Promotional Video Production | Frequently Asked Questions

video production on a Canon C100 video camera

How far will you travel to make a video?

There’s no limit. From The Bahamas To Brazil, we’ll go wherever you need us.

We’re happy to go wherever you like but in reality, we spend our time making promotional videos for clients across North Wales and The North West Of England.

How Long does it take to shoot a promotional video?

That depends entirely on the brief and the complexity of the promotional video. It can range from just a few hours filming, to a multi-day shoot.

Of course, filming is only part of the process. Editing the footage usually takes a lot longer than shooting it.
If you have an idea what you’d like to achieve we can give you an idea of how long it will take.

Can you film an interview style video?

Yes, of course, we can use multiple cameras, studio lighting and professional lapel mics to help get that really personal feeling. Great sound production always helps too, so we’ll use every trick in the sound-editing book to create a rich, meaningful tone.

Can you shoot a webinar, product demo or explainer video?

Yes. The answer here is the same as it is for producing an interview style video (see above). The secret of this style is in the script. We’re always happy to work with you to refine the wording for your explainer-style promotional video and to film it. We’ll even be the subject and deliver the script ourselves if you would prefer.

Can you create a video without filming on location?

Yes, there are several ways that is possible. We can re-edit old video footage that you have from a previous project. Or you can shoot your own video footage using your DLSR and/or iphone, then we can edit your footage into the finished item. We can create a video from stock footage, using some of the millions of video clips available in professional stock video libraries. Finally we can create a text oriented, graphic based or animated video to get your message across. We’re always happy to talk your plans through with you and share our ideas and opinions.

Can you edit an existing promotional video?

Yes. We do a lot of this work. Often a client will come to us with an existing promotional video which has been made redundant thanks to an old logo or an ex-member of staff being interviewed on camera.

We can usually find a solution for these problems, making that video usable with just a few hours in our editing studio.

Another regular request is to edit together the best clips form a number of old promotional videos.  Again, no problem at all. What’s more if you need logos, graphics, music, voice over or captions adding to the finished video, we’ll take care of it all for you.

Can you add a voiceover?

Yes, we have a fully equipped professional standard sound recording studio. So we can record your voice, a member of your team. Or if you need a certain sound to match your target audience, we can arrange professional voiceover artist, matching gender, age and accent and tone to your specification.

Can you improve the sound on an existing video?

We can give it a damn good try! There are no guarantees but we’ve had huge success in this area for a number of existing clients. Because we have all the professional sound editing equipment and software – and we know how to get the best out of your footage.

So whatever you have, we’re happy to take a quick look and tell you what we think can be achieved.

Can you design me a new logo while you are at it?

No. Although this is an unbelievably common request, logo design is a huge and entirely separate task. So it’s a task which is best left to the real experts. We do have a short list of recommended designers and brand experts who will work with you to create a new identity for you. We’ll happily put you in touch with them, whilst we work on making a promotional video for you.

What if I have a small budget?

You would be amazed what can be achieved for just a few hundred pounds. If you have a fixed budget, just a make it easy on us all from the start and tell us. Once we agree what we are creating for that budget, we’ll make sure you don’t spend a penny more. No surprises.

Can you supply drone footage?

Yes, we have all kinds of equipment to help us create the ‘look’ you are after, from sliders, to steadicams and to drones to multiple DSLRs

In our initial conversations, we’ll discuss your promotional video and establish what we need to bring along to the shoot.

Can you help me get my promotional video online?

Yes, we have a lifetime of experience online an don social media behind us, so whatever you need to achieve with your promotional video, we can help you achieve it.  Whether you need to load it up to youtube, post it or your wordpress blog or turn it into lead generation advertisement on Facebook, Linkedin or Twitter, we can help.

How can I get started?

If you’re ready to start creating your promotional video, why not drop Dave a note at dave@digitallyfocused.co.uk and he’ll contact you to discuss all the details.

How Long Should Your Video Be?

Ideal camera for promotional video

Guidelines for Video Length

As a general rule of thumb in Online Video Production, most videos should be under two minutes, but as always there are exceptions. Also each social media network varies in its requirements.

Although most videos are best kept to two minutes or less, the duration of any particular video depends entirely on the end use, the chosen network and, in some cases the, industry.

It is also worth considering the video’s position in your sales funnel. Generally speaking, the further down the funnel your lead moves, the more information they will be able to digest, so start with short punchy video and move on to more lengthy information-rich videos as they move further down the funnel

Here are a few statistics:

Here are a few more details

How Long For Social Media Videos

All social media sites have their rules and regulations when it comes to video and video length. Here are some simple guidelines to help you in your video production.

Instagram Video

Instagram videos should be between 30-60 seconds in length. The 30-second midpoint is the sweet spot for Instagram’s fast-moving audience. On Instagram, always try to get your key messages across in the first 15 seconds. IGTV (Instagram TV) videos can be up to 10 minutes long.

Facebook Video

On Facebook, videos can be as long as four hours long! But just because modern video production methods make that possible, it doesn’t mean you should do it. If nothing else, producing a high quality 4 hour video would very time consuming and expensive.

Most promotional videos on Facebook are between 30-90 seconds long.

Facebook Live is a great way to connect with customers in real time. You can broadcast for up to four hours and, as with Instagram Live, the longer your live video runs, the greater your chances that people will discover it. Just be sure not to go below 10 minutes, which is about how much time it takes for people to be notified and tune in.

LinkedIn Video Length

Linkedin video can be up to 10 minutes in length but again, most Linkedin users are busy professionals who are unlikely to spend ten minutes watching an online video. keep your videos below the 1.30-2.00 minute mark and you will catch more of your audiences attention.

YouTube Video Production

Again on youtube, video can stretch to enormous lengths but 2 minutes or under is a good general rule for general promotional video for you business

Twitter Video Length

Twitter videos can be up to 2.20 minutes in length but it is worth bearing in mind that Twitter champions itself on rapid, no-nonsense communication, so its users are unlikely to go the distance. Try to keep your videos below the 1.20 minute mark and you should see more success.

Pinterest Video

As a general rule Pinterest videos should range from 15 to 30 seconds with detailed demos or explainer videos being the exception.

Snapchat Video Length

10 seconds is all you get on Snapchat. Seen and gone in a snap of your fingers.

Website Video Production

Try to keep the videos on your website below the two minute mark, particularly on your homepage or landing pages. As visitors delve deeper into your site, longer videos can provide more detail. You should always try to position your video at the top of the page (above the fold), so it is the first thing visitors see.

Other Videos

Demos, explainer videos, interviews, tutorials and webinars can all be significantly longer but you should always try to edit out as much as possible. Less is always more.

Whatever video you are looking to produce, we would love to help your create it. Just drop Dave a note at dave@digitallyfocused.co.uk and he’ll get in touch to move things forward.

Be sure to check out our Frequently Asked Questions on Video Production here

Find out more about our approach to video production here