As the old saying goes; a picture is worth a thousand words. Even better, a moving picture is worth 10,000 words.
However, those moving pictures come with one potential drawback. You often need to hear them as well as see them. Fortunately though, with a bit of judicious planning, making silent videos that sell is easy to do.
Here’s what you need to know.
Why Silent Videos Matter
We love in an increasingly mobile society. The days when you could count on someone watching your video on a desktop machine in relative privacy are long gone.
To avoid disturbing others, many people mute the sound on their devices. If you’ve produced a video that relies upon its audio track to convey critical information, your well-crafted production will also be rendered mute — both literally and figuratively.
However, if you make sure your video is capable of conveying your message based solely upon the visuals, you’ll be well ahead of the game.
Planning is Everything
The best videos are made in the planning stages, long before a single shot is framed. To work this way, you must first get clear about your central message.
In other words, you need to narrowly define what it is you want the viewer to take away from the experience of having seen your production. It becomes easier to plan your shots to tell that story like a picture book once you’ve done so.
If this is your first go at creating a silent video, spend some time watching films from the silent movie era on You Tube. Pay particular attention to the techniques used to advance the storyline. This will make it easier to plan your video to ensure the visuals are capable of telling your story without relying upon audio support.
Graphics are a Godsend
One of the things you’ll notice about movies from the silent era is their use of graphic cards to convey dialogue and set up premises. You can, of course, caption your images in much the same way. However, keep in mind this will limit you to an audience capable of reading that language.
If yours is a multinational concern, you can create alternate versions of the video for different markets, or you rely more heavily on the visuals to get the job done alone.
Compose Every Shot Like a Photograph
Many people point a camera at a subject and hope for the best.
That’s a great way to produce a video people will ignore.
Let’s say you’re trying to figure out how to sell furniture online with a platform like Shopify. Instead of just taking random pictures of the furniture, bring it to life with a carefully blended mix of nice lighting, useful graphics and evocative images.
Frame your shots artfully and make sure they’re lit well, so the video becomes eye candy for the viewer. Moody lighting can establish comfort and elegance, while detailed close-ups can convey the quality of your furnishings. Bring in actors/models to engage with the pieces to help your viewers see themselves enjoying your furnishings.
That video will generate leads.
Add Music and Narration
Yes, this is an article about making silent videos that sell. However, some people will watch your video in environments conducive to enjoying an audio track as well. Other will employ headphones.
Either way, that’s another avenue of communication.
Give them something to hear and your video will be twice as effective in those instances. In other words, take advantage of every opportunity the medium affords you.
What’s Old Can Be New Again
Long before motion pictures included sound, silent movies were entertaining people thoroughly. The techniques those directors employed can be readily applied to your 21st century marketing efforts.
If you plan your productions carefully, employ graphics where needed and make your visuals especially eye catching, your silent videos will be trending in no time at all.