Arc and Crown Media

Self-Recorded Video Production in Toronto: A Simple Process for Scalable, Professional Content

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:05 GMT

A Simple Process for Scalable, Professional Content

Self-recorded video is becoming one of the most effective ways for Toronto-based companies to communicate internally, train teams, and build a strong, authentic brand presence—without relying on full-scale production for every piece of content.

But most teams hit the same challenges:

What should we say?
How do we make it look professional?
How do we keep it consistent across teams?

This guide breaks down a simple, repeatable self-recorded video process designed specifically for businesses in Toronto looking to scale their communication.

In fast-moving industries like finance, healthcare, and tech across Toronto, video has become essential for:

Internal communication across hybrid teams
Employee training and onboarding
Leadership messaging
Company-wide updates

Self-recorded video allows organizations to:

Move faster without production bottlenecks
Create more authentic, human content
Reduce ongoing production costs
Build a scalable internal content system

The key is having the right structure and support in place.

Step 1: Start With Clarity, Not Guesswork

Before hitting record, successful teams align on strategy first.

What Toronto Businesses Should Focus On:

Define your objective
Are you creating training content? Internal updates? Executive communication?
Choose the right format
Talking head, screen recording, or guided presentation?
Work within your team’s capabilities
Whether you're a downtown corporate office or a growing startup, your process should fit your resources.
Structure your messaging clearly
Simple, direct communication performs better than overproduced scripts.
Get expert guidance when needed
Strategic support early on prevents wasted time later.

Clarity upfront saves time, budget, and internal friction.

Step 2: Capture Content Your Team Feels Confident Creating

Once the plan is clear, recording becomes easy and repeatable.

Most Toronto teams are already equipped to film using:

Smartphones
Laptops or webcams
Basic lighting setups

What Makes the Biggest Impact: On-camera confidence

Professionals aren’t always natural on video but some training can dramatically improve delivery.
Simple technical setup
Clean audio, proper framing, and lighting matter more than expensive gear.
Test recordings
A quick trial run avoids common mistakes.
Flexible workflows
Recording should fit into your team’s schedule, especially in busy corporate environments.

The system ensures consistency and quality.

Step 3: Turn Raw Footage Into Branded, Ready-to-Use Content

This is where your videos become valuable business assets.

Post-Production That Elevates Your Content:

Edit for clarity and engagement
Remove filler, tighten messaging, improve pacing.
Repurpose content
Turn one recording into multiple internal or external assets.
Add branding
Graphics, captions, and visual consistency reinforce your company identity.
Deliver ready-to-use videos
Content that can be immediately shared across teams or platforms.

For Toronto organizations, this step is key to maintaining a professional standard at scale.

Make Your Video Content Work Across Your Organization

Creating content is only part of the equation—distribution drives impact.

Teams often integrate self-recorded videos into:

Internal communication platforms
Learning and development systems
HR onboarding processes
Marketing and employer branding

With the right system, your content doesn’t just get created—it gets used consistently across the business.

Build a Scalable Video System (Not Just One-Off Content)

The most effective companies in Toronto don’t treat video as a one-time project.

They build a repeatable workflow that allows them to:

Produce content consistently
Maintain quality without slowing down
Scale communication across departments

Self-recorded video becomes a long-term business tool.

Looking for Self-Recorded Video Support in Toronto?

If your team is exploring how to implement self-recorded video effectively, having the right structure can make all the difference. From planning and on-camera training to editing and delivery, a clear process ensures your videos are not just created, but actually drive results.

5 Tips - How Corporate Video Can Transform Your Business Communication

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:15:00 GMT

5 Tips - How Corporate Video Can Transform Your Business Communication

In today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses need more than just words to communicate effectively. Video is now the most powerful tool for corporate communication, employee engagement, and brand storytelling. At Arc & Crown , we specialize in helping Toronto-based companies create high-quality, recurring video content that drives results.

Whether you’re sharing updates with your team, engaging clients, or promoting your brand online, video can transform the way people experience your business.

1. Engage Your Audience with Compelling Stories

Corporate audiences are busy, and attention spans are short. Videos grab attention quickly and convey messages in a clear, memorable way. From client case studies to employee spotlights, storytelling through video builds stronger emotional connections and keeps your audience engaged longer.

A well-produced corporate video can turn a routine update into a shareable story that resonates with both internal and external audiences.

2. Strengthen Internal Communication

Internal communication is often overlooked—but it’s essential for employee engagement and productivity. Short updates, training videos, or company milestone highlights help teams stay informed and aligned, especially in hybrid workplaces.

Arc and Crown Media helps organizations create professional internal communication videos that keep employees connected to your mission and culture.

3. Showcase Your Brand Online

A consistent video strategy strengthens your brand presence across all digital channels. Social media, your website, and email campaigns are more effective when supported by professional video content.

Videos communicate your values, professionalism, and personality in a way text alone can’t. This builds credibility, trust, and recognition for your company online.

4. Simplify Complex Information

Corporate messages often involve technical information or detailed processes. Explainer videos and animated presentations simplify these topics, making them easy to understand and retain.

When employees or clients grasp your message quickly, it drives action and improves overall communication effectiveness.

5. Drive Business Growth with Video Marketing

Video isn’t just for internal use—it’s a business growth tool. Marketing videos, product demos, and thought leadership content increase website traffic, improve SEO, and generate leads. Companies that invest in corporate video production see higher engagement, more inquiries, and stronger client relationships.

Why Partner with Arc & Crown

Producing consistent, high-quality video content in-house can be time-consuming and costly. That’s why many Toronto companies partner with Arc and Crown Media for ongoing corporate video solutions. We handle everything from strategy and scripting to filming and post-production—so your team can focus on what they do best.

Our approach ensures your videos are professional, on-brand, and optimized for both internal and external audiences.

Final Thoughts

Video is no longer optional—it’s a strategic communication tool that drives engagement, strengthens your brand, and helps your business grow. Whether for internal updates or marketing campaigns, Arc and Crown Media is here to help Toronto companies create impactful, recurring video content.

�� Request a Custom Video Plan today and discover how corporate video can transform your communication strategy.

How Video Can Strengthen Your Corporate Brand Online

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:23:45 GMT

How Video Can Strengthen Your Corporate Brand Online

In today’s digital landscape, how your company communicates online defines how your brand is perceived. For corporate communication professionals, the challenge is clear: how do you make your message stand out in a crowded digital space while maintaining brand consistency and professionalism?

The answer lies in video . Partnering with a trusted corporate video production company in Toronto can transform how your organization connects with both internal teams and external audiences.

Why Video Is Essential for Corporate Communication

Video has become the cornerstone of modern business communication. Studies show that viewers retain 95% of a message when it’s delivered through video compared to just 10% through text . That means your leadership updates, employee engagement initiatives, and brand messages can have exponentially greater impact with video.

Beyond engagement, corporate communication videos help humanize your brand, build trust, and make even complex topics more accessible.

1. Build a Consistent Brand Presence Online

A strong corporate brand depends on consistency—especially online. Regularly publishing professional video content across your website, LinkedIn, and internal platforms reinforces your brand identity and messaging.

From executive messages and company culture stories to event recaps, video ensures every touchpoint reflects your organization’s values and personality.

Partnering with an experienced video production company in Toronto helps ensure your videos meet the highest professional standards and align with your communication goals.

2. Boost Engagement on Digital Platforms

Social platforms and corporate channels prioritize video because it drives engagement. On LinkedIn, for example, posts with video get 5x more engagement than those without.

Short, well-crafted videos—such as leadership updates, internal announcements, or product explainers—grab attention quickly and are more likely to be shared or remembered than text-based messages.

With the right video content strategy for business , your brand can stay visible and relevant across all channels.

3. Strengthen Internal Communication

Video is a powerful way to unify teams, especially in hybrid or remote environments. Internal communication videos help employees stay informed, connected, and inspired.

Examples include:

CEO or leadership update videos
Employee recognition stories
Onboarding and training videos
Internal news recaps

Consistent internal video communication fosters stronger company culture and helps employees connect emotionally with your brand mission.

4. Simplify Complex Information

For industries like healthcare, finance, or technology , complex information can be difficult to convey. Corporate explainer videos simplify complex topics, turning data or technical content into engaging visual stories that are easy to understand and remember.

When your audience understands your message clearly, your credibility grows—and so does your brand trust.

5. Humanize Your Brand

People connect with people, not logos. Through video, your brand gains a human face and voice—whether it’s through leadership messages, team interviews, or customer success stories.

Authentic storytelling creates emotional engagement and strengthens brand loyalty—key goals for any corporate communication strategy .

6. Partner with a Professional Video Production Company

Maintaining consistent, high-quality video output takes planning and expertise. Partnering with a corporate video production company in Toronto like Arc & Crown Media allows you to create impactful video content on a recurring basis—without the stress of managing production in-house.

We specialize in ongoing video communication solutions designed for corporate and internal teams. From concept to post-production, we ensure your message is clear, professional, and aligned with your brand identity.

Final Thoughts

Video isn’t just a marketing tool—it’s a strategic communication asset that builds connection, trust, and understanding across every level of your organization.

If you’re ready to elevate your brand and engage your audience through video, now is the time to start.

�� Request a Custom Video Plan and discover how Arc & Crown can help your corporate communications team use video to communicate with clarity and impact.

Advocate for Diabetes Canada

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:47:34 GMT

Empowering Voices Through Video: How Arc + Crown Media Helped Launch Diabetes Canada’s Advocacy Training Series

"Volunteer advocates are at the heart of Diabetes Canada’s efforts to bring about positive change. They represent the voice of the 11.7 million Canadians living with diabetes or pre-diabetes and speak for those who cannot speak up for themselves.

Advocates help raise awareness of diabetes and the daily burden of living with the disease. They participate in Diabetes Canada advocacy campaigns and events across the country, and they help influence public policy by building relationships with elected officials in their ridings and promoting Diabetes Canada’s policy recommendations through their personal and professional networks.

To support and grow this vital community, Diabetes Canada launched a new advocacy training series designed to make it easier than ever for people to get involved:

Speak up & speak out

Getting involved is easy

Introducing Diabetes Advocacy

�� Watch the videos and learn more here: DIABETES CANADA

Bringing Advocacy to Life With Video

Arc + Crown Media partnered with Diabetes Canada to help bring this important advocacy training to life through strategically designed animated videos, we helped make the training:

�� Clear and accessible

Animation helped break down complex concepts into simple, visually engaging sequences, so viewers instantly grasp key ideas — like what advocacy is, how it works, and how they can participate.

�� Action-oriented and motivating

The pacing and progression were intentionally structured so someone watching could move from curiosity to confidence — ready to take action.

Our approach ensured the advocacy training wasn’t just informative — it felt welcoming, inclusive, and empowering to volunteers from all walks of life.

Why Animated Training Content Works

Training and onboarding content — especially for volunteer programs and advocacy initiatives — needs to be engaging, easy to understand, and repeatable. Animation is uniquely suited to this because it lets you:

Illustrate abstract ideas visually (e.g., advocacy processes, decision pathways)

Keep attention with motion and visual cues

Streamline complex information into digestible chapters

Adapt content for web, social channels, and virtual learning platforms

By combining animation with thoughtful narrative structure and live footage, Arc & Crown Media helped create a training resource that volunteers can come back to again and again — whenever they need a refresher or want to share training with others.

How Arc + Crown Media Can Help Your Organization

At Arc + Crown Media, we specialize in strategic video production that helps organizations educate, train, and inspire their audiences. Whether you’re working with:

Volunteers
Clients or customers
Employees and stakeholders
Advocates or community members

…we can help you build animated and live-action video series that turn complex ideas into clear, compelling content.

We specialize in corporate and nonprofit video production that supports long-term communication strategies, not just one-off campaigns.

Organizations work with us to create:

Animated explainer videos
Training and onboarding video libraries
Internal communications from leadership teams
Culture and employer branding videos
Educational and advocacy content

This is especially valuable for companies and nonprofits that need to communicate consistently across departments, locations, or audiences.

For many of our clients, video becomes a recurring communication asset — helping them save time, improve message clarity, and increase engagement.

Here’s what we bring to every project:

✨ Message strategy & script development

�� High-quality animated and live action production

�� Content designed for multi-platform use

�� Collaborative creative process tailored to your mission

Video isn’t just storytelling — it’s a strategic communication tool that scales your training, expands engagement, and aligns audiences around your mission.

Ready to Make Video Work for You?

If your organization needs:

Training and onboarding content
Advocacy or awareness campaigns
Educational or mission-driven storytelling
Animated explanation videos

…video can be one of the most effective ways to communicate.

Looking for Animated or Training Video Production in Canada?

If your organization is planning:

Volunteer or employee training programs
Advocacy or awareness initiatives
Internal communications strategies
Educational content for clients or stakeholders

Professional video production can dramatically improve how your message is understood and remembered.

Arc + Crown Media is a Canadian video production company specializing in animated and live-action video content for training, internal communications, and advocacy.

We help organizations communicate complex ideas clearly and connect with their audiences authentically.

�� Contact Arc & Crown Media to learn how video can support your communication goals.

Arc + Crown Media creates video content that helps organizations communicate clearly, connect authentically, and scale their impact.

Let’s talk about your next video project and how we can help you achieve your goals.

10 Video Marketing Ideas for Professional Services Businesses in 2025

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 14:18:36 GMT

In 2025, video is not just a marketing tool—it’s a strategic asset in corporate communications.

Video marketing continues to be a powerful way for professional services businesses to build relationships, communicate value, and connect authentically with potential clients.

With more companies competing in digital spaces, your content must be thoughtful, professional, and designed to both engage and convert. Whether you're in accounting, law, consulting, or IT services, here are ten updated video ideas to help you stand out and strengthen your corporate communication strategy this year.

1. Launch AI-Driven Personalized Video Ads

AI personalization is transforming video marketing. Create short, targeted video ads that adapt messaging based on viewer behavior or segment (e.g., small business owner vs. CFO). These videos perform well on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, and they can be dynamically inserted into email campaigns or websites for maximum ROI.

2. Share Modern Client Success Stories

Customer success stories are still gold—but in 2025, authenticity and storytelling are key. Focus on emotional storytelling and results-driven narratives. Use cinematic techniques, remote video capture tools, or even augmented reality (AR) elements to immerse viewers in your client's journey and how your service made a real difference.

3. Create Explainer Videos with a Corporate Edge

Explainer videos remain essential but should now reflect your brand’s tone and professionalism. Use sleek motion design and branded templates. Consider producing industry-specific explainer series (e.g., “Tax Tips for Startups” or “Data Compliance for SMEs”) to demonstrate thought leadership and value.

4. Build Interactive Tutorial Videos

Interactive video is a rising trend in corporate training and communication. Add clickable elements, branching scenarios, and built-in assessments to make tutorial videos more engaging and trackable. These are ideal for onboarding clients or guiding them through digital products and service platforms.

5. Live Stream Webinars and Internal Events

Livestreaming isn’t just for public webinars anymore—use it for internal comms too. Broadcast leadership updates, town halls, or team celebrations. For external use, stream panels, roundtables, or client Q&As. Tools like LinkedIn Live, Zoom Webinars, and even custom internal platforms support high-quality broadcasts with audience interaction.

6. Use Animated Videos to Break Down Complex Topics

Animation is now essential in simplifying corporate messages—especially in finance, legal, and tech. In 2025, use animated explainers not just for customers, but also for internal education, investor relations, or recruitment. Keep visuals clean, inclusive, and on-brand for professionalism and impact.

7. Create Motion Graphics for Microlearning

Motion graphics videos (15–60 seconds) are great for sharing insights, facts, or step-by-step guides. These snackable videos are perfect for internal communications, compliance training, or highlighting service stats on social media. Add subtle kinetic text and icons to maintain clarity without overwhelming the viewer.

8. Design Data-Driven Infographic Videos

Combine data visualization with narration or music to tell data-rich stories. Whether it’s market trends, client stats, or industry benchmarks, infographic videos are now expected in quarterly reporting, ESG updates, and performance reviews. Embed them into presentations or share as social content.

9. Showcase Company Culture with Behind-the-Scenes Videos

Today’s clients and talent want to work with values-driven firms. Culture videos are now strategic. Highlight diversity, inclusion, leadership philosophies, or sustainability initiatives. Follow team members through their day, show off your remote or hybrid culture, or highlight community outreach projects.

10. Launch a Thought Leadership Video Series

Create an ongoing series where your executives or subject matter experts share insights on current industry challenges. Use short episodes (2–3 minutes) with strong branding, intro/outro music, and subtitles. This builds credibility, boosts SEO, and aligns with 2025’s demand for expert-led content over pure advertising.

Video is no longer optional—it’s an essential tool in both external marketing and internal corporate communications. From personalized outreach to interactive client education and internal alignment, businesses in 2025 that leverage strategic video content will lead the conversation and capture more attention.

Start with one or two of these video strategies and scale from there. With the right message and format, video will not only help you generate leads—it will elevate your professional brand and deepen relationships in every direction.

Here are some video samples to give you some ideas of the possibilities - click here

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch. We are always happy to help :)

Video SEO 101: Unlock the Potential of Your Content and Skyrocket Your Online Visibility

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 13:00:00 GMT

Having a strong online presence is crucial for businesses and brands. One effective way to enhance your online visibility is through video SEO.

Video SEO, also known as search engine optimization, involves optimizing your video content to improve its ranking on search engine result pages. By implementing specific strategies, you can unlock the potential of your content and skyrocket your online visibility.

In this post, we will provide you with the top three tips to increase your video's SEO ranking. Whether you are a business owner or part of a social brand and marketing team, these tips will help you maximize your video's reach and attract a wider audience. So, let's dive in and discover how you can optimize your video content to improve your online presence!

Understanding Video SEO

The Importance of Video in Modern Marketing

Video has become a cornerstone of modern marketing strategies. It's not just about the visual appeal; video content can convey messages more effectively and can quickly engage viewers. In today's fast-paced digital world, consumers prefer content that is easy to digest and entertaining. Videos fit this bill perfectly, making them a powerful tool for capturing attention.

Moreover, with the rise of platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, the demand for video content has surged. Search engines have taken notice, often prioritizing video content in search results. This shift makes video SEO a critical component of any marketing strategy. By optimizing videos, marketers can increase their chances of being seen by a wider audience, enhancing the online presence of businesses and brands. In essence, video content not only appeals to users but also to search engines, making it a double-edged sword in the quest for a strong online presence.

Basics of Video SEO

The foundation of video SEO is to enhance your video's visibility on search engines. It involves a range of techniques that aim to make your video more discoverable and indexable by search engines. To start with, ensure that your videos have clear, descriptive titles that include relevant keywords. This simple step can significantly impact how search engines understand and rank your content.

Next, add a comprehensive description with keywords that accurately reflect the video's content. Tags are also crucial; they provide context and help categorize your video under various related topics. Don't forget about the thumbnail, as it's the first thing viewers notice; an engaging thumbnail can increase click-through rates.

Transcripts and closed captions are vital for accessibility and can also boost SEO by providing text that search engines can crawl. Remember, the goal is to provide search engines with as much relevant information as possible to ensure your video reaches your target audience effectively.

Enhancing Your Online Presence with Video

Optimizing Video Content for SEO

To optimize video content for SEO, start by focusing on the quality of your content. High-quality, informative videos are more likely to be shared and viewed, which signals search engines that your content is valuable. Ensure your videos solve problems, answer questions, or entertain, as this can increase the time users spend watching, another key metric for SEO.

Incorporate keywords naturally into your video's spoken content; this helps search engines understand the topic and relevance of your video. Additionally, host your video on platforms that are frequented by your target audience to maximize exposure.

Remember to embed videos on your website and create a video sitemap; this makes it easier for search engines to find and index your videos. Lastly, encourage viewers to like, comment, and share your videos. Engagement is a positive signal to search engines and can contribute to higher rankings.

Harnessing the Power of Keywords in Video SEO

Keywords play a pivotal role in video SEO, much like they do in traditional text-based SEO. The right keywords can act as beacons, guiding potential viewers to your content amidst a sea of videos. Start with thorough keyword research to identify what your target audience is searching for. Use tools designed for SEO to discover high-volume keywords that are relevant to your video content.

Once you have a list of keywords, incorporate them into your video's title, description, and tags. This helps search engines understand the context of your video and rank it for relevant searches. However, be cautious of keyword stuffing; your primary goal should be to keep the content natural and viewer-friendly.

Consider long-tail keywords as well, which are less competitive and can attract a more targeted audience. By harnessing the power of keywords effectively, you can significantly improve your video's visibility and online presence.

Skyrocket Your Business with Effective Video SEO

Top 3 Tips to Boost SEO Ranking using Video

To boost your video's SEO ranking, consider these top three tips. First, make sure your video provides value. Whether it's educational, inspiring, or simply entertaining, your content should resonate with your target audience. Quality content is more likely to be engaged with and shared, increasing your video's reach.

Second, optimize your video for search engines by using descriptive, keyword-rich titles and descriptions. Give search engines clear signals about the content of your video to improve its visibility. Additionally, use tags wisely to categorize your content and help it show up in related searches.

Third, leverage social media platforms to promote your video. Social signals are an important SEO factor, and the more your video is liked, shared, and commented on social media, the more it will be favoured by search engines. Always include a clear call-to-action encouraging viewers to engage with your content.

Creating Empowering and Inspiring Content for Better Visibility

To improve your video's visibility, focus on creating content that empowers and inspires your audience. Videos that evoke emotions or offer valuable insights tend to be shared more often, extending their reach beyond your initial audience. Start by understanding the needs and interests of your viewers, and then craft your content to align with those insights.

Empower your audience by offering practical advice, DIY tips, or life hacks that they can apply in their daily lives. Inspiring content, such as success stories or motivational talks, can resonate on a deeper level, encouraging viewers to engage with your brand.

In your videos, be authentic and genuine. Authenticity fosters trust and can lead to a loyal following. By combining inspiration with empowerment, your content will not only attract viewers but will also encourage them to take action, which in turn boosts your online presence and SEO ranking.

How Corporate Video Production Elevates your Business Image

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 17:00:00 GMT

Establishing a strong and memorable image is vital for success.

One highly effective tool for achieving this is through corporate video production. With its ability to combine visual elements, compelling narratives, and expert storytelling techniques, corporate video production has the power to elevate your business image and leave a lasting impression on your target audience. Whether you are a small startup or a well-established company, investing in professional video production can help solidify your brand's identity, showcase your unique selling points, and demonstrate your expertise. Not only can it enhance your online presence and engagement, but it can also increase credibility and trust among potential clients and stakeholders. By harnessing the creativity and reliability of corporate video production, businesses can captivate their audience, differentiate themselves from competitors, and ultimately elevate their business image to new heights.

Understanding Corporate Video Production

Why Corporate Videos Matter

Corporate videos serve as a dynamic platform that offers more than just a sales pitch. They are a reflection of a company's ethos, values, and the people behind the brand. In an age where digital content is king, video stands out as one of the most engaging and widely consumed media formats. It's not just about having a compelling message; it's about delivering that message in a way that resonates with the audience. Corporate videos have the unique ability to humanize your business by giving a face and voice to your brand. This can foster a stronger connection with potential customers, as people tend to trust businesses they feel are run by real individuals. Moreover, videos are versatile across various platforms, from websites to social media, enhancing your visibility and ability to reach a wider audience. Considering that retention rates for visual information can reach 65%, as opposed to 10% for text-based information, corporate videos are an invaluable tool for memorable communication.

Decoding the Mechanics of Corporate Video Production

Understanding the mechanics of corporate video production is crucial to leveraging its full potential. The process begins with pre-production, which involves planning, scripting, and organizing all necessary elements before filming starts. This stage sets the foundation for a successful video by clearly defining the message and objectives. Once pre-production is complete, the production phase commences, where the actual filming takes place. Here, visual and audio elements are captured, often involving interviews, product demonstrations, or office tours. The post-production phase follows, where the footage is edited, graphics are added, and sound is fine-tuned to create a cohesive and polished final product. Throughout this process, it's important to maintain the video's alignment with the brand's image and goals. Professional corporate video production combines technical expertise with creative storytelling to ensure that the end result effectively conveys the intended message and strengthens the business image.

The Impacts of Corporate Video on Business Image

How Videos Contribute to Branding

Videos are a potent tool for branding because they encapsulate a company's identity in a format that's both accessible and memorable. They allow brands to showcase their personality, culture, and values in a narrative that speaks directly to their audience. With the capacity to elicit emotional responses, videos can create a lasting bond between a brand and its customers. This emotional connection often translates into brand loyalty and can have a direct impact on consumer behaviour. Furthermore, videos help in clearly communicating complex ideas or products in a simple and engaging way, making them vital for brand education. By using consistent visual themes and messaging, videos strengthen brand recognition. They also provide a platform to highlight customer testimonials and success stories, which can bolster a brand's reputation and trustworthiness. In essence, videos bring a brand's story to life, making it an indispensable asset in any branding strategy.

Achieving Cultivated Public Perception Through Videos

Corporate videos are a powerful medium for shaping how the public perceives your company. They offer controlled narratives that can highlight your brand's strengths and address any misconceptions. By strategically presenting your business's story, culture, and product offerings, videos can steer public perception in a positive direction. They create an opportunity to position your company as an industry leader, an innovative disruptor, or a trustworthy provider, depending on your branding goals. With the right content, videos can also showcase your commitment to social responsibility or customer service, which can greatly influence public opinion. Moreover, videos that feature real employees and customer experiences add authenticity, making your company more relatable and approachable. In a world where consumers are bombarded with content, well-crafted videos ensure your message not only reaches the audience but also resonates deeply, fostering a positive business image that stands out.

The Practical Application of Corporate Videos

Steps to a Successful Corporate Video Production

To ensure the success of a corporate video, it's important to follow a set of strategic steps. First, define the purpose of your video. Whether it's to introduce a product, educate customers, or share your company's story, having a clear objective guides the content and tone. Next, develop a detailed script and storyboard that align with your goals and branding. This blueprint is critical for a smooth production process. When it comes to filming, choose locations, actors, and props that complement your message and appeal to your target audience. After production, the editing phase is where your video truly comes to life. It's essential to keep the editing tight and the message clear, avoiding any distractions from the main narrative. Finally, distribute your video effectively across multiple channels to maximize reach and engagement. By adhering to these steps, your corporate video will have a solid foundation to effectively convey your brand message and achieve your business objectives.

Ensuring the Longevity of Your Brand Through Videos

Videos are not just a one-time marketing tool; they can be a significant investment in the longevity of your brand. To achieve this, it's crucial to create timeless content that remains relevant and reflects the enduring values of your company. Avoid focusing on fleeting trends or temporary market conditions. Instead, emphasize the core principles and long-standing vision of your brand. Additionally, update your video content periodically to reflect the growth and evolution of your business. By doing so, you maintain a fresh and current brand image without losing the essence of what makes your company unique. Videos also offer the flexibility to repurpose content for different platforms and campaigns, extending their shelf life and maximizing return on investment. Consistently delivering high-quality video content can establish your brand as a reliable source of information and insight, cementing your reputation over time.

Unlock Your On-Camera Potential: A Guide to Building Confidence for Business Professionals

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 17:30:00 GMT

Introducing "Unlock Your On-Camera Potential: A Guide to Building Confidence for Business Professionals" - a quick guide designed to empower business owners, marketing professionals, and anyone in a position of leadership to enhance their on-camera presence. In this groundbreaking resource, we will delve into three simple yet effective steps to help you become more confident on camera.

From overcoming public speaking anxieties to addressing the camera with ease, this guide will equip you with the skills needed to deliver impactful video content. Whether you are new to video production or looking to refine your skills, our professional, inspirational, and supportive approach will ensure you unlock your true potential. Join us on this journey to elevate your on-camera presence and engage your audience with confidence.

Embrace the Power of Video in Business

Understanding the Impact of Video Content

Video has transformed the way we communicate in business. It's a powerful tool that can convey your message with more depth and emotion than text alone. Video content has the unique ability to capture the attention of your audience quickly and effectively. This is because it combines visuals, sound, and storytelling, making it a rich and engaging medium.

Statistics show that video is not just captivating; it's also persuasive. Websites with video content tend to keep visitors longer, and marketers who use video often report higher conversion rates. Moreover, in our digital age, video content is easily shareable, extending your reach and increasing the potential for virality. This can lead to greater brand awareness and a stronger online presence.

By understanding the significant impact video has in the digital marketplace, business professionals can harness its power to communicate more effectively, build rapport with customers, and drive success.

The Need for Confidence in Public Speaking

Confidence in public speaking is crucial when addressing the camera. Your ability to communicate confidently not only affects how your message is received but also reflects on your brand's credibility. When you speak with assurance, your audience is more likely to trust and believe in what you're saying. This is especially important in a business context where the stakes are high and the impression you make can have a lasting impact.

Confident speakers are able to convey their passion and enthusiasm, which can be infectious. This level of engagement is essential to keep your audience interested and to prompt them to take action. However, public speaking is a common fear, and it can be even more daunting when done through a camera lens. Developing confidence for camera address is a skill that can be learned and perfected over time, leading to more dynamic and persuasive video content. By prioritizing confidence in public speaking, you can ensure that your message is not just heard, but also felt and remembered.

Master Confidence in Front of the Camera

Overcoming Common Fears of the Camera Address

Addressing the camera can be intimidating, but it's a fear that can be tackled with the right approach. A common fear is the concern of making mistakes or not appearing knowledgeable. Remember, it's natural to make mistakes; what matters is how you recover from them. Practice is key. The more you rehearse your message, the more comfortable you will become with the material and the camera.

Another fear is the worry about how you'll be perceived by the audience. To overcome this, focus on the value you're providing rather than on yourself. Your audience is looking for insights and answers, not perfection. If you center your camera address on delivering helpful content, your audience will respond positively.

Lastly, technology can be daunting, but you don't need to be a video production expert to make great content. Start with simple tools and as you grow more confident, you can explore more complex video production techniques. Remember, authenticity often resonates more than high production value.

By confronting these fears head-on, you'll be on your way to mastering confidence in front of the camera.

Three Steps to Improve Your On-Camera Confidence

Improving your confidence for a camera address involves simple, actionable steps. First, prepare thoroughly. Know your material inside out. This will reduce anxiety and enable you to speak fluently, making you appear more confident.

Second, create a conducive environment. Ensure good lighting and a quiet space. Familiarize yourself with the equipment you're using. When you are comfortable in your setting, it will show in your demeanour and help you focus on the message rather than your surroundings.

Lastly, practice consistently. Start by recording yourself and watching the playback to observe areas for improvement. This also helps you get used to seeing yourself on screen. As you make adjustments, you'll start to notice improvements in your delivery and presence.

Implementing these steps will build your on-camera confidence, making your video content more compelling and professional.

Transforming Confidence into Compelling Video Production

Tips for Maintaining Ground-Breaking Video Production

To maintain a ground-breaking video production, it's essential to stay current with the latest trends and technology. Invest in quality equipment that can produce clear visuals and crisp audio, as this will immediately elevate the quality of your content.

Consistently brainstorm new ideas and formats. Experiment with storytelling techniques, editing styles, and visual effects to keep your content fresh and engaging. Don't shy away from getting creative input from others, as collaboration can often lead to the most innovative concepts.

Another tip is to prioritize good scriptwriting. A well-written script is the foundation of effective video content. It should be concise, clear, and structured to maintain the viewer's attention throughout the video.

Finally, continue to educate yourself on video production. Take courses, watch tutorials, and learn from professionals in the field. Continuous learning will ensure that your video production remains cutting-edge and impactful.

By following these tips, your video content will not only be confident but also captivating and innovative.

How to Keep Your Video Content Engaging and Inspirational

To keep your video content engaging and inspirational, start by knowing your audience. Understand their interests, challenges, and what motivates them. This knowledge will help you create content that resonates and inspires.

Focus on storytelling. Every video should tell a story that connects with your viewers on an emotional level. Use real-life examples, case studies, or customer testimonials to make your content relatable and impactful.

Keep the pace dynamic. Use a mix of visuals, such as images, graphs, and text overlays, to complement your spoken words. This variety keeps the viewer's attention and reinforces your message.

Encourage viewer interaction. Ask questions, prompt viewers to comment, and include calls to action. This engagement makes the viewing experience more interactive and memorable.

Lastly, always aim to provide value. Whether it's educational, motivational, or simply entertainment, make sure your content leaves viewers with something valuable.

By incorporating these elements, your video content will not only engage viewers but also leave them feeling inspired and connected to your brand.

Why Updating Existing Training Videos is Essential for Medical Companies: Keeping Pace with Industry Standards

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 17:00:00 GMT

In the fast-paced and rapidly evolving field of medicine, it is essential for medical companies to keep their employees up to date with the latest industry standards.

One effective tool for achieving this is through updating existing training videos. This article explores why companies should consider revamping their training materials by incorporating engaging videos and the benefits of doing so. Whether a company already has video content or is considering creating new ones, this article will provide insights into the importance of keeping training videos current and relevant to ensure employees are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills. By embracing video lessons as part of their training strategy, medical companies can enhance the learning experience, improve information retention, and ultimately stay ahead in an ever-evolving industry.

The Importance of Regularly Updating Training Videos

The Role of Video in Medical Training

Video has become an indispensable part of medical training, offering a dynamic and interactive way for employees to learn complex procedures and concepts. Unlike traditional text-based materials, videos can demonstrate real-life scenarios, provide step-by-step tutorials, and create a more engaging learning environment. This visual medium can simplify complicated topics, making them easier to understand and remember. With the ability to pause, rewind, and review, employees have the flexibility to learn at their own pace, leading to better retention and mastery of skills. Furthermore, videos can be accessed from multiple devices and locations, granting learners the convenience to study whenever and wherever they choose. The integration of video into medical training is not just a trend; it's a transformation in how education is delivered, ensuring that employees are more informed and prepared than ever before.

Why Updates are Necessary for Training Materials

Medical knowledge and practices are constantly advancing, making it crucial for training materials to keep pace. Updated training videos ensure that employees are informed about the latest medical breakthroughs, technologies, and regulatory requirements. This is not only important for delivering high-quality patient care but also for maintaining legal compliance and minimizing liability. As medical procedures evolve, training videos must reflect these changes to provide accurate and current information. Furthermore, outdated materials can lead to misinformation and ineffective practices, potentially harming patient outcomes. By regularly updating training videos, medical companies show a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement. This proactive approach to education fosters a culture of learning and adaptation, which is vital in a field where the stakes are high, and the margin for error is low.

Incorporating Engaging Videos into Your Training Material

The Impact of Engaging Videos on Learning

Engaging videos significantly enhance the learning process by capturing the viewer's attention and fostering deeper comprehension. When employees are engaged, they're more likely to absorb and retain information, which is especially important in the medical field where precision and accuracy are critical. Engaging training videos often feature elements such as storytelling, relatable scenarios, and interactive components that help to build a connection with the learner. They can illustrate complex concepts through visuals and animations that might be difficult to convey through text alone. This high level of engagement also leads to increased motivation and enthusiasm for learning, which can translate into a more competent and confident workforce. By leveraging the power of engaging videos, medical companies can create impactful training experiences that not only educate but also inspire their employees.

Adapting Training Content Into Video Lessons

Transforming traditional training content into video lessons can make medical education more accessible and effective. The first step is identifying key learning objectives and distilling them into concise, impactful messages. Videos should be structured to facilitate easy understanding, often breaking down complex information into digestible segments. Utilizing visuals, such as diagrams and on-screen text, can reinforce key points and aid memory retention. It's also beneficial to incorporate real-world examples, which can help bridge the gap between theory and practice. To ensure the content remains engaging, it's important to keep videos concise, as attention spans can wane with longer durations. Additionally, interactive elements like quizzes or simulations can be integrated to allow for active learning. When adapting content, it's critical to consider the diverse learning styles within your audience, creating a mix of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic elements to cater to different preferences.

Keeping Pace with Changing Medical Standards through Videos

Changes in Medical Standards: A Constant Process

Medical standards are never static; they evolve continually in response to new research, technological advancements, and changes in patient care practices. This constant change demands that medical professionals remain at the forefront of current knowledge and procedures. The ongoing process of revising guidelines, protocols, and best practices necessitates a flexible and dynamic approach to training. Video lessons play a critical role here, as they can be updated and redistributed much faster than traditional training methods. Keeping up with medical standards is not just about staying informed—it's about ensuring the highest level of patient care and safety. By acknowledging that change is the only constant in the medical field, companies can use video lessons as a powerful tool to keep their workforce agile and informed, ready to adapt to new developments as they arise.

Training Videos as An Effective Tool for Adapting to Changes

Training videos are a highly effective tool for adapting to changes in medical standards due to their versatility and scalability. They can quickly be updated to reflect the latest medical guidelines and distributed to a wide audience without the need for time-consuming and expensive in-person training sessions. Videos allow for consistency in training, ensuring that every employee receives the same information presented in the same way. This standardization is crucial when implementing new procedures or guidelines. Furthermore, videos can incorporate a variety of learning aids, such as animations and patient scenarios, which can help medical professionals visualize and understand new concepts more effectively. They also provide the opportunity for medical staff to revisit the material as needed to fully grasp the changes. In essence, training videos are not just a means of conveying information; they are a cornerstone of a proactive and adaptable learning culture within the medical industry.

The Strategic Value of Updated Medical Training Videos

Improved Employee Competency through Up-To-Date Training

Up-to-date training is a key factor in improving employee competency within medical companies. When staff are trained with the latest information and techniques, they are better equipped to perform their duties effectively and efficiently. Updated training videos play a pivotal role in this process by providing a resource that staff can access to learn about the latest medical advancements and updated procedures. These videos can serve as a reference point for best practices and can be used to standardize the level of care provided. As employees become more competent, the quality of patient care improves, which can lead to increased patient satisfaction and a better reputation for the company. Furthermore, a well-informed staff is often more engaged and confident in their roles, leading to higher retention rates and a stronger, more capable workforce.

Ensuring Compliance with Industry Standards through Updated Training Videos

Ensuring compliance with industry standards is a critical challenge for medical companies. Updated training videos are an effective way to meet this challenge head-on. They provide a reliable method for disseminating changes in regulations and standards across the entire organization. With updated videos, companies can quickly educate their staff about new compliance requirements, reducing the risk of violations and the associated penalties. These videos not only convey the necessary information but also demonstrate the proper application of these standards in clinical settings. This visual approach helps employees grasp the practical aspects of compliance, leading to better implementation in their daily work. By regularly incorporating the latest industry standards into training videos, medical companies underscore their dedication to legal and ethical practices. Ultimately, this commitment to compliance through updated training strengthens the trust of patients, regulators, and the wider community in the medical company's services.

How Video Production Companies like Arc and Crown Media Can Help You Elevate Your Brand's Visual Storytelling

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 15:00:00 GMT

Visual storytelling is a powerful tool that can help elevate your brand and captivate your audience.

If you're looking to enhance your brand's visual storytelling, partnering with a video production company like Arc and Crown Media can be a game-changer. Whether you have a small task or a large-scale project in mind, these companies are equipped to meet your needs and help you bring your vision to life. From video creation and editing to videography, photography, animation, scripting, and video consulting, they offer a wide range of services to help you deliver a compelling narrative. Working with Arc and Crown Media means tapping into their expertise and industry insights, ensuring that your brand's story is conveyed in a creative and impactful way. With their professional guidance and support, you can expect to take your visual storytelling to new heights, leaving a lasting impression on your target audience. So, if you're ready to embark on a visual journey that will set your brand apart, consider partnering with a reputable video production company like Arc and Crown Media.

Elevating Your Brand through Video Production

Benefits of video production for brand storytelling

Video content is a cornerstone of modern marketing strategies because it captures attention quickly and conveys messages effectively. In the digital age, consumers are inundated with information, making it crucial for brands to deliver content that stands out. Video production can enhance your brand storytelling in several ways:

Engagement: Videos are more engaging than text alone. They can evoke emotions and create a connection with your audience that leads to higher retention rates.
Clarity: A well-produced video can explain complex ideas simply and concisely, ensuring your message is understood.
Shareability: Videos are easy to share across social media platforms, increasing the reach and impact of your brand message.
SEO Benefits: Search engines prioritize content that engages users, and videos often lead to longer visit durations on your website, which can improve search rankings.

By leveraging video production, your brand can tell its story in a way that is not only visually appealing but also strategically positioned for maximum impact.

Harnessing the power of Arc and Crown Media for your brand

Partnering with Arc and Crown Media provides your brand with professional video production services that are tailored to your unique needs. Here's how their expertise can benefit your brand:

Customization: They work with you to understand your brand identity and create video content that aligns with your vision and goals.
Quality Production: With a focus on high-quality production, Arc and Crown Media use the latest technology and techniques to produce visually stunning videos.
Strategic Insight: They don't just make videos; they craft stories that enhance your brand's message and resonate with your audience.
Efficiency: Their experience ensures that your project moves smoothly from concept to final product, saving you time and resources.

By harnessing the power of Arc and Crown Media, you can trust that your brand's story will be told in the most compelling way, leaving a memorable impression on your audience.

Understanding the Video Production Process

Developing a strategy for effective visual storytelling

A strategic approach is vital to effective visual storytelling. This begins with setting clear objectives for what your video content should achieve. Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, drive sales, or educate your audience? Once goals are defined, you can focus on the following:

Target Audience: Identify who you're speaking to. Tailoring your message to the interests and needs of your audience increases relevance and engagement.
Core Message: What is the key takeaway for your audience? Ensuring the core message is clear and concise is crucial.
Visual Style: The aesthetic of your video should reflect your brand's personality and appeal to your target audience.
Distribution Channels: Where will your video be seen? Choose platforms that best suit your content and audience demographics.

Arc and Crown Media can guide you through each step, ensuring your video strategy aligns with your brand's broader marketing efforts and business goals.

Scripting and storyboarding: painting a picture with words and visuals

Scripting and storyboarding are the blueprints of your visual storytelling. They set the stage for what your final video will look like and ensure that every team member is aligned with the vision. Here's what they involve:

Scripting: Writing a script is crafting the narrative. It's about choosing the right words that will effectively communicate your message and resonate with your audience.
Storyboarding: This visual representation of your script breaks down the video scene by scene. It's like a comic strip for your video, illustrating how the script translates into visuals.

Both scripting and storyboarding are collaborative processes. Arc and Crown Media will work closely with you to capture your brand's voice and ensure the storyboard reflects the intended tone and style. This preparation is essential for a smooth production process and a successful final product.

Shooting, editing, and the role of videography, photography, and animation

The shooting phase brings your storyboard to life through the lenses of videography and photography. This stage is where technical skill and creative vision converge to capture your brand's story frame by frame. Here's what this process entails:

Videography: High-quality video footage is shot using professional equipment and techniques. Videographers capture the essence of your message through dynamic shots and composition.
Photography: Still images can complement your video content, providing snapshots that can be used across your marketing channels.
Animation: For concepts that are difficult to capture on camera, animation can add depth and creativity to your storytelling.

