The Final 3 Types of Videos You Need on Your Website

Congratulations! By now you should know all about the first 6 types of videos we suggest you have on your website. If you want a refresher…

1 – 3 are Product or Services videos, Cost videos and your Values and Uniques video

4 – 6 are Customer Journey videos, FAQ videos and Employee Bio videos

and now we’re down to 7 – 9. Drum roll, please!

7. Recruitment Videos

Finding good talent is tough. But even knowing that, you don’t want just anybody working in your company. You want to make sure they are the right fit for your organization, that they understand what you expect from them and what they can expect from you. Creating a video highlighting the position you’re hiring for, interviewing current employees, and showing what someone can expect from the position on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly occurrence, will help you stand out from the competition and recruit ideal candidates.

OUR EXAMPLE

Our friends at CEI-CMHA have worked with us over the past few years to create recruitment videos for them. Check out this recruitment video about their Residential Technician position!

5. Training Videos

Once you hire someone, you need to train them up! Doing in-person training can be beneficial at certain times, but having a video archive of different tasks and duties that employees are expected to do will save time and money in the long run and it allows for employees to look back a get a refresher whenever needed.

OUR EXAMPLE

We love our relationship with EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System) and have had the opportunity to create many videos for them including training videos for their implementors. Take a look at some of the videos we’ve produced for them (the training videos are at the bottom of the page).

6. Landing Page Videos

People are very cautious about giving out their information, from concerns about identity theft, to just not wanting to get a whole lot of spam, they just don’t want to put their information out there. So taking the time to have a video that can be coupled with an information request can put people’s minds at ease.

So there you go. The final 3 types of videos you need on your website. If you have any questions or comments on how to execute any of these videos, feel free to reach out to us, or peruse Good U, as we may just have the answer right at your fingertips. For now, go forth, do good and be fruitful. We’ll talk to you soon.

The Next 3 Types of Videos You Need on Your Website

Today, we’re happy to share the second installment of our 3 part series about what videos you need on your website.

Just to recap…

We know that at least 70% of all purchasing decisions are made before someone even talks to a person. For that reason, having consistent, quality content on your website and social media is an absolute must.

We already shared the first 3 types of videos you must have on your website…

Product or service videos, cost videos, and a video about your process and uniques. If you want a refresher, here you go!

So, now that those are complete… here are the next 3 types of videos you need…

4. Customer Journey Videos

Customer Journey videos are more than testimonials. These videos take the viewer back before you were even in the picture. Back when your client first had their issue and then it takes the viewer all the way through the journey that has led them to be the happy, repeat customer they are today.

OUR EXAMPLE

We love working with our friends at EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System) for many videos, but take a look at some of the customer journey videos we have produced for them, here.

Not sure you have the budget/desire to hire a production team every time you have a raving fan? We recommend you check out our friends over at Boast, who allow your happy clients to self submit video testimonials on your behalf. In fact, we use it for ourselves! Once you receive a glowing testimonial, you can decide from there if you’d like to create a more polished, in-depth, customer journey story about your raving customer, client, partner, or fan.

5. FAQ Videos

FAQ videos are about answering the questions that you and your team get asked all the time. Taking the time to answer these questions via video will help you stand out from your competition, build trust with your website visitors. and keep you top of mind for when it’s time to make the purchase.

OUR EXAMPLE

Our friends at Melling Engine Parts do a wonderful job of answering FAQs via video and we love producing those for them!

6. Employee Bios

When you have these videos, potential customers and clients are introduced to your team members, but it goes beyond that. They can really get to know those folks so that when it comes to making a purchase, they’re not talking to a stranger, they’re talking to Bill, the sales rep who enjoys hiking on the weekends and a good craft beer. That personal touch can go a long way.

OUR EXAMPLE

Check out how our friends at Stormy Kromer are creating DIY profiles of their employees.

So there you are… the next 3 types of videos you need on your website. To recap, the first 3 types of videos we recommend, product or service videos, cost videos and a video about your process and uniques, all will help attract the right type of buyers to your website. These next three videos help you stand out from any competitors still in the running for the purchase.

