Most everyone is walking around with a phone in their pocket that is now capable of shooting, editing, and posting video content for a variety of outlets. However, it takes a certain amount of technical expertise and creativity to create compelling video content that meets your business needs.

Especially during these strange and uncertain times, it is crucial to keep the lines of communication open to let your customers and employees know that you are still conducting business as normally as possible while adapting to the ever-changing marketplace. There are some basic ways you can spice up video content created from your home, so it looks more professional and is better able to effectively communicate your message.

The following are some helpful tips and suggestions to improve the look and messaging capabilities of video content produced out of your home.

Why video marketing is important 

Advances in technology and the widespread availability and access to wireless, high-speed internet connections have made video content marketing a powerful tool. Video is now used by businesses across all online platforms to communicate with prospective customers and even internally. 

Before the coronavirus even started impacting businesses, video has been a highly effective means of communicating your brand messaging, explaining and introducing products and services, and building trust and loyalty among large groups of consumers. This can be done through compelling promotional videos, customer testimonials, product demonstrations, explainer videos, and more.

Below are some stats in support of video marketing: 

• Video is used as a valuable marketing tool by 81% of businesses today.
• YouTube users watch more than 1 billion hours of video every day.
• 72% of customers prefer video to learn about products and services they need.
• Your website is up to 53 times more likely to get to the first page of Google if it includes video.
• Most every marketer says that video content has helped users to understand their products and services. 

How the coronavirus pandemic has increased the need for video content

The global coronavirus pandemic has forced businesses worldwide to reassess their communication needs and functions with more people working from home. It has resulted in a tectonic shift in priorities for the short-term, with long-term implications that will forever change the way people and businesses communicate.

Online marketing efforts are relying on video content more than ever as a suitable replacement for face-to-face communications. Video is playing an essential role in adapting to a new world of social distancing and stay-at-home orders. Your customers, employees, contractors, vendors, and other business associates are using Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, Facebook video messaging, and other platforms to stay in touch and market your products and services. 

As your customers adjust to these unprecedented times, they are becoming more familiar with video as a leading source of communication. 

How to create DIY at-home videos

Businesses are also being forced to create their own video content from home to avoid the personal contact and sharing of equipment that comes with traditional video production. So how can you create successful content for video advertising and marketing?  

DIY/at-home video equipment 

Just a few short years ago, it would have been unimaginable to think that you could have the power to produce and distribute video content from a device that fits into the palm of your hand. That is how rapidly video technology has advanced. 

Many view video production as something with vans full of cameras, tripods, microphones, tape and all the bells and whistles that come with TV commercials. However, today's consumer devices offer the ability to produce video content with better quality than expensive production equipment that was considered state-of-the-art just a couple of decades ago.

Smart phones

The latest cell phones, tablets, and other mobile devices come standard with the kind of technology and features that can produce professional-quality video content. Accessories like stands and microphones help to amp up the quality of video that these modern technical marvels can produce.

Action cameras

Do you have a GoPro or other action camera that collects dust in your closet? Now is the perfect time to dust it off and use it to create compelling video content. Action cameras create dynamic, mesmerizing images that will engage viewers and draw them into your content.

DSLR cameras

Digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras are essentially upgraded digital cameras with the ability to shoot sharp, clean videos using a digital imaging sensor.

Professional cameras

Only the most experienced and tech-savvy should invest in professional-grade cameras. 

Audio equipment

You can optimize a video with no sound or enhance existing sound by wearing headphones or earbuds with a microphone. If you are worried about how it looks to have headphones on or cords coming from your ears, wireless earbuds offer a cleaner and more streamlined look. Budget permitting, you could invest in lavalier microphones and an audio mixer that will provide a more professional sound and give you more options. 

Lighting equipment

Simply pointing a desk lamp or other house light at your subject often will create hot spots and harsh lighting. Using a nearby wall or piece of white cardboard will soften the light. Natural sunlight looks great on camera, though Mother Nature controls when and how long sunlight will last. If you want to take the lighting to another level, clamp and LED lights for home video productions are more accessible and affordable than ever. 