Editing is the next critical step, where all the pieces come together. It's a meticulous process that involves cutting, arranging, and enhancing the footage to create a cohesive and compelling narrative. This phase also includes sound design, color correction, and visual effects, ensuring that the final product has the polish and professionalism that reflect your brand's quality.

Services Offered by Video Production Companies

Customizable video content creation

Creating video content that is tailored to your brand's specific needs is at the heart of what video production companies like Arc and Crown Media do. Customizable video content creation includes:

Concept Development: Starting with your ideas, they help develop a concept that effectively tells your brand's story.
Pre-Production Planning: This involves casting, location scouting, and scheduling to ensure everything is in place before shooting begins.
Production: Using state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to shoot your video, tailored to the look and feel of your brand.
Post-Production: After shooting, they craft the final product through editing, adding music, sound effects, and any necessary graphics or animation.

The goal is to create a video that not only looks professional but also captures the essence of your brand and communicates your message in a way that resonates with your audience.

Comprehensive video editing services

The role of video editing in the production process can't be overstated. It's where the raw footage is transformed into a polished, cohesive story. Comprehensive video editing services provided by companies like Arc and Crown Media include:

Cutting and Sequencing: Editors meticulously comb through hours of footage to select the best shots and arrange them to tell your story effectively.
Color Grading: This process enhances the visual appeal of your video, ensuring that the colors match the mood and style of your narrative.
Sound Design: Good sound design is crucial for setting the tone of the video, from the dialogue to the background music and sound effects.
Visual Effects: Whether it's simple transitions or complex animations, visual effects add a layer of sophistication to your video content.

With these comprehensive services, your video will not only be engaging and informative but also a reflection of your brand's high standards.

Videography and photography services

Videography and photography are essential services provided by video production companies, capturing the visual elements that tell your brand's story. Here's what these services typically involve:

Videography: Professional videographers use high-quality equipment to capture your message in motion. They know how to work with lighting, angles, and composition to make your content visually appealing.
Photography: In addition to moving images, high-resolution still photos are valuable for your marketing efforts. They can be used on your website, in brochures, and across social media platforms to complement your video content.
Live Event Coverage: For events or important company milestones, videography and photography services can document these moments, providing valuable content for future marketing campaigns.

These services are not just about shooting footage or snapping pictures; they are about capturing the essence of your brand and delivering it in a format that will captivate and engage your audience.

Animation and scripting services

Animation and scripting are critical components of the video production process, offering creative ways to tell your brand's story. These services include:

Animation: From simple motion graphics to full-scale animated storytelling, animation can bring your ideas to life in a way that live-action video sometimes cannot. It's particularly effective for explaining complex concepts or visualizing abstract ideas.
Scripting: A well-written script is the foundation of any good video. Scripting services involve crafting the narrative that guides the visuals, ensuring that the message is clear, engaging, and aligned with your brand's voice.

Whether you're looking to create an explainer video with animated elements or a fully animated short film, Arc and Crown Media have the expertise to deliver content that is both informative and visually exciting. The scripting process is collaborative, ensuring that the final product truly represents your vision and effectively communicates with your target audience.

Detailed video consulting services

Video consulting services are designed to help you navigate the complex landscape of video production. These services provide:

Strategic Planning: Consultants work with you to develop a video strategy that aligns with your marketing goals and brand identity.
Content Optimization: They advise on how to optimize video content for different platforms, ensuring maximum engagement and reach.
Resource Allocation: Expert consultants can help you determine the best use of your budget and resources for video production.
Performance Analysis: After your video is released, they can analyze its performance and provide insights for future projects.

With detailed video consulting services from Arc and Crown Media, you have access to industry experts who can guide you through every step of the video production process. This ensures that the final product not only meets but exceeds your expectations.

Realizing Your Vision with Arc and Crown Media

Tailored solutions for your brand, no matter the project size

Arc and Crown Media understand that each brand has unique needs, which is why they offer tailored solutions to match any project, regardless of its size. Whether it's a short social media clip or a comprehensive marketing campaign, their approach is always customized. Here's what you can expect:

Flexibility: They adapt to your specific requirements and constraints, ensuring that the final product fits your vision and budget.
Scalability: Their team can scale their services up or down based on the scope of your project, making it as grand or as streamlined as you wish.
Personalization: Every aspect of the video, from the tone to the visual style, is crafted to reflect your brand's unique personality and objectives.

With Arc and Crown Media, you're not just getting a service provider; you're gaining a partner who is committed to making your vision a reality, no matter the scale of your project.

Bringing your brand narrative to life with Arc and Crown Media

Arc and Crown Media are experts at transforming the essence of your brand into a compelling narrative that speaks to your audience. With a combination of creative storytelling and technical excellence, they ensure that your brand's story not only gets told but is also remembered. Here's the process:

Discovery: They begin by understanding your brand, your audience, and your goals.
Creativity: Their team then crafts a unique narrative that aligns with your brand's values and message.
Execution: Using high-quality production techniques, they bring your story to life in a way that engages and inspires.
Delivery: The end result is a video that not only tells your brand's story but also enhances your market presence.

Arc and Crown Media's approach ensures that your brand narrative isn't just shared; it's experienced by your audience in the most impactful way possible.

Case studies: From project concept to finished product

Arc and Crown Media's portfolio is filled with success stories that illustrate their ability to take a concept and turn it into an effective video product. Each case study is a testament to their process:

Initial Consultation: Every successful project begins with a conversation where the objectives are set and the brand's voice is understood.
Creative Development: Ideas are then shaped into a tangible concept that is both innovative and true to the brand's identity.
Production Excellence: Through expert production practices, these concepts are filmed and edited into high-quality video content.
Final Outcomes: The finished products are not just videos; they're strategic marketing tools that drive results, whether it's increased engagement, higher conversion rates, or enhanced brand recognition.

These case studies demonstrate how a well-executed video can become a cornerstone of a brand's marketing strategy, showcasing Arc and Crown Media's commitment to realizing your vision.

Unlocking Productivity: 3 Techniques to Boost Mental Focus at Work

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 14:30:00 GMT

In today's fast-paced and demanding work environment, maintaining optimal mental focus is essential for productivity and overall well-being

That's why we have compiled three proven techniques that can help boost your mental focus at work. Whether you are a manager looking to enhance your team's performance or an employee hoping to improve your own concentration, these practical tips will provide valuable insights. By implementing these techniques, you can effectively manage work stress, find a better work-life balance, and enhance your ability to stay focused on the tasks at hand. From incorporating mental activities and practicing mindfulness to finding ways to reduce stress, this article will guide you through valuable strategies to unlock your productivity and achieve peak mental performance at work.

Introduction: The Importance of Mental Focus at Work

The Connection Between Mindfulness and Productivity

The link between mindfulness and productivity is undeniable. Mindfulness—defined as the quality of being present and fully engaged with whatever we're doing at the moment—can transform an average workday into one of high efficiency and focus. When employees practice mindfulness, they are less prone to distractions and more capable of deep work, where concentration is key. This heightened focus improves the quality of work and allows for tasks to be completed more quickly and accurately. Additionally, mindfulness can reduce work stress, as it encourages a more deliberate and thoughtful approach to tasks. By training the mind to be attentive and aware, employees are better equipped to manage their workload effectively, leading to a substantial mental boost in the workplace.

How Stress and Imbalance Reduce Efficiency

Stress and imbalance are significant barriers to productivity that can't be ignored. When employees experience high levels of work stress, it triggers a fight-or-flight response which is not conducive to the thoughtful, creative work required in most jobs today. Chronic stress can cause mental fatigue, making it difficult for employees to maintain concentration and complete tasks efficiently. Moreover, an imbalance between work and personal life can exacerbate stress levels, leading to burnout and reduced cognitive function. This lack of work life balance not only impacts an individual's output but can also contribute to a tense work atmosphere. By addressing stress and seeking a more balanced approach to work and life, employees can improve focus, enhance performance, and ultimately contribute to a more productive and harmonious workplace.

The Value of a Mental Boost in the Workplace

A mental boost in the workplace is not just about enhancing individual performance; it's about fostering an environment where everyone can thrive. When employees are mentally sharp, they are more engaged, innovative, and capable of solving complex problems, which drives the company forward. A well-focused team can also better navigate the intricacies of collaborative projects, ensuring that each member's strengths are utilized effectively. Moreover, a mentally stimulated workforce is likely to be more satisfied with their work, leading to lower turnover rates and a stronger company culture. Investing in the mental well-being of employees through initiatives that promote focus and clarity can result in significant returns, not just in output but also in the creation of a more dynamic and resilient organization.

Technique One: Mental Activities for Enhanced Work Performance

Role of Brain Exercises in Boosting Focus

Brain exercises are a powerful tool for enhancing focus and cognitive function. Just as physical exercise strengthens the body, mental activities can develop the brain's ability to concentrate and process information more effectively. Regular engagement in tasks that challenge cognitive abilities, such as puzzles, memory games, and problem-solving activities, can lead to increased mental sharpness. These exercises stimulate neural pathways, making it easier for the brain to block out distractions and stay on task. By incorporating brain exercises into daily work routines, employees can create new patterns of focus, leading to improved productivity and efficiency. The key is consistency and gradually increasing the complexity of the exercises to ensure continued cognitive development and a sustained mental boost in the workplace.

Quick Mental Activities for Stress Relief

To combat work stress, quick mental activities can serve as an immediate relief. Short bouts of brain-stimulating exercises throughout the day can help break the cycle of stress and refresh the mind. Simple activities like deep breathing, visualizing a calming scene, or engaging in a few minutes of meditation can lower stress hormones and bring a sense of tranquility. Additionally, taking brief walks, practicing progressive muscle relaxation, or doodling can also shift focus away from stressors and reset your mental state. These activities don't require much time but can make a significant difference in managing stress levels. By incorporating these quick mental breaks, employees can clear their minds, reduce anxiety, and refocus on their work with renewed energy and clarity.

Incorporating Mental Workouts into Your Daily Routine

Incorporating mental workouts into your daily routine is a strategic move for long-term focus enhancement. Start with setting aside a specific time each day for these exercises, perhaps during a mid-morning break or right before lunch when energy levels may begin to dip. The key is to make this a consistent part of your schedule, just like important meetings or check-ins. These workouts can include crossword puzzles, learning a new language, or even taking up a new hobby that requires concentration, such as playing a musical instrument. By regularly challenging your brain, you're not only working to improve focus but also strengthening your overall cognitive abilities. Remember, the goal is to integrate these activities seamlessly into your day so they become a natural and enjoyable part of your routine, contributing to your mental boost at work.

Technique Two: Designing the Perfect Work-Life Balance

The Impact of Work-Life Imbalance on Focus

Work-life imbalance can significantly hinder an employee's ability to focus. When work consumes too much time and energy, it leaves little room for rest and personal pursuits, which are essential for mental recovery and balance. This imbalance can lead to chronic stress, which not only affects focus but also overall health. Without proper downtime, the brain doesn't get a chance to rest, resulting in diminished cognitive resources for tasks that require attention and concentration. This can create a vicious cycle where work quality suffers, leading to longer hours to compensate, and further imbalance. Acknowledging the importance of work life balance is the first step in breaking this cycle. By prioritizing time management and setting boundaries between work and personal life, employees can safeguard their focus and enhance their productivity.

Steps Towards an Improved Work-Life Balance

Improving work-life balance is a deliberate process that requires intentional actions. Start by clearly defining work hours and sticking to them, which helps in establishing boundaries. Use technology to your advantage by setting reminders to take breaks and to signal the end of the workday. Learn to say no to non-essential tasks that can encroach upon your personal time. Prioritize tasks and delegate when possible to avoid overloading your schedule. Outside of work, engage in activities that you enjoy and that help you relax and recharge, whether it's exercise, reading, or spending time with loved ones. It's also important to disconnect from work-related communications during off-hours to give your mind a complete break. Lastly, regular self-assessment can help you stay on track with your work-life balance goals, making adjustments as necessary to maintain a healthy balance.

The Role of Rest in Maintaining Focus

Rest plays a critical role in maintaining focus and enhancing productivity. It's during periods of rest that the brain assimilates new information, processes experiences, and replenishes energy reserves. Quality sleep is paramount, as it impacts memory, learning, and the ability to concentrate. Short, regular breaks throughout the workday are also beneficial, providing opportunities for the mind to reset and return to work tasks with renewed focus. These breaks might include a brief walk, stretching, or a relaxation technique. Additionally, downtime after work and on weekends should be used to disconnect entirely from work-related thoughts and activities. This mental distance from work not only prevents burnout but also allows for a fresh perspective when returning to tasks. Recognizing the role of rest, and respecting its place in the work-life balance equation, is essential for long-term cognitive health and focus at work.

Technique Three: Mindfulness Practices in the Office

Understanding the Concept of Work Mindfulness

Mindfulness in the workplace involves being fully engaged and present with each task, free from distractions of the past or future. It's about cultivating an awareness of one’s thoughts and emotions without letting them dominate the work at hand. The practice of work mindfulness can lead to a calmer, more focused state of mind, which in turn enhances efficiency and productivity. By acknowledging and then setting aside unrelated thoughts, employees can dedicate their cognitive resources to the task at hand. This focused attention helps in completing tasks more efficiently and with greater care. Mindfulness also involves an attitude of curiosity and openness, which can foster a more creative and collaborative work environment. As employees become more mindful, they often find that they communicate better, respond to stress more constructively, and approach challenges with a clearer mind.

Applying Mindfulness for Better Concentration

Applying mindfulness techniques can significantly improve concentration at work. Start by dedicating a few minutes each day to mindfulness exercises, such as focused breathing or guided meditation. These practices help center your attention and combat the constant distractions that can arise in a busy work environment. When beginning a new task, take a moment to ground yourself in the present. This can be as simple as taking a few deep breaths and acknowledging your surroundings before diving into work. Throughout the day, practice being aware of when your mind wanders and gently guide it back to the task at hand. This act of refocusing reinforces your ability to concentrate. Encourage regular mindfulness breaks for employees to step away from their workstations, which can help reset their mental focus and return to work with a clearer, more attentive mindset.

Best Mindfulness Exercises for the Workplace

To cultivate mindfulness in the workplace, there are several exercises that can be easily implemented. One effective practice is the 'one-minute breathing' exercise, where employees focus on their breath for a full minute, which can quickly reset their attention. Another method is 'mindful listening' during meetings, which involves fully focusing on the speaker without planning a response or letting the mind drift. 'Mindful eating' is another exercise, encouraging employees to take the time to truly savor and pay attention to their meals, rather than eating while distracted. Additionally, setting aside time for 'body scans' can help employees become aware of physical sensations and release tension that may be affecting their focus. These mindfulness exercises require minimal time but can have a profound impact on reducing stress, improving focus, and enhancing overall well-being in the office.

Conclusion: Unlocking Productivity Through Mental Focus

Shaping a More Focused Work Atmosphere

Creating a work atmosphere that promotes focus is essential for unlocking productivity. This involves setting up an environment that minimizes distractions, whether by reducing noise levels, implementing clean desk policies, or providing tools that help manage digital interruptions. Leaders play a crucial role in this by setting the tone for a focused work culture. They can do so by encouraging breaks, recognizing the need for quiet time, and respecting boundaries that prevent work overload. Providing training on time management and organizational skills can also empower employees to take control of their workday. When each member of the team is committed to maintaining focus and minimizing disruptions, the collective productivity can soar. A focused work atmosphere not only benefits the bottom line but also contributes to employee satisfaction and retention.

Celebrating the Power of Enhanced Mental Focus

The benefits of enhanced mental focus are worth celebrating, as they extend far beyond mere productivity gains. A sharpened focus can lead to higher quality work, more innovative thinking, and a greater sense of personal accomplishment. When employees can deeply engage with their work, they are more likely to feel satisfied and motivated, which contributes to a more positive work environment. Companies should recognize and reward efforts to maintain and improve focus, as this can encourage a culture of continuous personal and professional growth. Celebrations can be as simple as acknowledging an employee's dedication to a mindfulness practice or as significant as rewarding teams for successful project completions without overtime. By valuing the power of focus, organizations not only enhance their output but also underscore the importance of their most valuable asset—their people.

Looking Forward: Continually Improving Focus at Work

Continual improvement in focus at work is an ongoing journey. As the workplace evolves with new technologies and workflows, strategies for maintaining concentration must also adapt. Organizations should commit to regularly reviewing and updating their practices to support mental focus. This could involve training sessions on the latest time-management tools, workshops on mindfulness techniques, or the introduction of quiet zones for deep work. Soliciting feedback from employees on what helps or hinders their focus can lead to valuable insights and more targeted improvements. Additionally, staying informed about research in cognitive science can provide new methods for enhancing focus. By making a continuous commitment to improving focus, companies can ensure that their workforce is equipped to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow with a clear and present mind.

The Future of Social Content: Leveraging LinkedIn for Brand Marketing in 2024

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered how LinkedIn can help your business thrive in the ever-changing landscape of social content?

In 2024, the future of brand marketing is poised to be transformed by leveraging the power of LinkedIn. With its vast network of professionals, this platform presents a unique opportunity for business owners and entrepreneurs to expand their reach, generate sales, and establish themselves as industry leaders. In this blog, we will explore how LinkedIn can become an essential tool in your marketing strategy, providing you with the necessary insights, connections, and resources to elevate your brand and stay ahead of the competition. Whether you are a startup looking to make waves or an established company seeking to maintain growth, harnessing the potential of LinkedIn in 2024 can propel your business to success. So, let's dive into this exciting future and discover how LinkedIn can unlock new possibilities for your brand.

Exploring LinkedIn's Role in the Future of Social Content

Why LinkedIn is Little Known Goldmine for Business Owners

While many focus on trendier platforms, LinkedIn remains a treasure trove for business owners. It's where decisions are made, partnerships are formed, and deals are sealed. Imagine tapping into a community where nearly every member is there with a business mindset. LinkedIn is that community.

For starters, consider its user base: professionals seeking to network, learn, and advance their careers. This creates an environment ripe for business owners to position themselves as thought leaders. By sharing valuable content, you can attract the right audience—peers, potential clients, and even investors.

Moreover, LinkedIn's targeted advertising capabilities allow you to home in on the exact demographic that matters to your business. From industry to job title, the precision of LinkedIn's marketing tools is unmatched in the professional sphere. It's not just a platform for networking; it's a hub where business owners can strategically build and engage with a community tailored to their market.

The Secrets to Networking Success on LinkedIn

Networking on LinkedIn is an art form that, when done correctly, can lead to significant business growth. The secret lies in being authentic and providing value. Start by optimizing your profile to showcase your expertise and the unique value you bring to your industry.

Engagement is crucial. Don't just add connections; interact with them. Comment on posts, share insightful articles, and join groups relevant to your industry. This active participation demonstrates your interest and can set you apart as a knowledgeable leader.

Additionally, personalizing your connection requests with a brief note on why you want to connect can lead to more meaningful relationships. Remember, it's not about collecting contacts; it's about cultivating relationships that can evolve into business opportunities.

Finally, consistency is key. Regular updates and steady communication keep you on the radar of your connections, making it more likely they'll think of you when an opportunity arises.

Harnessing the Power of LinkedIn for Increased Sales

LinkedIn offers an unparalleled platform for driving sales by connecting you with the right prospects. To harness this power, start with LinkedIn's advanced search functions. These tools help you identify and reach out to potential clients with precision, ensuring your message is targeted and relevant.

Once you've found potential leads, it’s time to build trust. Share content that adds value, addresses pain points, and positions your brand as a solution. Case studies, testimonials, and product demos can be particularly effective in showcasing your success and reliability.

Use LinkedIn's InMail feature to send personalized messages to decision-makers. Unlike cold calls or emails, InMail appears within a professional networking context, which can increase the likelihood of engagement.

Remember, the goal is to foster relationships, not just pitch sales. By focusing on the long-term partnership potential with each LinkedIn connection, you increase the chance of converting them into loyal customers.

Breaking Down LinkedIn's Marketing Potential

B2B Marketing: Why LinkedIn is the Future

LinkedIn is swiftly becoming the cornerstone of B2B marketing strategies. Its business-centric environment is where industry conversations are happening, where professionals go to stay informed, and where companies build their brands.

The platform's data-rich profiles provide key insights into potential clients' business needs and interests. This information enables marketers to tailor their content and messaging to resonate with their target audience more effectively. LinkedIn also facilitates direct engagement with industry influencers and decision-makers, which can shorten the sales cycle and improve campaign ROI.

In addition, LinkedIn's algorithm favors high-quality, professional content, making it easier for businesses to reach a wider, yet still relevant, audience organically. And with LinkedIn's continuous advancements in advertising solutions, businesses can now leverage sophisticated targeting capabilities that are essential for a successful B2B marketing approach.

By recognizing the unique attributes of LinkedIn, B2B marketers can capitalize on the platform's potential to foster meaningful business relationships and drive future growth.

An In-depth Look at Branded Content on LinkedIn

Branded content on LinkedIn is not just about promotion—it's about starting conversations and building relationships. The platform is designed for content that educates, informs, and adds value to its professional audience. By sharing articles, infographics, and videos that reflect your brand's expertise, you can engage with your audience in a meaningful way.

To make the most of LinkedIn for branded content, focus on storytelling. Share the journey of your brand, the challenges you've overcome, and the knowledge you've gained. This approach helps humanize your brand and fosters a stronger connection with your audience.

Additionally, LinkedIn's native video capabilities allow for a more personal touch, offering a face and voice to your brand. Video content often yields higher engagement rates and can boost visibility in the crowded marketplace.

Remember, the best branded content on LinkedIn feels like a natural part of the professional conversation, offering insights and solutions rather than just a sales pitch.

How LinkedIn has Transformed the Canadian Business Landscape

In Canada, LinkedIn has significantly changed the way businesses operate and network. With a vast landscape and a diverse economy, Canadian business owners have embraced LinkedIn as a critical tool for bridging the geographical and industry gaps.

The platform has made it easier for Canadian professionals to connect, share expertise, and uncover new opportunities within local and global markets. Through LinkedIn, small and medium-sized businesses have found a voice alongside major players, giving them the ability to gain visibility and build their reputation internationally.

Furthermore, Canadian entrepreneurs are using LinkedIn to attract top talent, join industry-specific groups, and keep up with market trends, which is essential for staying competitive. LinkedIn's data-driven approach also provides invaluable insights into consumer behavior and industry standards, guiding businesses towards better strategic decisions.

By fostering a more connected business environment, LinkedIn has enabled Canadian businesses to scale in ways that were not possible before, solidifying its role as an essential part of the modern business toolkit.

Connecting Brand and Audience via LinkedIn

Make Your Brand Voice Heard: Marketing that Resonates

Making your brand voice heard on LinkedIn requires a strategic approach that goes beyond mere self-promotion. Your content should resonate with your audience, speaking directly to their needs and aspirations. With LinkedIn's professional context, your marketing can engage in deeper, more meaningful conversations.

Craft your messages to inform and inspire. Share insights, thought leadership articles, and industry news that position your brand as a valuable resource. Tailor your tone to be professional yet approachable, ensuring that it aligns with your brand personality and values.

Leverage LinkedIn's publishing platform to circulate longer-form content that delves into topics relevant to your audience. This can help establish your brand as an authority in your field, encouraging trust and loyalty among your network.

Remember, the most effective LinkedIn marketing feels like a two-way conversation. Encourage feedback, participate in discussions, and be responsive. By doing so, you create an active community around your brand, amplifying your voice in the crowded digital landscape.

From Connections to Conversions: A Modern Marketing Tale

The journey from making connections to securing conversions on LinkedIn is a modern marketing tale of strategic relationship-building. It begins with connecting to the right people—those who are most likely to be interested in your product or service. But connecting is just the first step.

The key to turning connections into conversions lies in nurturing those relationships. Engage with your connections by sharing content that adds value to their professional lives. Use LinkedIn's analytics to understand what content performs best, and then refine your strategy accordingly.

Focus on helping, not selling. By providing solutions to common problems or insights into industry trends, you demonstrate your expertise and the value of your brand. When the time comes for a connection to make a purchase decision, your brand stands out as a trusted resource.

By consistently delivering value and maintaining a presence on LinkedIn, you lay the foundation for a strong network that can translate into tangible business results.

Inspiring Brand Confidence through LinkedIn

Building brand confidence is essential for success, and LinkedIn provides a prime platform to foster this trust. Showcase your brand's achievements, share customer success stories, and highlight endorsements from industry leaders to build credibility. These actions reassure potential clients that they are dealing with a reputable and proven entity.

Educate your audience through LinkedIn by offering webinars, writing articles, and sharing case studies that demonstrate your brand's expertise and commitment to excellence. Engaging with users through Q&A sessions or live events can further personalize the experience and deepen their trust in your brand.

Remember to maintain a consistent brand message across all your LinkedIn activities. Consistency reinforces recognition and solidifies your brand's reputation. By utilizing LinkedIn to communicate your brand's story and value proposition clearly and consistently, you inspire confidence that can convert connections into loyal customers.

Harnessing Your Expertise: How to Create Compelling Video Content for Social Media

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 14:30:00 GMT

Social media has become an essential platform for entrepreneurs and business owners to showcase their expertise and connect with their target audience.

One highly effective way to do this is through compelling video content. Harnessing your expertise and creating engaging videos for social media can help you build your brand, generate leads, and establish yourself as an authority in your industry. This blog will provide you with three valuable steps on how to create a video script that effectively highlights your expertise as an entrepreneur. By following these steps, you will be able to create impactful video content that captivates your audience and drives meaningful engagement. Let's dive in and discover how you can leverage the power of video to promote your business and connect with your ideal customers on social media.

Unleashing Your Potential as a Video Creator

Understanding Your Audience and Content Goals

Before you press record, it's critical to understand who you're speaking to and what you aim to achieve with your video content. Start by defining your target audience. Consider their interests, challenges, and questions they might have related to your area of expertise. Next, outline your content goals. Are you looking to educate, inspire, or showcase a product? Your goals will shape the content of your video, guiding you on the topics to cover and the tone to adopt. Keep in mind, video content on social media should offer value, whether it’s through information, entertainment, or both. By aligning your video content with the needs of your audience and your business objectives, you'll create a more impactful and relevant message that resonates with viewers and supports your brand’s growth.

Expertise as Your Unique Content

Your expertise is the cornerstone of your video content. It’s what sets you apart from the competition and positions you as an authority in your field. When planning your videos, think about the specific knowledge and skills you possess that can benefit your audience. Whether it's industry insights, how-to guides, or case studies, your unique perspective is valuable to those who seek to learn and grow. Utilize real-world examples to demonstrate your expertise and provide practical advice that viewers can apply. Remember, sharing your expertise isn’t about showcasing everything you know; it’s about choosing the most relevant information that will engage and empower your audience. By focusing on the areas where you can offer the most value, you will create video content that not only educates but also builds trust and credibility with your social media followers.

The Power of Authenticity

Authenticity is a powerful tool in video content creation. In an online world filled with polished images and curated feeds, genuine moments can cut through the noise and create a deeper connection with your audience. Don't be afraid to show your true self; let your personality shine through. Whether it's sharing a personal story related to your business journey or admitting to past mistakes, these authentic touches can make your content more relatable and trustworthy. When viewers feel a personal connection, they're more likely to engage with your content and share it with others. Authenticity also means being honest about your products or services, which in turn, fosters loyalty and can lead to repeat business. Ultimately, by being authentic, you not only attract viewers but also cultivate a community around your brand on social media.

1. Developing Your Video Script

Starting With a Strong Hook

The first few seconds of your video are crucial; they can make the difference between a viewer watching your entire video or scrolling past it. To capture attention immediately, start with a strong hook. This could be a provocative question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement that relates to your expertise. The goal is to pique interest and spark curiosity, compelling the viewer to stay for more. When crafting your hook, consider the main pain points or desires of your audience and address them directly. This not only grabs attention but also signals to viewers that you understand their needs and have valuable insights to offer. A strong hook aligns with the overall message of your video and sets the stage for the content that follows, ensuring your viewers are engaged from start to finish.

Expert Tips on Script Writing

When writing your video script, clarity and conciseness are key. Here are some expert tips to guide you: First, outline your main points before you dive into writing. This will help you stay on topic and ensure your video has a logical flow. Use simple language and short sentences to make your content easily digestible. Remember, you're talking to real people, not just a camera. Write like you speak, in a conversational tone, to make your video feel more personal and engaging. Include calls to action throughout your video, not just at the end. This encourages viewers to engage with your content as they watch. Also, be mindful of pacing; mix longer explanatory segments with quick, impactful statements to keep viewers' attention. Lastly, read your script out loud before recording. This will help you catch any awkward phrasing and ensure your message sounds natural.

Conveying Your Message Effectively

To effectively convey your message, your video script must be clear and focused. Start by stating what viewers will learn or how they will benefit from watching. This sets expectations and gives them a reason to stay engaged. Use storytelling techniques where possible, as stories are more memorable and can illustrate your points in a relatable way. Be sure to stay on track; tangents can confuse viewers and dilute your message. Visual cues can also be written into your script to help illustrate your points. For instance, if you’re explaining a complex idea, you might say, "Let me draw this out for you," and then visually break down the concept. Reinforce key takeaways by summarizing them at the end of the video, and always conclude with a strong call to action, guiding viewers on what to do next. This structure ensures your message is not only heard but also acted upon.

2. Embracing the Self-Recording Process

Setting Up Your Recording Environment

Creating quality video content starts with setting up the right recording environment. Choose a quiet space where you can control the background noise. This will ensure your audio is clear and free of distractions. Pay attention to lighting; natural light is often best, but if it's not available, use soft artificial lights to illuminate your face without creating harsh shadows. The background should be tidy and not too busy, as it can take away from your message. It should also reflect your brand, whether that means a professional office setup or a more casual setting. Test your camera's framing before you start recording; you should be centred, with your eyes two-thirds of the way up the frame. Lastly, make sure your equipment is set up correctly and that you have everything you need within reach before you hit record.

Recording Tips for Quality Video

To ensure your self-recorded video is of high quality, consider these practical tips. First, use a tripod or stable surface to prevent shaky footage. Even slight movements can be distracting and appear unprofessional. If you're using your phone, shoot in landscape mode to match the aspect ratios commonly used on social media platforms. When it comes to audio, using an external microphone can greatly improve sound quality compared to your device's built-in mic. Speak clearly and at a moderate pace. This makes it easier for your audience to follow along, especially if English is not their first language. Check your recording settings to ensure you're filming in high definition (HD). Finally, do a test recording to check for any technical issues. By following these steps, you'll create videos that not only look and sound professional but also reflect the high standards of your business.

Responsibly Handling Post-Recording Edits

After recording, editing is the next step to polish your video. If you are taking on the task of editing your content, edit responsibly to maintain the authenticity of your message. Remove any long pauses, mistakes, or off-topic segments that don't serve your content goals. However, avoid over-editing to the point where the video feels unnatural. Tools like jump cuts can help maintain a dynamic pace and keep viewers engaged, but use them sparingly to prevent a jarring experience. If you mentioned any resources or called for action, add text overlays or graphics to reinforce these points. Consider adding subtitles to make your content accessible to a wider audience, including those who may be hearing impaired or watching without sound. Remember, the goal of editing is to enhance the viewing experience and to highlight the most important parts of your message, not to distort it.

3. Maximizing Social Media for Video Content

Optimizing Video for Different Platforms

Each social media platform has its own quirks and best practices, especially when it comes to video content. For instance, Instagram Stories and TikToks are designed for vertical video formats, while YouTube is more flexible, allowing for both vertical and horizontal videos. Take note of the maximum video lengths allowed on each platform as well; a video that works on YouTube might need to be edited down for Twitter's shorter time limit. Additionally, consider the autoplay and sound-off features commonly found on Facebook and LinkedIn. Use captions and engaging visuals to capture attention even without sound. When optimizing videos, also keep in mind the platform’s user behavior. For example, LinkedIn users might prefer more professional and educational content, whereas Twitter users often seek quick, timely updates. Tailor your content accordingly to ensure it resonates with the audience on each platform.

Engaging Viewers and Encouraging Interaction

Engagement is a key metric on social media, and your video content should encourage interaction from viewers. Start by asking questions that invite comments or thoughts. This not only boosts engagement rates but can also provide you with valuable feedback and insights into your audience's preferences. Encourage viewers to like and share your video if they found it helpful. Shares can exponentially increase your content’s reach and attract new followers to your profile. Use clear and compelling calls to action, such as inviting viewers to subscribe to your channel for more content or to visit your website for additional information. When viewers do interact with your content, make it a point to respond. This creates a conversation and builds a community around your brand. By fostering this two-way communication, you strengthen viewer loyalty and keep your audience coming back for more.

Using Analytics to Guide Your Content Strategy

Analytics are an essential tool for refining your video content strategy on social media. Track metrics such as views, watch time, engagement rate, and click-through rate to understand what resonates with your audience. Notice patterns in your most successful videos — it could be the topic, the format, or even the time of posting that drives higher engagement. Use this data to inform your future content decisions. For instance, if how-to videos garner more views, consider creating a series to provide continued value to your followers. If certain videos have low watch time, assess what could be improved. Was the hook not strong enough, or was the content not compelling? Don't forget to experiment with different posting times and measure the results. By leveraging analytics, you can make data-driven decisions that improve the performance of your video content and better align with your audience's preferences.

If you would like Arc and Crown to be a guide throughout your self recording process, feel free to reach out with any questions. We can assist you from start to finish or wherever you need support along the way.

5 Essential Steps to Creating an Impactful Employee Spotlight Video Script

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 15:45:00 GMT

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One type of video that stands out is the employee spotlight video, which showcases the talent, stories, and experiences of individuals within the organization. However, crafting a compelling script for such a video requires careful planning and execution. In this post, we will outline five essential steps to help managers, marketing managers, project leaders, social media managers, and company culture coordinators write an impactful employee spotlight video script. By following these steps, you can create a video that not only highlights your employees' skills and achievements but also resonates with your target audience, aligns with your company's brand voice, and leaves a lasting impression.

Understanding the Power of Employee Spotlight Videos

The Importance of Employee Spotlight in Company Culture

Employee spotlight videos are a powerful tool for enhancing company culture by celebrating the individuals who are the heartbeat of the organization. By highlighting unique employee stories, these videos help foster a sense of belonging and appreciation, showing that every team member's contribution is valued. They serve as a public acknowledgment of employee achievements, reinforcing the company’s commitment to recognizing and cultivating talent. Moreover, spotlight videos encourage other employees to strive for excellence, knowing that their efforts could be similarly celebrated. This not only boosts morale but also promotes a culture of aspiration and excellence within the company. Additionally, these spotlights can help attract top talent who are drawn to a workplace that invests in and showcases its people. In essence, employee spotlight videos are a reflection of a company’s ethos and an extension of its brand narrative.

How Spotlight Videos Boost Brand Image

Employee spotlight videos not only benefit internal company culture, but they also play a significant role in enhancing the company's brand image. By showcasing the faces behind the brand, these videos add a personal touch that customers can connect with, making the brand more relatable and trustworthy. In today's market, consumers favour companies with transparency and a human element. When potential clients see that employees are passionate about their work, it reflects positively on the quality of the company’s products or services. Spotlight videos can serve as branded content that tells a story, differentiating the company from competitors who may not put as much emphasis on their workforce. Ultimately, by putting employees front and centre, spotlight videos communicate company values and authenticity to the audience, which can significantly boost brand image and customer loyalty.

Crafting Your Ideal Employee Spotlight Script

Understanding Your Employee's Story

When crafting an employee spotlight script, it’s crucial to start by understanding the employee's story. Invest time in learning about their background, their role within the company, and the path they took to get there. Each employee has a unique journey filled with challenges, successes, and lessons learned. Conducting a thorough interview is a great way to uncover these insights. Ask open-ended questions that prompt the employee to share experiences that shaped them professionally and personally. This process not only provides material for a compelling narrative but also shows the employee that their story is valued. Remember to look for moments that align with the company’s values, as these will resonate strongly with the audience. A well-understood and thoughtfully presented employee story can inspire others and reinforce the company's commitment to its workforce.

Building a Narrative Structure

Creating a narrative structure is essential in bringing an employee's story to life. A well-structured script should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Start by setting the scene, introducing the employee, and providing context about their role in the company. The middle part of the script is where the employee's journey unfolds—detailing their challenges, achievements, and growth opportunities. Use this section to delve into specific projects or milestones that highlight the employee's contributions. Finally, conclude with a look towards the future, including the employee's aspirations and how they align with the company's goals. It's important to weave in themes that reflect the company culture throughout the narrative. This structure ensures that the video maintains viewer interest and effectively conveys the message that the company values its employees and their stories.

Key Elements for an Impactful Script

Employing Conversational Tone and Language

An impactful employee spotlight script should use a conversational tone and language that feels natural and engaging. The goal is to make the audience feel as though they are getting to know the employee through a personal dialogue, rather than listening to a formal presentation. Avoid industry jargon or corporate speak that can create distance between the viewer and the subject of the video. Instead, opt for simple, clear language that conveys authenticity and relatability. Encourage the employee to speak in their own voice, sharing anecdotes and experiences that are true to them. This approach helps to build a connection with the audience and makes the content more memorable. A conversational style also makes the video more accessible to a wider audience, ensuring that the message is understood by everyone, regardless of their background.

Spotlighting Achievements and Milestones

An effective employee spotlight script should highlight key achievements and milestones that showcase the individual's contributions and growth within the company. Focusing on specific accomplishments not only celebrates the employee's success but also demonstrates the potential for career development within the organization. When discussing achievements, provide context to help the audience understand the significance of these milestones. It could be overcoming a major challenge, leading a successful project, or receiving recognition for exceptional work. These narratives should be woven seamlessly into the script to illustrate the employee's journey and the impact of their work. Remember to connect these achievements back to the company's mission and values, reinforcing the message that individual success is a collective win for the organization. Highlighting achievements in this way can motivate other employees and attract prospective talents who are looking for a workplace that values and invests in its people.

Tips and Best Practices

Keeping it Brief and Engaging

To ensure that your employee spotlight video is effective, keeping the script brief and engaging is paramount. Attention spans are limited, especially on digital platforms where users quickly scroll through content. Aim for a video length that is long enough to tell a meaningful story but short enough to maintain viewer interest—usually between one to three minutes. Focus on the most compelling aspects of the employee's story and achievements. Cut out any unnecessary details that don't serve the narrative or message. Use active voice and vivid examples to create a dynamic script. Additionally, the inclusion of a strong opening statement and a memorable conclusion will help captivate the audience right from the start and leave them with a lasting impression. By keeping the content concise and engaging, you ensure that the video has a higher chance of being watched in its entirety and shared.

Utilizing Visual Medium Effectively

In video production, visuals are just as important as the script. They have the power to enhance the storytelling and engage the audience on a deeper level. To utilize the visual medium effectively in employee spotlight videos, consider how visual elements can complement the narrative. Show the employee in their work environment, interacting with colleagues, or engaged in tasks that reflect their role. Include shots that capture the company's atmosphere and culture, such as team events or daily office life. Use close-ups to convey emotion and wider shots to establish context. The visuals should match the tone of the script, whether it's inspirational, upbeat, or reflective. Remember to also pay attention to branding, ensuring that visual elements like logos, colours, and typography align with the company’s identity. Strategic use of visuals can turn a good script into a captivating video that leaves a lasting impression.

The Role of Post-Production Editing in Enhancing Narrative

Post-production editing is a critical phase in video production where the narrative is polished and refined. Through skillful editing, the story can be shaped and paced to maximize impact. The editor’s role is to ensure that the transitions between scenes are smooth, and that the visual flow supports the script. They can emphasize key points by timing the appearance of text overlays or by using effects to highlight specific moments. Audio is another aspect where editing plays a crucial role. Background music and sound effects need to be balanced with the spoken words to enhance the overall mood without overpowering the message. Additionally, editors can cut out any unnecessary footage to keep the story tight and focused. Effective post-production editing turns raw footage into a cohesive and compelling narrative that engages the audience and communicates the intended message with clarity and impact.

Why Animated Videos Should be a Core Strategy in your Marketing Plan

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Are you a marketing manager or brand strategist looking for innovative ways to engage your audience and promote your brand?

Animated videos should definitely be a core strategy in your marketing plan. In today's fast-paced digital world, capturing attention and delivering messages efficiently is key, and animation videos can simplify your message in a visually appealing way. Not only are animated videos more engaging, but they also provide a great opportunity to brand your content effectively, incorporating your company's visual identity and style. With motion graphics and cool animations, you can create eye-catching and memorable videos that leave a lasting impact on your target audience. So, why not explore the power of animated videos and take your marketing efforts to the next level?

Why Animated Videos Matter in Marketing

Simplifying Message with Animated Videos

In the realm of marketing, delivering your message clearly and quickly is crucial. Animated videos excel in breaking down complex ideas into simple visuals, making it easier for your audience to understand and remember your message. Unlike long paragraphs of text or static images, animated videos can capture complex services or products in an engaging and straightforward way. They allow for storytelling that connects with viewers, conveying not just information, but also emotion and tone. This simplification process is not about diluting your message but enhancing its accessibility. When you use animation, you're not just sharing information; you're creating an experience that resonates. By leveraging the power of visual learning, animated videos ensure that your key messages stick with your audience long after they've finished watching.

Branded Videos: The Modern Marketing Tool

Branded videos have become an essential tool in a marketer's arsenal. They are a direct reflection of your company's identity, values, and what it stands for. By incorporating your brand's colours, logo, and style into animated videos, you create a unique visual language that is instantly recognizable to your audience. This consistency in branding helps to build trust and loyalty over time. Moreover, branded videos are versatile; they can be used across various platforms, from your website to social media channels, ensuring that your brand's message remains cohesive regardless of where it's seen. Animated videos also have the unique advantage of being timeless—unlike live-action videos, they don't date as quickly, allowing your content to remain fresh and relevant for longer periods. This makes them a smart investment for any marketing strategy looking to make a lasting impression.

The Engaging Power of Motion Graphics

Motion graphics bring a dynamic element to your marketing content that still images and text simply cannot match. They draw the viewer in and keep them engaged as the story unfolds on screen. With the right mix of movement, sound, and narrative, motion graphics have the power to captivate an audience and leave a memorable impression. They are particularly effective for grabbing attention on social media feeds, where users quickly scroll through vast amounts of content. Animated videos that make use of motion graphics stand out and are more likely to be shared, increasing the reach and impact of your message. Furthermore, motion graphics can transform dull statistics and figures into exciting visuals, making even the driest content become interesting. This engaging power is why motion graphics are an indispensable component in modern marketing strategies.

The Ground-breaking Impact of Cool Animation

Engaging animation isn't just about aesthetics; it's about creating a ground-breaking impact that pushes the boundaries of traditional marketing. With the ability to craft unique worlds, characters, and narratives, engaging animation serves as a powerful tool for storytelling. It can turn an ordinary message into an extraordinary tale that engages and inspires viewers. What sets animation apart is its ability to invoke emotions, challenge perceptions, and stimulate the imagination. It's not passive content; it's an active experience that viewers participate in. This can lead to higher engagement rates and better message retention. Moreover, animation is shareable and has the potential to go viral, significantly increasing the visibility of your brand. By leveraging the most innovative animation techniques, your brand can establish itself as a forward-thinking, creative leader in the industry.