Keep an eye out for our final installment of the series to round out the videos you absolutely need on your website.

As always, if we can help you execute these videos, please do not hesitate to reach out. Thanks!

Equipment Recommendations for DIY Video Productions

Here at Good Fruit Video, we believe videos need to be a consistent tool utilized throughout your organization. We also understand that not every single video may need our professional touch every step of the way. Sometimes it makes more sense to record a video on your phone or laptop than hire a pro. That’s totally fine by us!

But, if you are going to capture video and audio for your professional organization, it makes sense to invest a little bit of money to up your production quality.

In this blog, we walk you through a few tools you can acquire to make your DIY productions more pleasant to your viewer’s eyes and ears.

 

Upping Your Sound Game

Recording audio straight to your smartphone, tablet, or laptop is possible, but the further your subject is from the device, the more spacey and weak the audio becomes. Investing in a lavalier or shotgun microphone will allow you to have crystal clear sound, even if your subject is further away the camera. Room noise is another important consideration. HVAC units and other noisemakers could compete with your audio, if you’re inside, while traffic and wind can mess with your sound when you are outside. We recommend the Rode Microphones Wireless GO Compact Microphone System, W/Rode Pro Lavalier Mic, or the IK Multimedia iRig Mic Video Bundle for better audio.

Turn Up Your Light Game

A poorly lit video with good audio is a podcast. Podcasts are fine, but if your goal is to make a video, you need good lighting. You can make proper use of available light, but it may mean you have to move around to get the right light, and if you’re outside or by a window, the light can change on you without warning. For better control, we suggest investing in a good light for your productions. We recommend the Lumecube Panel GO for better lighting.

Shot Stabilization

You don’t want your viewers to get motion sickness from a shaky, handheld shot. Unless you are naturally super steady with your movements, we suggest adding an ergonomic tool to help you create a more controlled image. Our recommendation is the Beastgrip Pro Smartphone Lens Adapter and Camera Rig System. You can hold onto it for steadier shots with movement or use it with a tripod for stationary shots.

There you have it! Our three recommendations to up your DIY video productions. Sure, you can create videos without these, but the value these tools will bring to your videos will be more than their cost.

We hope you found this blog informative and helpful. If you have more questions, feel free to give us a shout. Thanks!

What Role Should COVID-19 Have in Your Video?

If you haven’t noticed, we are in some pretty unprecedented times right now. COVID-19 has rocked our world and changed nearly every aspect of our lives. At least temporarily.

It’s been interesting to see how different organizations have reacted to the pandemic within their videos. Some choose to face the current situation face on and feature the pandemic and current safety measures (distancing, masks, etc.). Others choose to produce videos that resemble life before (and hopefully after) our current situation.

Before we go any further, it’s important to note that we are taking precautions to make everyone safe. We welcome you to check out our safety procedures in accordance with the state’s reopening plans.

Now, back to the blog. With the current state of affairs, how should your organization represent its videos in the coming months? Here are two questions you should ask yourself before hitting the record and our suggestion…

1. What Do You Do?

For any organization that has a lot of human to human interaction, showcasing their staff taking safety measures is a good option. If your organization is more about providing products, then it’s less important to have those safety measures front and center.

2. What is the Life Expectancy of Your Video?

How long are you expecting to use your video? If the answer is a year or less, COVID-19 will very likely still be around, so having people wearing masks, standing six feet apart, and washing their hands is not be a bad idea. If you are looking to produce a video that has an expected shelf life of 3 or more years, then featuring these precautions may not be as important.

Our Recommendation

Ultimately it will come down to you and your organization’s preference. Consider your audience. Will they appreciate you showing your team operating with all current safety measures or do you think they’d prefer to watch a video that didn’t remind them that we’re currently living in a pandemic?

