Getting the Most out of your Video Investment

Ever wrapped up a video project and thought, “Now what?” The production process was shiny and exciting, but months of time and thousands of dollars later, you sit and wonder how to get the most out of your investment.

Whoops…that question should have been asked at the beginning of a video marketing project.

You needed to build a roadmap of where you wanted to go before investing in video recording. To maximize your investment, you also needed to consider all the ways you could have used that video asset, without it being a one-and-done investment.

Now, I’m not talking about simply posting your video on different platforms or changing up your call to action. Those are all great strategies, and you should be doing them (you’re doing them, right?). I am talking about all the other elements that you could have captured during the project to provide you with numerous assets at your disposal (see our Video Multiplier blog).

Great advice, but what do you do now that the time for strategy has come and gone? There are still ways you can get the most out of your video investment and add to your video marketing process moving forward! 

1. Build a video archive.

  • Ask your production partner for all the footage on a hard drive upon completion of recording. I mean everything…even stuff you think will not be useful. If they filmed it, you want it.
  • Rename all your footage source files, so they are easy to identify months from now.
  •  Duplicate the footage onto another hard drive. Always have a backup, and replace hard drives every 3 years as maintenance. 

2. Use the video archive.

  • Share your archive with marketing vendors and news outlets for easy access and new asset creation.
  • You can use the B-roll (non-interview footage documenting the details, your people, location, and product) and interview footage for years in the future, regardless of if you hire the same production partner or not.
  • Make sure you own the copyright of the footage and have it in writing. You hired the company to provide a service and paid for the footage. You own the work product from your time together. Know where to point inquiring minds if they question your rights to the footage.

3. Look ahead to the next production.

  • Have your production partner take behind-the-scenes video or photos. If nothing else, have the company intern tag along and capture stills on their phone.
  • See if they will throw in headshots or other photographs for free. Many videographers record on a DSLR camera that allows them to take still images.
  • While you’re recording your video, focus on capturing marketing assets that can be reused time and again to build your video archive.

It is quite magical what videos can be made from existing footage. More than once, I’ve been asked to assist on a project that has no time, budget, or opportunity that allows for capturing new video assets. Combining B-roll, photos, stock footage, and a well-scripted voice-over has saved the day on numerous occasions for my clients.

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Did we give you some things to consider before hiring a video vendor? Ya! Want more great advice?  Sign up to get an email notice about our latest blog post.

If you’re thinking of producing a video in the next quarter, schedule a 15-minute call to see if we are the right fit for your next project!

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