Informational Videos: Keeping it Professional and Inviting

Informational videos are a perfect blend of professionalism and approachability. They allow you to convey important details about your products or services without overwhelming or boring your audience. These videos keep the tone inviting and accessible, ensuring that viewers feel welcomed and informed. By using animated videos for informational purposes, you can avoid the pitfalls of dense industry jargon and instead, present your message in a clear and entertaining way. This approach not only educates your audience but also enhances their perception of your brand as helpful and customer-oriented. Animated informational videos are also excellent for training purposes, onboarding, and FAQs, providing a resource that users can return to repeatedly. The professional yet inviting nature of these videos makes them an invaluable component in establishing your brand as both an authority and a friendly advisor in your field.

Translating Aspirations into Engaging Videos

Animated videos are the canvas on which you can paint your brand's aspirations and turn them into engaging content. They serve as a medium to communicate not just what your brand currently offers but also the vision of what it strives to become. These videos can encapsulate the essence of your brand's goals and ideals, creating a connection with your audience by aligning with their aspirations. Through storytelling and compelling visuals, you can create a narrative that resonates with viewers on a deeper level. This emotional engagement is key in transforming viewers into loyal customers and advocates for your brand. Animated videos also provide the flexibility to create diverse scenarios that might be difficult or costly to produce with live-action, ensuring that no vision is too grand to share. By translating aspirations into engaging videos, you can inspire your audience and foster a community around your brand's journey and future.

Confidence Boost: Why SMEs Prefer Animated Videos

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often face the challenge of standing out in a crowded market with limited resources. Animated videos level the playing field, offering SMEs a cost-effective way to produce high-quality marketing content that grabs attention. These videos can be created with smaller budgets without compromising on the professionalism and polish of the final product. Animated videos are also adaptable, allowing SMEs to update content quickly and easily in response to market changes or new product offerings, without the need for costly reshoots or edits. This flexibility gives SMEs the confidence to compete with larger companies, knowing they can present their brand in the best possible light. Additionally, animated videos can convey the brand's personality and story, making them memorable and helping to build emotional connections with the audience. It's these connections that often convert viewers into customers, making animated videos a wise choice for SMEs looking to grow and succeed.

3 Steps to Creating Compelling Promotional Videos: A Guide for Business Owners

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 19:44:13 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new postAre you a business owner looking to create compelling promotional videos that generate engagement and boost your brand awareness? Look no further!

In this guide, we will walk you through the three essential steps to creating captivating promotional videos. Whether you are a marketing manager or a sales representative, this guide is designed specifically for business owners like you who want to create effective branded content that leaves a lasting impression on your target audience. With a professional and inspirational tone, we will empower you with the knowledge and confidence to create ground-breaking promotional videos that showcase your brand in an easy-going and modern way. Get ready to take your promotional video production to the next level and set your business apart from the competition. Let's dive in!

Step 1: Planning Your Promotional Video

Importance of a Clear Video Concept

Creating a promotional video starts with a clear concept. This is the foundation upon which everything else is built. A concise and well-thought-out video concept ensures that your message resonates with your audience and meets your business goals. Consider what you want your audience to think, feel, and do after watching the video. Your concept should be engaging and memorable, setting the stage for your brand to connect with viewers on a deeper level. It should also align with your overall marketing strategy, reinforcing the key messages you want to communicate. Think of your video concept as the blueprint; it guides the direction of your storyboard, production, and editing, ensuring that every element of your video production works towards the same end goal: to generate engagement and showcase your branded content effectively.

Deciding On Your Video’s Goal

When embarking on video production, pinpointing your goal is key. Ask yourself, what is the purpose of this video? Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, introduce a new product, educate your audience, or drive sales? Your goal will shape the content and delivery of your promotional video. If generating engagement is the objective, your video should be crafted to entice viewers to interact with your brand, perhaps through a compelling call-to-action. For educational content, the focus should be on clarity and value. No matter the goal, ensure it is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). This clarity will not only streamline the production process but also provide a metric for success, allowing you to evaluate the effectiveness of your promotional content post-launch. Keep the goal at the forefront throughout the video production to stay on track and create a focused, impactful message.

Crafting Your Video's Storyboard

A storyboard is an essential roadmap for your video production. It's a visual representation of how your video will unfold, scene by scene. To craft an effective storyboard, start by translating your concept and goals into a series of sketches or images. This will help you visualize the sequence of events and determine the flow of your promotional content. Consider camera angles, lighting, transitions, and how each scene contributes to your overall message. Your storyboard should include key elements like dialogue, music, and any call-to-action you plan to incorporate. It's also a communication tool that ensures everyone involved in the video production is on the same page. By carefully planning each shot beforehand, you can save time and resources during filming and ensure that the final product aligns with your vision for the promotional video.

Step 2: Production and Filming

Using Professional Equipment

The quality of your promotional videos can be significantly enhanced by using professional equipment. High-resolution cameras, stabilizing gear, lighting kits, and quality sound equipment contribute to a polished look that reflects well on your brand. Even with a compelling story, poor video and audio quality can distract viewers and detract from the message you're trying to convey. Investing in good equipment, or hiring a professional team with access to it, can make a substantial difference in the viewer's experience. This doesn't mean you need the most expensive gear on the market, but choose tools that provide clarity, stability, and crisp audio. Remember, the goal is to create branded content that stands out and engages your audience. Professional equipment is a worthwhile investment to achieve these aims and ensure your promotional content meets the standards your audience expects.

Incorporating Branded Content

During the production and filming of your promotional video, incorporating branded content is crucial for reinforcing your brand identity. Branded content isn't just about displaying your logo; it's about infusing your brand's essence into every aspect of the video. This could be through the color scheme, the tone of the messaging, the style of the graphics, or even the attire of the people in the video. Make sure that the branded elements are subtle yet noticeable, reinforcing brand recall without distracting from the video's message. Consistency is key across all your marketing materials, as it helps build a cohesive brand image. When your audience views your promotional videos, you want them to immediately associate the content with your brand, even if they were to see it without any overt branding. By strategically incorporating these elements, you generate engagement and loyalty, making your promotional content an integral part of your brand's communication strategy.

The Power of Quality Production

Quality production is a powerful tool in creating a promotional video that captures and retains the viewer's attention. It's the combination of high-quality visuals, clear sound, professional editing, and overall production value that can set your promotional content apart from the competition. A well-produced video communicates professionalism and credibility, which in turn builds trust with your audience. This trust is essential for any business looking to establish a strong connection with potential customers.

Moreover, quality production can lead to higher engagement rates. Viewers are more likely to watch a video through to the end, share it with others, and take the action you’re guiding them towards if the production quality is high. Invest in talented individuals who can bring technical expertise and creative insight to your project. Their skills will ensure that every frame of your promotional videos contributes to an impactful and memorable viewing experience.

Step 3: Post-production and Editing

Generate Engagement with Effective Editing

Effective editing is crucial to generate engagement in promotional videos. This stage is where all the elements of your video come together to tell a cohesive story. Pay attention to the pacing of your content; it should be dynamic enough to keep the viewer interested but not so fast that the message is lost. Use transitions wisely to guide viewers through the narrative and maintain their attention.

Editing is also the time to add those final touches that enhance the viewer's experience, such as music, sound effects, and graphics. These should complement the video, not overpower it. The right background music can set the tone and influence the emotional response of your audience, while graphics can help illustrate key points and make your message clearer.

Remember, the goal is to create a polished video that reflects the quality of your brand and compels the viewer to take action. A well-edited video has the power to transform viewers into engaged customers.

Finalizing Your Promotional Content

Finalizing your promotional content is the last step in the video production process. This phase is all about refining the details to ensure your video is ready for the public. Review the edited video multiple times and consider various aspects: is the branding consistent, is the messaging clear, and does the call-to-action stand out? It's also important to get feedback from others who can provide a fresh perspective on how your content might be received by the target audience.

Ensure that the video is optimized for different platforms if you're planning a multi-channel release. The format and length may vary from one platform to another. For example, a longer version may be suitable for YouTube, while a shorter, more direct version works better for social media.

Before you release the video, double-check for any errors or technical issues that could undermine its effectiveness. A clean, error-free final product reflects the professionalism of your brand and helps maintain the credibility you've built with your audience.

Making Your Promotional Videos Stand Out

Business-Oriented and Modern Video Techniques

To make your promotional videos stand out, it's important to adopt business-oriented and modern video techniques. This means staying up-to-date with current trends and understanding how they can benefit your business objectives. For instance, incorporating storytelling can emotionally engage your audience and make your brand more relatable. Use real-life scenarios that your target market can identify with to highlight your product's solutions.

Leverage the latest in video technology, like 360-degree videos or interactive elements, to provide a unique experience that encourages viewers to engage with your content actively. Utilizing animation can also help explain complex concepts in a simple and visually appealing way.

Always keep your audience in mind and tailor your techniques to suit their preferences and behaviours. By combining a clear understanding of your business goals with innovative and modern video techniques, you'll create content that not only captures attention but also drives results.

Motivational Aspects in Your Content

Incorporating motivational aspects into your content can significantly impact its effectiveness. A promotional video that inspires and motivates can leave a lasting impression on your audience and drive them to take action. To achieve this, focus on the benefits your product or service offers rather than just its features. Show your audience how their lives will be improved by choosing your brand.

Use stories of success, testimonials, and case studies to build a narrative that viewers can connect with on an emotional level. People are driven by aspirations, so highlight how your brand can help them reach their goals. The use of powerful and evocative language, combined with visuals that reinforce the positive outcomes of using your product or service, can boost the motivational appeal of your promotional videos.

Remember, if your audience is moved by your content, they are more likely to remember your brand and engage with it. Keep them inspired, and they will be more inclined to follow through with a purchase.

Ground-breaking Ideas for Promotional Videos

To ensure your promotional videos break new ground and capture your audience's attention, think outside the box with innovative ideas. Consider using augmented reality (AR) to create an immersive experience, allowing viewers to interact with your product in their environment. Experiment with different video formats, such as short-form videos for social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram Reels, which can virally spread your message.

Interactive videos that allow viewers to make choices can increase engagement and give them a sense of control over the content they are watching. Behind-the-scenes footage can humanize your brand, showing the passion and hard work that goes into your product or service. Also, tackle current issues or trends in a way that resonates with your audience, which can position your brand as a thought leader.

By embracing these ground-breaking ideas, you'll not only stand out from your competitors but also create promotional videos that resonate and remain memorable with your target market.

The Power of Video in Employee Engagement

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 15:30:00 GMT

The Power of Video in Employee Engagement

Harnessing Video for Better Business Development

Video messages are not just a medium for information; they are powerful tools for business development. By integrating video into your engagement strategy, you're providing a rich, immersive experience that can resonate with employees on a personal level. Effective video content can clarify complex ideas, showcase company culture, and deliver messages with a human touch. These connections can foster a sense of loyalty and commitment to the company's goals.

Videos can serve as a platform for sharing success stories and highlighting employee achievements, which encourages a culture of recognition and can lead to higher job satisfaction. In the realm of business development, these factors are crucial as they directly influence employee performance and, consequently, the company's growth and innovation trajectory.

By using video, you're leveraging a modern approach to create a more engaged, productive workforce that's aligned with your business objectives.

Steps to Successful Video Production

Brainstorming Business Ideas for Video Content

When brainstorming business ideas for video content, start by identifying the core values and messages you want to communicate to your employees. What are the key themes that resonate with your brand and culture? Consider creating content that aligns with these themes, such as stories of resilience, innovation, or community involvement.

Next, think about the needs and interests of your employees. What do they care about? What motivates them? Tailoring video content to these interests can increase engagement and retention. For example, if your workforce is particularly passionate about sustainability, produce content that highlights the company's green initiatives.

Also, consider the types of content that have worked well in the past. Analyzing previous engagement data can provide insights into the formats and topics that have been most effective. Mixing up formats such as interviews, panel discussions, and animated explainer videos can keep the content dynamic and interesting.

Remember, the goal is to create video content that not only informs but also inspires your employees to be their best at work.

Ensuring Digital Marketing Success with Videos

To ensure digital marketing success with videos, it's important to have a clear strategy. First, define your objectives. Are you aiming to improve internal communication, boost employee morale, or promote specific company initiatives? Once you have a goal in mind, you can tailor your video content to meet those objectives effectively.

Next, consider the distribution channels. Will these videos be shared on the company intranet, through email newsletters, or on social media platforms? Choose the right channels that reach your employees where they are most likely to engage with the content.

Also, pay attention to video SEO. Use relevant keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and tags to improve their visibility in search results. This is particularly important if the content is also aimed at enhancing your brand presence externally.

Finally, measure the success of your video campaigns. Use analytics to track views, engagement rates, and feedback, and then adjust your strategy accordingly. Continuous improvement is key to maintaining a successful digital marketing campaign with video content.

Impacting Brand Presence with Video Messages

Motivate and Inspire: The Role of Video Content

Video content plays a significant role in motivating and inspiring employees. It's a medium that can easily convey emotion and passion, which are critical in resonating with your team. To utilize this, consider creating videos that highlight the company's mission and vision, connecting daily work with the bigger picture and showing employees that their contributions matter.

Inspirational success stories of peers or leaders within the company can also serve as powerful motivators. Hearing about challenges overcome and goals achieved can spark a sense of possibility and drive in your workforce. Additionally, videos celebrating milestones and company achievements can bolster a collective sense of pride and accomplishment.

Remember, the key is to create content that not only informs but also ignites an emotional response. This can lead to increased engagement, stronger team cohesion, and a workforce that's inspired to push boundaries and contribute to the company's success.

Modern Methods of Employee Engagement through Videos

Modern methods of employee engagement through videos are all about interactivity and personalization. Live video sessions, for example, offer real-time interaction and can include Q&A segments where employees feel heard and valued. Interactive videos with embedded quizzes or surveys can also provide a more engaging learning experience and gather valuable feedback.

Personalization is another key tactic. Videos addressing employees by name or segmenting content based on departmental roles can make the message more relevant and impactful. Additionally, user-generated content encourages employees to participate and share their own stories, which can greatly enhance engagement and a sense of belonging.

Utilizing mobile-friendly formats ensures that employees can access video content anytime and anywhere, fitting into the modern, on-the-go lifestyle. These contemporary approaches to video messaging can significantly enhance engagement and contribute to a more vibrant and connected workplace.

Evaluating Your Video Engagement Strategy

Navigating the Challenges: From Idea to Execution

Transitioning from a great video idea to successful execution involves overcoming a few challenges. It's essential to align your video content with your overall employee engagement goals and ensure that the messaging is consistent across all channels.

One common hurdle is budget constraints. High-quality video production can be costly, but there are cost-effective solutions like using in-house talent or simplifying production elements that can still produce engaging content.

Another challenge is ensuring content relevance and timeliness. Videos need to address current trends and employee interests to maintain engagement. Regularly soliciting feedback can help tailor content to what your employees want to see.

Finally, technical difficulties can present obstacles. Ensuring that all employees can access and view the videos without issues is critical. This may involve testing software or platforms to host and distribute your video content effectively.

The Future of Employee Engagement: Are You Ready?

The future of employee engagement is undoubtedly intertwined with technological advancements, and video content is at the forefront of this evolution. As we look ahead, it's clear that immersive experiences such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) will play a larger role in how companies engage with their teams. These technologies offer new ways to deliver training, simulate work scenarios, and create a sense of presence that traditional videos cannot match.

Personalization will also become increasingly important. AI-driven content that adapts to individual learning styles and preferences could help employees stay engaged with the material. Additionally, the rise of data analytics will enable more precise measurement of engagement levels, allowing for more targeted and effective video content strategies.

Are you ready to embrace these changes? Staying informed about these trends and remaining flexible in your approach will be key to future-proofing your employee engagement strategy. It's time to start thinking about how these tools can be integrated into your company's communication plan.

If you have any questions or need help with your video project, feel free to reach out to our team and we'd be happy to chat!

Embracing the Future: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Digital Marketing and Its Profound Revolution in Video Production

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 19:30:00 GMT

In the fast-paced realm of today's digital era, the marketing industry is akin to a chameleon, continually altering its colours to best suit the ever-evolving environment.

One substantial progression that is shaking the pillars of this scene in the most recent years is the ascendance of artificial intelligence(AI), an innovation that leaves no corner of marketing untouched. Stretching its potential from customer segmentation and predictive analytics to personalized recommendations and interactive chatbots, AI has interwoven itself into the fabric of every imaginable aspect of digital marketing.

Particularly noteworthy is an arena that has witnessed an especially profound transformation due to AI - the domain of video production. As corporations strive laboriously to devise engaging and compelling content to establish connections with their target demographics, AI's impact on revolutionizing the ways videos are conceived, edited, and dispersed is nothing short of remarkable. This comprehensive scrutiny delves into the ascendance of AI within the sphere of digital marketing, probing into how it is metamorphosing the landscape of video production. It aims to provide consequential insights and real-world examples for budding marketing professionals, business managers, entrepreneurs, and small to medium enterprises looking to maintain their vanguard position in this race.

Deciphering the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Digital Marketing

An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

Essentially, artificial intelligence (or AI), is an offshoot of computer science targeted toward the inception of systems capable of executing tasks that would ordinarily necessitate the intelligence of a human. These tasks encompass learning and adapting to new information influx, comprehending human vernacular, recognizing patterns, and decisive decision-making. The crux of AI relies heavily on algorithms and a component of AI referred to as machine learning, where systems analyze data, identify patterns, and make informed decisions with sparse human involvement.

In digital marketing's vast expanse, AI comes into play by working on customer data analysis, behavior prediction, customize content as per user preference, automating routine tasks, and much more. Its prowess in processing enormous data chunks rapidly and accurately makes AI an invaluable instrument for marketers. Utilizing AI permits marketers to delve deeper into their audience demographics, formulating more targeted and effective campaigns, and augmenting the overall efficacy of marketing.

Unraveling the Might of AI in Marketing

Artificial intelligence possesses immense power within the vicinity of marketing, primarily because it has the exceptional capability to examine and interpret colossal amounts of data instantaneously. This reward of AI bestows marketers with unparalleled insights, tapping into customer behaviour, their likes and dislikes, and upcoming trends. Harnessing AI leads to targeted advertising becoming much more accurate, enabling corporations to approach the right demographic with the precise message at the exact moment.

AI has the potential to automate repetitive tasks, which liberates marketers to divert their focus onto more strategic operations. Tasks like email marketing, social media posting, and even content creation can be automated using AI, thus boosting competency and productivity.

Marketers are also empowered with predictive analytics through AI, a reasoned technique that deploys data, statistical algorithms, and machine learning to predict future happenings likely. This technique can prove to be a significant asset in predicting sales trends, customer behaviour, marketing campaign success rates, etc.

Fundamentally, AI's might in marketing lies in its potential to streamline operations, offer profound insights, enrich customer experiences, and stimulate conscious decision-making. This highlights a key shift in the way marketing strategies are designed and implemented.

The Revolution of AI and Video Production

A Game Changer: AI in Video Content Creation

The introduction of AI is undoubtedly a game-changer in video content creation. Traditional video production can be a drawn-out and resource-intense affair, usually calling for a team of professionals to facilitate filming, editing, and content dissemination. Here, AI comes into play by automating much of this process, slashing the time, and resource requirement significantly.

Sophisticated AI algorithms now have the competency to generate video content, transforming written text into compelling visuals, and even crafting animations. AI's potential spills over to automate the editing process; it aids in selecting the best clips, adding visually appealing effects, and even syncing to the beat of the music. Not only does this hasten the production process, it also guarantees consistent output quality.

Artificial intelligence also plays a role in creating personalized video content. By analyzing viewer data, AI can create content tailor-made to build resonance with each individual viewer, thus enhancing engagement and conversion rates.

AI is not only simplifying the video content creation process but also amplifying the quality and personalization parameters of the content, bringing about a major revolution in video production.

Emerging Trends: The Role AI is Playing in Reshaping Video Production

Several emerging trends shed light on how AI is reshaping the video production niche. A key trend that stands out is automated video editing. AI now has the capacity to analyze raw video footage, pick out the most relevant portions, and knit them together into a seamless video. This drastically slashes the time and effort constraint involved in the post-production phase.

Another trend that is gaining traction is the use of AI for video optimization. AI can scrutinize user behaviour to comprehend what kind of content resonates with the audience. This information interpreted can then be deployed to optimize video content, making it more effective and heightening engagement levels.

AI is also utilized in the creation of interactive videos, where the content morphs based on the observer's actions. This introduces a fresh dimension to video marketing, making it much more engaging and personalized.

In conclusion, AI is expediting video analytics by providing comprehensive reports on viewer behaviour, engagement levels, and other critical metrics. This data is invaluable for marketers as it aids in assessing the success of their video content and making data-driven decisions to enhance future content. These emerging trends underline the transformational power of AI in video production, driving efficiency, engagement, and insights like never before.

Advantages of Deploying AI in Digital Marketing and Video Production

Ushering in Advanced Marketing Strategies through AI

Artificial intelligence has the potential to elevate marketing strategies several notches higher. By effectively leveraging AI, marketers can gain profound understanding into customer behaviour and predilections. This information can be utilized to design and deploy highly targeted and customized marketing strategies that build resonance with the target audience.

Artificial intelligence facilitates predictive analytics, which allows marketers to anticipate future trends and predict customer behaviour patterns. This foresight proves crucial in designing marketing strategies. Marketers can predict performance of particular campaigns, adjust strategies in real-time, and take data-backed decisions to maximize return on investment.

AI's capabilities stretch to the automation of repetitive and mundane tasks, resulting in marketers having the bandwidth to focus on strategic planning and creative tasks. Starting from automating email campaigns to scheduling social media posts and analyzing campaign performance, AI augments efficiency and productivity.

Moreover, the use of AI in video production enhances content quality and personalization, making videos more engaging and effective as marketing tools. In its essence, AI equips marketers with valuable insights, automation capabilities, and cutting-edge content creation tools, significantly elevating marketing strategies.

Perfecting Video Content with AI

Artificial Intelligence is making its mark in a pivotal role in optimizing video content. By breaking down user behaviour and key engagement metrics, AI is successful in identifying the genre of content that resonates with audience preferences. This information can be handy in optimizing future video content, ensuring it is engaging, relevant, and delivers impact.

The use of AI in video editing can significantly enhance the overall quality of content. AI is competent in automating the editing process, by selecting the best-quality clips, applying appropriate effects, and achieving perfect synchrony between audio and visuals. This speeds up the production process and guarantees a consistent quality level.

Artificial Intelligence can also lend a hand in creating personalized video content. By tearing down viewer data, AI can customize video content to align perfectly with individual viewer preferences and viewing patterns. This not only propels viewer engagement but has the potential to boost conversion rates as well.

AI's knack for providing in-depth analytics can aid marketers in understanding the performance measure of their video content. This data can then be used to fine-tune and improve future content. In essence, AI is enabling marketers to perfect their video content at every stage of the process - starting from production and editing to distribution and analytics.

Gazing into The Crystal Ball: The Futuristic AI in Digital Marketing

AI: Leading the Charge in the Future of Video Production Being

Artificial intelligence is standing on the brink of shaping the future of video production. With the pace of technological advancements, we can expect AI to stretch the boundaries of its capabilities in video production. Anticipating evolution in the sophistication of video editing and content creation tools being powered by AI is a reasonable assumption. It's likely that we will witness more personalized and interactive videos, surfaced by AI's ability to filter through viewer data and phrase together tailored content.

The amalgamation of AI with virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) in video production also carries immense potential. AI can shape immersive and interactive VR and AR experiences, taking video content to an entirely new level of audience engagement.

Artificial Intelligence will also continue to enhance video analytics, bestowing marketers with deeper insights into viewer behaviour and their level of engagement. This will enable more informed decision-making, leading to more impactful video marketing strategies.

With AI becoming increasingly accessible and more affordable, we can anticipate a rise in AI-powered video production tools that cater to an array of budgets and requirements. Artificial intelligence isn't merely a current trend in video production; it's slated to be a formative part of its future. It's crystal clear that for businesses and marketers, harnessing the power of AI in video production will be key to stay competitive and relevant in the digital marketing realm.

Harnessing AI: Opening New Avenues for Marketers

As AI keeps progressing, it ushers in a myriad opportunities for marketers. One of the most promising opportunities lies in personalization. By employing AI, marketers can create content that is highly personalized to echo with individual customers. This could witness improvements in engagement, customer loyalty, and eventually, sales figures.

Artificial Intelligence also offers the golden opportunity for elevating efficiency. By automating routine tasks, AI permits marketers to dedicate their energies towards strategic and creative tasks. This could potentially liberate more innovative marketing strategies.

Another rewarding opportunity stretches out in predictive analytics. With AI, marketers can anticipate future patterns, customer behaviour, and performance metrics of marketing campaigns. This, in turn, can inform strategy development and decision-making processes, helping marketers stay a step ahead.

The power of AI in video production also presents significant opportunities. Marketers are enabled to create high-quality, personalized video content at scale, thus elevating the efficacy of their video marketing endeavours.

Engaging AI offers marketers the prospect of taking their strategies to an elevated plane. By embracing AI, marketers have the opportunity to enhance customer engagement, efficiency, and decision-making, and simultaneously create content that carries meaningful impact.

Source:

- https://www.rockerbox.com/blog/is-ai-the-future-of-b2c-marketing

- https://aiindustryreport.com/ai-in-marketing-unlocking-possibilities-for-growth/

The Rise of AI in Digital Marketing: How it's Revolutionizing Video Production

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 18:00:00 GMT

In today's digital age, the world of marketing is constantly evolving.

One of the most significant advancements in recent years is the rise of AI, or artificial intelligence, and its impact on every aspect of the marketing landscape. From customer segmentation and predictive analytics to personalized recommendations and chatbots, AI has become an integral part of digital marketing strategies. However, one area that has seen a particularly profound transformation due to AI is video production. As businesses strive to create engaging and compelling content to connect with their target audiences, AI is revolutionizing how videos are created, edited, and distributed. This article explores the rise of AI in digital marketing and how it is reshaping the landscape of video production, providing valuable insights and examples for young marketing professionals, business managers, entrepreneurs, and small to medium businesses who want to stay ahead of the curve.

Understanding AI in Digital Marketing

What is AI?

AI, short for Artificial Intelligence, is a branch of computer science that aims to create systems capable of performing tasks that would normally require human intelligence. These tasks include learning and adapting to new information, understanding human language, recognizing patterns, and making decisions. AI is powered by algorithms and machine learning, a subset of AI where systems learn from data, identify patterns, and make decisions with minimal human intervention. In the context of digital marketing, AI is used to analyze customer data, predict behavior, personalize content, automate tasks, and much more. Its ability to process vast amounts of data quickly and accurately makes AI a powerful tool for marketers. By leveraging AI, marketers can gain deeper insights into their audience, create more targeted and effective campaigns, and improve overall marketing efficiency.

The Power of AI in Marketing

AI holds immense power in the field of marketing, primarily because of its ability to analyze and interpret vast amounts of data in real time. This gives marketers unparalleled insights into customer behavior, preferences, and trends. With AI, targeted advertising becomes more accurate, allowing businesses to reach the right audience with the right message at the right time.

Moreover, AI can automate repetitive tasks, freeing up marketers to focus on more strategic activities. Tasks such as email marketing, social media posting, and even content creation can be automated with AI, improving efficiency and productivity.

AI also empowers marketers with predictive analytics, a technique that uses data, statistical algorithms, and machine learning to identify the likelihood of future outcomes. This can be particularly useful in forecasting sales trends, customer behavior, and the success of marketing campaigns.

In essence, the power of AI in marketing lies in its ability to streamline operations, provide deep insights, enhance customer experience, and drive more informed decision-making. This marks a significant shift in the way marketing strategies are planned and executed.

AI and Video Production: A Revolution

Changing the Game: AI in Video Content Creation

AI is undeniably changing the game in video content creation. Traditional video production can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, often requiring a team of professionals to film, edit, and distribute the content. However, with AI, much of this process can be automated, significantly reducing the time and resources needed.

Advanced AI algorithms can now generate video content, turning text into visuals, and even creating animations. Moreover, AI can automate the editing process, selecting the best clips, adding effects, and even matching the beat of the music. This not only speeds up the production process but also ensures a consistent quality of output.

Artificial intelligence can also help in creating personalized video content. By analyzing viewer data, AI can create tailored content that resonates with the individual viewer, improving engagement and conversion rates.

In essence, AI is not only simplifying the video content creation process but also enhancing the quality and personalization of the content, truly revolutionizing the field of video production.

Trends: How AI is Reshaping Video Production

There are several emerging trends demonstrating how AI is reshaping video production. One significant trend is automated video editing. AI can now analyze raw footage, select the most relevant parts, and stitch them together into a cohesive video. This drastically reduces the time and effort needed in the post-production stage.

Another trend is the use of AI for video optimization. AI can analyze user behavior to understand what type of content resonates with the audience. This information can then be used to optimize video content, improving its effectiveness and engagement levels.

AI is also being used to create interactive videos, where the content changes based on the viewer's actions. This adds a new dimension to video marketing, making it more engaging and personalized.

Finally, AI is facilitating video analytics by providing detailed reports on viewer behavior, engagement, and other key metrics. This data is invaluable for marketers as it helps them measure the success of their video content and make data-driven decisions to improve future content.

These trends highlight the transformative power of AI in video production, driving efficiency, engagement, and insights like never before.

Benefits of AI in Digital Marketing and Video Production

Elevating Marketing Strategies through AI

AI has the potential to elevate marketing strategies to new heights. By leveraging AI, marketers can gain deep insights into customer behavior and preferences. This knowledge can be used to create highly targeted and personalized marketing strategies that resonate with the target audience.

AI's predictive analytics capabilities allow marketers to anticipate future trends and customer behavior. This foresight can be crucial in planning effective marketing strategies. Marketers can forecast how a particular campaign will perform, adjust strategies in real-time, and make data-driven decisions to maximize return on investment.

AI can also automate repetitive and mundane tasks, freeing up marketers to focus on strategic planning and creative tasks. From automating email campaigns to scheduling social media posts and analyzing campaign performance, AI can improve efficiency and productivity.

Moreover, the use of AI in video production can enhance content quality and personalization, making videos more engaging and effective as marketing tools.

In essence, AI empowers marketers with valuable insights, automation capabilities, and enhanced content creation tools, significantly elevating marketing strategies.

Optimizing Video Content with AI

AI is playing a pivotal role in optimizing video content. By analyzing user behavior and engagement metrics, AI can identify what type of content resonates with the audience. This information can then be used to optimize future video content, ensuring it is engaging, relevant, and effective.

The use of AI in video editing can significantly enhance the quality of the content. AI can automate the editing process, selecting the best clips, adding effects, and synchronizing the audio and visuals perfectly. This not only speeds up the production process but also ensures a consistent level of quality.

AI can also help in creating personalized video content. By analyzing viewer data, AI can tailor the video content to suit the individual viewer's preferences and viewing habits. This not only improves viewer engagement but can also increase conversion rates.

Moreover, AI's ability to provide detailed analytics can help marketers understand the performance of their video content. This data can then be used to refine and improve future content.

In essence, AI is enabling marketers to optimize their video content at every stage, from production and editing to distribution and analytics.

Future Prospects: AI in Digital Marketing

AI: The Future of Video Production

AI is poised to shape the future of video production. With advancements in technology, AI's capabilities in video production are only expected to grow. We can anticipate even more sophisticated video editing and content creation tools powered by AI. We will see more personalized and interactive videos, driven by AI's ability to analyze viewer data and create tailored content.

The integration of AI with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in video production also holds immense potential. AI can help create immersive and interactive VR and AR experiences, taking video content to a whole new level.

AI will also continue to improve video analytics, providing marketers with deeper insights into viewer behavior and engagement. This will enable more informed decision-making and more effective video marketing strategies.

Moreover, as AI becomes more accessible and affordable, we can expect to see a rise in AI-powered video production tools that cater to different budgets and requirements.

In essence, AI is not just a current trend in video production; it is set to be a significant part of its future. It's clear that for businesses and marketers, harnessing the power of AI in video production will be key to staying ahead in the digital marketing space.

Utilizing AI: Opportunities for Marketers

As AI continues to evolve, it presents numerous opportunities for marketers. One of the most promising opportunities is personalization. With AI, marketers can create highly personalized content that resonates with individual customers. This could improve engagement, customer loyalty, and ultimately, sales.

AI also offers the opportunity for improved efficiency. By automating repetitive tasks, AI allows marketers to focus their time and efforts on strategic and creative tasks. This could lead to more innovative and effective marketing strategies.

Another opportunity lies in predictive analytics. With AI, marketers can anticipate future trends, customer behavior, and campaign performance. This can inform strategy development and decision-making, helping marketers stay ahead of the curve.

The potential of AI in video production also presents significant opportunities. Marketers can create high-quality, personalized video content at scale, improving the effectiveness of their video marketing efforts.

In essence, utilizing AI offers marketers the opportunity to take their strategies to the next level. By embracing AI, marketers can improve customer engagement, efficiency, and decision-making, all while creating more impactful video content.

Source:

- https://www.rockerbox.com/blog/is-ai-the-future-of-b2c-marketing

- https://aiindustryreport.com/ai-in-marketing-unlocking-possibilities-for-growth/

Mastering Corporate Video Production: A Comprehensive Guide to the 3 Essential Phases

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 18:00:00 GMT

In today's digital age, corporate video production has emerged as a powerful tool for businesses to communicate their brand, products, and values to a global audience.

From captivating storytelling to visually stunning visuals, a well-crafted corporate video can leave a lasting impression on clients, investors, and consumers alike. This guide delves into the three fundamental phases of corporate video production, offering valuable insights into each step of the process.

Phase 1: Pre-Production

The foundation of any successful corporate video lies in its meticulous pre-production planning. This crucial phase sets the stage for the entire project, ensuring that your video aligns with your brand's identity and objectives.

1.1 Define Your Objectives:

Before diving into the creative process, clearly outline your video's purpose. Whether it's introducing a new product, showcasing company culture, or sharing a success story, defining your objectives will shape the entire production.

1.2 Script and Storyboard:

Craft a compelling script that captures your message effectively. Collaborate with skilled writers to create engaging dialogue and narration. Develop a storyboard to visualize each scene, ensuring a coherent and seamless flow throughout the video.

1.3 Budget and Timeline:

Allocate resources wisely by establishing a realistic budget and timeline. Consider factors such as equipment, location scouting, talent, and post-production. Adhering to a well-defined budget and timeline minimizes potential setbacks and keeps your project on track.

Phase 2: Production

With a solid plan in place, it's time to bring your vision to life during the production phase. This phase involves capturing all the visual and auditory elements that will make your corporate video shine.

2.1 Crew and Equipment:

Hiring a video production company will help with the process of choose the right equipment, such as cameras, lenses, and lighting setups, to achieve the desired visual quality. A skilled production team can be comprised of a director/producer, videographer and audio operator.

2.2 Location and Set Design:

Select suitable shooting locations that align with your narrative and brand identity. Ensure that set designs, props, and aesthetics reinforce your message and resonate with your target audience.

2.3 Filming and Interviews:

Execute the shooting schedule meticulously, capturing the planned scenes, interviews, and b-roll footage. Effective communication between the crew, talent, and director is essential for achieving desired outcomes and staying on budget.

Phase 3: Post-Production

The final phase involves transforming raw footage into a polished and engaging corporate video that delivers your intended message effectively.

3.1 Video Editing:

Incorporate graphics, animations, and visual effects to enhance engagement and understanding.

3.2 Sound Design and Music:

Enhance the auditory experience by adding background music, sound effects, and clear audio. A well-balanced sound design elevates the emotional impact of your video.

3.3 Review and Feedback:

Share the draft video with key stakeholders for feedback and revisions. Incorporate suggestions to refine the video further and align it with your original objectives.

Corporate video production is a multi-faceted endeavour that demands meticulous planning, creative execution, and thoughtful post-production. By mastering the three essential phases—pre-production, production, and post-production—you can create compelling corporate videos that captivate your audience, elevate your brand, and drive meaningful engagement. Embrace each phase as an opportunity to showcase your company's unique story and values, ultimately reaping the rewards of a well-executed video that resonates with your target audience.

Banish Work Stress: 6 Quick Tips for Computer Warriors

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 18:00:00 GMT

In today's fast-paced digital world, many of us find ourselves spending a significant portion of our day glued to computer screens.

While technology has undoubtedly transformed the way we work, it also brings its fair share of challenges, including work stress. Prolonged hours in front of a computer can take a toll on both our physical and mental well-being. However, fear not! In this blog post, we will explore some quick and effective tips to help alleviate work stress and keep you at your best throughout the day.

1.Mindful Breaks:

Regular breaks are essential for maintaining focus and productivity, even during long hours of computer work. Set a timer for every 60 to 90 minutes, and when it goes off, take a short break. Use this time to stretch, walk around, or practice deep breathing exercises. By stepping away from your computer, you allow your mind and body to refresh and rejuvenate, reducing stress levels.

2.Ergonomic Setup:

Creating an ergonomic workspace is vital for reducing physical strain and promoting overall well-being. Ensure that your chair is comfortable, with proper lumbar support, and adjust the height so that your feet are flat on the ground. Position your monitor at eye level, and use a keyboard and mouse that allow for a neutral wrist position. These adjustments can significantly minimize the risk of discomfort and strain in the long run.

3.Eye Care:

Staring at a computer screen for hours on end can lead to eye strain and fatigue. Implement the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look away from your screen and focus on an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This simple practice helps reduce eye strain and gives your eyes a chance to relax. Additionally, consider using blue light filtering glasses or adjusting your screen settings to reduce the amount of blue light emitted.

4.Stretch and Move:

Sitting for prolonged periods can cause muscle tension and stiffness. Combat this by incorporating stretching and movement into your daily routine. Perform simple desk stretches, such as neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, and wrist stretches, to release tension in these areas. Take short walks during your breaks or use a standing desk if available, as standing can help improve circulation and posture.

5.Hydration and Nutrition:

Proper hydration and nutrition play a crucial role in combating stress and maintaining focus. Keep a water bottle within reach and aim to drink at least eight glasses of water throughout the day. Avoid excessive caffeine and sugary drinks, as they can lead to energy crashes. Instead, opt for healthy snacks like fruits, nuts, or yogurt to sustain your energy levels and nourish your body.

6.Digital Detox:

In a world dominated by screens, it's essential to disconnect and give your mind a break from the constant stimulation. Designate specific times during the day to disconnect from your devices completely. Use these moments for self-reflection, meditation, or engaging in activities that bring you joy and relaxation. By consciously setting boundaries with technology, you can alleviate work stress and restore a sense of balance.

Working on a computer for extended hours doesn't have to mean succumbing to work stress. By incorporating these quick tips into your daily routine, you can create a healthier and more enjoyable work environment. Remember, your well-being matters, and small changes can make a significant difference. Take control of your workday, prioritize self-care, and watch your stress levels diminish as you embrace a more balanced approach to work and life.

Enhancing Business Engagement through Corporate Camera Addresses

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 17:00:00 GMT

video production has become an essential tool for businesses to effectively communicate with their audience.

Corporate camera addresses, also known as video messages, have emerged as a powerful medium to convey messages, foster engagement, and strengthen connections. This blog post explores the numerous benefits of corporate camera addresses and how they can significantly impact businesses in terms of video production, business growth, and audience engagement.

Boosting Video Production Efficiency

Corporate camera addresses streamline the video production process, saving time and resources. By eliminating the need for extensive on-site shooting and complex editing, businesses can create professional-quality videos quickly. With the right equipment and a well-prepared script, corporate camera addresses offer a cost-effective solution for businesses looking to produce engaging video content.

Amplifying Business Reach

Video content has become increasingly popular and influential across digital platforms. Corporate camera addresses enable businesses to leverage the power of video to expand their reach and engage with a broader audience. By sharing video messages on websites, social media channels, and email newsletters, businesses can effectively communicate their brand message, products, and services to potential customers.

Enhancing Audience Engagement

Engagement is crucial for any business seeking to build strong relationships with its audience. Corporate camera addresses add a personal touch to communication, allowing businesses to connect with their customers on a deeper level. Through videos, businesses can humanize their brand, convey emotions, and create a more authentic and relatable experience. This engagement can lead to increased trust, loyalty, and ultimately, improved customer satisfaction and retention.

Corporate camera addresses provide an opportunity for businesses to showcase their expertise, share insights, and provide value to their audience. By addressing common challenges, answering FAQs, or providing tutorials, businesses can position themselves as industry leaders and valuable resources. This engagement fosters a sense of community, encourages feedback, and invites meaningful conversations with customers.

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, corporate camera addresses have become an invaluable tool for businesses to enhance their video production, amplify their reach, and engage with their audience. By utilizing this medium, businesses can create efficient and cost-effective video content while establishing a strong connection with their customers. Incorporating corporate camera addresses into the marketing strategy can yield substantial benefits, including improved brand recognition, increased website traffic, and higher conversion rates. Embrace the power of corporate camera addresses and unlock new opportunities for growth and engagement in your business.

OWL Launches Exclusive CSR Initiative: Free E-Learning Courses for Charities

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 17:30:00 GMT

Are you involved with or familiar with a registered charity in Canada or the US that could greatly benefit from access to high-quality e-learning courses and programs?

OWL - Open World Learning is proud to announce the launch of an extraordinary initiative that aims to provide free access to curated e-learning resources for eligible charitable organizations. This unique collaboration seeks to empower nonprofits and charities with the tools they need to thrive in today's digital world. Watch the insightful video below and visit the OWL website to sign up for this exceptional opportunity today!

How It Works Video - Watch here: https://www.owl.inc/learn
Video produced by Arc and Crown Media :)

What Does This Initiative Offer?

This exclusive CSR initiative enables eligible charities to gain access to a wide range of e-learning resources tailored to their unique needs. The curated courses cover various subjects, from nonprofit management and fundraising strategies to digital marketing and technological skills. By participating in this initiative, charities can enhance their operations, expand their knowledge base, and equip their teams with valuable skills that will drive their missions forward.

Why Choose OWL's Free E-Learning Initiative?

OWL ensures that the e-learning courses provided through this initiative are carefully selected to address the specific challenges and goals faced by charitable organizations. OWL's dedication to quality and impact, combined with the support of industry leaders Intercap Inc. and Docebo, ensures that participating charities receive top-notch e-learning resources at no cost.

How to Get Started:

Signing up for OWL's free e-learning initiative is simple. Visit the OWL website today and navigate to the dedicated page for this program. Fill out the registration form with your charity's details, and once your eligibility is confirmed, you'll gain immediate access to the curated e-learning courses and programs. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to empower your organization with knowledge and skills that can make a lasting difference.

Join the Movement:

Spread the word about this exceptional initiative by sharing the video and information about OWL's free e-learning courses for charities. Together, we can help registered nonprofits and charities thrive in an increasingly digital world. Let's build a stronger, more impactful nonprofit sector for a brighter future.

