What Level of Quality Does Your Video Production Need?

In today’s world, we are overstimulated with digital content. Online video consumption is growing rapidly and as a result, companies constantly compete for the attention of consumers. The expanding supply of audiences sparks a large demand from marketers. Online videos can help create the impact your business needs to succeed. However, all of this online clutter can make it difficult to break through the noise. An important way to overcome this challenge and successfully impact your audience is to ensure that your video has a high production value.

Production value, or video production quality, refers to the combined technical qualities of the methods, materials, experience, and skills used in a production. Videos that are produced with a high quality, or high production value, will look extremely different than those that are produced with a low production value. Production value depends on success in many different areas, such as:

• Planning
• Story
• Camera and camera movement
• Lighting
• Location
• Audio
• Talent
• Editing

Although there are many areas that go into the overall production value, not every production needs to be incredibly detailed. What works in one situation may or may not work in another. If you are simply shooting an interview in a corporate office, you are not going to spend a lot of time finding the right location.

In fact, real video quality is not going to come from prescriptive video production. The videos that break through the clutter are ones that take risks. Everything in video production is permissible as long as it is intentional, which means as long as you are pursuing your project with intention, it is acceptable. There is not one right way to go about video production! 

Developing your Video Content Strategy

As you start to develop your video content strategy, the framework outlined below can help you figure out what level of video production you’re going to need and when you’re going to need it. The most important idea to remember is that the quality of a video has the potential to alter the perception that your audience has of your brand because video quality helps convey your message.

Deciding on your Intention

The first and most important part of figuring out when quality matters in a video production is to start creating video content with intention. Knowing your intention helps drive the quality of your production. Creating with intention means you need to be thinking critically about what you want your audience to think or feel when they are done watching your brand video. Do you want them to feel empowered? Do you want to come across as relatable? Do you want them to think that you have a high level of expertise in a particular area?

If you want to communicate who you are and drive home the idea that you are relatable, you might consider crafting a user-generated video. The lower level of quality that comes with a user-generated video is going to communicate that message perfectly for you. A user-generated video is video content that is shot by a non-professional and does not usually require expensive equipment.These types of videos can reflect a more relaxed, intimate, and personal tone. 

However, you don’t want your video to end up being too low-quality. This could backfire on your business and diminish your credibility as a brand– low quality videos often receive less engagement than those that are higher quality.

Higher quality videos communicate a certain level of professionalism, expertise, and gravitas to your audience. One way to achieve this is to bring in a professional crew to help you convey your message effectively. If you take part in a more professional video production, you will naturally be sending a more professional and trustworthy message to your audience! But remember, up-leveling your video production means you are going to be working with a larger budget.

Deciding on your Platform

The second part of this framework has to do with your platform. In other words, how is this video going to be used when it is completed? Where will it be shown? Video platforms allow users to create, store, upload, and distribute video content to an audience. Knowing your platform is another aspect of video production that will help you decide what level of quality you should be pursuing. Some examples of popular video platforms include:

• YouTube
• Vimeo
• Twitch
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Dailymotion
• Company website, blog, or newsletter

If you want your video to be featured on your company website’s homepage, it needs to be professional. The homepage is your visitor’s first introduction to your company and your products/services. This is your company brand, not your personal brand; there is a big difference between the two. 

A personal brand is built around you–  your personality, your attitudes, your interests, and your lifestyle. On the other hand, a business brand is built around a specific identity you create for your company. Company brands are more professional, which in turn, can be conveyed through a professional looking video on your homepage.

If your video was created to be put on social media sites, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, it can take a more casual, relatable, and creative tone. However, there are nuances even within those social media platforms, as the different sites achieve different goals. You want your video to reflect the social media site on which you are posting. For example, LinkedIn is a professional website– if you want your video to be featured on this platform, it needs to be professional and businesslike.

On a different note, Instagram is a visual platform for a general audience, so videos designed for Instagram can take more of an amusing, brief, and/or casual tone. If you want your video on Instagram to be personal, the quality of the production can be lower. Instagram is also best suited for shorter content, so you may make your video shorter if you want to show it on Instagram.

Your company blog and newsletters also act as another platform for your video content. This kind of targeted video content can help you build relationships with prospects and current customers because it gives you the opportunity to connect to your audience directly. As an immediate way to share video content, placing your message on your blog or newsletters achieves great results. 

Choosing the Quality that is Best for You

Receiving video shares is an excellent way to expand your business. A good video, with the proper quality, will leave a powerful impression on potential clients. If you are considering using video to promote your company on high-traffic or more professional platforms, it is crucial to focus on higher video quality. Bringing in a professional crew, who have equipment, resources, and experience, to oversee your video production will save you time and money, and give you the level of quality you need to be successful. A video that captures the attention of your audience and delivers a strong and memorable message is worth a higher video production value.

However, if you believe you do not need a higher production value to successfully convey your brand identity, a lower quality video is an excellent choice. Maybe your video is a simple message of you as a business owner sharing your story to your audience; maybe your video is designed for social media and is intentionally taking on the qualities of the casual content on that platform. Remember, everything in video production is permissible as long as it is intentional.

At the end of the day, you know your industry and audience better than anyone. You are the expert! Before you begin your next video production project, take that knowledge with you, sit down, and think critically about the following questions about video quality: 

1. What is my intention? 
2. Would a low or high production value best reflect my business?

1. What do I want my audience to think or feel? 
2. How can I best portray this with the quality of my video?

1. Where do I plan on using this video content when it’s done? 
2. Does the platform I intend on using reflect the video quality I intend on using?

If you can answer those questions, you’ll be light years ahead in developing your video content strategy and pin-pointing when quality matters for you and your business. 

Video production Boston company, Skillman Video Group, enjoys educating clients so they can be on the path to marketing success. We encourage you to further explore our website for more educational resources and contact us at [email protected] if you have any further questions or want to get started on your first Boston video production project.

When does quality matter in video production?