There is no right or wrong answer. Our suggestion is to cover your bases. If your video is produced in a documentary style, with interviews from people, or even a scripted, direct address, the person doing the talking will not be expected to wear a mask while they’re speaking. However, when capturing the supplementary and complementary video, known as b-roll, it’d be easy enough to capture each shot or scene with both people wearing masks and not wearing masks. If you choose not to have people wearing masks or taking specific safety measures during your video, a text disclaimer that when the video was shot, all individuals took proper safety precautions can be added to the video as well and can easily removed in the future.

We hope this article was helpful for you as you continue to create great, safe, and thoughtful video content during this unique moment in time! Stay safe. Do Good and Be Fruitful! If you have any more questions or comments, feel free to let us know. Thanks!

P.S.

If you would still like to produce videos for your organization, but don’t want to bring in an outside person or company to do so, we have you covered as well. Our own, Kraig Westfall, produced a video on how you can shoot a good video on your phone or laptop.

The First 3 Types of Videos You Need on Your Website

We live in a show me society. If people can’t see something, it’s not real. That’s where video comes in.

Studies show that at least 70% of all purchasing decisions are made before someone even picks up a phone or stops into a shop. That’s why having consistent, quality content on your website and social media is truly the linchpin to growing your organization.

But where do you start? Today, we share the first installment of our 3 part series… 3 types of videos you need on your website by April 1st.

Video Type 1 – Videos About Your Products or Services

What you want to do with these videos is to build a well educated consumer base. The more educated the buyer is before the purchase, the more likely they’ll be happy with the purchase and come back for more.

OUR EXAMPLE

Our two bread and butter services are Documentary and Scripted and have videos showcasing the styles to go along with written descriptions on our website.

Video Type 2 – Right Fit Video

As appealing as it can be to work with everyone and anyone who could use your product or service, certain people or organizations will ultimately align better with what you provide. Creating a video that allows folks to self identify if they are the right fit to work with you will create long term, copacetic relationships that will leave everyone happy at the end of the day.

OUR EXAMPLE

It took us a while, but we were eventually able to identify the values, beliefs, and goals of organizations that are the best fit for the services we provide. Check it out!

Video Type 3 – Your Process and Uniques

Odds are there are other organizations that provide the same or similar products or services as you do, but they’re not you. Educating visitors and prospects about your uniques and specific value will ultimately help you build a strong foundation of customers, partners and fans.

OUR EXAMPLE

Here’s our Process and Uniques video for reference.

So there you go. The first 3 types of videos you need on your website. Having these videos on your website will not only increase your sales but overall, it will attract the right type of customers, clients, partners and fans to help you grow the company you want and need.

If we can help you get these videos created or help you further in anyway, do not hesitate to let us know. Thanks!

The Two Most Important Things to Look For When Selecting a Video Production Team

If you asked a million people what they want from a video production company, many of them would come up with a consensus that they want them to produce consistent, quality video on time and on budget.

Here’s the thing… any professional video production company should be able to check those four boxes. Yet, at the end of the day, you still prefer to work with some of the companies over others. Why is that? It’s because budget, quality, and speed are only 60% of the equation. In this blog, we will share the two things most important things to look for from a video production company.

1. Their Core Focus & Values

Successful businesses always have a core focus and values from which they’ve built and run their business. Sometimes businesses go one step further and have a promise to go along with it. Promise or not, working with an organization whose focus resonates with your desired outcome and whose values mesh with your own, is key. It will, not only make for a better experience for the project but likely develop a long-term relationship.

Oh, and if you’re wondering, our core focus, values and promise are…

Our Core Focus is to… 

Make Video Easy

Our Values are…

Keep It Real – Be honest at all times

It’s All Good – Stay calm and focus on options

Move the Needle – Make progress and have an impact

Do Good Be Fruitful – Always do the right thing

Stay Curious – Continue learning

Our Promise is to…

Deliver a Video You LOVE

Our goal is that everything we do as a company reflects our Values and that we execute on our Core Focus and deliver on our Promise every time we produce a video for anyone.