Remember, this initiative is completely free! Join us in spreading the word about this game-changing CSR initiative from OWL, Intercap Inc., and Docebo. Together, we can empower charities to create lasting impact through knowledge and learning.

Owl.inc

Unveiling Cultural Sensitivity: Empowering Women's Leadership in the MENA Region

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 18:45:00 GMT

Women’s Leadership and Multilevel Governance

Creating impactful videos for an international audience requires more than just appealing visuals and compelling storytelling. It demands a deep understanding of cultural nuances and sensitivities to effectively engage and resonate with viewers from diverse backgrounds. In this blog post, we explore the enlightening experience of producing a whiteboard animation video for the Forum of Federations' #MENA program, which aims to empower women and foster inclusiveness in governance in Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia.

Understanding Cultural Norms:

When creating content for an audience outside of Canada, we quickly realized the importance of familiarizing ourselves with the cultural norms prevalent in the target countries. In Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia, specific customs, traditions, and social expectations shape the fabric of society. By immersing ourselves in these cultural aspects, we were able to craft a video that would effectively speak to the target audience and facilitate a deeper connection.

The Forum of Federations #MENA Program:

The Forum of Federations' #MENA program for women's leadership is an initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada. Its primary objective is to empower women and promote inclusiveness in governance in three countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia.

Through this program, the Forum of Federations aims to provide women with the necessary tools, resources, and support to actively participate in decision-making processes, contribute to policy development, and shape the future of their respective nations. By advancing gender equality and inclusiveness, the #MENA program seeks to create more representative and effective governance structures in the participating countries.

Learn more about Forum of Federations here: https://forumfed.org/document/womens-leadership-and-multilevel-governance/

Incorporating Cultural Considerations:

To effectively connect with the target audience, we incorporated several cultural considerations in the animated scenes of the video. We carefully avoided any visuals or dialogues that could be misinterpreted, offensive, or contradictory to the local values and traditions. By doing so, we aimed to create a video that felt relatable, respectful, and engaging for viewers in the MENA region.

The Pleasure of Producing the Video:

By utilizing the whiteboard animation style, we aimed to captivate the viewers and effectively communicate the key messages of the program.

Collaborating with the Forum of Federations, we crafted a video that not only conveyed important information but also evoked emotions, fostering a sense of inspiration and motivation among the viewers. Witnessing the impact of our work on empowering women's leadership in the MENA region was a rewarding experience that reaffirmed the power of multimedia communication in driving positive change.

Creating culturally sensitive content is crucial when bridging gaps between different communities and empowering individuals around the world. Through the whiteboard animation video produced for the Forum of Federations' #MENA program, we gained valuable insights into the cultural norms and sensitivities of Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia.

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbS7_-VxfEA

The Power of Infographic Videos for Business Presentations

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 18:00:00 GMT

In today's fast-paced business world, captivating your audience's attention is crucial for effective communication.

Traditional text-heavy presentations often fail to engage and leave a lasting impact. Enter infographic videos, a dynamic and visually appealing way to convey complex information. In this blog post, we will explore the power of infographic videos for business presentations and why they should be an essential tool in your communication arsenal.

Simplify Complex Information:

Business presentations often involve conveying intricate data, statistics, or concepts. Infographic videos offer a powerful solution by transforming complex information into visually engaging and easily digestible content. Through compelling visuals, animations, and storytelling techniques, these videos simplify complex ideas, making them more accessible and memorable for your audience.

Enhance Visual Appeal:

Humans are visual creatures, and incorporating eye-catching visuals can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your presentations. Infographic videos leverage this innate preference for visuals by combining illustrations, icons, charts, and graphics in a dynamic and engaging manner. By utilizing a mix of colours, typography, and motion, these videos captivate attention, making your message stand out and increasing the overall impact of your presentation.

Boost Engagement and Retention:

The average attention span of today's audience is short, making it challenging to maintain engagement throughout a business presentation. Infographic videos are designed to combat this issue by keeping viewers engaged from start to finish. The combination of visuals, animations, and a concise script holds attention, ensuring that your message resonates with the audience. Furthermore, the dynamic nature of infographic videos promotes information retention, as visuals are processed faster and retained longer in our memory compared to plain text.

Tell a Compelling Story:

Storytelling is a powerful tool for effective communication, and infographic videos allow you to weave a compelling narrative within your business presentations. By incorporating a well-structured storyline, these videos can capture emotions, build connections, and convey your message in a more memorable way. Whether you're presenting a new product, sharing company achievements, or explaining a complex process, an infographic video adds an engaging storytelling element that resonates with your audience.

Increase Share ability and Reach:

In the digital age, the potential for your business presentation to reach a wider audience goes beyond the conference room. Infographic videos are highly shareable across various online platforms, including websites, social media, and video-sharing platforms. By creating visually appealing and informative videos, you increase the chances of your content being shared and reaching a broader audience, thereby enhancing your brand visibility and potentially attracting new customers or investors.

Infographic videos have revolutionized business presentations by combining visual appeal, simplified information, and storytelling into a captivating format. By incorporating these videos into your presentations, you can effectively communicate complex ideas, enhance engagement, and leave a lasting impact on your audience. Embrace the power of infographic videos and unlock a new level of communication excellence for your business.

AI Avatars: Passing Trend or Future of Video?

Mon, 22 May 2023 20:00:02 GMT

Are you someone who wants to create engaging video content but feels uncomfortable being on camera? We totally get it.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in video production has been on the rise in recent years, with many companies looking for new ways to create engaging and personalized content. One of the most exciting developments in this field is the use of AI avatars, which can be customized to look and sound like real people, but without the need for a physical actor. But will these avatars become the new normal for video, or is it just a passing trend?

One company leading the charge in AI avatar technology is Synthesia. Their video generation platform allows users to create high-quality videos with customizable avatars and voiceovers. With this tool, content creators can easily produce videos without having to appear on camera themselves. This is particularly useful for those who feel uncomfortable in front of the camera but still want to create engaging video content.

The technology behind Synthesia's platform is impressive. Their AI algorithms can analyze and replicate human speech patterns, allowing avatars to deliver realistic voiceovers with perfect intonation and emotion. Users can also customize the avatars to look like themselves or choose from a library of pre-made characters.

But the question remains: are AI avatars just a passing trend, or are they the future of video? It's hard to say for sure, but there are certainly some compelling reasons to believe that they could become a new normal. For one, AI avatars can save time and money on video production, as there's no need to hire actors or film on location. Additionally, they offer a high degree of personalization, allowing businesses to create videos that are tailored to their target audience.

At the same time, there are some concerns about the use of AI avatars in video production. Some argue that they could contribute to the further erosion of trust in media, as viewers may not be able to distinguish between a real person and an avatar. Others worry that the use of AI avatars could result in a lack of diversity in video content, as it may be easier to stick to a single avatar design rather than creating a range of characters.

Despite these concerns, there's no denying that the technology behind AI avatars is impressive, and it's likely that we'll continue to see more companies experimenting with them in the years to come. Whether they become the new normal for video or not, it's clear that they offer an exciting new way to create engaging and personalized content.

At Arc and Crown Media, we're always researching and testing new tools that can simplify workflows while maintaining professional quality. If you have a project in mind, we're here to assist and consult on the process of creating any type of video.

Let's make some amazing video content together!

Check out the tool here: synthesia.io

Unlock the Full Potential of Your Video Content: 3 Proven Strategies to Maximize Video Usage

Tue, 16 May 2023 17:45:00 GMT

Are you looking to get the most out of your video content? Check out these three powerful ways to maximize video usage and take your digital content to the next level

1. Recycle pre-existing assets to create new video tools. Don't let your existing digital content go to waste. We can help you find creative ways to repurpose it across various platforms and communication channels.

2. Design videos for multi-purpose. It's not just about creating public-facing marketing content. We can also help you design company culture and communication videos that cater to your internal members.

3. Thrive in virtually any content platform. We understand the importance of delivering the right video files for your intended distribution platform, whether it's your website, blog, YouTube, presentation, or mobile devices.

We're here to help you make the most of your video content and take your digital strategy to new heights. Stay ahead of the game and maximize your impact with our expert tips and strategies.

Behind the Scenes: Creating Powerful Advocacy Videos for Diabetes Canada

tatiana@arcandcrown.com (Tatiana Rodriguez) — Mon, 08 May 2023 17:15:00 GMT

At our video production agency, we always feel great when we work on projects that make a positive impact on the world.

Recently, we had the pleasure of collaborating with Leah Siversky from Diabetes Canada, an organization we've worked with in the past. This time, we were tasked with creating a series of animated videos to help new volunteers learn how to be powerful advocates.

Diabetes Canada

Diabetes Canada is a national non-profit organization that works to support Canadians living with diabetes and prediabetes. Their mission is to help prevent, cure, and manage diabetes through research, education, and advocacy. As a community-based organization, Diabetes Canada provides various resources and programs to support those affected by diabetes.

Becoming an advocate for Diabetes Canada is a way for individuals to help make a difference in their community and contribute to the organization's mission. Advocacy efforts include raising awareness about diabetes, promoting access to quality care and treatment options, and advocating for policies and regulations that support people living with diabetes.

Advocates can get involved by sharing their personal stories, writing letters to elected officials, participating in awareness campaigns, and supporting fundraising efforts.

If you're interested in volunteer work with an amazing organization that is making a difference to the millions of individuals living with diabetes and pre-diabetes across Canada, check out Diabetes Canada's site to learn more.

Storyboard Process

The first step in any animated video project is the creative direction or design stage. This is where we work with the client to align on the stylistic approach, colour scheme, and type of characters to be used. For this project, Diabetes Canada provided a reference video that they liked the style of, which helped us decide to use realistic-looking characters with clean backgrounds, oversized icons, and fun graphic shapes.

Once the creative direction was approved, we moved on to storyboarding. We started by laying out all of the narration and describing what we envisioned for the visuals. We then passed the document to our graphic designer, who brought the vision to life with reference graphics.

The first draft of the storyboards was sent to our client for review, and after minor adjustments, we were able to move into animation. Our talented animator brought the graphics to life, and the production and review stages came together rather quickly.

Check out the images below to see a sample of the storyboards.

Multi-language Services for Video

Translating English videos into other languages can help companies reach a wider audience and expand their customer base. By offering videos in different languages, companies can connect with non-English speaking audiences and communicate their message more effectively. This can lead to increased brand awareness, customer engagement, and ultimately, sales. Additionally, it can demonstrate a company's commitment to diversity and inclusion, which can enhance its reputation and build stronger relationships with customers and stakeholders.

Many of our clients have a need to produce their video project in multiple languages, and we're able to accommodate that with our transcription and translation services. For this project, we created English and French Canadian versions, and adjusted on-screen text and logos to French to completely transform the video for native French speakers.

Check out the final videos here:

https://www.diabetes.ca/advocacy---policies/advocate-for-diabetes-canada

AI Technology is helping production workflows

tatiana@arcandcrown.com (Tatiana Rodriguez) — Wed, 03 May 2023 18:00:00 GMT

We have been exploring the use of AI in our video business. It's been a fascinating journey so far, and we're excited to share our experience with you.

Like most people these days, we're curious about how AI will impact our business in the future. But we're also interested in how we can leverage it now. Here are a few uses we've tested:

SCRIPTING

We've been experimenting with ChatGPT and learned that it's all about the prompts. The better the prompts, the better the results. We've used the tool to analyze language for some video scripts. The results have been mixed, but overall, it's been an exciting experiment, and we are excited to continue using AI technology as it progresses.

VOICE-OVER

While some fear AI models will replace real people in videos, we think we are still far from a complete takeover. Some AI text-to-voice services still sound robotic, but it seems the advancement of each tool is getting better day by day. We will keep exploring this area as it might be a great cost-effective alternative for our clients on a budget.

EDITING TECHNOLOGY

We've been using a tool that uses AI to remove and replace the backgrounds of videos in seconds. Where we will still need the expertise of a good animator for some tasks, AI is proving to help create more efficient workflows in production.

AI is here to stay, and it's proving to be a pretty good thing for our industry. While it can't replace the people behind the scenes, it can make our processes faster, more cost-effective, and potentially better. We're excited to continue exploring the possibilities of AI and using it to serve our clients better and create great videos.

The importance of productivity for small businesses - 5 quick tips

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 15:45:00 GMT

Productivity is a critical factor that contributes to the success of any business, particularly small businesses.

As a small business owner, it's essential to make the most out of your time and resources to achieve your goals and grow your enterprise. Here are 5 reasons why productivity is crucial for small businesses:

1. Cost-effectiveness

Small businesses typically have limited resources, including financial, human, and technological resources. By improving productivity, small businesses can optimize the use of these resources and reduce the overall cost of doing business. This can help small businesses compete with larger firms and offer better value to their customers.

2. Improved customer service

In today's competitive business landscape, customers expect fast and reliable service. By increasing productivity, small businesses can streamline their operations and respond to customer needs more efficiently. This can lead to higher customer satisfaction rates and increased loyalty.

3. Increased profitability

Productivity is directly linked to profitability. By increasing productivity, small businesses can produce more output with the same amount of resources. This can lead to increased revenue and profits, which are essential for the long-term sustainability of the business.

4. Better work-life balance

Small business owners often wear many hats and work long hours to keep their businesses running. However, by improving productivity, small business owners can get more done in less time and achieve a better work-life balance. This can lead to reduced stress and improved mental health.

5. Innovation and growth

Productivity is essential for small businesses that want to innovate and grow. By optimizing their operations, small businesses can free up resources to invest in new products, services, and technologies. This can help small businesses stay competitive and seize new opportunities as they arise.

By improving productivity, small businesses can optimize their resources, provide better customer service, increase profitability, achieve a better work-life balance, and foster innovation and growth. As a small business owner, it's essential to prioritize productivity and invest in tools and strategies that can help you achieve your goals.

How AI Tools Can Simplify Your Video Production Process

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 17:00:00 GMT

Video content is becoming increasingly important for businesses of all sizes, as it can help to engage customers and increase brand awareness.

However, creating high-quality video content can be a time-consuming and expensive process, which is why many businesses are turning to AI tools to simplify the process. In this post, we'll discuss how AI tools can help you streamline your video production process and provide three tips for creating engaging video content.

1. Use AI tools to automate the editing process

One of the most time-consuming aspects of video production is the editing process. However, AI tools can help you automate this process, saving you time and money. For example, some AI tools can automatically generate captions or subtitles for your videos, allowing you to reach a wider audience. Other tools can help you to edit your videos more efficiently by automatically cutting out unnecessary footage or suggesting edits based on your preferences.

2. Use AI tools to enhance your videos

AI tools can also help you to enhance your videos by adding special effects or improving the quality of your footage. For example, some AI tools can remove background noise from your audio or enhance the colors in your footage to make it more visually appealing. Other tools can add animations or special effects to your videos, making them more engaging for your audience.

3. Use AI tools to personalize your videos

Finally, AI tools can help you to personalize your videos, making them more relevant and engaging for your audience. For example, some AI tools can analyze your audience data and suggest personalized messages or offers that you can include in your videos. Other tools can help you to create videos that are tailored to specific segments of your audience, such as by language or location.

In conclusion, AI tools can be a valuable asset for businesses of all sizes looking to create high-quality video content. By using AI tools to automate the editing process, enhance your videos, and personalize your content, you can save time and money while still creating engaging and effective videos for your audience. If you're new to video production or looking to streamline your process, consider incorporating AI tools into your workflow to simplify the process and achieve better results.

This blog post was generated by an AI tool :)

Video Production Services for Different Industries

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 16:30:00 GMT

At Arc and Crown Media, we understand that different industries require different approaches to meet their needs.

That’s why we tailor our services to each industry we work with. We have the expertise and resources to provide the right solutions for each industry, allowing our clients to get the most out of our services.

Our team of experienced professionals has the knowledge and skills to understand the unique needs of each industry. We take into account the existing business practices and processes, as well as the culture and environment of the industry. This allows us to develop customized solutions that will meet the specific needs of our clients.

We are committed to delivering high-quality services and solutions that will help our clients achieve their business goals. We strive to provide superior customer service, ensuring that our clients are satisfied with the services we provide.

We have the resources, expertise and experience to provide the right solutions for your industry. Our team is dedicated to finding the best solutions to fit your needs and budget. We are confident that our tailor-made services will provide you with the best value for your money.

Video for Healthcare

Simplify complex topics and inspire confidence

Video Helps Your Communication

Healthcare professionals are passionate about what they do, and we want to help ensure your audience easily understands the process and benefits of your practice. Whether you’re creating branded content for customer buy-in, or educational content for partner’s use, we help distill down to your core message and create engaging video material that’s easy to consume.

Why Video for Healthcare

Video has become the go-to-source for quick and effective communication online and offline. That’s because engaging video content allows users to visualize how your offerings work and see the benefits in action. Research estimates that users can recall 70% of video content they watched in the last 30 days, meaning that your message will be remembered.

Video for Professional Services

Add life to your communications

Video Helps Your Communication

As a professional services company you need to showcase what sets you apart, and ensure that the culture of your organization showcases this distinction. Through effective video communication you can both inspire your organization and educate your target market on how your services aid their life.

Our clients benefit from video communications that

Aligns their brand message

Promotes company culture

Showcases their expertise

Enhances employee engagement

Effectively trains and educates both employees and clients

Great communications videos are an opportunity for competitive advantage.

Video for Associations + Colleges

Help foster growth in today and tomorrow’s professionals

Why video learning?

Your core mandate is to provide quality resources that enable your community to continually expand their knowledge base, awareness and expertise. Video learning is the solution. In today’s age when searching online is everyone’s go-to for finding answers, eLearning isn’t just an accessory; it’s a necessity.

You need video learning solutions that are

Easy to understand

Professional and creative

Condense key learning points

Easy to reuse

It is estimated that users can recall 70% of video content they watched in the last 30 days.That’s why video learning produces some of the highest rates of recall amongst all mediums, and has the highest demand by users for their learning solutions.

Video for Agencies

Because your clients want video, and we can help!

Video Adds Value to Your Service

Your priority is building strong, sustainable client relationships. Our priority is video, and ensuring the videos we collaborate with you on match your measured strategy and unique creative. When clients ask about video, we want to be your go-to-resource for information on budget, timelines and samples. We’re here to help you create video content that satisfies your client needs.

Our videos can help with various client needs

Train a new skill

Introduce a new product or service

Provide authentic testimonials

Capture special event moments

Simplify complex information

Create thought leadership

Promote company culture

Boost employee engagement

Unlock Your Brand's Potential: How to Choose the Right Video Style

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 17:00:00 GMT

In the world of digital marketing, video is increasingly becoming a crucial element to success. It's the perfect way to engage your audience, build relationships, and tell your brand's story.

With so many different types of videos out there, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. To unlock your brand's potential and maximize the effectiveness of your video content, you have to understand the different video styles available and how to choose the right one for your message. By understanding the different types and how they can be used to convey your unique message, you will be able to create stunning and engaging videos that will help to boost your brand's visibility.

Exploring the Benefits of Each Video Style

There are many different video styles, each with its own unique benefits. Live action videos are great for showcasing products and services, while animated videos are ideal for conveying complex messages. Explainer videos are perfect for providing educational content, while motion graphics can be used to create eye-catching visuals. Depending on your message and goals, one type of video may be better suited to your needs than another.

Live action videos are a great way to showcase products and services and provide an interactive experience for the viewer. They can be used to demonstrate how a product works or to provide an overview of a service. Live action videos can also be used to create engaging and entertaining content that appeals to a wide variety of viewers.

Animated videos are great for conveying complex messages in an easy to understand way. They can be used to explain complex concepts, illustrate a story, or provide an overview of a product or service. Animated videos are perfect for creating visual interest and engaging the viewer.

Explainer videos are perfect for providing educational content in an engaging way. They can be used to explain a concept, provide a tutorial, or demonstrate how to use a product. Explainer videos are great for capturing the attention of viewers and providing valuable information.

Motion graphics are a great way to create eye-catching visuals that grab the viewer's attention and keep them engaged. They can be used to illustrate a concept, create an animated logo, or provide an overview of a product or service. Motion graphics are perfect for creating dynamic visuals that stand out and draw the viewer in.

Choosing the Right Video Style for Your Message

Choosing the right video style for your message is essential to ensuring the success of your video content. When selecting the right video style, it's important to consider the following factors: the message you want to convey, the audience you are trying to reach, and the budget you have available.

When deciding on the video style, it's important to take into account the message you want to convey. For example, if you are looking to create a product demonstration video, a live action video would be more appropriate than an animated video. It's also important to consider the audience you are trying to reach. If you are creating a video for a younger audience, an animated video would be more effective than a live action video. Finally, it's important to consider your budget. Depending on the video style you choose, the cost of production can vary significantly.

Once you have a clear understanding of the message you want to convey and the audience you are trying to reach, you can begin to narrow down the video style options and make a decision. By taking the time to assess your needs and determine the right video style for your message, you can ensure that your video content will be effective and engaging.

Tips for Writing Engaging Video Scripts

Once you have chosen the right video style for your message, the next step is to write an engaging video script. Writing an effective video script is essential to ensuring the success of your video content. Here are some tips to help you write an engaging video script:

• Keep it short: Your script should be concise and to the point. Try to keep it to a maximum of two to three minutes.

• Focus on the message: Focus on conveying your message in a clear and concise way. Don't try to cram too much information into the script.

• Use storytelling: Stories are one of the most powerful tools for engaging viewers. Use storytelling to draw the viewer in and keep them interested.

• Use visuals: Use visuals to help convey your message. Visuals can help to explain complex concepts and make the video more engaging.

• Use humor: Humor can help to engage the viewer and make the video more entertaining.

By following these tips, you can create an engaging and effective video script that will help to ensure the success of your video content.

How to Find the Right Video Production Company

Once you have written your video script, the next step is to find the right video production company to help you bring your vision to life. When searching for a video production company, it's important to consider the following factors: experience, portfolio, and cost.

Experience is an important factor to consider when selecting the right video production company. You want to make sure that the company has experience creating the type of video you are looking for and that they have a good track record of producing high-quality videos. It's also important to look at the company's portfolio to get an idea of the kind of work they have done in the past.

Cost is also an important factor to consider when selecting the right video production company. You want to make sure that you are getting the most value for your money. Be sure to get quotes from several companies and compare their rates before making a decision.

By taking the time to research and compare different video production companies, you can ensure that you select the right company for your project.

How to Optimize Videos for SEO

Optimizing your video content for search engines is an important step in ensuring that your videos are seen by the right people. Here are some tips for optimizing your videos for SEO:

• Use keywords: Keywords are an essential element of SEO and can help to ensure that your videos appear in search results. Research relevant keywords and incorporate them into your video titles, descriptions, and tags.

• Create a transcript: Transcripts are an important element of SEO. They enable search engines to crawl and index your video content more effectively.

• Optimize for mobile: With more and more people accessing the web on mobile devices, it's important to optimize your videos for mobile. Make sure that your videos are responsive and optimized for mobile devices.

• Promote your videos: Promoting your videos is an important step in ensuring that they are seen by the right people. Share your videos on social media, embed them in blog posts, and reach out to influencers to promote your content.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your videos are optimized for search engines and seen by the right people.

Tips for Effectively Promoting Your Video Content

Once your video content is created, the next step is to promote it. Promoting your videos is essential to ensuring that they are seen by the right people. Here are some tips for effectively promoting your video content:

• Leverage social media: Social media is a powerful tool for promoting your video content. Share your videos on all of your social media channels and try to engage with your followers to increase engagement.

• Create a video series: Creating a video series is a great way to keep your viewers interested and engaged. Try to create a series of videos around a specific topic or theme to keep viewers coming back for more.

• Utilize influencer marketing: Influencer marketing is a great way to reach a larger audience and promote your video content. Reach out to influencers in your niche and ask them to share your videos with their followers.

• Optimize for YouTube: YouTube is the second largest search engine, so it's important to optimize your videos for YouTube. Use keywords in your titles and descriptions, create a custom thumbnail, and use tags to help your videos appear in search results.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your video content is seen by the right people and maximize its reach.

Conclusion

Video is an essential element of digital marketing, and choosing the right video style is crucial to ensuring the success of your video content. By understanding the different types of video styles and how to choose the right one for your message, you can create stunning and engaging videos that will help to boost your brand's visibility. Additionally, writing an engaging video script, finding the right video production company, optimizing your videos for SEO, and promoting your video content are all important steps in the video creation process. By following the tips outlined in this article, you can ensure that your video content is successful and helps to unlock your brand's potential.

The Benefits of Working with a Professional Video Production Company

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 17:00:00 GMT

As businesses increasingly turn to video content to connect with their audiences, the need for professional video production services has never been greater.

While it may be tempting to try and create videos in-house, working with a professional video production company offers a wide range of benefits that can help take your video content to the next level. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the key benefits of working with a professional video production company.

First and foremost, a professional video production company brings a wealth of expertise to the table. From scriptwriting and storyboarding to lighting and audio, professional videographers have the skills and experience to create high-quality video content that engages and inspires viewers. They know how to tell compelling stories that resonate with your target audience, and they have the technical knowledge to ensure that your videos look and sound great.

Another advantage of working with a professional video production company is their access to top-of-the-line equipment and technology. High-quality cameras, lighting, and audio equipment can make all the difference in the final product, and a professional production company will have the tools and resources necessary to capture the best possible footage.

In addition to technical expertise and equipment, working with a professional video production company can also save you time and money in the long run. While it may seem like a cost-effective solution to create videos in-house, the reality is that the time and resources required to do so can quickly add up. By outsourcing your video production needs to a professional company, you can free up your team to focus on other important aspects of your business while ensuring that your videos are of the highest quality.

Finally, working with a professional video production company can help you achieve your goals more effectively. Whether you’re looking to build brand awareness, drive sales, or educate your audience, a professional production company can help you create videos that are tailored to your specific objectives. They can provide guidance and advice on everything from video format and length to distribution and promotion, helping you get the most out of your video content.

In conclusion, working with a professional video production company offers a wide range of benefits that can help take your video content to the next level. From technical expertise and equipment to time and cost savings, the advantages of outsourcing your video production needs are clear. So why not consider partnering with a professional video production company for your next project?

Let us be your guide to great video, reach out with your project needs and we will be happy to assist!

www.arcandcrown.com

The Power of Video Testimonials for Your Business

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 17:00:00 GMT

Video testimonials are a powerful tool for businesses looking to build credibility and trust with potential customers.

These testimonials provide a first-hand account of how your products or services have helped real people solve their problems or achieve their goals. In this blog, we’ll explore the power of video testimonials and how they can benefit your business.

First and foremost, video testimonials are a powerful form of social proof. When potential clients are considering purchasing a product or service, they want to know that it’s worth their time and money. By featuring real customers sharing their positive experiences with your business, you’re providing social proof that your products or services are valuable and effective.

Moreover, video testimonials can also help build a personal connection between your brand and potential customers. When someone sees a satisfied customer sharing their story on video, they’re more likely to feel like they know your business on a personal level. This personal connection can help build trust and loyalty, which can ultimately lead to more sales and repeat business.

Another advantage of video testimonials is their versatility. You can use them on a variety of channels, including your website, social media profiles, and email campaigns. This means that you can leverage the power of video testimonials across multiple touchpoints in your customer journey, maximizing their impact.

Creating effective video testimonials does require some planning and execution. First, you need to identify satisfied customers who are willing to share their experiences on video. Once you have identified these individuals, work with them to create a compelling story that highlights the benefits they’ve experienced from your products or services. Ensure that the video is well-shot, has good audio quality, and features engaging visuals to keep viewers interested.

Overall, the power of video testimonials for your business cannot be overstated. By leveraging the voices of satisfied customers, you can build credibility and trust with potential customers, create a personal connection with your brand, and showcase the benefits of your products or services. So why not start incorporating video testimonials into your marketing strategy today?

If you need help with planning and production of a professional video testimonial, we are here to help. Contact us with any questions and we will be happy to help!

Unlocking the Potential of Chat GPT: What You Need to Know

tatiana@arcandcrown.com (Tatiana Rodriguez) — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 19:00:00 GMT

Conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way we interact with technology.

It is allowing us to quickly and easily access information, automate tasks, and even converse with virtual assistants. One of the most powerful tools in this field is Chat GPT, a natural language processing system that can generate meaningful conversations with users. Chat GPT is quickly becoming a popular tool for businesses, developers, and other professionals looking to create engaging and interactive experiences. In this article, we’ll dive into what Chat GPT is and how it can be used to unlock its potential. We’ll look at how it can be used to automate customer service conversations, generate content, and even create virtual assistants. We’ll also discuss the challenges associated with using Chat GPT and how to overcome them. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of how Chat GPT can be used to power your business or project.

Unlocking the Potential of Chat GPT: What You Need to Know

Conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way we interact with technology. It is allowing us to quickly and easily access information, automate tasks, and even converse with virtual assistants. One of the most powerful tools in this field is Chat GPT, a natural language processing system that can generate meaningful conversations with users. Chat GPT is quickly becoming a popular tool for businesses, developers, and other professionals looking to create engaging and interactive experiences. In this article, we’ll dive into what Chat GPT is and how it can be used to unlock its potential. We’ll look at how it can be used to automate customer service conversations, generate content, and even create virtual assistants. We’ll also discuss the challenges associated with using Chat GPT and how to overcome them. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of how Chat GPT can be used to power your business or project.

What is Chat GPT?

Chat GPT is a natural language processing system designed to generate meaningful conversations with users. It can understand the user’s intent and generate appropriate responses. Chat GPT is powered by deep learning algorithms and is trained on large datasets of conversations. This allows it to generate responses that are tailored to the user’s query and context. Chat GPT is a powerful tool that can be used to automate customer service conversations, generate content, and even create virtual assistants. It can be used to power a wide range of applications, from customer service bots to intelligent virtual assistants.

Benefits of Using Chat GPT

Chat GPT has many benefits, and it is quickly becoming a popular tool for businesses, developers, and other professionals. Here are some of the key benefits of using Chat GPT:

• Automation: Chat GPT can be used to automate customer service conversations, freeing up customer service agents to focus on more complex tasks.

• Cost Savings: Chat GPT can reduce costs associated with customer service and other tasks, as it can handle simple queries and tasks without the need for human input.

• Improved Customer Experience: Chat GPT can provide a more personalized experience to users, as it can generate tailored responses based on the user’s query and context.

• Enhanced Efficiency: Chat GPT can help to streamline processes and tasks, as it can quickly generate responses without the need for manual input.

• Increased Productivity: Chat GPT can help to increase productivity, as it can quickly generate responses to user queries and automate tasks.

Automating Customer Service Conversations with Chat GPT

Chat GPT can be used to automate customer service conversations, freeing up customer service agents to focus on more complex tasks. It can be used to quickly and accurately respond to customer queries and requests, without the need for manual input. This can help to reduce costs associated with customer service and improve customer experience, as customers can get their queries and requests addressed quickly and accurately.

Chat GPT can also be used to generate automated responses based on customer queries. This can help to improve the customer experience, as customers can quickly and easily get the responses they need. It can also be used to generate tailored responses, as Chat GPT can understand the customer’s intent and generate appropriate responses.

Generating Content with Chat GPT

Chat GPT can be used to generate content, such as blog posts, articles, and social media posts. It can be used to quickly and accurately generate content based on user queries, without the need for manual input. This can help to reduce costs associated with content creation, as it can generate content quickly and accurately.

Chat GPT can also be used to generate personalized content, as it can understand the user’s intent and generate tailored responses. This can help to create more engaging and interesting content, as it can generate content that is tailored to the user’s query and context.

Creating Virtual Assistants with Chat GPT

Chat GPT can be used to create virtual assistants that can interact with users in natural language. This can help to improve the customer experience, as customers can quickly and easily get their queries and requests addressed. It can also be used to automate tasks, such as booking appointments, ordering products, and sending reminders. This can help to streamline processes and increase efficiency.

Chat GPT can also be used to create personalized virtual assistants, as it can understand the user’s intent and generate tailored responses. This can help to create more engaging and interactive experiences, as the virtual assistant can generate responses that are tailored to the user’s query and context.

Challenges of Using Chat GPT

Chat GPT is a powerful tool, but it is not without its challenges. Here are some of the key challenges associated with using Chat GPT:

• Accuracy: Chat GPT can generate accurate responses, but it is not perfect. It can struggle to understand complex queries and generate responses that are not accurate or relevant.

• Scalability: Chat GPT can quickly generate responses, but it can struggle to scale to large datasets. This can limit its use for large-scale applications.

• Maintenance: Chat GPT requires constant maintenance and updates to ensure that it is generating accurate and relevant responses. This can be time-consuming and costly.

Overcoming the Challenges of Chat GPT

Despite the challenges associated with using Chat GPT, there are ways to overcome these challenges and unlock its potential. Here are some tips for overcoming the challenges of using Chat GPT:

• Train the Model: Chat GPT can only generate accurate and relevant responses if it is trained on a large and diverse dataset. This can help to ensure that it is generating responses that are accurate and relevant.

• Use Quality Data: Chat GPT can only generate accurate and relevant responses if it is trained on high-quality data. This can help to ensure that it is generating responses that are accurate and relevant.

• Monitor Performance: Chat GPT requires constant monitoring to ensure that it is generating accurate and relevant responses. This can help to ensure that it is generating responses that are accurate and relevant.

• Use Quality Control: Chat GPT can be used to generate content, but it is important to ensure that the content is of high quality. This can be achieved by using quality control processes, such as manual review and editing.

Examples of Chat GPT in Action

Chat GPT is quickly becoming a popular tool for businesses, developers, and other professionals. Here are some examples of how Chat GPT is being used:

• Automating Customer Service Conversations: Chat GPT is being used to automate customer service conversations, enabling customer service agents to focus on more complex tasks.

• Generating Content: Chat GPT is being used to generate blog posts, articles, and social media posts. It can be used to quickly and accurately generate content based on user queries.

• Creating Virtual Assistants: Chat GPT is being used to create virtual assistants that can interact with users in natural language. This can help to improve the customer experience and automate tasks.

Conclusion

Chat GPT is a powerful tool that can be used to automate customer service conversations, generate content, and create virtual assistants. It can be used to power a wide range of applications, from customer service bots to intelligent virtual assistants. Despite the challenges associated with using Chat GPT, there are ways to overcome these challenges and unlock its potential. By understanding Chat GPT and how it can be used, you can use it to power your business or project.

The Power of Video Training: Maximizing Your Employee's Potential

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:00:00 GMT

In today’s digital age, video training has become an invaluable tool for businesses to maximize employee potential.

It’s a powerful way to equip staff with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, while also saving time and money. With video training, businesses can quickly and easily create engaging, interactive and informative content that can be accessed from anywhere and anytime. Whether it’s providing employees with onboarding and training courses, or giving them the opportunity to sharpen their skills and stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends, video training can be a powerful tool for any business. By leveraging the power of video training, businesses can ensure that their employees are adequately equipped to deliver the best results and hit the ground running.

The Power of Video Training: Maximizing Your Employee's Potential

In today’s digital age, video training has become an invaluable tool for businesses to maximize employee potential. It’s a powerful way to equip staff with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, while also saving time and money. With video training, businesses can quickly and easily create engaging, interactive and informative content that can be accessed from anywhere and anytime. Whether it’s providing employees with onboarding and training courses, or giving them the opportunity to sharpen their skills and stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends, video training can be a powerful tool for any business. By leveraging the power of video training, businesses can ensure that their employees are adequately equipped to deliver the best results and hit the ground running.

Benefits of Video Training

Video training has become a popular and effective method for businesses to help their employees reach their full potential. Video training offers a number of benefits that are not available with traditional training methods. Firstly, video training is more engaging and interactive than other training methods, which can help to keep employees engaged and encourage them to learn. Additionally, video training can be accessed from anywhere, which makes it more convenient for employees to access the training they need. Video training is also cost-effective and can be quickly produced, which makes it a great option for businesses with tight budgets.

Video training can also be used to create a more unified and consistent learning experience for employees. By creating video training, businesses can ensure that all employees are receiving the same information and learning the same skills. This can help to create a team-oriented atmosphere where everyone is working towards the same goals. Finally, video training can help to reduce the amount of time spent on training, as the content can be quickly accessed and consumed. This can help to save businesses time and money in the long run.

Implementing Video Training in Your Business

Implementing video training in your business can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. There are a few simple steps that can help to make the process smoother. Firstly, it is important to identify the goals and objectives of the video training program. This will help to ensure that the program is tailored to the specific needs of the business. Secondly, it is important to identify the target audience for the video training program. This will help to ensure that the content is suitable and relevant to the audience. Thirdly, it is important to decide on the type of video training that will be used. This will help to ensure that the right type of content is created that is suitable for the target audience.

Once the goals and objectives have been identified, it is important to create a plan for the video training program. This should include the topics that will be covered, the length of the video training and the frequency of the training sessions. Additionally, it is important to decide on the format of the video training. This can include live sessions, pre-recorded videos or a combination of both. Finally, it is important to determine how the video training will be delivered. This can include email, streaming services or a dedicated learning platform.

Types of Video Training

There are a variety of different types of video training that businesses can use to equip their employees with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. The most common type of video training is pre-recorded video lessons. This type of video training is great for providing employees with onboarding and training courses, as the video content can be quickly produced and accessed. Additionally, pre-recorded video lessons can be used to provide employees with refresher courses and to stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends.

Another type of video training is live video sessions. This type of video training is ideal for providing employees with personalized feedback and guidance. Live video sessions can also be used to answer questions and provide employees with the opportunity to interact with the trainer. Additionally, live video sessions can be used to simulate real-life scenarios and give employees the opportunity to practice their skills in a safe environment.

Creating Video Training Content

Creating engaging and informative video training content can be a challenge. It is important to ensure that the content is tailored to the target audience and is engaging enough to keep employees focused and motivated. To create engaging video training content, it is important to use a variety of different media, such as images, videos, animations, and audio. Additionally, it is important to keep the content concise and to the point. This will help to ensure that employees are not overwhelmed with too much information and can quickly absorb the key points.

It is also important to use visuals to help to keep employees engaged. Visuals, such as diagrams and infographics, can help to break up the content and make it easier to digest. Additionally, visuals can help to make the content more engaging and memorable. Finally, it is important to use interactive elements, such as quizzes and polls, to help to keep employees engaged and to reinforce the key points of the video training.

Tips for Developing Engaging Video Training

Here are a few tips that can help to make the process easier. Firstly, it is important to create content that is tailored to the target audience. This will help to ensure that the content is relevant and engaging. Secondly, it is important to use visuals to break up the content and make it easier to digest. This can help to keep employees engaged and ensure that the key points are not lost. Thirdly, it is important to use interactive elements to keep employees engaged and to ensure that the content is memorable. Finally, it is important to use a variety of media, such as images, videos, animations and audio, to make the content more engaging and informative.

Using Video Training for Onboarding and Training

Video training is an invaluable tool for onboarding and training employees. By creating engaging and informative video training, businesses can ensure that their employees are adequately equipped to hit the ground running. Video training can help to make onboarding and training more efficient and cost-effective, as the content can be quickly produced and accessed. Additionally, video training can be used to provide employees with personalized feedback and guidance. This can help to ensure that employees are able to get up to speed quickly and are able to deliver the best results.

Video Training for Staying Up-to-Date on Industry Trends

In today’s digital age, it is important for businesses to ensure that their employees are staying up-to-date on the latest industry trends. Video training can be a great tool for keeping employees informed and ensuring that they are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Video training can be used to provide employees with refresher courses and to stay on top of the latest industry trends. Additionally, video training can be used to provide employees with the opportunity to practice their skills in a safe environment.

Measuring the Impact of Video Training

Measuring the impact of video training is an important part of the process. By measuring the impact of video training, businesses can get an understanding of how effective the training is and how it is contributing to employee performance. There are a number of metrics that can be used to measure the impact of video training, such as completion rates, engagement levels and knowledge retention. Additionally, businesses can measure the impact of video training by assessing employee performance and productivity.

Conclusion

Video training is an invaluable tool for businesses to maximize employee potential. It is a powerful way to equip staff with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, while also saving time and money. With video training, businesses can quickly and easily create engaging, interactive and informative content that can be accessed from anywhere and anytime. Whether it’s providing employees with onboarding and training courses, or giving them the opportunity to sharpen their skills and stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends, video training can be a powerful tool for any business. By leveraging the power of video training, businesses can ensure that their employees are adequately equipped to deliver the best results and hit the ground running.

Why Corporate Culture Matters & Ways to Boost it with Video

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 20:30:00 GMT

In today’s constantly shifting working landscape, your company culture is the tether that ensures you attract and retain quality talent that meshes well with your brand values

Use video to make your company culture stand out and be heard – across not only your internal employees, but your prospective hires and customers as well.

Streamlining Corporate Communication with Video Conferencing

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 21:30:00 GMT

As businesses and organizations strive to keep up with the ever-changing technologies, one of the key ways to ensure effective communication is through video conferencing.

In this blog post, we'll explore what video conferencing is and how it can help to streamline corporate communication. We'll also discuss some video conferencing statistics, provide tips on developing a video conferencing strategy, and share our picks for the best video conferencing platforms.

What is Video Conferencing?

Video conferencing is a type of online meeting in which participants are able to see, hear, and interact with one another in real-time. It is usually conducted via a web-based platform, such as Skype, Zoom, or Google Hangouts. Video conferencing can be used in a variety of ways, such as for internal meetings, external meetings, presentations, and even virtual conferences. It also allows for quick and easy sharing of documents, images, and other files. There are a few key components to a successful video conferencing experience. The most important is having a reliable internet connection that can support the video conferencing platform. Additionally, the participants must have a webcam and microphone in order to communicate effectively.

Benefits of Video Conferencing

There are many advantages to using video conferencing for corporate communication. The most obvious benefit is that it can save companies time and money by eliminating the need for physical meetings. It also allows for more efficient collaboration and decision-making. Video conferencing allows participants to see one another’s facial expressions and body language, which can help to foster better communication. Additionally, video conferencing can help to increase productivity by allowing participants to multitask while in meetings. Video conferencing also makes it easier to communicate with remote workers and partners located in different parts of the world. This can be especially beneficial for global businesses that need to communicate and collaborate with employees and partners in different time zones. Finally, video conferencing is becoming increasingly popular as a way to host public events and conferences. This can help to increase the reach of a company’s message and expand its customer base.

Video Conferencing Statistics

The popularity of video conferencing is growing rapidly, and it’s no surprise why. Here are some key video conferencing statistics:

The global video conferencing market is expected to grow from $6.7 billion in 2020 to $13.7 billion by 2026.

70% of businesses are using video conferencing to communicate with employees and customers.

Over 80% of employees believe video conferencing improves collaboration and productivity.

75% of organizations have saved money by using video conferencing.

59% of employees prefer video conferencing over other forms of communication.

These statistics highlight the importance of video conferencing for corporate communication and collaboration.

