I frequently get asked questions on the hows and whys of video. Some of these questions are general, some specific. Some are technical, some conceptual. It struck me that the information requested might be of use to everyone, so hence the start of this blog. I hope you find it useful.

For this first post, let’s look at why you should be considering video. As an example, take a look at this video on YouTube about preventing bolts from coming loose. For my money, it’s a bit long and the production value isn’t particularly high, but there’s definitely useful information contained within it. My point, though, is that to date, some 50,000 people have watched this video.

The company in question could well have made it themselves, although that would probably have tied up somebody’s time for a good few days. If they got an outside production company, I’d suggest that this video would have cost no more than £1000 to produce. That equates to 2p per viewing. Compare that with the print and production cost of a brochure to do the same job, given that the brochure might only be mailed to three or four thousand people.

In addition, the video is going to continue working hard for you year after year. You can flag it up on your own website, highlight it you email newsletter, discuss it in your editorials and blogs, draw people’s attention to it in your adverts, and even have it playing on your stand at exhibitions. The material could be repurposed, too, perhaps as a white paper or to form the basis of a seminar.

In coming posts on this blog, I’ll look at further reasons to consider video, explore different kinds of videos you can make and their roles, and offer tips and suggestions for producing better videos.