Organizations with many different values than ours should likely not work with us and vice versa. It’s just not a good fit.

2. Their Production Style

Do you want to be more hands-on or do you prefer taking a hands-off approach with your production?

Do you already have an idea of what you want or do you need their team to do the creative lifting for you? 

Finding a video team whose production style jives with your desired approach is extremely important to have the best experience and outcome.

For instance, at Good Fruit, we’re not experts in creating concepts, making storyboards, and or writing scripts in-house. What we are experts at is executing on the vision that our client brings to us. Our best work happens when we are given a crystal clear vision from the client and then they step back and trust us to deliver a video they love. So, we’re not a good fit for organizations who want to be more hands-on and are expecting their video production team to provide creative vision from scratch.

Ultimately, getting a video produced should be a fun experience for you and your company. Not only should you get a piece at the end that reflects your business wonderfully, and does what you need it to do, but you should be satisfied with the entire process. Selecting a video team with the right core focus, values and style will allow you to collaborate at the level you’re comfortable with, will ultimately get you a video you love!

Good luck and have a fruitful production! If you need anything else, feel free to give us a shout. Thanks.

Do You Need a Script For That?

When we meet with a new client to discuss a project, it’s often asked, “Who writes the script?”. That’s a good question, but it’s putting the cart before the horse. Really, the question to ask is, is a script necessary?

At Good Fruit, we’re all about authenticity. Allowing real people to use their own words, to tell the story. We then remove the stumbles and long pauses during the editing phase, making the final story smooth and seamless. We’ve successfully produced thousands of videos this way over the past decade, all with different uses and goals. However, there are a handful of times that scripting is necessary.

1. How-To videos

How-To videos, like the ones we produce for Melling Engine Parts, require specific words and exact terms to be used, making a script important to make sure you get it right.

2. Animation videos

If a video is going to be animated like the one we did for CPAN, it will require a voice-over. I have yet to meet a voice-over artist that does not require a script to read from. Looking for a good voice over artist? Looking for a voice over artist? We recommend using Speedy Spots.

3. TV Commercials

TV commercials like this one we did for MSU Libraries, have to be an exact length. A script is usually needed in order to make sure you stay within the allotted time.

There are a few other times when someone may decide to go with a script for all or some of a video, such as with a historical video. However, the three types above are the three types of videos that require scripting.

Other times, people feel more comfortable with a simple outline with a list of pre-chosen questions or topics for them to review and think about before the interview. That’s fine too.

Ultimately, it comes down to what your goals are and what you’re most comfortable with. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a shout. Thanks!

I Have A Great Video. Now What? 5 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Video.

video shoot

Video is an amazing tool that can do some incredible things for your organization and brand, but like any other tool, it needs to be utilized correctly to get you all those results you hear about. We’re here to help you identify the ways you can get the most out of your videos.

1. Upload it to a Video Sharing Site.

The first thing is first. Utilizing a platform like Youtube or Vimeo will allow your video to automatically come up in web searches. Videos carry a lot of weight on the world wide web and so they carry the priority in searches. They also make it easy to share the video in emails or on webpages.

Helpful hint… Google (the #1 search engine) owns Youtube, so they prioritize that video content over others.

2. Send it in Emails

Whether it’s a sales e-mail or a newsletter, including links to videos are shown to improve open and conversion rates.

Helpful hint… programs such as Constant Contact and Mail Chimp allow specific tools for embedding videos.

3. Embed it in Your Website

Make sure the video is embedded in the appropriate place on your website. I.e. if it’s about your organization in general, have it on the Home Page. If it’s about a certain program, house it on the page about that specific program.

Helpful hint…Have the video near the top of the page, so viewers can watch it first and, if they’re interested, go into more detail by reading the text underneath.

4. Share it on social media for free

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, and others allow you a free platform to share your video. The numbers will not be as large as those coming from television, but viewers watching a video online are much more targeted and are choosing to watch the video and those are the numbers you want!

There are also paid options for all these platforms. Putting a little money behind the post can exponentially increase the targeted views as well.

Helpful hint… Upload your video straight to Facebook allows for a much more interactive experience, as your video will automatically start playing in the same window, rather than making the viewer click on a link first and be redirected to where the video is housed.

5. WRITER’S CHOICE: Play it before speaking or at an event

When speaking in front of a group, you only have a finite amount of time to share information about your organization, program, event, product. Using a video allows you to provide a 10,000-foot view of whatever you’ll be speaking on, quickly, making the most of your time. You are then left with the opportunity to answer questions and elaborate on details that are most interesting to your audience.

I hope you found this article helpful in getting the most out of your video. There are several other ways to effectively share your video and as technology grows, the opportunities will also grow. If you would like to learn more, we suggest these articles by HubSpot. If you would like assistance with sharing your video, we’d suggest reaching out to one of the following organizations we’ve worked with in the past…

Smith Advertising

Inverve Marketing

Glow Social Media

Change Media Group

Need more assistance? We’re here to help! Just give us a shout.

So… How Much Will This Video Cost?

So… How Much Will This Video Cost?

At Good Fruit Video, we’ve had the pleasure of working with hundreds of clients throughout the last decade. Clients that provide all sorts of different products and services to their customers, consumers, employees, stakeholders, donors, and volunteers. Every single client has their own goals for their video project, but one thing always stays the same… every client wants to know how much the video is going to cost.

In this blog, I will work to educate you on the variables that ultimately lead to the cost of your video project.

Variable 1: The Planning

Planning is extremely important for ending up with an excellent video. Answering the questions about the purpose, audience, message, timeline, and vehicle(s) for your video is paramount to the overall success of the project.

Once you answer those questions, you will need to identify how you want to project to be done. Will your production be:

  • Documentary style, utilizing interviews and complimentary video.
  • Direct address, scripted video.
  • Cinematic style, utilizing scripts, storyboards, and potentially actors.
  • An animation, such as a whiteboard video.
  • A live, streaming video, such as Facebook live or webinar.

All five of these production types have benefits and negatives, depending on your goals for the project.

Variable 2: The Crew

The size and expertise of your crew will change the price quite a bit. A person or crew, fresh out of high school or college, is going to cost less than a professional crew with years or decades of experience producing videos for clients. Utilizing a member of your own team to shoot the video is another option, though unless that is their main role, it may hinder performance in their daily work.

Depending on the production type, the size can also vary. A documentary-style production will normally have far fewer crew members, usually one to three, while a cinematic crew may have five, ten, or more crew members on set.

Variable 3: The Equipment

Good lighting and quality sound are probably the two biggest factors behind a great video. Understanding the need for additional light and sound equipment, as well as stabilization and other gear, such as a slider, jib arm or even additional camera is extremely important to make a quality video.

Variable 4: The Travel

If a videographer or crew is traveling any amount of distance in order to capture video for your project, that will be included in your cost for the video. Travel rates vary, depending on the distance, crew size, and time it will take the crew to get to the shoot and get back to the office. Shoots that take multiple days may also incur room and board charges.

Variable 5: The Shoot Time

Most production companies charge in half-day and full-day when it comes to shoots. A half-day is usually up to four or five hours and a full-day is up to eight or ten hours. However, there are teams that may charge in only full days or simply per hour. It really depends on the company and how they feel they can bring the best value to their client. Also, remember, a videographer or crew will need time to set up and tear down equipment, before, after, and during a shoot. Plan accordingly.

Variable 6: Post-Production

Again, depending on the approach to a video, post-production can vary. If a video was shot in a documentary style, the story will have to be created from the interviews and other audio captured. From there, additional video (known as B-Roll) will be used to complement the narrative. A process like this can take anywhere from two to four hours per hour of video capture. With cinematic videos, putting the story together may take less time, as so much was put into scripting and controlling the production. However, after the story is put together, things such as color grading and sound sweetening are done to polish off the video and make it ready for viewer consumption.

Variable 7: Turnaround time

Do you need your finished video in a month, a week, or a day? The turnaround time for the finished video will dictate the amount of concentrated effort needed by the team to execute your production and thus will affect the cost of the project. However, turnaround time is not only for finished projects. The amount of time given prior to scheduling, rescheduling and even canceling a video shoot can dramatically affect the workflow of a production team and can ultimately lead to additional costs.

Variable 8: Opportunity Cost

Is the shoot the one and only opportunity to get video of an event or interview with a certain person? If so, the cost of opportunity is great. NOTHING can be left to chance. EVERYTHING has to work right. The pressure is on and it’s going to cost you. But you’ll be happy when you have the video later on.

Conversely, when you book a videographer or crew, you are booking their most valuable commodity, their time. Until we are able to clone ourselves, there’s a huge value to that.

The Non-Variable:

There’s one thing that many people consider when thinking about the price of a video. Length. Call me crazy, but I don’t see this as a variable that should affect the overall budget. A video, with little video editing needed, may take little time to complete, whereas a 30-second spot, may take hours and days to get finalized. Ultimately, if the video does what it’s intended to do, the length should not matter.

Instead of looking at the length or video as a value driver, consider these other things instead…

What’s the value of the goal you are trying to meet?

Will the video help you make money? How much?

Save money? How much?

Recruit? Who? What is that person(s) worth to your organization?

Train talent? On what? Will a video help you do this better?

How long will you use this video?

So how much does a video cost? Ultimately, it depends.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to give us a shout. Thanks!

Seven Things You Can Do to Save Time, Money and Headache in the Video Production Process

explaining

When you hire a professional video team to make your content, you are paying a premium for the expertise, experience, equipment, and quality that comes from a professional. Depending on the size of your company, it can be a huge step, but one that can have a huge return on investment if done correctly.

There are a few things you can do to help streamline the production and save time and money in the process.

1. Be Realistic

You should expect to be spending money on a professional. With a budget under $1,000, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get much done. If you have a budget under that, you may want to look for students who are currently studying video production as a possible solution. Doing a production yourself may also be an option, but work on it will take you away from what you do best and can ultimately do more harm than good.

2. Be Specific

The more specific detail you can provide about what you want of your video, the better chance the final piece will fit your vision and meet or exceed your goals. Things like:

1. What’s the purpose of the project?

2. Who is your target audience?

3. What are your key messages?

4. What is your timeline?

The more specifically you can answer these questions, the better the end product will be.

3. Be Prepared

Having assets, such as pictures and logos, at the correct size and resolution, prepared beforehand will help the production run smoothly. The bigger a picture, the better. Think, at least 1000 pixels in width and in height. Vector files (.ai and some .pdf files) allow you to enlarge and shrink the graphic without losing any quality and should be used if possible. If not, use the same rule of thumb as with a picture.

4. Don’t Wait

Waiting until the last second can be a headache and painful on the pocketbook. Take the time to look at what is coming up for your organization and decide then and there, if the video is something you want to be included.

5. If You Think You May Want It, Get It

You don’t always need to know what you’ll use it for right away. We hear lamenting from clients, all the time when something went by and they have no video to remember it or to use in videos later on. Having that footage in the future, even if you don’t know what you’ll use it for at the time, is going to be greater than the cost to capture it.

6. Be Decisive and Thorough

In order to get your project completed quickly, efficiently, and within budget, make sure to review the full video completely, before providing edit notes. It’s also important to have everyone responsible for the video, review it before providing edit notes.

7. Share Your Wares

You paid a premium to get a quality piece(s) produced. Now you need to utilize it so it can help you meet your needs. Whether that’s embedding it in your website, sharing it on social media, sending it in e-mails, using it at presentations, or, hopefully, a combination, your video will only be effective if it’s used. If you need help with this, ask your network or the production team for suggestions for someone who can help.

I hope you found this blog informative and helpful to make your next video project the most pain-free and fruitful experience! As always, if we can help further, feel free to give us a shout. Thanks!