Developing a Video Conferencing Strategy

Before you start using video conferencing, it’s important to develop a strategy. This will ensure that you are using the technology in the most effective way. The first step is to decide which type of video conferencing platform is best for your company. There are many different platforms available, each with its own features and benefits. Consider your company’s needs and budget when selecting a platform. Next, decide who will be responsible for managing video conferencing. This person should be familiar with the technology and have a good understanding of the company’s goals and objectives. You should also consider the best practices for video conferencing, such as having a clear agenda prior to the meeting, ensuring that everyone is on the same page, and allowing for equal participation. This will help to ensure that the meetings are productive and efficient. Finally, be sure to train your team on how to use the video conferencing platform. This will help to ensure that everyone is comfortable using the technology and can take full advantage of its features.

Tips for Streamlining Corporate Communication with Video Conferencing

Now that you have the basics of video conferencing down, let’s discuss some tips for streamlining corporate communication with video conferencing.

First, consider scheduling regular meetings with your team. This will help to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that there is no confusion or miscommunication. Second, ensure that all participants are aware of any time zone differences. This will help to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that no one is left behind. Third, consider using video conferencing for external meetings. This can be a great way to foster relationships with partners and customers. Finally, take advantage of the features that video conferencing platforms offer. These can include chat, screen sharing, file sharing, and more.

The Best Video Conferencing Platforms

Now that you know the basics of video conferencing and have some tips for streamlining corporate communication with it, let’s discuss the best video conferencing platforms.

The most popular video conferencing platforms are Skype, Zoom, and Google Hangouts. Skype is one of the oldest and most popular video conferencing platforms. It offers a range of features, such as high-definition video, screen sharing, and file sharing. It is also compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems. Zoom is another popular video conferencing platform. It offers features such as HD video, audio, and screen sharing. It also allows for up to 1,000 participants in a single meeting. Google Hangouts is a great platform for those looking for a free video conferencing solution. It allows for up to 10 participants in a single meeting and offers features such as video, audio, and screen sharing.

Conclusion

Video conferencing is becoming increasingly popular as a way to streamline corporate communication. It offers many benefits, such as saving time and money, improving collaboration, and increasing productivity. Additionally, it can help to foster relationships with partners and customers. When it comes to selecting a video conferencing platform, there are many options available. Some of the most popular platforms are Skype, Zoom, and Google Hangouts. By following the tips and strategies discussed in this blog post, you can ensure that you are using video conferencing to its fullest potential. This will help to ensure that your corporate communication is streamlined and efficient.

Tips to create social media videos that attract your audience

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 21:30:00 GMT

Videos are a great way to share information with your audience and sell products or services.

They’re also an excellent way to promote a specific product or service. But, creating videos that sell is no easy feat. There are so many factors that go into coming up with the perfect video. Thankfully, there are some great resources out there that can help you create videos that sell even if you’re brand new to digital marketing. Keep reading to discover how to create great social media videos that sell!

Research and planning

Before you create a single social media video, you’ll need to do some research. You can either hire a professional video production company or you can do your own research to come up with ideas for videos to post on social channels. When you’re researching your target audience, it’s important to look at the purpose of your video. In what market are you trying to reach? What problems and needs do you want to solve? Once you’ve determined the purpose of your video, you can move onto researching your audience. How are they consuming media? What channels are they following, and who are they following?

Make sure your video is relevant

Since you’ll be posting your videos on social media channels, you’ll want them to be relevant to the channel and the topic. You can test this by posting a video related to your channel, then test it out by going to the channel and leaving a reply. If the majority of the people following your account are interested in your niche, then you’ve likely found a following. But, if they’re more interested in general topics, then your video won’t go viral. Your video must be relevant to the audience, so make sure it covers the right topics. If your audience is interested in technology, try posting a video about how to use Instagram’s new filters. If you’re interested in fashion, post a video on how to create a celebrity style Instagram post. Your video must be specific to the audience. If you want to target your audience more specifically, don’t make general videos that only appeal to the masses.

Use a variety of media

For social media videos, you don’t want to solely rely on one form of media. You can’t just post a video on YouTube and expect it to go viral. The same goes for videos on Instagram. In order for your video to go viral, it must be posted on sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. In order for your video to be viewed and shared on social media, you’ll need to post it on different channels. If you only post videos on YouTube, you’ll be penalized for low views. Similarly, if you only share videos on Instagram, you’ll be penalized for low likes. You must do everything you can to maximize the reach of your videos.

Don’t be afraid to use graphics and stock footage

There's a reason stock footage is such a popular tool in the marketing world - it's cost-effective, and it's an alternative to traditional videos. With stock footage, you can create professional videos that are just as effective as videos created with more expensive methods. Plus, stock footage is ideal for marketing videos - it's visually striking and easy to understand, making it a great choice for viewers who are on a budget. And best of all, stock footage is available at a fraction of the cost of video production services. So whether you're looking for an affordable way to create high-quality marketing videos, or you're looking for an alternative to traditional video production, stock footage is the perfect option. Use imagery that’s relevant to your brand, product, or service. You can find tons of free stock footage and graphics online, or you can use websites like istock.com, pond5.com, Textures.com.

Use exciting, fun music

When it comes to creating social media videos, the music is as important as the visuals. Not only does music help create a mood in a video, but it can also direct your audience’s attention to a certain part of the video. If the audience is reading the text on the bottom of the video, they’ll be less interested in what’s happening on the top of the video. In order to direct your audience’s attention to a certain part of the video, you’ll need to play music that gets their attention. If you want your audience to take notice, then you have to play the music that will do that. In order to create a certain mood in your video, you’ll need to use music that’s relaxing, helps promote a peaceful mindset, and decreases stress. When it comes to music in your videos, you have a few different options. You can use either royalty-free music or your own music. If your videos feature your brand or product, you should consider using your own music. But, if you want a clean, well-marketed video, royalty-free music is the best choice.

Summing up

When it comes to creating great social media videos that sell, there are multiple factors that go into it. While creating the basics of a social media post like a video, image, and update is easy, coming up with ideas for videos that sell is much more challenging. There are a number of factors that go into creating successful social media videos that sell, but the most important ones are research and planning. You can either hire a professional video production company or you can do your own research to come up with ideas for videos to post on social channels. Now that you know how to create great social media videos that sell, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test. Use these tips to create social media videos that will get you more likes and comments in no time!

How AI Is Changing Digital Marketing: The Future of Work

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 21:45:00 GMT

In the digital age, there is a growing demand for businesses to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technology.

With so much change happening daily, it’s no wonder that digital marketing is being constantly revolutionized by artificial intelligence (AI). AI has become an integral part of our everyday lives and with that comes some significant changes to how we work. Digital marketing professionals are now using AI to automate tasks, streamline processes and make smarter business decisions. In this blog post, you will learn about the three main forces changing digital marketing and how they impact your job as a marketer.

Humans Behind The Machines.

Nowadays, there are countless examples of AI that are not just helpful for humans, but for the machine itself as well. We’ve seen this by AI-powered security cameras that can detect movement and sound, search engines that can understand what we want, and even self-driving cars that don’t need the human connection to navigate. AI is also playing a huge role in the future of work. Companies are using it to automate tasks, streamline processes, and make smarter business decisions. It can also be used to optimize marketing campaigns and send highly personalized emails to customers. In certain industries, such as healthcare or financial services, AI can be used to automate a lot more and even replace human workers altogether.

Data and AI Development

AI development is one of the most exciting digital marketing topics right now. The more AI is implemented, the more it’s being ingested by other industries. Industries are looking to AI to automate their processes and make smarter business decisions. Companies are also using it to optimize marketing campaigns and send highly personalized emails to customers. In certain industries, AI can also be used to automate a lot more and even replace human workers altogether. But what does this development look like? This development is all about the data that AI is built on. AI relies on data to function, and that’s why the development of data is becoming so important. Big data is especially important for AI development. In fact, the data that AI is built on is called a training set. It includes everything that the AI is able to learn from.

Blockchain Technology

We’ve all heard of blockchain technology and what it can do in the financial industry, but have you ever heard of it in the digital marketing industry? Well, it’s truly blowing up the industry. AI is making waves in the financial industry, but it’s also being used to help businesses automate tasks and make smarter decisions. It’s being used to optimize marketing campaigns and send highly personalized emails to customers. In the digital marketing industry, businesses are turning to blockchain tech to create their own blockchain-based solution. These solutions are powered by AI to help streamline processes, automate tasks, and make smarter business decisions. They’re also helping to create a decentralized digital marketing ecosystem.

Virtual Workplace And The Future Of Work

AI has helped to bring the concept of a “virtual workplace” to life. This new concept brings together the best features of remote work and the traditional office environment. Businesses are increasingly seeing benefits from the virtual workplace, such as increased focus and efficiency, increased job satisfaction, and better work-life balance. Companies are also looking for ways to make the most out of the benefits that come with a virtual workplace. More and more, companies are embracing virtual workplace solutions. These solutions allow employees to work remotely without sacrificing productivity due to the distance.

Collaboration and Partnerships

AI is helping to create a more collaborative work environment by encouraging collaboration among internal teams, suppliers, and partners. AI is being used to create virtual assistants that can help businesses with customer support, marketing automation, and more. For example, virtual assistants can be used to help brands build their customer base and respond to feedback in a more personalized way. They can also be used to bring businesses and their partners together in ways that weren’t possible before. For example, virtual assistants can be used to help companies gather customer feedback from their partners and facilitate collaboration between the two entities. AI is helping to create a more collaborative work environment by encouraging collaboration among internal teams, suppliers, and partners. It’s also being used to help brands build their customer base and respond to feedback in a more personalized way.

Conclusion

In the digital age, there is a growing demand for businesses to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technology. With so much change happening daily, it’s no wonder that AI is being constantly revolutionized by artificial intelligence. AI has become an integral part of our everyday lives and with that comes some significant changes to how we work. Digital marketing professionals are now using AI to automate tasks, streamline processes, and make smarter business decisions. These changes are happening because AI’s three key forces are driving the future of digital marketing: data, AI development, and blockchain technology. AI is helping to create a more collaborative work environment by encouraging collaboration among internal teams, suppliers, and partners. It’s also being used to help brands build their customer base and respond to feedback in a more personalized way. AI is helping to create a more collaborative work environment by encouraging collaboration among internal teams, suppliers, and partners. It’s also being used to help brands build their customer base and respond to feedback in a more personalized way. Now, these changes are happening because AI’s three key forces are driving the future of digital marketing: data, AI development, and blockchain technology.

5 Tips for Creating Video Engagement

tatiana@arcandcrown.com (Tatiana Rodriguez) — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 16:12:28 GMT

When it comes to marketing and advertising your brand, video has become one of the most popular digital engagement strategies.

Recent statistics show that consumers prefer to watch videos than read text when looking for information. In order to effectively incorporate video into your digital marketing strategy, you need to understand the various factors that impact its effectiveness. After all, no two businesses are alike which means you shouldn’t expect your video marketing efforts to be equally effective for everyone. However, if you do want to start incorporating video as part of your overall digital marketing strategy, here are 5 tips you can implement right away:

1. Be transparent and honest

Perhaps the most important video marketing strategy you can implement is to be transparent and honest with your customers. Specifically, let them know why you are creating video content, how it helps them, and what kind of results you are hoping to see. It is important that you don’t hide behind the excuse of “digital marketing”, but rather let your customers know exactly how video marketing works and the benefits it has for them. If you are creating a tutorial video that explains your product’s features, future buyers can learn even more by seeing how it applies to their specific needs. When you are transparent, your customers know they can trust you more and they are more likely to share their reviews and testimonials with their friends and family.

2. Be human

You may be tempted to hide behind your company’s logo while filming videos, but that won’t win any friends. Instead, strive to be more human and let your personality shine through. Though it might be tempting to play it safe and stick to a scripted video script, this will make you come across as robotic and not very personable. Instead, try to add a bit of your own personality to every video you create.

3. Show, don’t just tell

While you may want to prove to your customers how great your video marketing strategy is, you should never forget the value of showing over telling. Let your customers experience your videos by incorporating both live and recorded footage with beautiful graphics and visuals. This can help provide a more engaging and interactive experience for your customers, which is ultimately better than just reading them a scripted description of your videos. Try to set up your videos in different settings so that they feel more authentically genuine. For example, you can take your customers on a virtual trip by filming your videos in different areas of your workplace.

4. Tell a story

One of the best video marketing strategies you can implement is to tell a story, one that connects with your customers on a personal level. By exploring different emotions and showing how your products can help people solve real-life problems, you can create a truly memorable experience for your customers. You can also incorporate user-generated content (UGC) by crowdsourcing topics and ideas for your story from your clients. For example, if your product is for businesspeople who are always on the go, you can create a story about how your product has helped a real person who has a problem that resembles theirs.

5. Use video analytics to understand your audience

One final video marketing strategy you need to implement is to use video analytics. Specifically, you should use tools such as Google Analytics and Amplitude to understand which videos are performing the best, which products are driving the most sales, and to help measure the effectiveness of your social media and email campaigns. By using these tools, you can create more targeted Facebook ads, ramp up email marketing campaigns, and see which types of content and language are driving the most engagement on your social media accounts.

Bottom line

When it comes to video marketing strategies, the best way to succeed is to be transparent and honest with your customers. Let them experience your videos by incorporating both live and recorded footage with beautiful graphics and visuals. You can also create a story that connects with your customers on a personal level, while using video analytics to help measure the effectiveness and effectiveness of your digital campaigns.

5 Things You Can Do to Make Your Video Stand Out From The Competition

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 17:00:00 GMT

When it comes to marketing, videos are becoming more and more important every day.

In fact, video is now the most popular type of content online — and it’s growing fast. Video content is expected to rise in popularity even more so in the coming years. But with so much competition out there, how can you make sure your video stands out from the crowd? We’ll look at 5 things you can do to make your video stand out from the competition.

Be Clear and Concise

The first step towards making your video stand out is to create amazing video content that is clear and concise. Many people who are new to making videos try to cram as much information as possible into the video — but that’s not the right approach. The right approach is to be clear and concise. You want your video to be short, sweet, and to the point. You don’t want your viewers to be turned off by a long, boring video. You want your video to be clear and concise. When your video is clear and concise, that’s how you make your video stand out from the competition. When your video is clear and concise, it’s much more likely to be viewed again and again. It’s much more likely to be shared with friends and family members — and it’s much more likely to bring attention to your brand. Your video is more likely to be ranked higher in search results — and that’s how you make your video stand out from the competition.

Have a Great Hook

The next thing you need to do to make your video stand out is to have a great hook. Your hook is the part of your video that is most likely to stick in the viewer’s mind. It’s the part of your video that viewers can’t help but remember. It’s the part of your video that viewers are likely to share with their friends and family members. When your video has a great hook and viewers are likely to talk about it, that’s how you make your video stand out from the competition. When your video has a great hook and viewers are likely to talk about it, it spreads your brand and brings more attention to your product and your site.

Ensure your video has a clear call to action

The next thing you need to do to make your video stand out is to create amazing video content that has a clear call to action. This is especially true if your video is an advertisement. Your ad video’s call to action is a statement, linking your product to a certain benefit that viewers can get from using it. For example, “Try our product and you’ll lose 10 pounds in two weeks” "Want to generate more revenue? contact us today for a free consultation." Your ad video’s call to action is what compels viewers to click on your ad and head to your site. It’s what compels viewers to click “buy” and buy your product. When viewers feel compelled to click and take action, that’s how you make your video stand out from the competition.

Launching on a Platform with Audience Already

Another way you can make your video stand out is to launch it on a platform with an audience already. When you launch your video on a platform with an audience already, that brings more attention to your video. It brings more attention to your product, your brand, and your site. It gives your video a leg up on the competition.

Don’t forget the basics: Transcript, thumbnails and metadata

The last thing you need to do to make your video stand out is to not forget the basics. You want a transcript of your video — because your video may be shared by someone who is deaf or hard of hearing. You want a transcript so they can read along while they watch your video. You also want to make sure you include relevant keywords and a description in your video’s metadata. You want to make sure your video is as visible as possible in search results. You want to make sure it has a chance to be viewed by as many people as possible — and that’s how you make your video stand out from the competition. When you make sure you have a transcript, relevant keywords and a description in your metadata, and when you make sure your video is shareable and visible, you give your video a better chance of being viewed. You give it a better chance of being liked, shared, and watched again and again.

Uses of Video in an Educational Setting: 8 Tips for Better Training

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:00:00 GMT

In the digital world, learners expect interactive and engaging content.

Videos, in particular, are an excellent way to break up information, add visuals to lectures or presentations, and give learners a chance to pause and consider what they’ve learned so far. Video is a medium that can be used to benefit virtually any type of learning process. From education to corporate training video, there are many ways that video can enhance your educational curriculum. There are several different uses for video in an educational setting. Below you will find some tips on how you can use videos more effectively in your training.

Use videos to teach and explain difficult concepts

A problem with traditional forms of education is that the students often don’t understand the material that the teacher is trying to teach them. With video, you can show the concepts in action and get the students to see and understand the importance of the information. When done effectively, this can be a highly effective way of teaching and explaining difficult concepts, such as marketing strategies, economic concepts, scientific studies, etc.

Show learners what’s going on in the real world

In some cases, showing learners what’s going on in the real world is important. For instance, if you’re teaching a food safety course, you can show what poor sanitization looks like, or the dangers of not washing your hands. Likewise, if you’re teaching a company process and want to show what each step looks like, you can show it with a video.

Use short or module format video

Studies have shown that short videos can help learner retain knowledge and study more efficiently. If there’s a concept that your learners are having trouble with, you can create a short video to help them understand it. You can also use videos as a way to test their knowledge at the end of the course.

Provide video as extra learning materials for your training program

Beyond the training material that you’re teaching, you might have other content that could be useful for your learners. This might include additional examples, scenarios, key takeaways etc. Video is an excellent way to do this, and you can link it to the rest of your online course.

Reinforce learning with videos

Videos can be great for reinforcing certain aspects of your training. You might have an important concept that you want to re-emphasize at the end of the course, or you might want to show a quick example. You can use video to reinforce information, or to drive home a point that you want learners to remember.

Create longer form teaching videos

Many times, you’ll want to provide a more in-depth explanation of a topic. This can be done through a longer form teaching video. This could be as simple as taking a concept and expanding it while showing the visuals behind it. This is an excellent way to give learners more information on a given topic, or to provide examples of how a concept is used in real life.

Video recording of expert presentations, panels, or seminars

There are some instances where recording a live presentation is appropriate. If there is an event with a featured speaker or demonstration, or you have a topic that requires a lot of visual aids, recording the presentation may be a great addition to your learning material.

Create engaging content

Videos can be used to create engaging content. You could have a variety of different types of videos, ranging from animated explainers to scenario based and more. You might decide to do a series of videos that involve different people from your company or topics. If a single video is too long, you can break it up into multiple videos.

Videos are an excellent way to enhance learning, but they need to be used correctly. You need to consider what type of video you want to create and how you will implement it into your training. Once you decide on the type of video, you have to consider how long it should be and what concept you want the video to cover. Finally, you need to decide how you will assess the effectiveness of the video. You don’t want to use a video that doesn’t help engage the students or help them retain the information. Video is a powerful tool for learning, and it can be used in many different ways depending on the subject matter.

How to Build Business Relationships: The Importance of Video

tatiana@arcandcrown.com (Tatiana Rodriguez) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 14:00:00 GMT

Corporate relationships are now at risk of being overlooked.

However, building a strong brand through relationship marketing and networking can be one of the most important things you can do for your business. No matter what type of business you run, having good relationships with other companies is essential to success. While some people think this means spending more time on activities like attending cocktail parties or making small talk at the water cooler, these are just surface-level activities that aren’t really about creating true connections with others. Rather than thinking of it as “networking” with other businesses, consider how you might use video to foster stronger connections with your partners and vendors and grow your business in the process.

Why Video is So Important for Corporate Relationships

The fact is, relationships are built on trust. If you can’t trust the person you’re doing business with, you won’t be willing to move forward with them. Video is the most powerful tool for building trust with your customers and partners. This is especially important for industries where face-to-face interactions aren’t typical. Whether you’re selling products or services, video is a powerful way to put a face to your business. Studies have shown time and time again that customers who have interactions with businesses through video have a more positive and memorable experience than those who interact with them in other ways. Video is also the most effective way to transmit your brand’s personality and values. Beyond just having videos to explain your business, you’ll also want to think about how to use video to connect with your partners as well. You can do this through videos on your website, on social media, and on other platforms. Video is also a great way to reach out to partners who you may not have a direct relationship with in order to build connections.

Video Advertising for B2B

Advertising and marketing are important parts of any business’s strategy, and video is an effective tool for both for B2B enterprises. When choosing video, whether you’re creating a television commercial, online video ad, or other video ad, you’ll want to choose something that will resonate with your audience, but will also be memorable for the right reasons. It does no good to have an ad that no one remembers, but you have to be careful about choosing something that’s too controversial. If the ad is too risqué or has something negative associated with it, it may do more harm than good. It’s also important to choose the right channel for your video ad. Consider where your audience spends time and looks for information, and choose a channel that’s appropriate. For example, if you’re targeting stay-at-home moms, you wouldn’t want to air a commercial during a football game.

Networking Through Video Events

Businesses are often built through joint ventures and partnerships. When you’re networking with other businesses, you may find opportunities to partner with them or offer them with your products or services. You can use video to host video conferences or other events to better connect with these businesses. For example, if you join an industry group or attend local events where you might meet potential partners, you could video conference them from your booth at the trade show so you can have face-to-face interaction without having to travel. If you’re hosting an event for your business, for example, a conference or seminar, you can use video to help others feel more connected to the event. This can help increase attendance and engagement. Many video platforms now have features that can help you create video events, and you can invite guests to sign up for them. This is an easy and effective way to build relationships.

Networking on Live Streaming Platforms

Live streaming is becoming more and more common as platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube create even more opportunities for people and businesses to use it. Businesses use live streaming as a way to connect with their audience and to show behind-the-scenes footage that they might not normally be able to share. You can also use live streaming as a way to network with others in your industry who are on the same platforms. This gives you the opportunity to connect with people in a more informal, yet personal way. You can also use live streaming as a way to offer free, educational content to help build your reputation in the industry as an expert.

Networking Through Video Interviews

A great way to get to know people in your industry better, as well as get exposure for your brand and company, is through video interviews. This can be especially effective when you’re looking to connect with people who may be too busy to get together in person. You can also use video interviews as a way to let people know more about your company and what you do, so they can connect with you as well. You can reach out to people in your industry, and see if they would be willing to do a video interview with you. This can help you get to know the people in your field better, and it gives you the opportunity to ask them questions that will help you grow your business.

Networking With Video Conferencing

Video conferencing can be an important tool for businesses of all kinds, and it’s now easier than ever to use. If you’re in an industry where you have frequent meetings with clients or other partners, video conferencing might be a good option for you. This can help you save time by not traveling as often, and it can help you feel more connected with your partners. It’s important to choose a video conferencing service that is easy to use. You want the experience to be as seamless as possible so that you don’t interrupt your flow. And, it’s important to make sure to use video as an initial meeting method, then follow up with a phone call as well. This can help to make the meeting feel more personal.

Video Helps Establish Trust with Partners

As mentioned above, video is the best way to build trust with your partners. However, not all video is created equally. To build the type of trust that will help your business thrive, you’ll want to make sure that your video content is high-quality. Whether you’re hosting a webinar, making a video for your website, or interviewing someone for your video series, you want to make sure that you have the best tools to make the video look professional. It’s important to show up to the video with your best image. This includes dressing professionally and doing your best to present yourself in a positive way. You will also want to make sure that you have the best equipment available to make your video look as good as possible.

Video Helps Establish Reputation Among Vendors

As a business owner, you likely work with vendors on a regular basis. Whether you’re purchasing materials or paying for services, you need to make sure that you’re working with the right vendors. This can be difficult if you don’t have a good system in place for choosing vendors and finding reliable people to work with. You can use video to help you figure out which vendors would be best for your business. For example, you can create videos in which you ask potential vendors questions about their prices, the materials they use, and how long they’ve been in the business. This can help you make more informed decisions when choosing vendors.

Video Helps You Find the Right Partners and Vendors

Beyond just using video to find vendors, you can also use it to find partners for your business. Finding the right people to work with is one of the most important things you can do for your business. Building relationships with other businesses, and finding the right people to work with, can help you overcome many of the challenges that come with entrepreneurship. For example, if you’re in the consulting business and need help with marketing, you can use video to reach out to potential partners and let them know what type of help you need. This can help you find the right partners to work with, and help make your business more successful.

Video Helps You With Retargeting

Another important advantage of video marketing is that it can help you with retargeting. Retargeting is a great way to get your product in front of potential customers. When you host videos, you can use services like Adroll or Facebook to show your videos to people who have visited your website or watched your videos. This can be a great way to get your products in front of potential customers and turn them into paying customers.

Video Helps You With Influencer Marketing - Products

Another great advantage of video marketing is that it can help you with influencer marketing. Influencer marketing is when you partner with popular people and get them to promote your products. Having an influencer promote your product can be a great way to get your product in front of a lot of potential customers. You can form relationships with influencers by doing guest posts, interviews, and other things. These relationships can help you get more influencers promoting your products.

Video Helps You With E-Commerce

Last, but not least, video can help you with e-commerce. E-commerce is selling products and services through websites like Amazon. E-commerce is growing every year, and will likely make up a large part of the economy in the near future. You can host videos on your e-commerce website. This can help you engage visitors and get them excited about your products.

Overall, video can help you with a lot of different aspects of your business. It can help you build trust with partners, establish your reputation with vendors, get more customers to your website, and much more. If you want to build stronger relationships with your partners and vendors, it’s important to start using video. This is the only way you can truly connect with people and build trust.

How to Create an Infographic Video for Your Business

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 18:15:00 GMT

Creating an infographic is a simple way to share lots of useful information in one place.

Creating an infographic video requires some thought, but the final result is even more impactful than a static graphic. In an infographic, you can capture readers with compelling visuals that drive home your point. In an infographic video, you have the added bonus of being able to include motion and audio for additional emphasis, and potential viewers are more likely to actually see it. In this blog post, we’ll take you through the steps of creating your own Infographic Video for your business.

What is an infographic video?

An infographic video is a short video that includes data and information, much like an infographic would. An infographic video will be more visual than textual, and will include animation, graphics and imagery to better illustrate the meaning behind the information. If you’re wondering: yes, you can also make an infographic with a video, but we’re focusing on creating an infographic video specifically in this article.

Knowing your target audience

The first step towards creating an infographic video is to understand who you’re creating it for. Understanding your audience will help you to determine how much information to include, what type of information to include, and the best way to present it. A few questions you can ask yourself to determine your target audience include: What is the age range of your audience? What is their level of expertise? What are their interests? What kind of tone do they like? Knowing your target audience will help you to create an infographic video that resonates with the people you’re trying to reach. You’ll be able to select the right data, use the right tone, and include the right visuals to strengthen your message and make it more engaging.

Why Should You Make an Infographic Video?

One of the main advantages of creating an infographic video is that it’s more visual than a static infographic. By animating certain elements of your infographic, you’re able to capture your readers’ attention and make your information more memorable. You can also use visual aids to expand on your information and provide examples of what you’re talking about. An infographic video is a great way to engage your readers and get them interested in the information you have to share. You can also use it to provide helpful tips and tricks that your readers will find valuable. An infographic video is a great option for those who need to cram a lot of information into a small space. Because of its visual nature, an infographic video can pack a ton of information into a few minutes.

How to create an infographic video

As we’ve mentioned, the main difference between a static infographic and an infographic video is the inclusion of motion and sound. You’ll want to choose the topic for your infographic video carefully, and you should have a few ideas in mind. An infographic video is a great educational tool, and so it’s a great opportunity for you to share helpful information with your readers. You can choose to create an infographic video about almost anything, but you should make sure it’s relevant to your business and to your target audience.

Steps to Create Your Own Infographic Video

Okay, now that you know why you should make an infographic video and what it is, let’s talk about how to actually create one! There are three main steps to creating your own infographic video: getting your information, creating your visuals, and finally, putting everything together. Creating Your Information - Before you start animating anything, you need to collect your data. You can do this by conducting your own research, looking at existing data, or combining the two. You need to select the right information to share in your video; you don’t want to overwhelm your readers with too much data, and you also want to choose information that’s relevant to your business. Creating Your Visuals - Once you’ve got your information, you need to create visuals for your infographic video. You can do this by creating your own graphics, finding images that illustrate your data, or using a combination of the two. You’ll want to make sure your visuals are relevant to your data and are easy to understand. Putting Everything Together - Now that you have all of your data, visuals, and audio ready to go, it’s time to put everything together. You can do this using an infographic software like Canva , or by hiring a graphic designer, production company etc.

The Benefits of Infographic Videos

As we’ve gone over in this article, there are many benefits to creating an infographic video for your business.

Here are a few of them:

Visuals are More Effective - Visuals are more effective than text when it comes to retaining information, so an infographic video is a great way to keep your readers engaged.

Delivers More Information - You can fit a lot of information in an infographic video, making it a great option for businesses with a lot to share with their readers.

Adds Motion and Sound - Adding motion and sound to your infographic video can make it even more effective and engaging. You can also use motion and audio to emphasize certain parts of your data. Adds Variety - An infographic video is a great option for businesses that want to offer their readers a variety of types of media.

Key Takeaway

Creating an infographic video is a great way to capture your readers’ attention and share a lot of information in a short amount of time. An infographic video is much more visual than a static infographic, and you can include motion, audio, and visuals to make your data more effective.

10 Video Marketing Ideas for Professional Services Businesses

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 17:00:00 GMT

Video marketing is a great way for professional services businesses to reach potential customers.

Video marketing is a great way for professional services businesses to reach potential customers. With so many businesses using video marketing, you need to stand out from the competition. Professional services businesses such as accounting firms, law firms, consultants and IT services companies can all benefit from using video marketing. For example, you could feature testimonials from satisfied clients in your videos to demonstrate your expertise and build trust with new leads. Alternatively, you could create how-to videos that are unique to your business and target specific types of prospects by showing them how you can solve their problems. Read on to learn 10 video marketing ideas that will help you succeed with this medium.

1. Create a video ad to promote your business

A video ad is the easiest way to promote your business. It’s quick and easy to create, and you can have it up on Facebook and YouTube with a few clicks. If you have an ad budget, you can pay to promote your video, boosting it so that more people see it. Alternatively, you can use your existing social media platform to increase visibility. You can also submit your video ad to other video/social networks to increase the reach of your videos.

2. Produce a Customer Success Story Video

If you already have happy customers, you can interview them to create a success story video. These videos feature your satisfied customers telling their stories and explaining how your business solved their problems. This type of video is very effective at building trust with new leads and prospects. You can then post the video to your website, social media accounts and video hosting platforms such as YouTube .

3. Produce an explainer video for your services

If your business offers services, creating an explainer video will help you explain the benefits of your services. This type of video is very common in the business-to-business (B2B) industry, where you explain your specific products or services to other businesses. For example, an accounting firm can create an explainer video that explains how they can help small businesses manage their finances and stay compliant with government regulations. This type of video is great at increasing your lead generation, and it also raises your credibility since you are explaining your products or services in your own words.

4. Produce a Demo/Tutorial Video

If you offer products or services that are difficult to explain with a normal explainer video, you can create a tutorial video instead. For example, if you offer IT services, you can create a video that shows how you perform a specific service, such as setting up a new email server. Alternatively, you can create a video tutorial for a product you sell, such as a bookkeeping software or accounting software. Video tutorials are popular on YouTube, and they’re also very useful for new leads who want to see what your product or service can do for them.

5. Produce a Live Event Video

If your business hosts live events, you can create a live event video so people can’t attend in person. For example, if you run an accounting firm, you may hold seminars every year to teach new accountants how to do their job. You could record your seminar and create a video out of the recording. This video could be posted on your website and social media accounts. It could also be uploaded to video hosting platforms such as Wistia and Youtube. You could also re-purpose the same video to create a recap video for the live event, using highlights and key takeaways from the event.

6. Use Animated Videos to Demonstrate Expertise

Animated videos are great for illustrating concepts. You can use animated videos to illustrate concepts in your industry that are difficult to explain with words alone. For example, if you offer consulting services, you could create an animated video that illustrates how your services work. Another option is to use animated videos to illustrate concepts that your customer base is interested in. For example, if you’re an accounting firm, you could create an animated video that illustrates how cryptocurrencies work. This type of video is very popular on social media.

7. Create a Motion Graphics Video

Motion graphics videos use animation to create a short, attention-grabbing video. You can use a motion graphics video to explain your business, highlight a specific product or service, or promote your brand. For example, you could create a short video that explains what your company does, what problems your products and services solve, and the benefits your customers get from using your products and services. You could also use a motion graphics video to promote your brand or products and services. You could use this video as an intro video for your website or as an introduction video for your YouTube channel.

8. Create an Infograph Video

An infographic video is a video that contains information presented as an infographic. This is a great way to promote your business and engage your audience. For example, if you run a law firm and you want to educate potential clients about getting divorced, you could create an infographic video that shows the average cost of a divorce in the United States and how it varies depending on the state. You could then post the infographic video on your website and social media accounts.

9. Create a Video About Your Company Culture

If your company has a unique culture and you want to promote it, you can create a video. For example, you could film a team meeting where everyone talks about their roles and how they work together. You could also create a video that follows one of your employees around their day, and they talk about their roles and how they help the company.

10. Produce a series of short demo and how-to videos

If you have a specific product or service that requires a tutorial, you can create a series of short demo and how-to videos for it. For example, if you are a web developer and you offer website development services, you could create a series of videos that show how you build websites from start to finish. Having a series of demo and how-to videos available for your potential customers can help you generate more leads and increase your sales.

Video marketing is a great way to connect with new leads and help them understand the benefits of your products and services. Additionally, video marketing can help you improve your SEO and rank higher in Google search results. The great thing about video marketing is that there are endless possibilities and types of content you can create to elevate your business brand.

Here are some video samples to give you some ideas of the possibilities - click here

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch. We are always happy to help :)

The 4 Mistakes People Still Make When Creating an Employee Video

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 18:00:00 GMT

Creating an employee video is not as hard as it seems.

In fact, it should be a piece of cake if you have the right motives in mind. But with so many people making the exact same mistake over and over again, you may run into some trouble sooner or later. If you’re looking to create a high-quality video that your employees will love, read on to learn about the 4 mistakes that you should keep in mind as you prepare for your production.

1. Not Knowing What You’re Looking For

Before you even sit down to think about what you want to create, you need to know your goal. That way, you can weigh the different options that might be available to you and choose the one that’s most likely to achieve your goal. If you don’t know what you want, you’re going to end up with a whole lot of nothing. To start, you should decide why you’re creating the video in the first place. Was it to update current employees about the company’s goals and future? Perhaps you want to draw in a new audience that might be interested in your products or services. Whatever your reason, make sure that you 100% know why you’re creating the video.

2. Too Much Dialogue

You may have noticed that many employee video examples online have way too much dialogue in them. While that may work in a short video with a goal of showcasing the company culture and values, you need to think about the length of the video if it’s going to be shown to your employees. Long videos of 15 to 20 minutes are exhausting to watch and don’t give your employees nearly enough time to ask questions and get to know you as a company. Instead, you want to cut down on the dialogue as much as possible and keep your video around 3-5 minutes or less. Long explanatory videos can be great for a few reasons. If you’re selling a product or service and you want to clearly explain how it works, or if you want to show employees how their jobs contribute to a larger whole, you can get away with a bit of long-windedness. However, if your video is only 5 minutes or less, you need to cut down on the dialogue.

3. You Might Think Nobody Cares About Your Company’s Mission

Employee video examples that don’t have a company mission in them are always a red flag. It’s the first thing that people will look for in the video and might decide to never even watch it because it doesn’t have one. When creating your video, make sure that your mission is clear and concise. You want to make sure that it’s not so long and detailed that it becomes hard to memorize and understand. You also want it to represent your entire company and how it fits into the world around them. If you don’t know your company mission, then you have no idea what you’re trying to achieve with the video. You need to have a clear idea of why you’re creating the video, and why it needs to be. If you don’t know your company’s mission, then you might as well not be creating the video at all.

4. No Scripts Were Used For Interviews

Another huge mistake that people make is not using scripts for their interviews. By using scripts, you can ensure that the questions are asked by you in the exact order that they need to be asked. There’s no need to worry about which tone you’re going to use when you don’t have a script to follow. You can just read your script, memorize it your prompts and stick to it completely. If you don’t use scripts for your interviews, you’re going to have a ton of problems down the road. There’s no way that you can memorize the entire script of a long-winded interview, and do it perfectly. The most important thing is that you just need to memorize the questions that need to be asked. You don’t need to bother memorizing the entire interview.

Keeping these 4 points in mind will help guide you as you start to think about your company video and how to keep it engaging.

3 Reasons Why a Corporate Video is Important for Your Company

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 16:35:05 GMT

Corporate Video

The task of creating a corporate video might not seem so easy. The process requires time, effort, planning and resources – something that small or large businesses with limited budgets might find challenging. However, if you think about it, the benefits of having a corporate video for your company can be more than just worth it. With the right video partners and strategy, a corporate video can strengthen your brand identity and establish trust among your target customers. It can also improve visibility on search engines and reach more people online. In this post, we will discuss 3 reasons why a corporate video is important for your company:

1. It Helps Establish and Strengthen Your Brand Identity

Corporate videos are an excellent way to strengthen your brand identity. This is because they allow you to create a consistent visual identity for your business. When someone views your video, they will learn about the company’s product or service offerings, company culture, and the type of customer service you provide. That’s why branding is key to a successful video marketing strategy. In your video, you can use your logo in the opening and closing credits, your catchphrase or slogan, and even the colour palette used in your branding. Once you create a brand identity for your company, you’ll want to establish it in all of your marketing channels. This includes your website, social media accounts, email marketing campaigns, and even the way you interact with your clients in person.

2. It Improves your Visibility on Search Engines

Another reason why a corporate video is important is that it improves your visibility on search engines. A video is a great tool for attracting and engaging potential clients. Once it’s published on your website, social media channels, and YouTube, it will drive more organic traffic to your site. Also, Google likes to rank videos higher than other forms of content because it knows how useful they are to the visitors of their website. That’s why you’ll often see first-page search engine results dominated by corporate videos. When you create a video for your company, think about the keywords that you want to rank for. Using relevant keywords in your video can help it appear among the top search engine results. Also, make sure to optimize your video with the right meta description and title so that it gets added to the appropriate search engine results page.

3. It Helps Increase Client Awareness and Engagement

Video marketing has also been proven to increase client engagement. Studies show that clients who watch corporate videos are 50% more likely to buy from the company. Moreover, these clients are also more likely to recommend your brand to their network. All in all, the investment in creating a corporate video is worth the return on investment. Corporate videos can also be used as a lead generation tool. You can create a branded video that educates clients about your product or service and guides them through the buying process. When you use a video as a lead generation tool, you create a more personal connection with your audience. Who better to educate customers about your brand and product or service offerings than the people who work for your company? That’s why a corporate video is important because it gives potential clients a more personal view of your business.

A corporate video is an excellent and effective way to strengthen your brand identity, increase client engagement, and improve your visibility and presence on search engines.

View some of the corporate videos we have produced here: https://www.arcandcrown.com/our-work

3 Videos That Will Differentiate You from Your Competition

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 11:54:00 GMT

The primary goal of any marketing effort is to stand out, and that includes video. Here are three video ideas to you differentiate yourself from your competition.

Your company story is what sets you apart from your competitors. It’s what makes you unique and why customers should choose you over anyone else. Video is the perfect medium for telling your company story in an engaging and visually compelling way.

Video is a great way to show off your products or services in action. A well-made product demo or how-to video can be extremely helpful in convincing potential customers to choose your business over your competition.

People do business with people they know, like, and trust. Video is the perfect medium for creating a personal connection with your audience. By sharing videos that introduce your team members, customers can get to know you and your business on a more personal level.

Creating videos that tell your company story, showcase your products or services, and create a personal connection with your audience is a great way to differentiate your business from your competition. Video can help you stand out in today’s crowded marketplace.

Do you want to learn more about how video can help your business? Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if you’d like a professional team to handle your video content, don’t hesitate to send us an email [info@arcandcrown.com] or click here if you’d like to book a free 30-min video consultation with one of our producers. The team at Arc and Crown Media would be more than happy to help.

The post 3 Videos That Will Differentiate You from Your Competition appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Starve Fear

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 12:12:00 GMT

[Transcript] Starve fear and act fast.

This was a saying that my friend and colleague Laural Carr mentioned to me on the phone the other day, and it really rang true.

I see with clients all the time, they want to invest in their online presence, or they know they need to be the face to deliver an important message to their employees, but it’s a challenge for them.

How many of you can say that you struggle with confidence at times? Whether that be the fear of being on-camera, or pitching new business, or speaking at an event. I think we’ve all been there.

But believing in yourself and trusting your instincts are so important in the world of business. No matter if you work for yourself or are representing a company.

One of the ways Laural mentioned she aids her clients with their confidence is by helping them uncover their blind spots, through a Kolby consultation.

Kolby is a self-assessment tool that measures a person’s instinctive method of problem solving.

Through her Kolby consultation she’s able to help people really see themselves; their strengths and weaknesses, so that they can then feed their strengths and gain the confidence to operate in their natural style.

I see this as a great way to understand and be in alignment with your best self. And then also recognize that practically everyone on the planet suffers from confidence issues at some time or another.

So the best way to get things done is to starve that fear, act fast, and reap the rewards. Once you see those rewards then everything will have been worth it.

I hope this gives you the boost to do something you’ve been putting off this week. And if you’re interested in learning more about Laural’s work, check her out at impaginationinc.com.

If you’d like a professional team to handle your video content, don’t hesitate to send us an email [info@arcandcrown.com] or click here if you’d like to book a free 30-min video consultation with one of our producers. The team at Arc and Crown Media would be more than happy to help.

The post Starve Fear appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

6 Reasons You Should Storyboard Your Next Video

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 12:30:00 GMT

There are many benefits to storyboarding your corporate video project before beginning production. Here are seven key reasons why you should consider storyboarding your next corporate video:

Storyboarding helps to clarify the direction of the video, and can be a great way to get feedback from stakeholders early on in the process. Having a storyboard gives you a tangible representation of the video, which can help when it comes time to make decisions about shot composition, graphics, and overall flow.

A storyboard can help to ensure that your video flows smoothly from beginning to end, with no jarring transitions or inconsistencies. By mapping out each scene ahead of time, you can avoid any potential problems and create a more polished final product.

When you storyboard your corporate video, you are able to plan out each scene in detail. This can be extremely helpful when it comes to logistics, such as scheduling filming locations and times, coordinating with talent, and securing any necessary props or equipment.

By storyboarding your corporate video ahead of time, you can avoid potential problems and wasted time during production. This can ultimately save you money by helping to keep the project on track and on budget.

Storyboarding gives you the ability to experiment with different creative ideas, from trying out different camera angles to exploring special effects, before committing to anything. This freedom can help you to explore different concepts and find the best way to visualize your corporate video.

