We fully understand that making videos can be costly. That is why we prefer to make videos that achieve their goal directly. But making targeted videos without a clear goal is very hard. Ho do you define a goal for your video, and why is it so important?
Why should your video exist?
Why are you making a video? Who are you making a video for? For us, these are the basic questions that stand at the beginning of every project. The answers to these questions are not always easy to formulate.
Why does your video exist? We call this Raison d’être in the design profession. Without that basis, it is difficult to come up with an effective video, that fits well with what you actually want.
These questions form the basis of your message, before video can be chosen as a form at all. For example, we may find out when answering these questions that your target audience is over 80. Then video may not be the best medium for your story.
Framework
This Raison d´être is the absolute basis for the entire design process and all decisions that follow, about the final look and feel of the video. It gives us a set of requirements within which we can get started to come up with the perfect idea.
For example: A video for a younger audience will do better on Instagram than on LinkedIn. When we decide that we will make a video for Instagram, a number of requirements will arise. To name a few: the video can not take more than 60 seconds, a square video format works best and the video is initially played without audio.
When there is a very clear “and” in the answer to the question “why” and “for whom” you have to ask yourself whether your answer is concrete enough. Suppose you want to make a video for people in the age groups of 60 and 20. Then chances are that the final video no longer appeals to either one of these groups. That would be a waste of effort. In this case it is wiser to choose one of the two target groups, or to divide your story into two videos.
The more specific the goals of your video are defined, the easier it becomes to come up with a really good idea. When you have clear goals, you also know what you do not want or what is unnecessary. This prevents feature creeping and makes a clear video without a lot of fuss. And we love that!
