9 Ways to Save Time and Money With Video Content

The average promotional video costs anywhere from $1,000 to $50,000 or even more. But, you can still create effective video marketing content without breaking your budget. Here are a few ways to save time and money with video content.

9 Ways to Save Time and Money With Video Content

1. Use Your Own Video Lighting

Professional lighting is expensive, but you can make your own lighting situation with a bit of creativity and resourcefulness. With the right lighting placement, you can create good lighting by simply using lamps or natural light. Avoid overhead lighting usually found in indoor spaces. Instead, move lamps to light the subject from the side to create dramatic shadows, or use a three-point lighting set-up.

2. Make it Short and Sweet

Most marketing videos should be less than two minutes long. This means, you don’t have to spend a lot of time or money on a long, detailed video. Focus on one aspect of your business, services, products, or customer experience. Spend a few minutes outlining some short video ideas and make sure you know how these video ideas connect with your overall marketing strategy. Then, you’ll have a good idea of what you’ll need to set up and how to film your video.

3. Create Your Own Set

The best way to show off your business is to use what you already have; your own business setting, products, customers, etc. You don’t need to invest in a lot of props or expensive equipment. As previously mentioned, you’ll need to set up your lighting, but your set doesn’t need to be overly complex.

4. Make a Script

Instead of filming a video twenty times, make a script, read through it, and film it just a few times. A little planning in advance can save you lots of time. Make sure you and everyone in the video knows what they’re doing. You’ll not only film fewer times, but you’ll save time on editing as well.

5. Talk to Customers

Use testimonial videos and let your customers do the talking for you. There are many different types of testimonial videos you can try, and you won’t need paid actors or complicated skits. This is a great way to save time and money with video content, but it’s also a great way to create an authentic and compelling video that potential customers can relate to.

6. Cut Out the Expensive Editing Software

You don’t need expensive and complicated video editing software to create compelling video content. This software will eat into your budget, but it also takes time to learn how to use it. There are plenty of zero-cost or low-cost options with the basic features you need to edit your video. These tools are usually pretty basic too, so they won’t take long to learn. With Boast, you can collect, view, share, and edit your videos all in one place.

Clip, rearrange, add intros and more
Collect, edit, and post videos with Boast

7. Collect Your Videos in One Place

Instead of trying to collect videos on your phone, on your computer, on colleagues’ computers, and multiple other places, collect your videos all in one place. The ideal video collection platform will allow you to easily save, review, edit, and share your videos without changing file types, or learning a bunch of different software types and functions.

8. Make a Plan

As previously mentioned, a clear video content plan can help you save time in the long run and improve ROI. Making a video marketing plan requires some upfront time investment, but it will help ensure you’re using your time effectively. Your plan should include where you want your videos to appear, who your target audience is, how long your videos should be, and the key message you want to convey. Your plan should also include who and what you’ll need in your video, and a clear schedule for filming, video editing, and posting.

9. Leverage UGC Video Content

One of the best ways to save time and money with video content is to use videos that already exist. Your customers may already have videos demonstrating how your products or services work, and how they’ve benefited from them. You can collect UGC videos by using a hashtag on social media, asking customers to submit their videos directly to your site, hosting a contest and providing rewards, and more.

5 Low-Cost Video Content Ideas

There are many ways to save time and money with video content. With these strategies in mind, a few low-cost video content ideas can help you get started.

1. Demonstration Video

Showing how your product or service works is one of the best low-cost video ideas. Simply set up your lighting, find a solid place for your smartphone, and start filming as you show how your product works. Or, if it’s obvious how your product or service works, you might demonstrate how to solve a problem or accomplish a task faster.

2. Explainer Video

For an explainer video, you just need to set up your lighting, find a quiet place, and explain a confusing or complicated issue or problem to your audience. You can combine this with a demonstration video if you have a solution in mind. You might simply film yourself explaining something and add some minor effects for visual interest, like an intro or additional title. Or, you might explain how a process or machine works, and film it.

3. Time-Lapse Video

A time-lapse video is low-cost, interesting, and only requires time and patience. Simply set your phone in a spot, make sure your “set” is well-lit, then film a process. You can fast-forward the video later to create a zippy, engaging video of a particular event or procedure.

4. Product Comparison

You may need to borrow or invest in a few different products for this to work. This probably will include your competitor’s products. But it’s a great way to show how your product works and compares to the competition in real time. Don’t be afraid to be honest; if your competitors’ products have some advantages over yours, it’s okay to show this. As long as the video shows your product’s advantages as well, your audience will be able to see which product is best for them. This will help you bring in happy customers.

5. Tour

Give your customers and audience a tour of your space, from your home-office to your warehouse to your shop front or something else. You might include some brief interviews with employees to take your customers behind-the-scenes, or show something special or interesting about your workplace along the way.

Video content is becoming an increasingly important part of online marketing. With some time- and money-saving tips in mind, as well as some low-cost video ideas, you can create compelling videos without overspending. Consider carefully what type of video content you’re looking for, and remember to make your content helpful, useful, or otherwise enjoyable for your audience. With patience and persistence, your videos will bring in more customers and help you grow your business.