Stock video footage 

One way to overcome the restrictions the coronavirus pandemic has forced onto your video production efforts is to make use of stock video footage. Millions of hours of vintage film and modern video are now accessible for use in your marketing videos through digital video warehouses. 

Several massive media warehouses offer large libraries of video footage that you can use to add to your video content. Stock footage is broken down by industry and topic, offering video and photos in various price ranges. Some of the most widely-used companies for stock video footage include:

• Shutterstock: The most commonly known and heavily populated stock video site, Shutterstock, has massive amounts of affordable stock video and photos that are searchable by a variety of metrics. 

• Getty Images: Getty Images has been covering the top news stories of the day for decades and now offers an extensive library of video stock footage of past events, celebrities, and more recent news items. 

• Envato: Offering up millions of downloadable video assets, template, graphics with pricing plans that include unlimited downloads and team packages. 

• Film Supply: Film Supply is a full-service stock video footage company offering free clip research that will find the right footage for your project at no extra cost. 

• Artgrid: An emerging force in video stock footage, Artgrid features annual subscription plans ranging from $25 to $59 allows for unlimited video downloads. 

• VideoBlocks: Get access to over 1 million royalty-free video assets that can be used for your marketing video productions.

Types of marketing videos to produce at home 

Producing marketing or internal business videos from your home does have its limits. Thinking outside the box and taking advantage of your instincts and creativity, there are still plenty of options to continue your digital marketing efforts with a variety of effective video content. 

Company updates 

It is more important than ever to keep your clients, partners, and employees updated on your business's status. These can be simple talking head videos with valuable updates on the progress of your company. 

Thought leadership videos

You are the expert in your field and a trusted resource for your customers. Take advantage of the power of video to educate your customers from the comforts of your home. Understanding your business and the products and services that you provide will make them more likely to become satisfied customers. 

Webinars

Live webinars offer you the opportunity to connect and engage with your targeted audiences to explain complex processes or other aspects of your products and services. Webinar platforms allow you to interact with your audience in real-time and record the content for later viewing uses and applications. 

From our latest PPC webinar.

Unboxing videos

If you are selling a product, there is no better way to display it to potential customers than an unboxing video, which is precisely what it sounds like. Viewers see you actually opening the box of your product, giving them a clearer understanding of what they will get. These videos have become extremely popular on YouTube, which now houses hundreds of channels and millions of openbox videos.   

Product demo videos 

Product demonstration videos are effective at showing what your product does, how it works, and what makes it so great. No one knows your products as you do, so a product demo video you produce at home can be every bit as effective as a professional can create in a studio.

Video ads

Rather than a simple blurb of text or a branded image, video ads create an exerience that captures the consumer's attention, whether they realize it or not. In fact, according to Adobe, shoppers that view videos are 1.8x more likely to purchase than non-video viewers. So whether it's Facebook video ads, animated banner ads, or YouTube ads, this marketing strategy is worth your while.

How-to videos

Show off the benefits, features, and functions of your product with a how-to video you can produce from your home. How-to videos will give your customers a sense of assurance that they will get the most out of your products. 

Case studies 

Do you have a great service with a long line of success stories? Showcase your successes in case study videos that will walk your audience through successful projects that show your service's value. Case studies allow your viewers to put themselves in the position of your subject so they can envision your business, providing solutions to the same problems. 

Creating DIY animation videos

Animated content will not only entertain and engage your audience, but they will also be able to absorb and retain the information that you are presenting. Tell your story and send your message in a dynamic, engaging, creative way with animated elements that will take your production to places live action cannot. 

Tools for DIY animation 

Do you have the skills and creativity to create your own animation elements using the latest software? As technology has advanced, animation software has gotten more affordable and easier to use. Among the most popular DIY animation on the market today are: 

• Moovly: Choose from large libraries of stock video and photos or import your own media files

• Prezi: An affordable alternative to PowerPoint, Prezi offers a flexible format to crease business presentations.

• Lumen 5: A basic video creation and animation platform that can be used by those with little to no video production experience.