Once you have created your storyboard, it can be used as a reference during production. This can be helpful for both the director and the crew, as it will provide a clear roadmap of what needs to be accomplished.

Overall, storyboarding your corporate video project can provide many benefits and help to ensure a successful final product. If you’re not sure where to start, there are many online resources and software programs available to assist you in creating a professional storyboard. By taking the time to storyboard your video project, you can avoid potential headaches and ensure a smooth and successful production process.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if you’d like a professional team to handle your video content, don’t hesitate to send us an email [info@arcandcrown.com] or click here if you’d like to book a free 30-min video consultation with one of our producers. The team at Arc and Crown Media would be more than happy to help.

The post 6 Reasons You Should Storyboard Your Next Video appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

5 Reasons Video is an Effective e-Learning Medium

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 12:33:00 GMT

Video is the ultimate show and tell. A combination of audio and visual elements that work together in a magical way to engage people.

Not all people learn the same way. Some prefer a combination of visual and auditory instruction, some learn best when reading, while others who learn best taking a more hands-on approach to learning. The best thing about video in an eLearning context is that it encompasses elements from all of these learning styles. This makes video one of the most engaging and effective eLearning tools available.

Securing learner engagement has always been the biggest challenge faced by most instructional designers. While eLearning offers a host of advantages to busy employees, it requires self-motivation and discipline. With distractions only a click away, it becomes easy for a learner to lose focus.

Video gives instructional designers the opportunity to shape content in ways that are both engaging and entertaining. And, when done right, it does an excellent job of capturing, and keeping, the learners’ attention. The creative license course designers have is almost endless, including animations, slideshows, chapters, spot questions and even interactivity.

A few things to keep in mind with eLearning videos are:

The first thing most people do when they sit down to watch a video – especially a training video – is to check to see how long it is. If they see a 60-minute duration, it can create a psychological barrier that automatically lessens their ability to absorb the information they’re supposed to absorb.

This is why breaking down that 60-min video into twelve 5-min videos makes content more palatable and, studies have shown it improves the learners’ retention. Short, easy-to-consume videos are also convenient when learners don’t have large chunks of spare time on their hands. They can watch one, two, or three of the shorter videos at a sitting, finishing it over a few days, rather than all at once.

When deciding where to add your breaks is to go through the script and look for a change in the topic or a shift in the focus. As you read through your script, these breaks will likely become obvious to you.

With almost everyone able to watch videos and listen to podcasts on their phone, the age of mobile learning has well and truly arrived. When eLearning videos are broken down into short, engaging blocks of information, it’s easy to see how video in eLearning facilitates learning on the go . Whether on their morning commute, during a coffee break at work or in a waiting room, learners can fit his bite-sized training into their busy schedule.

One of video’s biggest strengths is its share-ability. Videos that are informative, interesting, and relevant will be easy for learners to share with their colleagues. This means that new knowledge and skills are spreading — without you having to formally enroll all your employees in the course.

Three important elements here will help you to create a healthy social eLearning culture in the workplace:

Video is first and foremost a visual format. Because of this, and the fact that we can manipulate time and point of view in video, it lends itself very well to “how-to” style instructional training. Whether you’re teaching your learners how to bake a cake, fix a car, or use new software, video in eLearning is the perfect way to do this.

With so much control over where the viewer directs their attention, a video is an effective way to show learners the practical steps , processes, or details they need to successfully complete the task at hand. You can do this by recording a simple talking head video .

Then, by breaking the video into chapters or mini videos (depending on the scope) to create information chunks, you’ll help learners to consume at the pace they prefer. Of course, they can also revisit the video at any time in the future for a quick refresher.

The post 5 Reasons Video is an Effective e-Learning Medium appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

3 Things to Consider Before Language Versioning Your Videos

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 12:19:00 GMT

In today’s globalized world, versioning your videos in different languages will open up new markets and new opportunities. But reaching out to markets you’re unfamiliar with can be challenging, especially when that new market requires you to share your message in a language you’re unfamiliar with.

How can I make sure my video is successful when it gets translated? Let’s take a look at 3 options you should consider before you start working on a foreign-language version of your video:

Translating vs. Localizing

When you translate a video, subtitles are created for an already existing audio track. These subtitles target the same cultural context as the audio track it is synced with. In other words, subtitles only have the same meaning and content as the video’s original subtitles.

Localizing a video means that information or features of a video will be adapted to a specific culture. For example, when you localize a video you could change subtitles to another language but also add extra features such as dubbing in order to improve cultural relevance for local consumers.

Translation vs. Adaptation

Translation and adaptation both involve subtitles being added to videos by third parties but there are differences between these two processes which need to be considered.

Translation is to transfer meaning from one language into another, subtitles for subtitle’s sake. The purpose of subtitles is to help users understand the content by providing a translation that makes sense to them. If you are working on subtitles only it means your original subtitles are the key element in your video’s success because they already exist and have been created to be consumed globally. It would make no sense (and should not be done) to create subtitles first without having an audio track as a reference.

Adaptation is about adapting subtitles to better fit the cultural norms of target audiences, also known as ‘localization’. For example, regional jokes or references will need adaptation; the same goes for idioms, slang terms or wording in source culture could need local adjustments in subtitles in the target culture.

Text-based videos vs. Audio-visual videos

The same kind of subtitles are used for both text-based and audio-visual videos but there are differences between the two in terms of presentation, presentation speed, subtitles length, etc. When translating subtitles for an audiovisual video you need subtitles to be synced with the original track because fast subtitles will make it impossible for people to watch your content.

You must also take into consideration that when working on subtitles for this type of video you’re not just dealing with one language but three : source language, subtitle language, and target language. That’s triple the amount of work creating subtitles for an audio-visual video compared to simple subtitles.

What are the differences between subtitles and audio dubs?

Subtitles are a direct translation of the video’s dialogue, almost always placed at the bottom of the screen. They convey dialogue in one language only. People who watch it can understand what’s being said even if they don’t speak the language spoken in the video.

Audio dubbing means completely reproducing all dialogue in a language other than the original one. This approach eliminates the need for subtitles. This is usually done when the market you’re trying to reach is significant and you want to make it as easy as possible for the viewer to take in your message.

In summary, before you version your video[s] in another language, first decide if you want to do a straight translation or an adaptation – that is, making changes to the video content to better suit the new audience. Second, think about whether text-based videos or audio-visual ones will work better in the market you’re targeting. Third, decide between sub-titles and dubbing. Which one will make it easiest for viewers to understand your message? Which one will increase the likelihood of engaging them? Once you’ve made these decisions, call us and we can help you get started on creating translations that will reach more customers and boost your bottom line.

The post 3 Things to Consider Before Language Versioning Your Videos appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Breathing Exercises To Strengthen Your Delivery

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 11:00:00 GMT

One thing I’ve learned since I started doing these videos on a regular basis was how much I had to learn about breathing. It’s funny how there can be so much to learn about something we all do instinctively in our first few seconds of life!

Done Properly, Breathing Can Reduce Anxiety & Strengthen Your Speaking Voice

Many people feel anxious when they have to give a presentation or go on camera. And when we feel anxious, we get tense. And one of the first places tension shows is in our breathing patterns. We start to breathe more quickly and less deeply. This fools the body into thinking we’re under some sort of threat. We start to take shallower breathes, which means less oxygen and more carbon monoxide circulating in our system. In some people it can even lead to panic attacks or hyperventilation.

How does feeling anxious and tense affect your speech? For one thing, shallow breathing restricts the fullness of sound and range your voice might have. It will sound squeezed or strained because you’re talking off the top of your lungs with a tight throat, jaw, mouth, and face. And breathing shallowly can become a vicious cycle.

The less air we take in, the worse we feel, the less effectively we speak. The less effectively we speak, the worse we feel, the less air we take in.

Luckily, there are a number of breathing exercises available on the Internet that can help you learn to control and then eliminate the anxiety you feel ahead of any speaking engagements.

Breathing exercise one

Breathing exercise two

The benefits of both these breathing exercises are both psychological and physical.

Physiologically you are using all your lungs rather than the top third, which means more oxygen and less carbon monoxide in your system. You’ll feel better, better able to deal with stress, to think more clearly.

The physical benefit is increased lung capacity, which allows you to speak longer overall and between breaths, as well as allow you to handle complex patterns of language more effectively.

The post Breathing Exercises To Strengthen Your Delivery appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Pacing | #1 Key to Keeping Your Audience Engaged

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Your Presentation is a Road Trip, Your Voice the Car

Are you one of those speakers that talks really fast when you’re giving a presentation? Or maybe you prefer to really slow it down. Maybe you speak fast because you have so many ideas you want to share you want to get them out quickly! And don’t get me wrong, it can be fun listening to someone speak fast. But it can also be exhausting and eventually people will stop listening. Conversely, when you always speak slowly, initially people will be patient, giving you time to make your point… until they lose interest and stop listening.

Today I want to talk about why you’ll delivery a more engaging presentation if you modulate your rate of speech to match your content and meet the needs of your audience. So, before you start rehearsing your delivery, picture in your mind all the parts of your presentation stretched out in front of you. There’s the introduction right in front of you and way at the other end is your conclusion. Your job is to take your audience on a trip through that presentation. And your voice is the vehicle that’s going to carry them along.

Take Your Audience on a Trip to Remember

You are in complete control of how much your audience enjoys the trip you’re going to be taking them on. Is the trip going to be a high-speed race that gets them there fast, but with no scenery or memorable moments to enjoy along the way. Or is it going to be a beautiful, memorable drive along winding roads with lots of fun bends and curves with the occasional straight away?

So as you’re rehearsing or reading through your script, think about where you can adjust the speed of your delivery to match the different sections of your presentation. Look for opportunities to speed up your delivery… as well as where you can transition back down to a slower pace. For example, if there’s a section where you’re sharing something you’re excited or passionate about… or where you’re trying to convey a sense of urgency… these are opportunities for you to pick up the pace. And sections where you want to stress the significance of what you’re sharing… or it’s a completely new or a particularly complex concept… you can slow down your delivery and speak more deliberately.

By varying the speed of your delivery, you’re not only making your audience’s journey through your presentation more enjoyable, you’re making it more memorable.

The post Pacing | #1 Key to Keeping Your Audience Engaged appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Friday’s Five Fresh Fish Specials

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Diction | Articulation | Enunciation

No matter how new or helpful the information you’re sharing is… no matter how interesting or unusual your story… no matter how important your topic… if you mumble or talk so fast you’re running your words together, your ability to reach your audience is compromised.

I’m sure everyone remembers being called on in class to read a passage from a book. I know I do… and I hated it. I may not have been the worst reader in the class, but I was far from the best. Which made me self-conscious. It was something I had to address before I could feel comfortable speaking on camera.

No one thinks twice about an athlete warming up and stretching before they take the field. Think of the exercises I’m going to share with you as your warmup before you speak on camera or deliver a presentation.

Articulation & Enunciation

There are two equally important components to speaking clearly. There’s articulation and there’s enunciation. Articulation refers to the clarity and expressiveness with which you speak. For example, pausing slightly before uttering hard consonants, like “t” or “b”. While enunciation refers to the physical sounds you make to convey that clarity and expressiveness. Practicing tongue twisters will help you differentiate your vowel sounds and make the beginning and end of each word distinct and crisp.

When I went looking for tongue twisters to help improve my diction, I didn’t have to look to hard. I invite you to try these, but feel free to do some research of your own and let me know your favourites.

Here are a few tips before you get started. Start out saying each one slowly and carefully, making sure the start and end of each word is crisp. Repeat them but a little bit faster each time without sacrificing clarity. If you trip over a word, stop and start again.

As well as being fun, tongue twisters are also extremely effective. And if you’re brave enough, feel free to share your favourite tongue twisters with me, either on video or audio. If I get enough, I’ll compile them into a mash up and share them on Linkedin.

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Tips to Improve Your On-Camera Delivery

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 11:52:00 GMT

Improving Your Delivery

There are a lot of reasons people have a hard time speaking on camera or in front of others. But one of the most common reasons is because they’re self-conscious. They don’t think they come across very well on camera. They get nervous, they speak too fast, or too slow, they have trouble controlling their breathing, they have trouble enunciating certain words… those are just a few of the issues people say stop them from putting themselves out there.

And I can relate. I’ve had to overcome one or two of those issues, myself. But I was determined to not let myself – my fears and insecurities – be an obstacle to putting myself out there and sharing what I knew. So I did some research on how to perform better on camera and I came across a whole host of interesting and helpful articles.

8 Tips to Improve Your Delivery

Being in video production, I started searching for ways to improve my on-camera delivery. Expecting to find a long list of technical suggestions, I was surprised when many of the articles and blog posts I found listed ways to improve diction. Here are some of the tips I found helpful:

While a couple of those tips, like keeping yourself hydrated and sitting up straight, are relatively easy to implement, most of the others – like varying the speed of your delivery, controlling your breathing and enunciating more carefully – require practice and commitment. Luckily there’s a lot of information on the Internet on these very topics.

In my next three blog posts in this series, I’ll share with you the exercises, tips and tricks I found that can help you become the best speaker you can be, providing your willing to put int the time.

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Video Needs Exceeding In-house Capacity?

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 12:06:00 GMT

IN-HOUSE VIDEO DEPARTMENT HAVE YOU LAST ON THEIR PRIORITY LIST?

We work with, and produce videos for, a wide variety of clients. Something you may find surprising is many of them even have their own in-house video department. But just because you have an in-house team at your disposal, that doesn’t necessarily mean your project – which you need yesterday – is a priority for THEM. And that’s when they usually call or send us an email asking for help.

We’ve received these calls from associations, agencies, e-learning companies, manufactures, SaaS companies and others. All of these customers have one thing in common – they see us as a relief valve when their in-house team is backed up. We’re not replacing their in-house team – we’re supporting them.

So the next time you need a project done quickly – whether its adding branding to a video you shot yourself, adding subtitles to a webinar, editing a podcast, animating a product slideshow or text, or any other production related work – don’t hesitate to send us an email [info@arcandcrown.com] or click here if you’d like to book a free 30-min video consultation with one of our producers. The team at Arc and Crown Media would be more than happy to help.

Produced by Arc and Crown Media: www.arcandcrown.com

The post Video Needs Exceeding In-house Capacity? appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Call-to-Action Best Practices Pt 1: Placement

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 12:00:00 GMT

CTAs: WHERE, OH WHERE, SHOULD THEY GO

This post is part one of a two part series on CTAs – otherwise known as call-to-action messages. In part two I’m going to discuss six different types of CTA messages. In part one I want to focus on Placement. Incredibly, close to 96% of all CTA messages appear at the end of a video. Only 4% appear somewhere in the middle and a paltry .1% at the beginning. Does that mean end-of-video CTAs deliver better results? The short answer is no.

In fact, they have a conversion rate of 11%, while mid-video messages have a conversion rate of 17% – a 45% improvement. It’s also interesting to note that 20% of viewers bounce from videos that are a minute long and 40% from videos that are 2-3 minutes long. That means a significant chunk of your viewers never even see an end-of-video message.

So if you’ve been putting your CTA messages at the end because that’s what you’ve always done, you may want to start experimenting with moving them closer to the beginning.

Don’t forget to check out part two, where I go over 6 different types of CTA messages and the reasons to use them.

The post Call-to-Action Best Practices Pt 1: Placement appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

A Look Back | A Look Ahead

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 11:57:00 GMT

I thought I was ready to get back into the swing of things just a few months after having my son. Was I was wrong. I quickly realized I only had the capacity to focus on the most urgent things. As a result, my social posts fell off. Now that I’m back full-time, I’m looking forward to re-engaging with my network!

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MY NETWORK

Firstly, I’d like to thank everyone who sent well wishes over the past few months. I also want to thank my team for going above and beyond while I was away. They really came together to make the past year a great one.

As you may remember, 2021 started off with in-person filming being postponed. This led to a steep increase in demand for virtually recording content, self-filming coaching , and animation projects . W e were lucky to work with some really great companies over the past year and partner with awesome agencies, as well to videos that educated, engaged, and inspired audiences.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP

While I produced a video a week by myself in 2020. But 2021 taught me it’s okay to ask for help. So I’d like to give a shout out to our editor, Roger, for helping me put this first video of 2022 together.

You’ll be seeing more of me in the coming weeks and months. If you have any video related questions or topics you’d like me to cover, send them my way. I’d be happy to hop on a call to help you out or turn any suggestions into a future video post.

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Video-In-Email Marketing

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 12:02:00 GMT

Have you ever tried adding videos to your email? If you haven’t, judging by these stats maybe you should. Video-in-email marketing works! In fact, just having the word video in an emails subject line:

Those three stats alone justify incorporating video into your emails. However, to enjoy all the benefits video can offer, there are a few things to keep in mind before you get started. After all, good results only come with the successful implementations of a good strategy.

QUALITY IS KEY

Only share videos that provide viewers with quality content that tells them something useful or they’ll stop opening your emails, video or no video. This may sound obvious, but it’s crucial to the success of your efforts and needs to be a respected part of your process. Quality is not a subjective concept in this case, as it has everything to do with your ability to come up with content that provides real value to your audience.

The types of videos you include can vary greatly, depending on the purpose of the email. For example, if your goal is increase brand awareness or build your network, a thought leadership video that showcases your grasp of the viewers’ challenges with valuable tips, advice or insight might be the way to go.

Video-in-email marketing works because they can become whatever you need them to be. Because of that, an important part of your process involves deciding what type of videos to choose. Promotional videos that feature your products, corporate videos that tout your company’s credentials and stature in the market, product tutorials, insightful interviews with industry leaders… these are just some of the types of videos you should consider. It may seem like a daunting task, but incorporating variety will supercharge your email marketing strategy.

But quality doesn’t only refer to your videos’ content, it refers equally to the literal quality of your videos: the image resolution, lighting, editing and sound. Think of them as two sides of the same coin. The better the quality of both sides of that coin, the more engaging and effective your videos will be.

COME UP WITH EFFECTIVE SUBJECT LINES

The subject line is the first piece of your email marketing content your recipient sees, and it is crucial to determining [and improving] your open rates. As such, it needs to be compelling enough to convince your recipients that checking it out is in their best interests. As mentioned in the first paragraph of this blog post, a big part of the equation that makes a subject line compelling is the word “video”. The next part of the equation to motivate the recipient to action is clearly stating the value of the video’s subject matter and how it addresses a need.

It’s well known that the simpler you make anything, the better your results will be. The same goes for emails. So, it stands to reason that allowing the recipient to play a video right from the message, rather than having to click and go to your website or YouTube is a great way to increase your open rate. The good news is that with Outlook, Mac, and iOS Mail, it’s actually possible to embed videos directly in emails using HTML5.

A FEW BEST PRACTICES

No matter what kind of content you are creating for your email marketing campaign, it is imperative it addresses a need of your target audience. Knowing this will help you come up with effective client communication that generates the high conversion rate you’re looking for. This applies to both the written and video content you include in your emails. So, as you’re writing the scripts for your videos, ask yourself, “Does the information I’m sharing help my customer become more efficient, profitable or successful?” If not, find something else to share with them. The key is creating content that serves the interests of your audience first, and you second.

Also, make sure to use the right mental triggers to convince them to press play. Whenever you use video in email marketing, it must be part of a broader strategy to lead your potential customer somewhere. This is done with good CTAs that leverage the right phycological triggers that are direct, easy to notice, and speak in their language.

Make sure your videos themselves also have effective CTA s that lead the viewer – your potential customer – to the next stage of your relationship. Never create any piece of content that does not have a clear next step for the audience to follow.

KEEP YOUR VIDEOS SHORT

Video-in-email marketing works when you keep the videos short. An email is an expressway of communication. Most people read them in-between other tasks. Which is why it is important to keep your video short. People can justify spending a couple of minutes watching a video, but many will skip over a video that’s even 3-minutes long. They may make a mental note to go back to it when they have more time. But few will. Brevity is essential to increasing your engagement rate. So be careful not to ask for more of their attention that they are willing to give.

GENERATE ANTICIPATION FOR YOUR VIDEOS

You can increase interest in your emails with video by creating anticipation among your recipients. These expectations will ensure they’re watching for your next entry and may even look forward to it.

This can be accomplished in a few ways. One is to create a series. For example, a four-part series on a topic with each episode covering one aspect. Maybe part one lays out a challenge common to many of your customers. Parts two and three could be devoted to solutions, while part four covers the results people can expect to see if they follow your suggestions. Just make sure you make it obvious that this is the first of a 4-part series, then sit back and enjoy the results.

IN CONCLUSION

To reiterate, video-in-email marketing works. It’s an example of how the right content implemented in the right way WILL increase both exposure and engagements, and will have a positive influence on the success of your marketing efforts. So we invite you to give it a try… it just may help you reach your goals. And you just might have fun along the way.

If you’d like a professional team to handle your video content, don’t hesitate to contact us here or click here to book a free 30-min video consultation with one of our producers. The team at Arc and Crown Media would be more than happy to help.

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Video Inspiration For Your Next D&I Initiative

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 14:35:00 GMT

We all know that companies that celebrate, nurture and encourage their diverse workforce are more profitable, have happier employees, and are more successful at recruiting top-tier talent. That’s why we’ve recently seen companies put more emphasis on creating real change within their policies and culture through Diversity & Inclusion initiatives. And video can play a key role in helping to communicate your message, and get your to buy into it.

Best Buy produced a great video featuring several employees telling their stories, along with leaders of the organization discussing why D&I matters to their company. Utilizing an interview style, this piece helps the company make a statement about why a diverse workforce is important.

And lastly, Salesforce similarly utilized members of their organization to communicate how great it would be if we could see things from another person’s perspective. Here are a few clips from that video. It’s a well-produced scripted piece, with employees speaking straight to camera. You really do feel like the participants were able to speak their truth. And the result is extremely powerful and effective.

As you can see video can play a critical role, both internally and externally, in implementing a successful D&I initiative. Whatever D&I project you’re working on, putting a focus on authenticity and communicating your message in a thoughtful and meaningful way is key.

If you’re planning a D&I video project, we’d love to see it and even share it on our social media channels, if that would be helpful. Or, if you’d like some help or ideas, don’t hesitate to email us [info@arcandcrown.com] or click here to book a free 30-min video consultation with one of our producers. The team at Arc and Crown Media would be more than happy to help.

Here’s a list of other effective, engaging and impactful D&I videos we found while researching this topic:

Produced by Arc and Crown Media: www.arcandcrown.com

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11 Ways to Produce Great Corporate Video

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Corporate video is an amazing tool to introduce your target audience to your product or service. But what takes a video from good to great? Here are 11 steps to great corporate video that will make your brand stand out from the competition and generate a great first impression with potential customers

1. Provide important information about your company or product. The video should be engaging and informative. You don’t need to focus on every detail, but rather highlight its most important features and benefits.

LESS IS MORE

2. Keep the content short and concise, especially if it’s meant for social. Keeping your video content under 60 seconds is ideal. Too long or providing too much information can cause viewers to lose interest.

3. Have a strong call to action at the end of the video so viewers know what they should do next.

4. Keep videos simple and focused. If you watch high-end brand commercials, most use clean and elegant branding.

THE BEST LAID PLANS

5. If your video requires shooting on location, scope out the locations in advance, ideally during the time of day you plan on filming. That will allow you to come prepared with the equipment you need to deliver on your vision.

6. Gather testimonials from current clients about how you have helped, this will give your viewers a realistic idea of who you are and what you do.

7. Use on-screen graphic text callouts to help viewers focus on your key messages.

8. Use YouTube as a hosting platform to keep all your videos in one place. It’s free of charge!

PUBLISH, PUBLISH, PUBLISH

9. Push your content out on all relevant platforms, including your website, blogs, social media sites, as well as in a press release.

10. Ensure every decision you make in the production of your video serves the objective you set out to achieve and speaks to the audience you’re trying to reach.

11. Finally, to increase views and ensure your video is seen by as many people as possible, take advantage of paid ads and boost campaigns on Facebook, YouTube and Linkedin.

The days of videos being optional, a luxury or a nice-to-have are long gone. The rise of social media was the last domino to fall making video a vital ingredient to the success of every company. And if video is new to you and your marketing efforts, we hope these 11 steps to great corporate video help guide you on what’s sure to be an exciting and interesting journey.

Interested in creating a video for your company or thinking about producing your own video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media! And feel free to check out our extensive online course and become your own DIY video expert. If you’d prefer to let a professional team handle your video content, don’t hesitate to contact us here. The team at Arc and Crown Media would be more than happy to help.

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4 Reasons To Use Corporate Videos to Tell Your Story

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Corporate video can tell your company’s story better than any text on the About Us page of your website. In this blog I want to share 4 reasons to use corporate video to tell your company story. Video lets you add images, sound, and on-screen text to tell your story in ways text alone never could. Video is capable of engaging your employees, your suppliers and your customers in a way that gets them emotionally invested in the success of your company. Below are 4 reasons to use corporate videos to tell your story.

A corporate video that tells the story of your company can be a very effective tool for marketing your products or services because it will tell the audience who you are and what they should expect from your organization.

On another level, it will help your employees learn about and become invested in your company’s history, your mission, and your vision. Here are 4 important reasons why we think you should utilize corporate videos to tell your story.

To Educate Your Employees

Corporate videos can educate employees by offering brief lessons about the company. For example, if an organization is trying to establish itself in another country, it can create a video that talks about the history of the company in their home country to educate the employees.

To Create a Sense of Belonging

Creating corporate videos allows employees to better understand the vision, mission, and values of their organization. Telling stories through corporate videos help employees feel like they are part of one big family where everyone has a place.

To Improve Company Culture

Corporate videos allow organizations to communicate their culture and values. It helps employees understand why it is important for them to follow and spread the company’s core values. Creating corporate videos allows management to give an emotional connection between employees and the brand they work for.

To Enhance Your Business & Brand Recognition

Corporate videos can help organizations to better understand how customers will react to their products or services. It allows the company’s management to learn about their audience and adjust their direction based on that information. For example, an organization that is trying to expand its business in another country can create a video about the product they are selling and use it as a tool to communicate their message.

Conclusion

Organizations can, and do, tell their story in many ways. But video is one of the most effective of those ways and should not be overlooked or ignored. Video is unique in its ability to allow you to connect with your audience in a way that is both dynamic and engaging. Moreover, the very act of creating a corporate video can help you better understand and articulate your own vision, which you can then share with the people that matter most – your employees, your suppliers and your customers. We hope the 4 reasons to use corporate video outlined above inspire you to start leveraging the considerable power of video.

Are you thinking about producing your own video content, but would like a little more information first? Check out our extensive online course and become your own DIY video expert. If you’d prefer to let a professional team handle your video content, don’t hesitate to contact us here. The team at Arc and Crown Media would be more than happy to help.

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7 Mistakes That Doom Most Corporate Videos

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Video marketing is rapidly gaining popularity and companies of all sizes are using it to promote their products and services online. Unfortunately, many organizations seem overwhelmed when it comes to producing videos that result in the ROI they’re looking for. Here are 7 mistakes that doom most corporate videos, and how to avoid them:

Mistake #1 – Starting with a creative idea instead of a desired action

It used to be that the goal of a corporate video was to build awareness for your company or product. Now, the primary objective is almost always to generate leads and sales. Sometimes it’s also about raising money via crowdfunding, which we’ll talk about later. Missing this point is the biggest mistake most people make when planning their videos.

Mistake #2 – Choosing the wrong platform for video distribution

You can’t just post any corporate video to YouTube and expect great results. There are other platforms you should consider, too. For example: Facebook advertising, LinkedIn advertising, and email marketing campaigns all work well with video content and can complement each other.

Mistake #3 – Missing or ignoring the pre-production phase

You can’t just run out onto location with a camera, start shooting, and expect things to go well. So many times I see people trying to save time by skipping out on thorough research, engagement with stakeholders, script writing, legal briefs… the list goes on.

Mistake #4 – Going with the cheapest option

It’s tempting to go with the lowest bidder. But, don’t forget about hidden costs like shipping fees, video hosting fees, legal disclaimers… and on top of that you have to pay for all your mistakes. If you’re using a low quality camera or shooting in low quality settings, your audience won’t thank you.

Mistake #5 – Poorly executed video production

This might be the most important mistake on this list, because it’s so often overlooked in favor of cost cutting. Just remember that there are three basic components to every video production project: pre-production, production, and post-production. And they’re all equally important.

Mistake #6 – Not using the right music

Choosing the wrong kind of music for your corporate video production project can really damage your message. There are many things to consider, but most importantly you need to be sure the style of music fits your brand identity and motivates customers to take action.

Mistake #7 – Not investing in the right kind of distribution

In most cases, it’s a mistake to rely on organic search optimization or social media promotion alone. You should think about paid advertising and building your email list into your video marketing strategy for maximum results.

Those are 7 mistakes that doom most corporate videos to failure. Now that you know them, you can avoid them. It all comes down to knowing what you’re doing before you do it. And if you know what you’re doing, creating videos for your business won’t break the bank and can potentially be very profitable for you and your company.

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How to Make Your Videos Short and Sweet

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 13:13:00 GMT

Thanks to the internet, attention spans are at an all time low, so when it comes to video content, typically the shorter the better.

Try to hook your viewers early by getting to the point right away. Also, make sure your video looks great! Low quality, darkly lit and poorly angled cameras won’t invite much interest. On the other hand, a brightly lit, colourful video that pops will be sure to turn heads.

Once you perfect your picture, don’t forget about sound! Enunciate your words, speak clearly and record in areas with little to no background noise and interference. Music is another tool that can be added to grab and retain your viewer’s attention and help to set the tone and mood of the video.

But don’t just rely on music and dialogue. Use text that incites curiosity, helps to get your point across and inspires action! Captions also help for those in your audience who may be looking to watch videos on silent when they’re on the go.

When it comes to planning your content, ask yourself if this would be something you yourself would want to watch. If it isn’t, keep brainstorming for better ideas.

Finally, at the end of your video leave your audience wanting more so that they look forward to your future videos. And don’t forget to encourage them to like, subscribe and share to help spread the word!

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3 Tips to Write Better Video Scripts

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 20:12:00 GMT

[Writing for Video: Transcript] Writing copy for video? Here are 3 tips to help you write better scripts.

First off, sentence length. Content writers know short and precise sentences are most impactful. Try to cover complex ideas in more compacted paragraphs. By dividing your script into a series of bite-sized paragraphs you also prepare for an easier filming process.

Video scripts are like elevator speeches; you want to express as many precise ideas as you can in as limited amount of time as you can.

Another thing to consider is style and approach of your writing. When writing for video you typically want to write in a more conversational tone. Avoid long narrative language.

Read Your Script Out Loud Before Finalizing It

A great tip is to read your script out loud to see how it sounds, rather than just relying on your internal voice. Something that sounds natural when someone is reading a blog post does not necessarily work the same when they’re hearing it in a video.

Lastly, think about the priorities of your content. When writing articles things like the headline and sub-headings are really important.

Your First and Last Sentences Are the Most Important

Whereas with video, the focus is typically on your first and last sentence. The first because that’s where it really matters to grab the viewer’s attention, and the last because that’s what you want the viewer to walk away with.

Bonus tip: a general rule of thumb is you can script 130 to 150 words for every minute you want your video to be.

I hope you found these 3 tips to write better scripts useful. Good luck with your next video project!  And if you need some more inspiration for your video script, download my script template to get started.

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The Best Video Editing Software Programs

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 19:18:00 GMT

If you’ve decided to create video content and have figured out how to film it, but are stuck wondering how to edit it, luckily there are a number of video editing software options—both free and paid—available to users at different skill levels.

iMovie

If you’re an Apple user and a beginner, then iMovie is the best choice for you. Simple to use and intuitive, iMovie is easy to learn at any age. It also includes music, sound effects, transitions, titles and video filters to help you churn out sleek, professional videos—regardless of your experience level. And best of all, it’s free and available on your desktop, smartphone or tablet!

Movie Maker – Video Editor

On the flip side of that coin, if you’re a PC user looking for a free entry level editing program, then look no further than Movie Maker – Video Editor. It provides basic editing functions and also includes music, text, titles, filters and transitions. Upgrade to the PRO version to unlock more advanced video capabilities and for 4K support.

Lightworks

Available to both Apple and PC users, Lightworks may be the best overall free editing platform available. While slightly more complex than iMovie and Movie Maker, Lightworks offers a collection of tutorials to help get you up to speed. Upgrade to Lightworks Pro for additional capabilities.

Adobe Rush

Not to be confused with the more advanced Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Rush is another basic entry level editing platform available to anyone with a free Creative Cloud membership. While it is a simplified version of the Adobe Premiere Pro program, Rush can also be used on smartphones and tablets and is convenient when working with videos that you capture with your smartphone. It is very easy to use and includes title effects, sound editing capabilities and is optimized for social networks.

Adobe Premiere Pro

Arguably the industry leader in video editing software, Adobe Premiere Pro is still easy to use, but far more advanced than the aforementioned options and not recommended for a beginner. If you have some video editing experience, however, there are plenty of video tutorials online that can help make you an expert in no time. But what makes Premiere Pro most special is its integration with other Adobe products like After Effects, for example. Payment is also via subscription, so you can cancel anytime.

Final Cut Pro X

Adobe Rush is to Adobe Premiere Pro what iMovie is to Final Cut Pro X. If you cut your teeth learning how to edit on iMovie, then moving to Final Cut Pro X is the next logical step. The interface is very similar to iMovie, but Final Cut also has a vast selection of effects, transitions, titles and it is even possible to add additional plugins. Unlike Premiere, however, Final Cut Pro X can only be purchased with a one time payment.

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When Producing Video, Don’t Overlook Audio Quality

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 19:02:00 GMT

[Don’t Overlook Audio: Transcript] Audio is something that can really transform the feeling of a video. 

There are typically two main components to a video’s audio track: spoken words and music. In some videos, sound effects also play a big role, but we’ll leave that conversation for another video.  

With spoken words it could be diegetic, meaning that the viewer can see the person that is speaking, or it could be narration or voice-of-god style where the viewer cannot see the person speaking. 

The latter would usually be recorded in a studio setting and therefore you’d have more control over the quality, and the ability to cut things up so it sounds as perfect as possible. 

But when you can see the person who’s speaking, you have to focus on capturing the best quality sound you can within the circumstances of the location you’re filming in. 

Minimize Extraneous Noise

This means avoiding being close to windows, or noisy appliances, shutting off AC, and generally trying to find a space that has as little “white noise” as we call it, as possible. 

As my film teacher in college used to say, bad audio in means bad audio out. Meaning there is little that can be done in editing once you record poor audio with a lot of background noise. 

Especially if that noise is a similar tone to your voice, because any filters applied would affect your voice as well and cause distortion. 

However one thing that can help mask a bit of that white noise and really benefit the overall feeling of your video is music. 

Add Background Music

Music can change the tone of your video drastically. I recommend trying out a few different tracks over the same video to see how they each feel. 

You’ll also want to experiment with the music level to ensure it’s not overpowering the spoken word which should be dominant, but it’s just loud enough that it helps the flow of the content and yet remains in the background. 

I also like to ensure that the music I use ends naturally at the end of the video instead of sounding like it’s being cut off mid-track. You can easily do this by placing a cut somewhere in the track earlier on in your video and applying a transition to help smooth it out. 

Good Quality Audio Will Make or Break the Effectiveness of Your Video

When people think of videos they focus more on the visual, however we often receive a lot of a video’s message through audio. 

Working to ensure you record clean, quality sound for any spoken word, and then using music to help mask background noise and also create energy in your video are really important pieces of the puzzle.

I hope you found this video useful, good luck with your next video project! 

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Confidence On Camera… It Comes With Doing It

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 18:59:00 GMT

[Confidence on Camera: Transcript] Confidence. It’s something that you presume you’ll get more of the older you get, but then you realize that it’s actually something all people of all ages struggle with.

I think of confidence like a muscle. It’s something you need to work on, and by exercising that muscle it gets stronger. So when people ask me how to be more confident in front of the camera and come across well, the number one strategy I can recommend is to do more of it.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO

On top of that, here are three additional techniques that should help you feel more comfortable in front of the camera.

Video Format

First, determine the format that makes you the most comfortable. For some they may only want to get in front of the camera in an interview format, where someone off camera asks them questions that they can answer organically. Many find this the most natural and easiest way to get their content out. For others, having no one else in the room and having the ability to record multiple takes is key.

You may like to keep jot notes of what you want to say that you look at right before you begin filming. For me, because I have a poor memory and want to word things in a specific way I really thrive off of fully scripting my content and using a teleprompter. It makes me feel safe and I know I’ll say exactly what I want to, instead of struggling trying to remember what I wanted to say next.

Video Performance

Secondly, I can’t stress this enough, being on camera is not the same as being in-person. It’s not a two-way conversation, and it’s not even a one-to-many presentation. It’s an intimate performance, which is then broadcast out to many. So minor details like your eye line and body movement are amplified, and you need to find ways to keep your audience engaged before they tune out. Therefore you need to “turn it on” as they would say. Actively perform to the best of your ability.

Record Multiple Takes

Lastly, review and analyze your performance. Just like an athlete would, you want to watch back your recorded performance and see what you can improve upon for your next video, or even your next take if you’re still in filming mode. I might watch my first recorded attempt and feel like it’s too low energy, so I record it again with a bigger smile and more emphasis, and then can be more confident in the performance that I’m going to be putting out into the world.

As I mentioned at the start the more you do it the better you will get at it, just like anything else. So your confidence will only come with time and experience. Therefore it’s best to get started today! And tag me in the post of your video, I’d love to help support it

Ready to overcome your struggles and take a hand at making your own video content? Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

The post Confidence On Camera… It Comes With Doing It appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Leveraging Content

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 18:59:00 GMT

[Leveraging Content: Transcript] The saying “get the most bang for your buck” is very true when it comes to video content creation. You’ve spent time and in some cases money thinking of a concept, developing a script, filming and editing, so you want to ensure that video gets the most mileage possible.

I’ve talked before about knowing your target audience and target platform you’re creating content for. I think that’s very important as it’s difficult to focus on creating content for anyone anywhere. However after you’ve created a video with say your LinkedIn audience in mind, you can still re-purpose it in various other ways.

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Video Distribution

In addition to uploading my video to my personal LinkedIn page, which is where I get the most engagement, I also ensure it’s on my company’s LinkedIn page, along with uploading it natively to various other company social pages such as Facebook and Twitter.

We also upload the video to youtube, as this is not only a great place to host your content which can then be easily searched in the future if you ever want to use the video for another purpose, but you can also use the links generated to share your content in a variety of other ways.

Search Engine Optimization

In order to assist with my website’s SEO, my team takes the video I’ve created and repurposes it as a blog. They embed the youtube video file and use my transcript as the copy. Super quick and very effective. And we also use my videos as the basis for bi-weekly email outreach to those that have signed-up for my newsletter on DIY filming tips.

So as you can see there are many ways you can leverage your video content once it is created to get the most reach possible.I hope this video gave you some ideas, and as always let me know if I can assist you further.

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Why I Do It: Video Strengthens My Network Connections

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 20:39:00 GMT

[Why I Do It: Transcript] I receive a lot of great feedback on the tips videos I post, but the reality is I wouldn’t have been able to keep up with them on a weekly basis like I have if it weren’t benefiting me and my business. 

Like with most marketing initiatives, you start out and it’s a slow progression. Then you look back over time and you start to see the patterns and benefits that have emerged from your investment. 

When I look back on the past 15 months when I made a commitment to post weekly, I’m reminded of all the connections I’ve made, all the new business I’ve landed, and all the new opportunities that my online presence has brought to me. 

It’s Well Worth the Effort… At Least It Was For Me

So I wanted to make a video this week to encourage anyone who has been considering putting themselves out there in a similar way, but might be nervous about the resources and commitment it will take. I want you to know it’s worth it. 

Think of your videos like you would any other networking initiatives, SEO tactics, online ads, etc. They’re about being seen as a thought leader and remembered for the valuable information you shared. And there’s no other medium that allows you to do it quite as well as video.

If you are interested in learning more about my experience, and how you may be able to do something similar, feel free to reach out! 

The post Why I Do It: Video Strengthens My Network Connections appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

How to Promote Your Videos on Social Media

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 18:16:00 GMT

[How to Promote Your Videos on Social Media: Transcript] Something that is often overlooked when people start creating digital content is how they’re going to buildup an audience for it.

Thought leadership marketing isn’t a “build it and they will come” situation. You need to offer real solutions to real problems or challenges. You have to leave the viewer with something valuable they didn’t know before they watched your video. And your work isn’t done after you posted the video, either. Try promoting your videos through boost campaigns. And post them anywhere your target audience spends time. Make it easy for them to find it. Don’t be passive and hope people see it – be active and make it hard for them NOT to see it.

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So let’s say you’ve already gone through the process of creating a great video that you know speaks to your target audience.

Know Your Audience

First, determine the best platforms to share this content. I’m a proponent of posting video assets on as many channels as possible. But I also believe in only leveraging channels that will reach your target audience. Personally, I create my videos with my LinkedIn audience in mind. Why? Because I know that’s where the audience I want to reach will see them.

Stay Active Online

After posting the video, the next step is to engage with your audience. It can’t just be you posting content and then ignoring it. All relationships are reciprocal. So if someone in your network comments on your video, be sure to reply. Every unanswered comment is a lost opportunity to engage with a prospective customer.

Ask For Help

Another successful tactic, especially if you’re new to put out content, is asking contacts you know well to like, share and comment on your posts. It could be friends, clients, work colleagues – anyone that would love to help you. Just make it easy for them. Share it with a note asking them to check it out. Their engagement will expose your content to a wider audience while you slowly build an audience of people interested in the topics you’re an expert in.

In summary: decide what platforms are a priority, start cultivating relationships on that platform, and don’t be scared to ask for help. Focusing on these three simple tactics will help you build a following.

I hope you found this video useful. If there are any specific topics or questions you’d like me to cover in an upcoming video, don’t hesitate to comment below or email us.

The post How to Promote Your Videos on Social Media appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Create a Content Plan For Your Videos

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 17:59:00 GMT

[Create a Content Plan: Transcript] For those who want to start out with creating video content, before thinking of anything technical, an important first step is creating a content plan. I like to keep an ongoing list of topic ideas that I can turn to at any point to create a script out of.

But going further than just a running list, what can be really helpful is thinking through different types of video categories and then charting out ideas under each. If you have a team I highly encourage you to get others involved.

Even if they won’t be responsible for appearing in any videos, they may have a different point-of-view or idea that could turn into great content. The categories you choose will depend on what your goals for the video series are, who your target audience is, and what type of business you’re in.

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But here are three ideas that may provide some inspiration:

Educational Videos

Educational videos are a broad category. I try to produce educational content from my own experience for my social audience, but within that I divide it up further by technical content (which is specific to a tool or resource I use).

Motivational Videos

Motivational content, where I share how I do something and encourage others to do the same.

Conversational Videos

Conversational content, where I try to get others opinions to help me inform myself and also start a conversation, and at times content that is time-sensitive (so it’s relevant to something that’s happening in the world currently).

