Who should you hire to produce your brands video content?
Over the past five years the use of video by marketeers and brands has increased dramatically. But the question remains, who should you hire to create your content?
To make an informed decision, it’s important to consider your overall objectives. Taking this wider view of your goals should help you determine which approach works best for your brand. If your aim is to build your content hub, DIY video could be a great option. However, if you need to communicate your brand’s message and change behaviour, hiring a video marketing expert would be a smarter alternative.
When choosing who will supply your next video project, there are plenty options available, and we’ll talk you through the pros and cons of each one.
Doing it yourself
Pros
The greatest thing about creating your own video content is that you can get cracking straight away. If you have a phone or a camera, you can make a video. And if you have a decent editing package, you can edit them in your own time too.
You also know your brand inside and out, which means your content will be authentic. But if you’re trying to portray a certain image or generate brand trustworthiness, it’s going to need to be quality footage: picture and audio.
Cons
Technically, anyone can produce video content. But is it a good video? Video that’s captured on standard consumer devices like a smartphone can be dark and shaky, not to mention poor-quality sound. Trust us, you won’t get away with bad audio! When creating videos, the sound is as important as the visuals. And a bad video could hurt your brand’s image.
If it’s a video that’s designed to elicit desired action and you’re serious about generating a healthy return on investment, you’re going to need more than a smartphone – and professional video production equipment can get expensive.
Internal staff
Pros
Your staff are part of your brand’s journey and are therefore familiar with your brand’s story. Since video is their primary focus, if you do hire a full-time videographer, they might be able to create a decent amount of content, but you are relying on the skillset of one individual, rather than the expertise of a whole team of creatives.
Cons
Much like the doing it yourself option, you will need some good-quality equipment and staff that are trained to use all the gear. Capturing video footage isn’t as easy as point and shoot.
And if you’re looking at animated videos, animation is a separate skillset, which means you’ll need a bigger team that have that specific expertise. Once you add all these costs together, you might find it’s cheaper to hire a video production agency.
Hiring a freelancer
Pros
A one-man operation can be a cost-effective solution. There are lots of freelancers out there with the skillset and the equipment, and you don’t need to employ someone on a full-time basis.
Cons
Freelancers have other clients as well as you and they will therefore not be focusing 100% on your project. This means that you may not be able to communicate with them on your terms or when you want. If you have a tight deadline reliability could be an issue. You will also need to fully brief them on exactly what you want, and you’ll have to manage the process.
Working with a video production agency
Pros
Video production agencies have lots of knowledge in-house, and not just on capturing and editing video. They also have strategic knowledge so they can work with you on your goals to produce engaging content that meets your business and marketing objectives.
The purpose of these specialist agencies is to help your business grow. They understand how tell your brands story and create content that resonates with your audience, resulting in high-quality work. Video production agencies often offer a full-service video package: strategy, planning, production and outreach (outreach can include activation plans and media buying).
Cons
In terms of cost, you might find hiring a video production agency is towards the upper limit of your budget initially, but this upfront cost is essential if you want to maximise your return on investment in the long run.
Which option should I go for?
Each option has its value, and whichever one you choose very much depends on where you are in your journey.
Ultimately, what you need to be asking yourself is: how do I craft a video that’s on message and engages with my audience and triggers some sort of behaviour change or action? Because if you don’t get this right, it could have a negative impact on your company’s image and brand reputation. Price and style can vary across all these options, but hiring the right creative specialist could make all the difference.