Voiceovers for DIY animation 

Voiceover artists belong to one segment of the entertainment industry that is largely unaffected by COVID-19 or social distancing guidelines. All they need is a professional-grade microphone and recording equipment, a script, and some guidance on the project. Taking advantage of professional voiceover talent will help you get your video noticed and engage your audiences with the content and information presented. Among the most popular voice over talent services on the market today include: 

• Voices.com: Marketed as the world's top voiceover warehouse, Voices.com allows you to post your job and needs for free to access some of the top professional voice actors in the business.
• Voice123.com: Since 2003, Voice123.com has provided hundreds of thousands of projects of professional voiceover talents for some of the largest companies in the world.
• Fiverr.com: Fiverr.com provides access to some of the most talented and diverse freelance voiceover actors in the industry.

Hiring animation freelancers 

If you do not possess the talent or experience to produce your own animation content, yet do not have it in your budget to hire a professional animator, there are several websites that allow access to large groups of talented freelancers. Just note that animators found on these sites may need more direction and creative guidance.

• Fiverr: Freelance animators on Fiverr specializing in various animation forms, including 2D, 3D, motion graphics, and whiteboard animation. 

• Upwork: Upwork is a massive resource to find freelancers of all kinds, including creative animators with varying skill levels and experience. 

Professional animation companies 

Animation is another area that can maintain production in these unprecedented times of social distancing. If your budget allows, hiring a professional animator can increase your video presentation quality and attract a larger group of potential customers.  

Hiring a remote video production team 

Video production agencies that specialize in creating professional marketing content are adjusting to these unprecedented times. Creative teams of production specialists continue to produce effective video content while adhering to our new way of life in the COVID-19 era. 

Carefully planned production shoots and the use of existing video footage and photographs allow skilled professionals to create branded videos that will help to increase your online presence and grow your brand awareness. You can monitor and manage the production of your marketing videos through modern communication tools like video conferencing and text messaging. Throughout the process, raw and edited content can be shared to give you as much control and input as if you were sitting in the room with the production team.

A professional production house can create new video content to be used in search engine optimization and other digital marketing efforts, social media networks, and email campaigns designed to expand your reach and grow your business. Experienced video production teams can also take your existing content and repurpose it to create new content while maintaining social distancing guidelines.  If you need an idea of cost then feel free to try this video production cost estimator to determine cost. 

Types of remote professional video services

Examples of the types of marketing videos you can have created by a professional video production team include: 

Self-shot talking head

A video production professional has the equipment and experience to set up a clean, tight shot. They will be able to light the subject and background properly and ensure the clearest audio. 

Remote animated videos

Professional animators are self-sufficient artists that do need anything but their state-of-the-art computer and software to create stunning animation that will get and keep the attention of your targeted audiences. 

• Remote stock footage: Professional production houses have the resources and experience to access massive inventories of stock video footage from a wide range of industries and topics. 

• Editing: Video editors are behind the magic that brings your video content together in the most impactful and compelling ways. They typically prefer to be holed up in an editing booth by themselves to bring the vision of your messaging information to life. 

• Studio product videos: As long as the production crew has your product and a detailed list of instructions, they can create effective demonstration, instructional, and educational videos in the comfort of their studio without putting anyone else at risk. 

Creating powerful video content from home is possible

Whether you're just getting started with video or already in full swing, quality video content that you can use for marketing and internal business applications does not have to stop in the wake of the pandemic. In today's digital age, with rapidly advancing technology, there is a wide range of options to continue creating impactful, engaging video content to reach large numbers of potential customers. 

Whether you are producing your own video content from the comforts of your home or farming it out to freelancers and professionals, life and business can still go on as normally as possible in these uniquely uncertain times. 

About the author

Torrey Tayenaka is the co-founder and CEO of Sparkhouse, an Orange County-based video production agency known for transforming video marketing and advertising into real conversations. Rather than hitting the consumer over the head with blatant ads, Sparkhouse creates interesting, entertaining and useful videos that enrich individuals' lives. Torrey also contributes to Entrepreneur, Single Grain and Forbes and has founded the Eva Smart Shower, Litehouse, and Forge54.