Industry Updates

Another great category type to think about is Industry Updates. If you think about real estate agents or financial advisors, they may not be able to give as specific technical advice as I do, but they surely can update their network with valuable information.

In your industry you may be able to add in your personal opinion, or in some cases it may need to be purely fact-based, but both provide opportunities to share great insights with others.

Lastly, Customer case studies can be very powerful. They do take a bit longer to produce as you need to rely on others, but we have a client who has a system for getting clients to sign-up for a zoom interview for example, and then they send us their content monthly to edit into a series of videos. With this style, try to make these less about just raving about your business, and more about how you actually helped your client. Give others ideas and inspiration for how they too can apply that same logic or tactic to their business or life.

I hope these examples gave you some ideas that you can apply to your own content plan. Please tag me in any videos you create, I’d love to see them. And check out our script-template for a helpful tool when writing your first script.

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Keep It Simple | Video Can Be Easy

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 19:22:00 GMT

[Keep It Simple: Transcript]

Now, as I’m recording this video on a holiday Monday, I thought it was a great opportunity to get out of my office and film on my back porch today.

The concept I wanted to share this week is that you don’t need any equipment to create a video when just getting started. I am using nothing other than my phone and the natural sunlight to film this.

Really the most important thing I stress when it comes to creating content designed for social is that it’s more about what you’re saying and how you’re providing value that anything else.

Natural Lighting Makes Video Easy

Yes, you want to ensure that your audience can see and hear you well, and utilizing natural light and staying close to your phone’s mic can help with those two things.

As long as you can minimize distractions as much as possible, then the focus can be on you and your content.

Adding Subtitles the Easy Way

I’ll add subtitles to this video by using YouTube’s auto-generated captions that I simply edit and then download as an .srt file. And I’ll trim the top and tail of the video within the edit function of my phone so I don’t need to do anything in an external edit platform.

So it can be this simple! This script took me about 10-minutes to think up and write and I hope it takes me less time to film it.

Try it for yourself this week. You may be surprised at how well your network responds. And please tag me in your post!

Good Luck!

The post Keep It Simple | Video Can Be Easy appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Tips for Filming on Webcam

Thu, 13 May 2021 13:28:00 GMT

[Webcam Filming: Transcript]

Something we’ve been doing a lot more of in the past year is capturing content through a computer webcam.

While I always film my weekly videos on my cell phone, I decided to switch it up this week and showcase what it’s like to capture content through my computer instead.

There are a lot of similarities. I still use my ring light as my light source, which is even more important when I’m tied down to a location in my house where my laptop can rest on a table. Normally I can move my ring light which holds my cell phone to anywhere I want, so I choose to position myself in front of a window. But due to the positioning of my desk I now have a window behind me. So I close the blinds and boost the intensity on my ring light to compensate for being back-lit slightly.

Also now that my background is less than flattering I’m using the blur feature on the most upgraded version of zoom to help with that. But do keep in mind that the more you move around the less perfect the illusion becomes and you can get a bit of warping. So you may want to consider trying to be in a space where you have a simple and clean background to avoid the need to use any virtual background.

Also while using my laptop to film I need to stack a few books under it to ensure that the webcam is parallel to my eyeline or even slightly above it to get the most flattering angle.

I can tilt my laptop screen to fix my framing so there’s only a bit of headroom above me and I am dominant in frame.

Lastly, I am still using a teleprompter app to assist me with this content, however as the screen is much bigger than my cell phone, to avoid my eyes darting across the screen I’ve reduced the size of the teleprompter frame to be as thin as possible and positioned it directly under my webcam.

So that’s how I filmed on my laptop today through my webcam. I hope this is helpful for your next presentation or filmed address. Good luck!

The post Tips for Filming on Webcam appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Dealing with Struggles

Thu, 06 May 2021 18:09:00 GMT

[Dealing With Struggles: Transcript]

It’s really easy to look at someone who has been doing something for a while and say “I’d never be able to do that”.

For me, one of my biggest struggles when it came to creating content for my business was asking myself “is this valuable enough to share”, “is it really helpful to others”, “will people even care”?

And although I saw others in my network creating consistent content, I held back. I’d think of a topic and then debate it until I became too busy with something else to pursue creating a video, article, or even post on the topic.

Once I removed those limiting beliefs last year… and I had to once I committed myself to creating a video a week, I stepped outside of my comfort zone and just began sharing what I knew and what I hoped was interesting to my network.

The response I’ve received over the past year is what’s kept me going, and what inspires me at 7am on a Monday morning to write a script like this one. Because I know other people are struggling with these same thoughts, concerns, or technical challenges.

I have to say, it’s not like every video I put out gets the same reaction, or I’m constantly inundated with positive feedback. But when I look back on the past year and the distant contacts who I’ve re-connected with, the deals I’ve landed, and the opportunities that have presented themselves due to my online presence, I know what I’m doing works.

It can work for you, too. You just need a plan. You need to make a commitment. And you may need some additional help.

But the most important thing is to get over whatever that thing is which is holding you back. The lie that you don’t have enough time – as we make time for things that matter. The fear that you aren’t good enough – like I was having struggles with. Or whatever else it may be.

I wish you the best of luck, and would love to be tagged in the post if this video gives you the push needed to put out a piece of content this week.

Bye for now.

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Your Smartphone Is a Better Video Camera Than You Think!

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 14:00:00 GMT

Sometimes, if you’re working with a professional video production company, you’ll find that the cameras used cost thousands of dollars, and various sound and lighting equipment that can reach that same cost for high-quality production value.

But especially if you’re starting out or trying to pitch in-house videos for your organization, there are a ton of constraints. You might be in a startup, or in a less glamourous department than marketing. So, to bring your video ideas to life you need it to be easy enough to do yourself, fairly quick to do, and most of all on a practically nonexistent budget.

But we want to share our insider secret. It’s one you won’t hear from many production companies. And that is if you have one of these – a simple smartphone – you can produce a quality video for your organization. Pretty much all newer smartphones will shoot in Full HD, and some of the latest consumer models, like the iPhone 11 Pro and the Google Pixel 4, can even shoot in 4K.

Perhaps more importantly, the specific tools and peripherals to enhance smartphone shooting have become more advanced and more accessible budget-wise in this last year alone– so there is no better time than now to create budget-friendly videos.

So let’s take a look at what you’d need. First are smartphone tripods and stabilizers. Shooting video while just holding your phone will likely lead to a shaky video. A tripod will ensure you get clean static shots, and if needed, a stabilizer will allow you to capture beautiful moving shots.

Next, is lighting. This will likely be the most impacted by your budget constraints, as more lighting will always be better and give you more control, but it is possible to shoot quality footage in “natural light” only – if you know how to work with it. But, if you are looking to invest longer-term in more video content, than it is absolutely worth it to look into lighting rigs and equipment like O-rings.

Those are the fastest ways to enhance your videography. The next thing we’re going to talk about, actually maybe what we’d say is the single most important thing to make your videos feel professional and not homemade. And I say “feel” and not “look” because I’m talking about your audio.

Your video can look phenomenal, but if the sound is inconsistent, “tinny,” static-y, or just quiet, that ruins the whole video. Conversely, very high quality audio can and will save lower quality footage, or simple visuals.

What you need to know about sound is that while your phone, or video camera, has a basic internal microphone, it works just like a human ear. It hears louder sounds when it’s closer to the speaker, and softer sounds when it’s further away. If you’re moving around and shooting with the built-in microphone you’re going to realize later that the sound is completely inconsistent, which distracts from the core content and makes editing very difficult. It’s also going to hear more of you, the shooter, than it is of them.

And that’s why we believe that before you invest in an expensive camera, get a decent mic for sound. It’s a cheaper, faster way to upgrade your video content.

Now that’s just shooting your video. Editing it is a whole different step, with just as many factors to consider.

First is cost. On a lower budget, and if you’re not looking to create more than a couple videos a month, it doesn’t make sense to pay for a subscription with the “industry-leading” editing programs. However, you also want to be cautious of “free” editing platforms” that carry certain cons like watermarking your exports, or limiting the number of exports or uploads that you can make at a time.

If you’re already shooting on your smartphone there are actually apps out there that are specifically made for you to edit videos within your phone. There are certain limitations, but in our course we teach you how to use our favorite in-phone app for editing, which also lets you transfer your project on a standard computer so that you can get the best of both worlds.

And that’s the list of accessories and peripherals that you’ll want to consider investing in, to start making really high-quality videos for your organization, on a shoestring budget. Again, all this is just by enhancing your smartphone shooting, instead of just investing in a really high-end camera.

Now we’re not saying that you’ll never need to collaborate with a professional video production company again. There will always be a need for high quality creative content. However, when it comes to quick internal updates or putting out short educational content on social media, having the basic skills to produce your own videos in-house can be extremely valuable. We want to help companies feel confident to shoot and edit good quality video content on their own when needed.

Ready to take a hand at making your own video content? Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

The post Your Smartphone Is a Better Video Camera Than You Think! appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

3 Video Ideas That Work Well For Remote Workplaces

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 14:00:00 GMT

VIDEO IDEAS: When your organization needs to produce a video to promote an event, to celebrate the completion of a program, or just to put out a message to your internal or external audience, it’s easy to get swept up in the brainstorming and overshoot your goals. But the thing is, we’re working with a new reality, and that’s remote team members, and digital-only interaction

That’s why we’re here to share a list of the best video production formats, that are remote-friendly, effective, and can simple to execute which translates into time and cost savings for you and your video production team.

Give a spotlight to your members, or your associates.

When it comes to expressing what a great team you have, it’s better that your team speak for themselves over a single CEO saying how great everyone is.

In this style of video, a production team like ours would direct participants – whether they are association members, staff, customers, or associates – to self-record and share video clips. Yes, footage taken from a webcam or even a smartphone is better than you think . Depending on the number of participants, instead of each person sharing full responses, we may prompt them based on a short script, or we may ask that they deliver a “keyword” that describes their experience, like in this example from Impagination .

The appealing benefit is that this type of video is very cost-effective as you’re not hiring full video teams to come in and film while showing due appreciation to specific individuals. However, the big requirement of this type of video is in the coordination of a potentially large number of people.

Video Ideas using a Speaker Host with B-roll

In the previous example, the big requirement is the active participation of a large number of people who may or may not have the time to record themselves. This next style of video requires only one or two speakers to record themselves. Once they complete their recording, supplemental footage (or b-roll) is added in the video edit to give more pop to the content. B-roll can come in the form of branded images, graphic assets, or even stock footage to give better context and visual appeal.

This is especially common with Award videos, where the winner may not even know they’ve won and so isn’t going to be on camera in advance to speak about it. In this example, for the Sponsorship Marketing Awards , the judges speak on the winning contestant. As we had the image and video assets from the original contestant submission, we could fashion this video to give it the energy that their submission contained, and translate it to why the judges presented them with their award.

We produced a similar video for Young Insurance Professional Toronto for their Y oung Insurance Professional of the Year Award (fully remote!).

From this you can gather that there is a lot of flexibility to how your video is formated. If you’re promoting a program for example, you can have an on-camera host speaker explaining the structure of the program with shot B-roll of the program

Or have an On-Camera Host Speaker With Text Slides:

Can’t Get People Together? Go Animation or Image-based

The above examples require people to record themselves and for the clips to be pieced together comprehensively. Sometimes you can’t wrangle all those people together, or you just don’t want to get in front of a camera. Animation is a good alternative, as you don’t have to show any faces but can instead bring on a professional voice actor as a speaker to narrate over the animation.

Here’s an example from ClaimCast of this type of video:

Animation is a very broad term, and that’s what often makes it daunting. Consider wanting a big “Hello” to come up on the screen at the beginning of your video. Depending on the vision that can be a simple line of text, or it can be an intricate (costly) process. It’s all in the creative vision. However, the quickest way to reduce animation if that’s the route you’ve chosen is quite simple: Have existing graphic assets prepared (logos, branding, colours, pictures, anything, and everything). The less your animator has to create from scratch the faster and more cost-effective you make your video production process.

Here is an example of a video that mostly uses images that we produced for BDC to celebrate their reaching their fundraising goals with WeConnect. They ended up adding a self-recorded clip, but as you can see it’s the text and animations that carry the bulk of the story.

The post 3 Video Ideas That Work Well For Remote Workplaces appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Whose Story To Tell: How to Find Your Brand’s Representative

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:00:00 GMT

[Whose Story? – TRANSCRIPT]

We often encourage clients to focus their video on a single person’s story. This allows you the time to dive deep into the challenges and emotions that they face, and find the Heart of your story.

Of course, the question then is: whose story do you tell?

Your first instinct might be the CEO or founder of the company. That’s a great option, but what we’ve learned is that it’s always worth your time to look in unlikely places.

That’s because more often than not, the most powerful stories come from the least powerful people.

So, we suggest you dig a little deeper. Try speaking with some of your employees that have been with you for a long time, even in roles that don’t often get a lot of spotlight. You could also look towards your vendors, customers or your customer’s customers. 15 minute pre-interviews can help you narrow it down to the most compelling person.

Ask out of the box questions to find out what makes that person unique, complex, and what their burning desire is, and figure out where your brand played a role in their journey.

Some answers just might surprise you. And that’s where you find some of the best stories.

Ready to take a hand at making your own video content?

Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

The post Whose Story To Tell: How to Find Your Brand’s Representative appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Your Video Thumbnails Are IMPORTANT!

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 14:00:00 GMT

Video Thumbnails are so simple, yet so incredibly important. People say “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but the fact is that many people do. Many times, the thumbnail is the most critical aspect of the video.

[Your Video Thumbnails Are IMPORTANT! TRANSCRIPT]

Here’s how to maximize the effectiveness of your thumbnail on YouTube. After uploading your video, YouTube automatically generates three thumbnails. Opt instead to upload your own.

What you want to use is the best, exported frame of your video. Showing someone smiling greatly increases is a huge plus here.

If you have access to photo-editing tools, boosting certain colours or even just sharpening edges gives your thumbnail that little extra kick.

Finally, it helps to add text in the thumbnail to directly convey what viewers are about to click into. If possible, brand your video thumbnails as well with a logo. This ties one video to a series of videos, and eventually creates a greater likelihood for user to click in if they’ve watched previously branded content.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” a good line for people. But for video, a good thumbnail is critical to its success.

Ready to take a hand at making your own video content?

Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

The post Your Video Thumbnails Are IMPORTANT! appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Call to Action: What it is and Why Your Video Needs it

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 14:00:00 GMT

You may have heard of a call to action before, whether it arose when you were discussing marketing materials or video content that is intended for a customer base. But what is this term? If you’ve got a minute, check out our video on what exactly this is and why you should have one for your next video.

[TRANSCRPIT]

If you’re not making use of a call to action, then your video may not be accomplishing its full potential.

The call to action is what you want your viewers to do immediately after watching the video. It typically appears as graphic text on the last screen. Your call to action could be to get viewers to follow your social media, contact you directly, or to check out your website. Regardless, your video should guide them to that next step – and that’s where your call to action comes in.

Here are some examples of useful Call to Actions:

LEARN MORE AT…

EMAIL US AT…

Imagine what would be the most natural next step for your viewers, and hone your message towards getting them to do that one thing. Really sell the benefit of taking the next step, by offering valuable information, or special discounts or deals. This makes your video that much more effective.

Your call to action may be direct, or it may be subtle. We highly suggest A/B testing to make sure your message is the right one.

Ready to take a hand at making your own video content?

Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

The post Call to Action: What it is and Why Your Video Needs it appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

3 Tips to Keep Your Video Ideas’ Focus

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 17:42:00 GMT

A message to everyone is a message to no one – and a video without focus, on your audience, their needs, and the objectives you are trying to reach, won’t hit those goals that you are aiming for. That’s why I wanted to share this little reminder of the three most important things to keep in mind when developing your video content to ensure it’s successful.

Video is hot nowadays

If you own a business or you work in marketing or events I’m sure you’ve been tasked with creating a video at some point, if not looking at a long-term video strategy.

But something I sometimes see is video without a clear focus. Creating goals and setting an objective for your video project is so key to its success.

So here are my top 3 tips to ensure you create an effective video.

1) Focus on your audience when developing content

This seems so simple, but so often I see companies thinking first about what they want to say instead of thinking about what their audience wants or needs to hear. Also importantly ensure you have a clear audience. Trying to have a video that speaks to everyone is a sure way to make it muddy and not feel like you’re speaking directly to your target audience.

2) Don’t try to do too many things within one video

Have a clear focus: “we want to explain “x” and therefore encourage “y”. Of course, depending on the type of video you’re producing there are some differences. A general rule is if your audience isn’t required to watch your video, such as playing it at a live event where people are essentially forced to watch it, then you really want to keep it as short and to the point as possible. Have follow-up information such as another more in-depth video or a website page, for those that are interested.

3) Make decisions based on your insights

Again this one seems common knowledge, but too often I see clients wanting to do something because they saw someone else do it and not because it actually makes sense based on their unique needs. For example the style of your video should be correlated with what would work best for your audience and what resources you have available to you. I do encourage finding example videos that you can draw inspiration from, but always ensure the choices made work with the goals, objectives, audience insights, and content you’re working with.

If you apply these tips to your next video project I’m sure it will be successful for you.

If there’s ever anything else I can assist you with on the video front please don’t hesitate to reach out! Ready to take a hand at making your own video content? Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

The post 3 Tips to Keep Your Video Ideas’ Focus appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

The Difference That Lighting Makes on Video

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 17:34:00 GMT

What a difference a bit of light can make – am I right?! Take a peek at my three set-ups: window behind me and overhead pot-lights on, window in front of me, and ring light in front of me. The latter really helps with consistency and allows you to have a good lighting set-up anywhere you position yourself within a room. That’s why it’s so convenient and my number one recommendation to quickly transform your DIY video or even video call set-up from novice to pro.

GET YOUR LIGHTING ON

All the great Hollywood stars appreciate good lighting and you should too. Because who likes being in shadow, being back-lit, or having overhead lights hit you in all the wrong places? It’s not only unflattering, but it’s harder for your audience or meeting contact to connect with you when they can’t properly see you.

USE YOUR WINDOW

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to get good lighting is to put yourself directly in front of a window. While your filming location may not be ideal for that, such as mine, natural light is very flattering. But do keep in mind time of day and the direction your window faces. As harsh sunlight will be difficult on your eyes and make you look washed out.

USE A RING LIGHT

The best way to have control over your light source is to get a ring light. If you search the term on Amazon you’ll find larger ones that come on a stand, like I use, as well as much smaller ones that attach to your laptop which are great for webinars or video calls. What you’re aiming for is for no one to notice your lighting; for viewers NOT to be distracted by your lack of light or shadows, and instead focus on you and your message.

I hope these tips were helpful, and as always if I can ever help you on the video front please reach out to me. Ready to take a hand at making your own video content? Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

The post The Difference That Lighting Makes on Video appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Overcoming the Fear of Putting Out Video Content

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 16:20:00 GMT

Have you ever let fear hold you back? I think the answer is yes for most of us. Interestingly though, a lot of that fear may be subconscious and you may not even recognize the ways in which it’s causing you to miss opportunities. I felt this was an important topic to speak on because it’s something that I’ve found everyone I coach or direct struggles with. But the important thing about the individuals I work with is they’ve taken the first step. Pushing yourself to do something beyond your comfort zone is a great way to know that you are making progress.

Why do we often procrastinate important tasks?

Why do people decide something isn’t worth their time when they know it could be a game changer for them?

I really think it boils down to fear.

So many of us have a subconscious voice that we don’t even hear, but it’s steering us in a consistent direction so we don’t need to leave our comfort zone.

In having an opportunity to connect with and coach so many great business leaders over the last year, as well as interview and direct on-set over the last decade, I’ve noticed this is a universal struggle.

For start-up founders and senior level executives; from technical team members to front line sales staff, we all have insecurities.

And while just “getting over it” isn’t an easy option, learning how to reframe the narrative you tell yourself can make a big impact and help you accomplish those goals that are going to move the needle in your job or business.

So the next time you try to push something important to the side, stop to recognize that you may be doing it based on fear of the unknown.

And remind yourself that those you look up to, and those that have accomplished what you also hope to, likely had similar doubts.

But they didn’t let what others might think of them get in the way. So they pushed the self-doubt out, forged ahead, and when they looked back they couldn’t believe that they hadn’t started sooner.

If you’ve wanted to put yourself out there on video, to tell your story, share your expertise, and connect with your audience, then reach out to me to learn how I can help you.

The post Overcoming the Fear of Putting Out Video Content appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Increase Email Open Rates with Video (Got a Minute?)

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 14:00:00 GMT

Email open and click rates determine the success of your email marketing campaign. You can have the best deal you’ve ever promoted or the most engaging content ever written, but if your audience does not open it or immediately bounce away from it, then you’re losing out. Today, we’ll share one way to instantly boost the success of your email open rates.

[TRANSCRIPT]

How to embed a video into an email while ensuring playability.

The most unappealing way to email a video out is through a URL link, because the viewer won’t know what they’re about to click on. Here’s a better way to get their view.

Create a thumbnail for your video – screenshot a frame of your video that attracts attention. For even better click results, add a play button on the image. If you don’t have Photoshop, you can use Canva, MS Paint or even search for a free site that places play buttons onto images.

Once you have that, in your email, attach and select the image, then press “Insert Link” and paste your URL in. To be safe, we suggest still putting in the text URL underneath it for email clients that block images.

That’s it! Now most emails users will receive your email and see a thumbnail that goes straight to your video!

Ready to take a hand at making your own video content?

Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

The post Increase Email Open Rates with Video (Got a Minute?) appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Add Captions to Your Videos!

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 20:39:00 GMT

Up to 85% of social media videos are played with no sound. That means most LinkedIn members will be watching your video as if it’s a silent film. As we’ve stated before, captions are no longer a ‘nice to have’ but have become a staple part of most videos.

It’s pretty annoying when you can’t hear or understand what is being said right?

That’s why captions are so vitally important.

And it’s important to remember that captions are not only vital for the hearing impaired, but they are also super useful for anyone who is trying to view a video and isn’t able to or doesn’t want to turn on the volume.

On platforms like LinkedIn, videos are auto muted and the viewer has to manually turn on the sound. So it’s best not to waste the 1st few seconds of your video. Having captions ensures anyone scrolling by knows what you are talking about right away, so they can decide if they want to continue watching.

So ask yourself would you watch a video without captions? Do you find it beneficial when you’re provided captions in a video? And of course most importantly is your organization interested in creating inclusive content that is easy for all to access and consume.

There are a few different ways you can add subtitles or captions into your video. Feel free to reach out to discuss what might work best for your situation.

The post Add Captions to Your Videos! appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Let’s Play a Game: Can You Spot the Difference?

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 20:31:00 GMT

Who wants to play a game?

This game is called Spot the Difference.

It shouldn’t be too challenging, and it should bring to light ways to improve your performance; whether on a recorded video or a live video call. Because remember: all the world’s a stage.

Play along and let me know what the 3 performance differences you see in each round are. The lesson here is small things make a big difference. I think round 1 might be the hardest to notice, but I’m looking forward to your guesses!

The answers are below:

GAME ROUND 1: Excessive Movement vs. Being Still

Because there are certain things that we do that send cues to our audience, and while you might not realize the distinction these differences can make, they do impact overall perception.

ROUND 2: Monotone Vs. Energetic Delivery

Especially in our zoom world or on pre-recorded video, we have to be conscious of the ways we present ourselves. It’s much easier to notice when you see someone else doing something than when you’re doing it yourself. So it’s important to actively attempt to adjust your behavior.

ROUND 3: Good Vs. Bad Eyeline

It’s noticeable when you’re looking down, even if you don’t mean to.

I really appreciate everyone who has taken the time to watch this video. I hope it added a bit of fun to your day and as always if there’s anything I can help you with on the video front please reach out!

The post Let’s Play a Game: Can You Spot the Difference? appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

3 Things that KILL Your Video’s Lifespan (Got a Minute?)

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 14:00:00 GMT

A video’s lifespan is exactly what it sounds like – it is how long the video can be used successfully without feeling clearly out of date. when planning or producing any video content, keeping video lifespan as high as possible should always be one of your priorities if you want to get the most value out of your video, or if you want to avoid having to revisit the edit of the video shortly in the future.

[3 Things that KILL your video’s reusability TRANSCRIPT]

Your video’s lifespan is a key component to its Return On Investment.

The first thing that kills video reusability is referencing a specific year or date. For example, saying “this month we celebrate our 25 ^th anniversary” is not ideal because next year that won’t be the case anymore.

Instead, reference dates in a way that is more general, like “we are proud to celebrate over 50 years in business.”

The second thing is not having all on-screen talent sign a proper release form. Down the road, if someone wants to be excluded from the video, not having a release form means that you may need to pull the video, or edit that person out – which leads us to our final point.

Not having backups of your project files mean that you don’t have the capacity to adjust edited content such as music, footage, and graphics on screen. You want to ensure your video production company has all these assets backed up, and stored together. Then, if you do ever need to readjust the video, you have the flexibility to do so.

Those are 3 things that kill your video’s reusability.

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How to Make Your Video More Accessible (Got a Minute?)

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 15:00:00 GMT

Adopt Accessible Practices Now to Future-Proof Your Videos

By 2031 people at risk of disability and people with disabilities will represent 40% of total income in Ontario. That is a massive portion of the public that you are losing if you’re not considering their individual needs.

In Ontario, accessibility is required by law, specifically the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act .

[TRANSCRIPT]

Today, accessibility consideration is a MUST from a legal and ethical standpoint. For videos, here’s what you can do.

You can add captions, either closed captions that can be turned on or off, or open captions that are built into the video.

Having a downloadable transcript of your video readily available for viewers is also a good idea.

For users with difficulty seeing, audio descriptions are voiced explanations of what’s happening on screen, like “Woman enters a building and sits in the lobby.”

Finally there are color design choices to be aware of. Know the color combinations that would be difficult to discern to users with colorblindness, especially for graphic text and images.

By 2031 40% of the working population is projected to have a disability or be at risk of having a disability. Make sure your content is accessible to everyone.

Interested in creating accessible, AODA-compliant videos, or turning existing videos into AODA-compliant content? Contact us here and we can get your web video content set for AODA standards! Ready to take a hand at making your own video content? Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert.

The post How to Make Your Video More Accessible (Got a Minute?) appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Why is Video so Effective?

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 15:00:00 GMT

Why Video is so Effective

Today’s ‘Got a Minute?’ video is all about why video is as great as it is. You hear video is more effective than text all the time, but today we’ll share with you some of the science as to why.

40% of the nerve fibers in our brains are dedicated to the retinas, and 90% of all information that comes to the brain is visual. It’s a “no-brainer” that’s as a result, the majority of people are considered “visual learners.”

Visuals are processed in the brain 60,000 times faster than text, and they’re stored in the part of your brain that stores “long-term memory.” And here’s what you really want to know – that part of the brain is called the medial temporal lobe – which just happens to also be where human emotions are processed.

All this makes video quick to understand, effective for information retention, and naturally evocative of emotion and feeling. Text just can’t compare to the power of video to get your message across. This also means that when you are preparing your video content, don’t just consider the message you’re delivering, but the emotion you want to convey. This gives that much more edge to your content, ensuring their overall effectiveness.

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Why Video Works Better than Text: The Math and Science

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 15:00:00 GMT

Is video better than text? Well, do you believe a picture is worth a thousand words?

Yes? Then what about a video?

A few years back, Dr. James McQuivey of Forrester Research suprised the eLearning and marketing spheres with his announcement: “1 minute of video is worth 1.8 million words.” The blog journalists went nuts. It’s a bit of a joke, but one with some simple math behind it.

1min video – 1.8 million words

One standard second of video is made up of 30 frames. A frame is a single picture, which we’re assuming is worth 1000 words, from the oh-so-famous saying. That means one second of video is worth 30,000 words (30×1000), then times 60 seconds gets us those golden 1.8 million words worth of text.

1000 x 30 x 60 = 1,800,000

That’s the same as 3,600 web pages, at average length. Or, if you were to imagine that it only took an hour for a developer to create one normal sized web page, it would still take 150 days to finish that amount of text. So this may not be the most scientifically correct saying. But there’s merit in what McQuivey is saying. After all:

Proverbial sayings aside, the advantage of video in marketing or eLearning simply cannot be overstated. Video isn’t just desired by your learners; it’s expected by them – and they expect more by the second. Your audience wants quality, they want entertainment, and at the end of the day, they want to remember the information they just learned. Let’s look a bit deeper into why video just works so well to accomplish these three things.

It’s physiologically ingrained in us to love video better than text

All this makes video quick to understand, easy to remember, and naturally evocative of emotion and feeling. Text just can’t compare to the power of video to get your message across.

Get started making video for your business!

The post Why Video Works Better than Text: The Math and Science appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Animation or live-action for your video needs?

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 15:00:00 GMT

You want to get a message across but don’t know if it’s best shown with animation, or with live people. Here’s what we often suggest.

What is the difference between animation and live-action?

Live-action is very straight-forward; it’s video with real people in front of the camera. Conversely, animated video means the video is comprised of moving graphic elements. There is a multitude of different animation styles – even just text that moves across the screen can be considered animation. This means there is a healthy amount of flexibility with varying budgets. On the higher end are standard drawn-style animation and 3D animation. However, there are also simpler animations using pre-created flat icons. When looking to produce an animated video for your marketing, eLearning, or communications content, you stand to make the most use of your budget with a producing team that understands what scope of animation gives you the best dollar value.

To choose between the two, think about what you need to say. At the end of the day, are you trying to teach something, or get the viewer to feel a certain way?

Animation works for complex concepts

If you’re working with complex or information-heavy subject matter, like complicated software, brand-new tech, or finance, then, animation is a great choice. Imagine trying to describe difficult mathematics, or stats to someone without visual aids. You’ll usually want to show something pictorial that nicely summarizes your point. Animation lets you explain big concepts in simple, appealing and very visual ways, which helps viewers understand quicker and remain engaged.

Live-Action is good for emotion

However, if your goal is less about teaching the viewer something and more about getting them to feel a certain way, like excitement or pride towards your brand, then live action may have the most impact. People connect with other people, especially when there is a story you can tell. And that engagement can drive stronger brand and company appeal. As we’ve mentioned before, though, when going the live action route make sure that the person appearing on camera is the best person to represent your brand . Sometimes you want the person that connects the most with your intended audience to speak your message, not necessarily the “most knowledgable person.”

You can use both animation AND live-action!

You can definitely make use of both forms of content in a single video – in fact, this can usually be the best approach to your content. What tends to work the best is live-action video that is supplemented by occasional moments of animation when a more complicated concept arises. However, sometimes your budget may not have the luxury of incorporating both. Or, you may not have the time to coordinate many different people to film video content, in which case you’d prefer an animation video. There are many practical factors that go into making a video, but if you can take into account the purpose different stylistic choices offer, than you’ll be in a better position to make effective creative decisions that work for your objective.

The post Animation or live-action for your video needs? appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Adding Different Languages to Your Video

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 15:18:00 GMT

Having your video content be available in different languages is greatly beneficial. Providing more languages accessible means potentially reaching a far greater number of potential viewers.

Language translated captions

When it comes to the simplest option, captions are the easiest way to make your video more accessible in other languages. Even if the language spoken in the video is in English, viewers in other languages can read the translation at the bottom of the video. Captions can be embedded into the video, meaning they will always be played, or added as .SRT captions (or closed captions), meaning it can be toggled on or off.

Choosing closed captions gives you even greater flexibility, as platforms like YouTube will allow you to upload multiple srt files in different languages. This means Korean and Spanish viewers, for example, can view your content. If your goal is having a wide number of languages covered in your one video, closed captions are the most efficient route to take.

Challenges to be aware of when adding new languages.

We’ve worked for various projects where more than one language was required, and have had our fair share of the challenges associated with such a requirement. Here are some of the most common challenges we’ve faced that you will want to be aware of in advance for your project:

Some languages are spoken differently in certain parts of the world

It may, or may not come as a surprise that certain languages can be pretty different depending on geographical location. For example, you usually don’t expect a news report to be delivered in a Scottish accent if you live in Canada. The same goes for other languages. In particular, we’ve occasionally run into the challenge of ensuring we deliver French-Canadian translations. Many companies rely on third-party translation services if there is no one in-house to supervise the translation. When hiring a translation service from English to French, especially if you live in Canada, you want to make sure your translators can provide French-Canadian as an option, as there are subtle differences in certain situations. Confirming this early can save you from needing to re-hire a translator down the road.

Dealing with other languages takes time

You should also be aware that whenever another language is added to the mix, the expected turnaround is significantly longer than with English-only content. The important fact to keep in mind is that within a professional video production company, there are multiple people that play a hand in the overall production process. This includes talent, directors, producers, editors, animators, and more. Each one at some point provides their confirmation if the video is of the right quality to consider acceptable to be shown publicly. Naturally, not all would be expected to know different languages – and the slowed pace to ensure no human error should not be discounted. Keep this in mind when you’re expecting a rushed timeline.

We often suggest to produce and finalize an English version of the video content first – and once it’s set in stone it can serve as a template for other languages so that there is less “guesswork” involved.

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3 Top Video Trends Going Into 2021

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 21:50:00 GMT

[VIDEO TRENDS] 2020 was a tough year. Businesses were challenged to change the way they connected to their audiences. So we want to share with you the three most common video trends we’ve been helping our clients with that you can expect to see more of in 2021.

One of the Biggest Video Trends: Virtual Events

Virtual events became the norm as physical gatherings around the world shut down.

Trade shows were some of the first to go virtual, broadcasting their keynotes and live panels through streaming platforms like Zoom, Hopin, and Streamyard.

At one of the events we worked on for Redstone Agency, sponsors were given virtual booths to promote their brand. Our team coordinated consulting and virtual filming sessions with each sponsoring brand, guiding them forward on how to present their product or service through a pre-recorded web-cam based video, mixed with powerpoint presentations and existing assets.

We also helped commercial brands, associations and nonprofit organizations capitalize on the use of dynamic video content for their virtual events. From pre-recorded panel discussions, to year in review highlight reels, and post-event thank you summaries. We’ve seen that there are two key advantages of virtual events; the ability to prepare content in advance to ensure the highest possible quality., as well as the ease of capturing your event footage to then package into great promotional content for the next event.

Based on the way 2021 is looking so far, it doesn’t seem like virtual events are going away anytime soon. So finding ways to make your event more interesting, such as through the use of snappy, quick-paced visual content is something you’ll want to consider.

Self-recorded content

In addition to large events, even regular face-to-face meetings have been reduced or eliminated. But business professionals still need to find a way to get in front of their target audience, and stay top of mind to their network.

Which is why we’ve seen a rise in self-recorded content. Anyone with a smartphone can record video content, which can then be spread on professional channels to build their brand. From personal stories, to educational tips, we’re seeing more fun and informational content being produced and shared. We even designed a master class purely to teach business owners how to make their own branded video content on a non-existent budget. We explain the process from A to Z starting with the equipment to procure, best practices for scripting, filming and editing, with private virtual coaching along the way. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you can do so at the link below.

Accessibility

Lastly, we are seeing a much-needed surge in accessible video content. Captions are becoming the norm, and in 2021 they will become mandatory for companies with 50 or more employees. Captions don’t just benefit viewers with disabilities, but a large portion of your main audience as well. On social channels, a huge number of videos are played without sound based on preference only, and they also give your video a boost in its SEO, as it gives search engines the text keywords to hone in on. So captions have become a must.

These are the big three trends we saw in 2020 that are sure to grow in practice in 2021. Now, do you need to produce video content for your company or personal brand? Reach out, we’d love to assist you. Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert that can adapt to the latest video trends. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

The post 3 Top Video Trends Going Into 2021 appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Are you making sure to edu-tain your eLearning audience?

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 15:00:00 GMT

People leave companies when they are bored and don’t feel challenged, which is exactly why entertaining training content is key to an organization’s success. Let’s take a look at how you can both educate AND entertain (i.e. edu-tain) your audiences at the same time!

Here are some ways to keep your learners paying attention.

Avoid just talking

Firstly, avoid too much “talking head.” This is when you see a person on-screen talking about a certain subject. Try to tell less and show more by adding some graphic text or animation to your content to edu-tain your viewers.

Space your edu-tain focused content into chunks

Next, think about making your learning content modular and bite-sized. This hones your content to the key learning objectives. People often call this “microleanring”

Microlearning is the use of condensed, focused learning modules (3-5 mins or less in duration) that are each specifically designed to meet a singular learning outcome for the learner. Most often designed with new media formats, especially in mobile devices, it is an approach that centers itself around the learner by providing available-on-demand instruction. All of the factors of microlearning ensure that it can be easily accessed, swiftly completed, and effectively applied by the learner.

Edu-tain by adding interactive features

Finally, you could also make that content interactive. People like to apply their knowledge.

Interactive video is video you can click on. The premise is simple, but with it the possibilities are endless. Why wait until after the video finishes playing to add a quiz activity, when you could place the activity during the video and instantly allow learners to apply their knowledge? With branching scenarios, you can create a choose-your-own-adventure style of video that provides your viewer with immediate feedback on their choices. Or, with chapters and/or menus you can give your viewer the ability to pick the information they want to see, and leave the rest for later.

For your eLearning content add quizzes or activities to supplement the video. If you’re running an LMS, maybe even consider “gamifying” your learning experience with digital trophies or a way to compete with others.

Gamification, a fairly recent word that has made waves in the eLearning sphere, is based around the concept of applying fun, competitive, and clearly designed challenges to real-life practical objectives (as opposed to solely entertainment). In an academic setting, this often means clever reinterpretations or scenarios that depict the educational curriculum, with badges or other award systems to add to the game feel. 80% of learners claim to be more productive with gamification involved in their learning strategy. (Deloitte Insights)

Education is now only half of the journey. Entertainment is the other half. If you’re interested in the opportunity to “edu-tain” your learners with DIY video content that you can produce yourself – check out our master class here . Or, if you’re more interested in having a professional team handle your video needs, contact us here about your video goals.

The post Are you making sure to edu-tain your eLearning audience? appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

How to Create Simple Yet Effective Video

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 14:38:00 GMT

Can you record a simple video with just a phone and nothing else? Sure you can. I produced today’s video to prove that.

But would I recommend simple shot video?

If you’re just starting out your journey to create video content or want to test the waters to see how your network will respond to your content this could be a good first step.

I do of course encourage the use of a few pieces of gear and some editing to raise the professionalism of the content you put out.

[TRANSCRIPT]

Creating video is so hard.

Yes, creating great videos is hard!

But creating simple, effective, touch-point videos doesn’t have to be.

But Vanessa I don’t have any equipment, and even $200 isn’t in the budget right now. And besides I don’t know how to edit, I don’t have the time or patience to learn, and I can’t afford to hire a team like yours to do the editing for me.

Okay so there are some people that find themselves in a situation like this one.

That’s why today I wanted to show you an example of a video that isn’t of the highest production quality, and it isn’t even the basics of what I would recommend.

However if you’re in a place where you want to communicate and connect with your target audience and you know doing something is better than nothing, then here’s what you can do.

Put yourself in front of your free light source – the window. Maybe like me, based on where the window is in your house the background isn’t the most ideal, but beggars can’t be choosers right? And I’d take good lighting over a good background any day.

Next you may be able to set-up your phone on a high table with a stack of books and a mug behind it to hold it up. But in my set-up that wasn’t really feasible so I’m just holding my phone as steady as I can, and acting like this selfie angle is what I’m going for.

And because I’m not planning on adding any graphics, cuts, music, or anything else to this video, I need to make sure my recording is as clean as possible. That means I need to film it all in one continuous take, and if any annoying background sounds pop up I’d stop and re-start.

I created this video to show you that anything is possible. And the basic premise of getting your message out in a dynamic way through video is the most important first step.

Of course adding in your company’s branding, making it more lively with music and having a more polished look add to the professionalism of what you’re putting out there. But everyone needs to start somewhere.

If I can support you in any way with the creation of your video content please reach out, I’d love to assist you!

Ready to take a hand at making your own video content after familiarizing yourself with these scripting mistakes to avoid? Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

The post How to Create Simple Yet Effective Video appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

LinkedIn Video: Ideas to Make The Best Use of Video for Your Channel

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 15:00:00 GMT

LinkedIn is a great platform for a very specifically tailored type of video content. Remember that LinkedIn is a business-orientated platform. In such an environment, there is probably no better strategy for growing your reach and interaction than revealing interesting, relevant, and useful insights into your industry niche. LinkedIn is a community where viewers are actively looking for sources of learning and information – and even more importantly, connections to the best people that offer that information. And the more actionable your insights, the better. As such we highly recommend that you aim to create all of your LinkedIn videos with this fact in mind. Don’t underestimate the value of thought leadership for growing your business. Your personal reputation contributes to your business’ reputation, and vice-versa. The more actionable your insights, the better.

Here is what we recommend you start practicing in your LinkedIn video content to start leveraging your videos better.

Introduce yourself

A great way to get started on LinkedIn is with an introductory video. On LinkedIn, your content swims in a sea of content. You can’t expect every viewer to know who you are, and that’s ok – preferred even. This means you’re operating on the opportunity to create new connections.

People who don’t know who you are, naturally, are less likely to interact with your content because of that fact. In that case, make it as easy as possible for them to get to know you and create a short brand introduction video. It should help them understand what you do, what you hope to do, and what your main offerings are. Try to be quick to get into what you offer because that’s what people will latch onto first. Hook them in with a unique take on something, or special perspectives, or even what results that viewers can expect from listening to what you have to say.

Don’t be afraid to get creative and produce a video that is both entertaining and informative. In fact, we think all content should be “edu-taining” to some extent. Going a little out of the box is what creates buzz, which is the viral video jackpot that all video content creators strive for.

Capitalize on your winning content

Every so often you’ll post a video that just works, whether by drawing in huge viewing numbers, likes, engagement, comments, and so on. Not every video is a winner, and that’s why sometimes you just want to focus on putting out as much content as possible for better chances of getting that ringer. Then, when you’re on to a winner like this, capitalize on it. There’s a reason it’s popular. If you have an email chain, for instance, send it out to everyone on it with the word ‘video’ on the subject. If you have other marketing channels, like Facebook, post it on those too. And then, take note of why it did well, as this can lead to better video content decisions in the future as well.

The post LinkedIn Video: Ideas to Make The Best Use of Video for Your Channel appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Evergreen VS. Topical Video Content

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 14:59:00 GMT

One of the easiest ways to come up with new content is to divide your list into Evergreen vs. Topical ideas. This is one of the strategies I use to ensure I stay on top of posting regularly and have thoughtful topics to share with my network. We all have so much to say, so much knowledge and insight inside of us, but bringing that out does take planning.

So I hope my topic this week inspires someone to start creating their ongoing list!

[TRANSCRIPT]

Evergreen versus Topical. You’ve likely heard these terms before, but do you actively use them as a strategy in your content planning?

Content marketing is a great way to showcase your expertise and stay top of mind, but we all know it can be a challenge to come up with fresh new content on a regular basis to share with our network.

