viewer can understand your film when there’s no sound playing. According to Digiday, 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound.