Video marketing can establish trust with potential clients, encourage social media engagement, improve your Google ranking, and establish you as an expert in your field.
Not convinced? Take a look at these video statistics courtesy of the Deposit Photos Blog:
- 500,000,000 people watch Facebook videos every day.
- 1/3 of the time people spend online is devoted to watching videos.
- 74% of all Internet traffic is video.
- Simply mentioning the word ‘video’ in the subject of your email increases the open rate by 19%.
- 87% of marketers use video content in their marketing strategies.
In addition to the above, YouTube has grown into the 2nd largest search engine in the world – processing more than 3 billion searches a month. YouTube also collects 6 billion hours of video views monthly.
The importance of incorporating video into your firm’s marketing strategy cannot be overstated.
Now let’s talk about how much video marketing costs.
Listen, I’m not going to lie and say that you can make a video yourself that is just as good as the professionals – because you can’t. Hiring professional help will give you the best video content, hands down.
If you have the budget, hire a top tier video production company and have them make you a marketing video rivaling the quality of HBO’s Game of Thrones.
The truth is, most small and mid sized law firms can’t afford to spend huge sums of cash on professional video marketing. If I’m talking about you, don’t worry. You can still create high quality marketing videos on a budget. Here’s how…
Use Your Smart Phone:
“But I don’t have any video equipment,” said the attorney holding a brand new iPhone X.
You may think that in order to produce high quality video content, you need an expensive camera. That’s no longer true.
All you need is your smartphone. Nowadays almost everyone has one. And you likely already know how to use it (I hope).
The video recording quality on smartphones is surprisingly good. The newer phones can record in 4k – including the new iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel. For those of us who aren’t familiar with camera resolutions (let’s be honest, most of us aren’t), 4k video refers to a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels – AKA really frickin clear.
Forget buying a new camera; jump start your video marketing with your cell phone!
COST: $0.00
Use Natural Light:
Do not underestimate the importance of lighting in your videos.
Ideally you’d want a 3-point lighting setup – complete with a backlight, fill light, and key light. But lights cost money. And we’re not videographers, so we’d likely screw it up anyways.
Luckily we have a friend 93,000,000 miles away that is willing to help. I am of course talking about the sun.
Natural light can work wonders for your videos! Just be sure to film when the light is soft – either early in the morning or late in the evening. If you are filming indoors, try and find a well-lit room full of windows.
COST: $0.00
Use Free Editing Software:
Unless you are confident that you can nail your video in one continuous take, you’ll need to do some editing. Editing software can give your video a polished look and a professional feel.
Lifewire put together an amazing list of the 6 best free video editing software programs for 2018. Check it out. You can’t go wrong with any of the 6 listed.
COST: $0.00
Invest in a Gimbal:
Gimbals can take your videos from Junior Varsity to Varsity.
A gimbal is a handheld tool that uses a set of motors and sensors to keep your camera steady — taking the shake out of your video and giving it a cinematic feel. Gimbals aren’t cheap but they are well worth the investment.
iMore put together an amazing list of the best gimbals for iPhones. With prices ranging from $100-$300, a gimbal will be your largest investment. But if you want high quality video content, a gimbal is a must.
COST: $100 – $300
Promote Your Video:
Once you’ve filmed and edited your video, you need to promote it.
First, share your video on all of your firm’s social media pages. Don’t forget about YouTube. If your firm doesn’t have a YouTube channel, time to create one. Here are a few tips on how to create a baller YouTube Channel for your business.
You can further promote your video through paid social media advertising; that is if you have the budget. You should also “pin” your video to the top of your social media pages.
Second, upload your video onto your firm’s website.
Finally, be sure to email your video to all of your contacts. If you have an introductory email that gets sent to new clients, be sure your new video is in it! Merely mentioning the word “video” in your email subject line can increase your open rate by 19%, HubSpot reports.
COST: $0.00
Conclusion:
Video marketing has never been more accessible. You no longer need large piles of cash to make high quality marketing videos. All you need is a smartphone, some sunlight, a gimbal, editing software, and a little social media know-how.
Time to get to work!
via The Lawyers Post
Brendan Bald 