So as you create your ongoing list of topic ideas, which is a practice I highly recommend, you may want to think about these two main categories.

Evergreen is content that will stay relevant for years to come. This is what the bulk of your content likely stems from. Things like commonly asked questions from clients and your top tips and tricks. These will be easy to list out and pull from when needed. However in addition to these staples, you can also throw in some more topical ideas: things that are based on the current climate, the time of year, or something that is in the news or new to your industry. For example, talking about goal setting or trends for the coming year of course works really well at the start of a new year.

While evergreen content is very useful and will have a long shelf life, topical content can sometimes spark a lot of interest due to its timely nature. So working in a nice mixture of these two approaches is something you should think about as you build out your content plan for the weeks and months ahead. And if you want to start putting your own video content out into the world, download my free script template to help you get started.

Ready to take a hand at making your own video content?

Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

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User-generated Content – Why Your Next Marketing Plan Should Use It

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 15:00:00 GMT

It’s not a matter of what the latest video marketing trends are, but how will you leverage them in 2021?

User-generated content has become a growing trend. As we see greater evolution in video and platform technology, and new mediums to bring video to viewers, it comes to no surprise that more experts and organizations are placing a greater emphasis on video in their marketing and corporate strategies in 2020. Let’s take a look at what industry experts are saying regarding video marketing trends, and what resources are being recommended to optimize your marketing plan and generate more leads out of video.

99% of companies that used video in their marketing in 2020 will continue to do so in 2021.

User-Generated Content: The Big Player in Video Marketing in 2021

Of that content, user-generated video has become especially popular. What is user-generated content? As described by Hootsuite , “user-generated content (UGC) is any content—text, videos, images, reviews, etc.—created by people, rather than brands. And brands will often share UGC on their own social media accounts, website, and other marketing channels.” This is incredibly valuable in today’s media. After years of ads, the number of consumers that trust ads has fallen to only 25% . Considering the large expense of running an ad campaign, this may be considered a huge loss in ROI. This isn’t always the case, as ad campaigns have a scale factor that beats that should be considered. Even if only 25% trust your ad, if there is a large enough audience that engaged with it, to begin with, then you can still see fantastic ROI. Even viewers that skipped the ad, like on YouTube, still has some level of impression from your brand which is still valuable.

However, where it comes in is the more intimate community. User-generated content feels authentic, trustworthy, and most of all engaging for the consumers! It certainly requires a community that is already willing to engage in some form with your content. But once they contribute, those opinions stick. 70% of consumers trust customer opinions over direct advertisements.

What are some ideas of user-generated content?

User-generated content and National Geographic

National Geographic manages an active social media community and displayed a fantastic example of leveraging user-generated content. Their #WanderlustContest prompted users to post photos for the chance to win a National Geographic photo expedition to Yosemite National Park. From the user-submitted content, they produced an immense, interactive slideshow on their website. The result was over 63K posts on their Instagram.

The big takeaways from NatGeo’s successful campaign are that user-generated content isn’t just a contest to see who submitted the best content. From the get-go, the purpose was to incorporate the efforts of many submissions to create what feels like a collaborative experience of people around the world in their final product – the interactive slideshow. In addition, there should feel like there is an incentive to participate, and an enjoyment participating in the group.

If a 130 year old brand can be adapted to changing technology and trends, so can yours! User-generated content combines the two forces that may easily be the most compelling ways to convince potential customers to buy into your brand: new technological trends and time-tested, word of mouth.

What can we expect from 2021?

Brands are cluing into the fact that user-generated content is working. Again, the key to a successful campaign incorporating user-generated content is an existing community that can engage in the event. It may not have to be specifically a community that your brand has fostered on your social media channels, but even a niche community can be specifically targeted with incentives. We can expect even more creative ways of getting customers involved with their brands, garnering online attention and prestige for individuals while driving better recognition for brands.

Have ideas to incorporate user-generated video content in your next big marketing campaign? We can help make it happen. Contact us here to get it started !

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3 BIG Scripting Mistakes – Avoid These Pitfalls!

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:10:00 GMT

SCRIPTING MISTAKES: In any film, the script is the heart of the production. The script is the core from which everything else spawns, from the visuals to the music and the overall tone and pacing. For corporate video, this fact does not change.

We’ve worked on countless video productions, and written hundreds of drafts of scripts at this point. We’ve seen what works, and what has created more issues than it was worth. Today, we’ll dissect the biggest scripting mistakes that we’ve encountered so that you can take these lessons into account as you put out video content for you and your business.

Mistake #1: Not Locking the Script

When we call a script “locked,” that means it is finalized, approved, and ready to proceed with preproduction. Again, everything – from the storyboard to the actors hired, to the music selection, and the visual style – all hem completely on the script. By far the biggest mistake we find is when people don’t treat locking a script as seriously and think that big script changes can always occur later in the project timeline. But consider what happens when certain assets, like graphics, are created or purchased, and certain actors have been hired before suddenly the script changes significantly – say, instead of a man, a woman would deliver certain lines. This results in a lot of preparations coming undone, and in video production, these kinds of late script adjustments can be akin to starting from the beginning again.

That said, that is not to say that there absolutely can’t be edits to the script, ever. What you should be aware of as early as possible is that the extra time ensuring that the script is as perfect and aligned with the creative vision as possible will be time well invested, and can easily spare you from many wasted hours in the future should near the end of the project cycle someone mentions somewhere that the script needed to be changed.

Mistake #2: Being Too Formal

When you’ve written the first draft of your script, or are reviewing the first draft written by your writer, try reading it out loud. Even if you’re used to writing written materials about you or your business, you may soon find that the way you write is very different from the way you talk. Video is still a spoken medium in most regards and has the end goal of being accessible to a very wide audience. You do not have the luxury of adjusting the way you speak or your tone based on the listener. As such, you want your content to instead just sound natural and conversational, easing the viewer into the content. This is as much a factor of your comfort and familiarity of going in front of a camera as it is your script writing, but how formal the script is will translate into your delivery, so always keep that in mind.

Mistake #3: Saying Too Much

We certainly are not discounting all the great things that there are to say about your business, or about your latest product or service. But the fact is that videos can and should only be so long. When it comes to videos, viewers know before they even press the play button how much of a time commitment your video is going to be. The longer it is, the more you had better be prepared to ensure your content is compelling enough for the viewer to stay tuned for each incoming second. At any point they can exit out – how we measure this is called bounce rate – and the moment they do you’re usually losing out on them catching the final Call to Action, which tends to be the biggest propellant to your main source of lead conversion as it guides your viewer to go where you want them to end up.

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Backup and File Organization Tips: Avoid Time Pitfalls!

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 15:32:00 GMT

[TRANSCRIPT]

Today we’re getting more technical.

Because we’ve all been there at one time or another when technology fails us, and it’s usually a good learning lesson. But sometimes time goes by and we start to forget that pain, and then fall back into bad habits.

So today I want to share some best practices for ensuring your precious work is both backed-up and properly organized.

First up, create good file management.

When you write a script, film a video, or pull any items that will be used for your project they should all be stored in a root folder that is ideally saved on something external from your desktop.

This can be a cloud-based platform like Dropbox or an external hard drive.

This way you can always easily go back and access your files if you ever need to adjust something, and you’re storing them somewhere that they will be safe even if your computer blows up or is stolen.

Next check the settings of the system you’re working on.

Some software will allow you to adjust the auto-save feature from 30-minutes to 10-minutes, or even 5-minutes. Meaning if you forget to press “save” and your computer crashes, well at least it auto-saved for you within the last few minutes.

And one way to really ensure you’ll be safe is to use a software such as Premiere Rush, which is what I use to edit my LinkedIn videos.

As it’s a cloud-based software solution it autosaves every time you make an adjustment. So there is no need to ever worry about having to save your work.

It is a horrible feeling to have a technical failure and lose your work. So while we can’t guarantee it won’t happen, all we can do is be aware and plan for it and do everything in our power to make recovery as easy as possible.

I hope these tips were a helpful reminder! If there’s anything else you’ve been struggling with when it comes to video creation, content marketing, or technical issues let me know in the comments below and I’ll try to make a future video around that topic.

Ready to take a hand at making your own video content?

Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

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My Lesson from 2020 to Take into 2021

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:00:00 GMT

It’s a great time to look at the hard-won lessons of the past year, and so I wanted to share the most important lesson I learned in 2020 that I’m going to take into 2021.

Lesson 1: You are your own worst critic

I was reminded that I am my own biggest critic and that fear truly is my greatest obstacle. Although I’ve been facing my fears of putting myself out there ever since I started this business five years ago, I feel like I just wasn’t committed until I started putting out weekly video content that truly let everything hang out. I didn’t have time to be overly prepared like I was used to. I had to let go of perfectionism and realize that good enough was much better than nothing at all. And yet that style of content seemed to receive a more positive response from my network than anything I had done before, which then gave me the drive to keep going.

Lesson 2: Just keep at it

The key lesson is: it’s the consistency that leads to real results. Yes, there days where I wasn’t sure what I should talk about and my content maybe didn’t get as great of a response as others. But I kept going because it was the moments that popped up every few weeks where I’d receive an email or a comment from a private message that made me realize that what I was doing was working: I was showcasing who I am what I do what I care about and I was building trust and rapport even during a time where it’s difficult to connect with others. So looking back at 2020 I think the pandemic really pushed me to not take myself too seriously, to realize the power of getting in front of my audience and to focus on providing as much value as I can.

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Content Ideas for January

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 14:27:00 GMT

Looking for ideas to use this month? Check out this video!

What should you be saying in your content right now? As it’s the start of a new year now is the perfect time to take advantage of some great content ideas that work best in the month of January.

Firstly, why not look back and speak about your greatest accomplishments from the year prior. I learned long ago that if you’re not going to talk about your successes then no one else will either. So it’s the perfect time to think about the wins you had, the challenges you overcame, and use it as a lesson and inspiration to others; but also as a way to remind people what you do and why you’re so great at it. Conversely another idea is to start looking forward. What are the trends you’re seeing for the coming year in your industry? What should people look out for, what should they buy into, and what should they avoid?

This is a great way to showcase your knowledge and expertise, and offer valuable advice for your audience. Lastly, as people are typically in planning mode in January, you could do an informal Q&A. Encourage your network to ask you questions about topics you have a lot of understanding in. People love getting free insight from someone they trust, and if what you do has any relevance to something your network is working towards in the year ahead it could garner a lot of interest.

I hope these ideas help you create some great content that keeps you top of mind for your target audience. And as always, please reach out to me if you need any help with video content creation.

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(Stats) As Houses Remain on Lockdown, Video Consumption Rises

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 15:00:00 GMT

Let’s look at some video stats from 2020. According to HubSpot , 71% of people watched more video in 2020 than they did a year ago. This comes to little surprise considering more people are staying home as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect Canadian public spaces and businesses. With this extra time spent indoors and watching video, let’s take a look at what content people are looking at and what this could mean for your marketing strategy.

Stats show people are using video to learn

Google reports stats that 65% of people use YouTube to help them solve a problem. There are fewer options for professionals to visit homes to fix household issues, and that combined with a growing DIY mentality has helped accelerate the rapid growth of online tutorials. We ourselves have even created our own online course for creating video content online with just a few simple tools and your smartphone – check it out here . Joining this trend and offering online advice and knowledge cements your place in people’s minds as an expert in your field. The biggest benefit of informational or educational content is that such videos are typically longer form, which means that viewers have the chance to engage with your brand for that much longer.

We are especially excited to see an influx of more self-produced video content on LinkedIn. Videos on LinkedIn generate 50% more views, according to LinkedIn . We’re seeing a growing trend towards video being used to empower not just corporate brands, but personal individuals and brands as well.

Stats show people still love social videos

Snapchat users watch 10 billion videos each day, according to Mashable. Meanwhile, MARKINBLOG has reported that more than 1 billion videos are viewed on TikTok every day. When in-person interactions are cut to an all-time low, we’re seeing a huge rise in interaction over social media. And video is the kingpin of social media content. Social media videos generate 1200% more shares than text and image content combined, according to a study covered in G2 Crowd .

This also means advertising on social media platforms is now more effective as well. Mobile video ad spend was observed to be around 72% of the total digital ad spend in 2020 ( eMarketer ). Of those, Facebook was the most popular platform, with 81% of marketers preferring it over others.

People are expecting video in their shopping experience

85% of consumers want to see more video content from brands ( HubSpot ). And 64% of consumers will make a purchase after watching branded videos on social platforms. ( Tubular Insights ). Considering how important video has become in marketing products, there is also strong speculation that shoppable ads will also become more common. Amazon, Instagram, and Netflix are all gearing up to make this a bigger possibility in the near future. This may certainly fit the bill for 2021, as people become more comfortable with shopping online instead of physically.

These are the insights from 2020 that outline an even bigger year than ever for video in 2021. We hope you’re as excited as we are to see how marketers continue to elevate their strategy using video. Got an idea planned yourself? Tell us about your budget and goal here ! We can help you reach the audience you’re looking for.

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Teleprompter: How to read from them and feel natural

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 15:00:00 GMT

So you’re going to be appearing in front of a camera and reading from a teleprompter! Teleprompters scroll through a script that you import on your screen, so that you don’t need to look to the side or below the camera lens to read from your script. However, it takes some getting used to. It’s an exciting, yet nerve-wracking feeling. But there’s no need to be nervous, as we’re about to take you through our tips for owning your address to camera. Here’s what you need to keep in mind.

Know your teleprompter script in advance

To start, know your script in advance. Even if you will be reading it from the prompter, there is large merit in knowing what is going to be said. Read the script a few times and plan how you want your pacing and tone to be. Make sure to read it aloud a few times as well – you’ll more than often find that “reading language” comes off a bit jarring compared to spoken language. Imagine if we all spoke the way we wrote, it would sound more than weird! Using common speech to make your content feel natural and conversational is usually best when delivering your message.

Practice using a teleprompter

Speaking of preparation, you can search for “Teleprompter Practice” on YouTube and find examples to familiarize yourself with how it feels reading moving text. Here is on example that you can try out to familiarize yourself better with using a teleprompter:

Try to imagine that you’re speaking with a close friend, and maintain a smile as much as you can. Try to keep your eye line as consistent as possible. and square your chin such that your face doesn’t move left to read as you read.

Adjust the teleprompter settings to your preference

Be sure to adjust the speed and size of the text to best suit your needs. You want the font just large enough that you have no issue reading, but otherwise as small as possible to have as many words available so you’re ready for the next line before it comes. Most teleprompter apps, or tools offer this capability.

And here’s one last little trick of the trade from newscasters – try to move your head just a little bit so people don’t notice your eyes reading as much.

Lastly, have fun with it! It’s an excellent experience and you’re going to do great. Using a teleprompter means you can focus less on memorizing your script, and more on delivering the feeling behind that message. Even for self-produced, DIY video content that you shoot on your smartphone, there are teleprompter options available for your smartphone. We encourage using these in our master class for self-produced video content for your business. Interested in generating your own video content, whether for marketing or internal communications? Then definitely don’t miss out on our course here ! Less interested in making video yourself and prefer a professional team to handle it for you. Then contact us about your needs here !

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Why you should be thinking about your goals for 2021 now!

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 20:48:00 GMT

Get ready for 2021

Who’s already planning goals for 2021? At this time of year, it’s inevitable to start looking towards the year ahead. But I also want to encourage you to think about right now. What can you start doing today to help you take off running at the start of the new year? If you’re looking to attract more business putting yourself in a position to be more visible to your target audience is a great place to start. It doesn’t need to cost a lot of money. It just takes commitment to be consistent.

Do your goals include more business?

Are you looking for more business as one of your goals? More importantly, are you willing to put in the work to generate more business? The companies that did best coming out of the last recession were the ones that invested more in their marketing instead of pulling back.

I know it’s a very challenging time, and while some industries are thriving right now, others are not. But I think it’s important to continue being in front of your target market and showcasing what you can help them with. Over the last 34 weeks I’ve been maintaining on of my goals of putting out a video each week trying to focus on content that is informative, helpful and authentic and it has worked very well for me.

I’ve not only had existing contacts keep me top of mind for video work I can assist them with, but I’ve also seen an influx of new people outside of my network reaching out to me. As we’re gearing up for the new year it seems a lot of people are thinking about their strategies for 2021. I’ve heard people at various events talk about wanting to get things going in the new year and step up their online presence. If you really want to set yourself up well you need to start investing the time in your strategy right now. Start by creating a list of topic ideas based on commonly asked questions you receive, lay out a content calendar and set deadlines for yourself. Being too busy can’t be an excuse; as small business owners we need to constantly be filling our pipeline, so I encourage you to make the commitment. Don’t get hung up on minor details or trying to be perfect, just get started and set yourself up for a successful 2021.

And as always if we can help you in any way through our coaching , connecting you to one of my marketing contacts, or helping you get started with creating your own video content like this, please reach out to us here .

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Is it better to post on LinkedIn from your personal or company page?

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 15:58:00 GMT

LinkedIn or Personal?

Do you invest in your personal brand on LinkedIn? In this week’s video, I wanted to share the difference between your personal page vs. your company page on social, namely LinkedIn. You may have already noticed that it’s harder to gain traction on a business page, so I explain why and what I recommend doing. As a business owner or a business professional in general, I believe building up your personal brand is invaluable.

I highly encourage you to use your personal page to the best of your ability, and here’s why. People want to connect with people, not businesses. Your audience, aka your friends, work colleagues, past and current clients, potential prospects; all of these individuals that you’ve added on LinkedIn are likely to want to support you as a person, and although I’m sure many would like to support your business by extension the reality is it’s not as much of a personal connection for your audience. And unless you’re an extremely successful and well-known brand you’re likely to attract more of an audience by focusing on building your personal brand.

I highly encourage you to use your personal page to the best of your ability, and here’s why. People want to connect with people, not businesses. Your audience, aka your friends, work colleagues, past and current clients, potential prospects; all of these individuals that you’ve added on LinkedIn are likely to want to support you as a person, and although I’m sure many would like to support your business by extension the reality is it’s not as much of a personal connection for your audience. And unless you’re an extremely successful and well-known brand you’re likely to attract more of an audience by focusing on building your personal brand.

Think about the Algorithm Too

Also, you want to think about the algorithms. Linkedin wants companies to buy ads to boost their posts which is why company page posts are less likely to reach a wide audience organically, whereas personal pages that post interesting and relevant content for their audience will be shared more broadly by the Linkedin machine. Now i would still recommend re-sharing
content on your company page because if someone actively searches for your page you want it to be populated with content. Plus it’s SEO-friendly content that will come up when someone Googles your company name but focusing your time and attention on your personal page is a better overall investment in my opinion.

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How to Leverage Video for Virtual Events

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 15:25:00 GMT

Faced with the COVID pandemic, events inevitably turned virtual out of pure necessity. As we enter 2021, experts (including those from Forbes ) anticipate that the virtual trend continues – now that event coordinators and sponsors alike have experienced the benefits of going totally virtual. The lack of need to visit a physical location completely opens the event to previously unreachable target audiences. No more visa issues, travel restrictions, or pricey transportation or hotels costs – all anyone needs is a computer and internet connection. This also means a lower cost for managers and a higher potential ROI at the end of the day.

Naturally, where there are pros, there are cons. As with anything that exists online, keeping engagement strong and running is the biggest challenge. Going virtual is NOT an easy pass for an easy event. If anything, virtual events can be a bigger challenge than before. And in these new environments that are genuinely new to many event planners and event-goers alike, video has become irreplaceable as a means to generate interest. Here is how you can leverage video for your next event.

Commoditize your videos for viewers

Not everyone can make it to your virtual events, but might still have an active interest in the information you have to provide. Just as realistically, there may be people that choose not to attend the event but still have an interest in a single panel or discussion that occurs. Even before COVID, it was common practice to bring a professional video team to record event panels to put up for a buyable fee online. With virtual events, all the presentations are on-camera anyway. Just make sure to record and you have content to either provide for a fee, or for free after the fact.

Commoditize videos for your sponsors as a value-add

Here’s another great option with video when you’re in the early phases of planning. Many virtual event platforms today provide the ability for sponsors to have a “virtual booth.” Exactly as the name suggests, they are the virtual version of vendor or sponsor booths that you’d typically have set up in a hall in a physical event. Sponsors are still a massive factor in pulling together any event, conference, or trade show, and without a physical booth to offer it can feel daunting finding how to entice potential sponsors to buy into the opportunity. Videos from these sponsors – whether it’s a presentation about their product or service, or even a “Welcome” talking head video from one of their representatives, not only adds more substance to their booth, and the overall engagement of the event, but also serves as a tangible product that they can walk away from the sponsorship with to say “this sponsorship was absolutely worth it!”

Live vs Pre-recorded

Videos come in two options: live or pre-recorded. Both have their pros and cons – so here’s why we recommend your incorporate both. Live video feels authentic, and gives viewers reasons to feel compelled to watch now and not later – they’re not sure if they’ll be able to catch the content later on and may not want to miss something. That results in direct engagement.

However, the benefit of pre-recorded content is that you can put the time to ensure a more quality product. Live videos are inevitably riddled with mistakes here or there, be it a technical issue or just getting a good flow going. Pre-recorded video ensures some degree of guaranteed quality, and especially when you’re kicking an event off or have a particular important message, this is golden.

This is why we recommend both, especially for your sponsors. It’s already a given that your pre-arranged speakers will be speaking live. But it’s just as beneficial to give your sponsors the opportunity to have both live and pre-recorded video options. The live video component typically consists of a “general chat” room which members can enter and either hear what’s being said or interact directly with the brand representative. However, it’s much harder for attendees to hop into one of these rooms in the middle of a conversation and ask for general information about the company when the live booth is typically for more in-depth information. That’s where it’s valuable to present a general information video that may immediately answer the more common questions: what does the company do, why viewers should care, and so on, and what products and services are offered.

Quality Matters

Many streaming platforms, especially on an entry or free subscription, will not offer what we consider today’s standard in image quality. That means if you’re not careful, you could accidentally compromise on the overall viewability of your video content. A common example is when video streaming platforms state that they offer 1080p streaming, but 720p download. This means although the stream itself looks clear, when you download it and either share or sell it the image is considerably more pixelated. This is why, just like an event planner might hire a professional A/V team to handle a physical conference, it’s necessary to ensure the right people are handling the video side of your event. After all, in 2020, video is a much more significant aspect of your event.

Keeping these points in mind will ensure you make more informed decisions about your incoming 2021 virtual event. If the pandemic has showed anything, it is how rapidly digital transformation can occur, just how much success one can experience if they stay ahead of the curve in terms of the way these mediums are reappropriated.

Got an event yourself and looking to boost the game of your video content? Arc and Crown Media is your go-to guide to great video. Why not schedule a chat with us here ?

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Do headers on social videos really work?

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 15:29:00 GMT

I would REALLY appreciate your opinion! Have you seen videos with headers like this one before? What do you think of them? I’ll be honest that it’s taken me a while to create this video. I have been thinking about doing it for months. I’ve always had an aversion to this heading style, but it’s hard to put my finger on why. I guess it’s because it reminds me of a cheesy sales technique. Instead of people tuning into your content because they have come to know and trust you, it feels like you have to SCREAM for their attention. But on the flip side I totally understand the value in a super concise title that neatly summarizes what the video content is about to attract attention and encourage viewers to keep watching.

So I wanted to put the ask out to my network, and see what you guys think here !

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Feel Like You’re Wearing a Mask?

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 14:59:00 GMT

Do you sometimes feel like you’re wearing a mask? Is that necessarily a bad thing? We all need to “turn it on sometimes” as networking/self-promotion/performance doesn’t come naturally to everyone. And that’s okay. But as business professionals, it is a skill we need to learn. I learned long ago that in running a business I needed to be my own biggest fan. And that’s what I’ve been ever since!

People don’t always believe me when I tell them I’m an introvert. They see one side of my public persona and assume I was built a certain way. They may not know of the fear I have
of performing in front of a crowd or the anxiety in putting out content to be analyzed by others online. Over the years I’ve found the strength to push past these worries and really put myself out there because I know the value of sharing what I’m up to and providing advice to my audience.

Over the years in running our business my partner and I have found that when we get extremely busy and disappear from social, our network will ask “what have you guys been up to?” “I feel like I haven’t seen you in a while” and conversely, when we have more time and are posting frequently we hear “oh wow you guys look extremely busy, looks like you’re doing great” and that’s the interesting thing about using social networks for your business. They are a great tool to stay top of mind and showcase your value but you have to be ready to be consistent and you have to use your mask as your strength, but then be willing to take it off every once in a while to show you’re human.

How do you find the courage or inspiration to put yourself out there?

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Happy Holidays from Arc +Crown Media!

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 19:05:00 GMT

Happy Holidays

This year has been tough. Really tough. With all the time that we’ve stayed indoors to practice safe measures, we’ve had much less time than usual to see outside our own spheres to see the challenges of those around us. People experiencing poverty and homelessness are the most impacted by all the events of 2020. There has been a decline in charitable giving since the onset of the pandemic, due to many people losing their jobs and businesses having to close their doors. That is why, this year, for our winter holiday event we’ve decided to give back to a great cause that we truly believe in.

We felt like our time and money would be best served contributing to a non-profit that is serving the less fortunate in our community. In honour of all of our amazing clients this past year who we appreciate greatly, we have donated to the Ve’ahavta organization and created a video sharing just a glimpse into the work they do.

Ve’ahavta is a Jewish humanitarian organization dedicated to promoting positive change in the lives of people of all faiths and backgrounds who have been marginalized by poverty and hardship. Ve’ahavta mobilizes volunteers in meaningful, hands-on experiences to fulfill our collective responsibility to care for our neighbours.

But the need for these non-profits doesn’t stop. Organizations such as Ve’ahavta have actually seen a sharp increase in demand.

We encourage you to visit their website to learn about the various initiatives they have to help those who are experiencing homelessness and those who are trying to improve their situation.

Also check out their latest successful event, The Ve’ahavta Project. On November 8, 2020, the community came together and made a difference for those facing poverty and homelessness in Toronto. What they accomplished is amazing considering it was totally remote for volunteers:

1 day
4 activities
+650 participants
+$450K raised

We want to share our thanks to the volunteers and donors who were a part of The Ve’ahavta Project !

We feel so lucky to be able to give back in this way due to your trust and support and encourage you all to find your own ways to support the community as we head into 2021.

All the best & we look forward to seeing you in the new year!

Vanessa, Tatiana, Andrew & the rest of the Arc + Crown Team

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AODA and Video Media in 2021 – What is Legally Required?

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 15:10:00 GMT

What does it mean to be AODA-compliant for video?

This is a question we hear frequently, largely because there isn’t that much widespread information out there specifically for video in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, or AODA. If this is your first time hearing about AODA, check out our previous post about it here .

Many business owners are at least aware that if their web content isn’t on par with accessibility standards in Ontario, they run into the risk of trouble, leading to possible fines. For corporations, these fines can be as high as $100,000 per day, after multiple offenses.

We’re here to make it simple and clear what you need to be AODA-compliant with your videos – and what additions are purely nice to have but not legally mandatory.

Officially, this is what is required by legislation in Ontario:

(4) Designated public sector organizations and large organizations for their internet websites shall meet the requirements of this section in accordance with the following schedule:

Take extra note of the phrasing: “designated public sector organization and large organizations.” You might think this means AODA does not apply to you if are not considered a “large organization.” It’s a bit greyer than that.

The AODA applies to all levels of government, nonprofits, and private sector businesses across Ontario with one or more staff. Regardless of your business size, you are impacted by AODA’s requirements. Naturally, the chance of being fined and the cost of the fines are much lower for smaller organizations with fewer than 50 employees. There likely isn’t enforcement or active monitoring by a dedicated AODA ‘police,’ but rather AODA’s contact with you is based on how many complaints they receive from users unable to access your content, and if you refused to provide suitable alternative options to accommodate their needs.

To avoid any potential issue, it’s recommended that all private sector organizations, at a bare minimum, aim to achieve at least WCAG 2.0 Level AA for their site, and WCAG 2.0 Level A for their ‘time-based’ (i.e. video or audio) content. Here’s how to do that.

As a private business, to reach an acceptable WCAG 2.0 Level AA for 2021, you must have for your video/audio content:

Alternatives for Video-Only or Audio-Only Content

If you are delivering information through a video that has no sound, you must offer at least one reasonable alternative, such as a text transcription of the video that details the actions within the video, or an audio track describing the actions of the video.

Similarly, an audio track with no visual representation, unless it is a music track, at least requires a text transcription as an alternative medium.

Captions for Prerecorded Content

If your video was not live, it requires captions synchronized with the media. Both open (always visible) and closed captions are acceptable.

Audio Description or Media Alternative

Audio descriptions are narrations of the actions occurring on-screen and typically occur during breaks in the natural narration or dialogue within the video content. As of 2021, text transcriptions are an acceptable alternative to audio descriptions, but they must include all descriptions of crucial actions that occur on screen. For example, the transcription for a video tutorial should include descriptions of the demonstration for someone unable to see the video itself.

For dramatic scenarios, the script or screenplay is typically written before filming but often sees some changes during the actual filming. Linking to this screenplay is acceptable as a text-based alternative for prerecorded video content, but must be updated to accurately represent what the final video product portrays.

Currently for 2021, unless you are part of the Government of Ontario and the Legislative Assembly, your video content does NOT legally have to include:

Synchronized captions for live video content

When a video is played live on your website via a broadcasting platform, it does not legally require captions. However, if you later save that recording and it remains on your website, then it will be considered ‘prerecorded content’ and therefore require captions.

Audio Descriptions

As audio descriptions are still less common in use compared to video captions, most businesses will not be charged for excluding them specifically as long as they offer a suitable alternative. However, it is good practice to keep note that this may change in the near future, and incorporating or planning for audio descriptions in your content may benefit you in the long run.

Even if you do not meet these two requirements you will still be able to reach the required Level AA standing for web content. However, to “future-proof” your standing it is highly recommended to try to incorporate these additional mediums anyway. These are the only exceptions to reaching WCAG 2.0 Level AA in 2021, so ensure that your website meets Level AA for all other matters.

Should I bother with accessibility?

Once more, the level of enforcement for these requirements is still unknown and likely will not come into effect for smaller organizations. Regardless, it is a regulation in place that no organization is technically exempt from. However, accessibility should be a goal that companies strive for because of its benefits in the market, rather than its ramifications.

Accessibility is a growing trend with increasing demand and may lend a potential SEO boost in the future. More immediately, adding more text-based alternatives helps search engines like Google more easily ‘crawl’ your page. Additionally, accessibility ‘scores’ may be a foreseeable trend in the future, which could affect overall SEO ranking as we head towards a more inclusive world.

The post AODA and Video Media in 2021 – What is Legally Required? appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Your Video Plan: What to Think About

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 14:38:00 GMT

If you’ve ever worked on a video project then you know it’s not for the faint of heart. While LIVE video is a lot more intimidating than pre-recorded content, both still require a dedication to details and both rely on technology to work properly. The best way to mitigate the challenges that come with producing video content is to PLAN, and plan well. Whether you’re working with a production company or creating something on your own, it’s good to keep in mind these tips in today’s video.

Consider animation or other visuals to add to your content

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3 Tips for Getting Noticed on LinkedIn

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 21:48:00 GMT

Getting attention on LinkedIn is easy… said no one ever. But we all know there is power in being seen. It does take time and it does take effort. So I’m sharing my top 3 tips for creating effective content on LinkedIn. I was inspired to create this video from a conversation I was having with my friend and client, Ananth Koovappady. We were discussing our LinkedIn strategies and he said the reason he’s dedicated to creating good quality video content for his LinkedIn network is because he understands the power of being seen.

Staying top of mind with your network and putting yourself in a position to be exposed to your network’s network is powerful. That’s why consistent content creation is worth the effort. After a time it becomes second nature. And with these three tips in mind, you can create content that makes a splash.

The post 3 Tips for Getting Noticed on LinkedIn appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Mental Tips for How to Perform on Camera

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 21:23:00 GMT

Is being able to perform on camera a necessary skill? Well, did you ever have one of those professors in school who would drone on and on and it was almost impossible to pay attention even though your grade depended on it?

The fact is, HOW you say something is just as important as WHAT you say. Being able to perform is an invaluable trait, and especially important when putting your message out in a visual medium.

Don’t fall into the “Cheesy” trap when trying to perform

Give 150% energy when you perform

The post Mental Tips for How to Perform on Camera appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Get Over The Fear of Putting Out Video Content

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 21:39:00 GMT

Get over fear: being on camera is scary, whether it’s a big TV camera, or just your computer webcam. You’ve probably heard that what draws viewers into your content is authenticity. However, it’s not easy to share your vulnerabilities, which is what authenticity often entails.

It’s not always about being unscripted

Don’t think your information is not valuable

The biggest wave of nausea, whether for a public speaker or for someone appearing on camera, comes from imposter syndrome. Maybe what you’re saying sounds like common sense. Maybe it’s not that newsworthy. But consider that one person who didn’t know the information you had to share. That’s who your audience is. No content or video applies to everyone in the world. But if your video influenced one person, then it did its job. and sometimes, all it takes is influencing the one right person, to prove your video converts into leads, growth or opportunities.

Just do it, and do it often

The post Get Over The Fear of Putting Out Video Content appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

The Power of the Smize

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 18:56:00 GMT

‘Smize’ basically refers to smiling with your eyes and we like to think about it as a general reference to a warmth on your face. Sometimes when we tell people who are on camera to smile more you get this big fake smile at the start that’s unnatural and hard to maintain – so it usually starts fading away as the subject starts focusing on the content to deliver.

If you want to know our number one tip for coming across more likable on camera?, it’s the power of the smize.

You don’t need to have a full teeth smile plastered on your face for entire interview or address to camera, but when creating promotional content you do want to come across as easy to watch and likeable. This is why you want to avoid a neutral look; while it may feel more natural in the moment it can come across as flat and cold

Even just adding a half smile and having a consistent eye line really warms up your content. When you smile your body actually releases chemicals that make you feel more relaxed – so that’s an added bonus the next time you’re filming something!

Try to keep in mind the smize; see how it feels and see if it helps you improve the way you come across on camera.

To get started creating your own content, download our Thought-Leadership Video Script Template here !

The post The Power of the Smize appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

3 Essential Tips for Your Content Marketing

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 14:04:00 GMT

ESSENTIAL TIPS: Content marketing is not about you, it’s about your audience. It’s about attracting rather than pushing. With media creation being so accessible today anyone can create content, but it’s about creating the right content that speaks to your target audience.

This week’s video was based on a call we had earlier this week with a business owner. It’s easy to get stuck when starting to think about a content creation plan; thinking it’s going to be time-consuming and not being sure of what to talk about. That’s because we often overlook the simplest things, and don’t always realize the power in our insights. To you, something might be common knowledge but to others, it can be a completely new perspective to adopt.

These are what you want to consider as you create your content, whether for videos, your blogs, or your content marketing:

Cement yourself as someone with valuable info

How you present yourself and what value you bring to your audience is the mile you must take before they even listen to what you have to say. Think about your position, your experience, and the audience you’re ultimately reaching out to. What is unique about you that will incentivize others to listen? How you brand yourself as a person will greatly impact whether or not people will want to tune in to what you have to say.

Be relevant and timely

You can have great information to provide, but if it’s not immediately relevant to your audience at the time, it’s simply not as effective. This is a challenge for many, as it not only means that you need to have the reactive instinct on current events and trends, but also a proactive mindset to be always thinking of what content can be created based on what everyone currently has on their minds. However, master this skill, and people will be eager to look to you for thought leadership and information.

Have a marketing plan

Establishing yourself as a thought leader is a goal built on one essential foundation: consistency. You need to be regularly sharing content on an ongoing basis for you audience to deem you worth subscribing to or following.

Hope you enjoyed these essential tips! To help you get started creating your own content, download our Thought-Leadership Video Script Template here ! Ready to take a hand at making your own video content? Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert. Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

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How to Structure Your Thought-Leadership Scripts for Video

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 13:56:00 GMT

STRUCTURE YOUR THOUGHT LEADERSHIP VIDEOS: Half the battle of creating videos for your business is just getting started. But one of the things that can hold you back from getting started is not knowing what to say in your videos.

It doesn’t need to be complicated: for example, surely you get asked the same questions time and time again by clients. You likely also have quick tips that you use often in your business. These are prime video content!

Getting Started

Start by creating an ongoing list you can add to as things come to mind. You can then quickly pull from this list. When you sit down to write a script or two, the structure is the most important part.

Your audience on social doesn’t have a ton of time so you want to get to the point as quickly as possible and ensure viewers walk away with actionable items that will benefit them. Also, you want to ensure your viewers know what to do next which is why videos should always have a call to action at the end. Maybe that’s sending them to a page on your website with further details or encouraging them to contact you to discuss their unique situation.

Try a free script template

Let us help you. Try our script template to give you a structure that you can use in your videos.

Check out here to download the template and get started.

And just remember the best time to get started was yesterday – but the next best time is today! Good luck and let us know if we can help you with your video journey.

The post How to Structure Your Thought-Leadership Scripts for Video appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

When to Post Your Video Content on LinkedIn

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 13:28:00 GMT

Why Does Time of Day Matter?

When to post? Video content marketers know that it’s ideal to schedule your posts during time frames when you can expect the highest levels of engagement. Social platforms are constantly being updated with streams of new content. Standing out is like being seen in an ocean.

It’s important to note that these prime times do differ on the various social platforms. Every social channel has a different function in our lives and you’ll likely find yourself using certain social platforms at different times of day.

In today’s video we’re going to focus on LinkedIn.

When is the best day to post on LinkedIn?

Various studies have found that the best day to post on LinkedIn is between Tuesday and Thursday as Mondays are usually packed with catch-up work and Fridays are when some people start checking out early.

What is the best timeframe to post on LinkedIn?

The best time of day is reported as either early morning lunchtime or in the evening. This makes sense for business professionals that are checking in on their professional network during their free breaks throughout their workday when trying to determine the best time to post your content.

Think about your audience first, then your day to post

That doesn’t mean your post date should always be set in stone. As with anything content marketing related you’ll want to think about your target audience. For B2B companies, for example, you might have success outside of business hours, especially if you’re targeting c-suite executives who may not get around to hopping on LinkedIn until the late evening.

And while Friday or the weekend is listed as not the most ideal time that doesn’t mean that you can’t find engagement on those days. You could for example use some of your more light-hearted and fun content during this time. The most important thing to take away from this information is you should try to be strategic with when you post your content. It’s also a good idea to keep track of the engagement levels.

Are you strategic with when you post? What anecdotal evidence have you found about what works best? And if you’re just getting started creating your own video content – whether with a camera or your own smartphone, download the Thought-Leadership Video Script Template here !

The post When to Post Your Video Content on LinkedIn appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Getting Motivated to Produce Your Own Video Content

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 21:02:00 GMT

Getting Motivated

HOW TO GET MOTIVATED: You see people posting videos of themselves talking about their industry all the time on LinkedIn. It feels natural to them, like they wake up in the morning knowing the message they want to share with the world and with their peers.

We do it too – posting regular video content on LinkedIn. And what can be said about it is that the most important thing is just committing to putting out consistent, regular content. Putting one video out makes you a good person to speak to on the subject. Putting out a video a week makes you a thought-leader (and potentially an industry influencer). But the question stands, is it worth your time doing? Isn’t videomaking a whole new skill you’d need to pick up? The answer is yes – but it doesn’t have to be a hard skill if you take it slow.

Thing is, you don’t have to go from using your smartphone to being on your first TEDxTalk overnight. Take baby steps. Guess what: what we do with our personal LinkedIn/Facebook video posts isn’t all that special either. We also prioritize convenience for shooting video on social, since at the end of the day the theme of social videos is quantity, not necessarily quality (though naturally, it’s good to have!).

Yes, you can do it too. We hope this video motivates you to realize it’s all about getting started. It’s easy to get stuck in the headspace that creating video content is hard. But nothing is as hard as the first time you do it. You can find inspiration for your content all around you:

*Do you get asked the same questions by clients again and again?

*Do you have actionable insights that would benefit your target audience?

*Do you have industry updates that would showcase your expertise?

Many of our clients say that they know video is a great way to connect and showcase their personality, but they just don’t know how to get started. So here’s a script template that will assist you in thinking about what to write and how to structure your thought-leadership video script.

***Download the Thought-Leadership Script Template here!*** https://lnkd.in/e3twJ6t

The post Getting Motivated to Produce Your Own Video Content appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Native vs. Shared Video Uploads on LinkedIn

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 13:46:00 GMT

VIDEO UPLOADS: So you’ve started creating video content to showcase your expertise and attract more prospects here in Linkedin, that’s great (and if not, it’s never too late to start)!

But once your content is ready to share you may have asked yourself what next. Should you be uploading your videos natively to LinkedIn or sharing a video that you’ve hosted somewhere else? Already confused? No worries, we have your back.

We’ll explain the difference to and suggest what we’d recommend are a few ways to post pre-recorded video on LinkedIn through sharing a post, through sharing a video in a post, through uploading a video directly to a post, and through creating a LinkedIn ad. Since we’re considering a starting crowd, we’ll touch on ads in the future so let’s just focus on organic content for now.

Shared Videos for Video Uploads

Shared videos are when you take an external link such as a YouTube link and paste it in your post (or what LinkedIn calls an update) a preview image will appear that showcases a still image from your video with the play button on top.

The benefit of doing this is that you’ll be able to host your video in one place such as YouTube and then use that one link to post to various social profiles. This makes it easy to track your video across various platforms, but the significant drawback is that videos shared this way do NOT auto play. This means when someone’s scrolling through their feed they have to actively click on your video. This might seem like a small task, but it may be the difference between whether somebody watches your content or not.

Native Video for Video Uploads

The alternative is native video. This is where you take a video file, such as a .mp4 or .mov and upload it directly to a LinkedIn post. LinkedIn favors these videos by ensuring they auto-play so more viewers will see the first few seconds of their video as they’re scrolling through their feed and it might catch their attention. In addition to that, LinkedIn algorithms favor native video so people likely will come across that content more often. This can lead to better engagement.

LinkedIn has reported that native videos are five times more likely to help start a conversation amongst members. So our recommendation is to upload your video directly to LinkedIn (and any other social platforms you’re using).

Keep in mind that native videos cannot be longer than 10 minutes, so if you’re planning on sharing a longer format webinar this format would not work. However for most video needs this is what’s recommended.

We hope this insight was helpful. If you’re interested in getting started or improving your own video content, we provide consulting. Please reach out to us here .

Ready to take a hand at making your own video content? Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert.

The post Native vs. Shared Video Uploads on LinkedIn appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Settings for Filming Videos with a Smartphone

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 13:00:00 GMT

SETTINGS: We realize that not all of our viewers have known that the videos we’ve been producing over the last several months have all been filmed on a cell phone, an iPhone 8 specifically.

All newer phone models allow you to record in high-definition or HD (That means the aspect ratio is 1920 by 1080). You already have the power to create videos with yourself on screen to develop your audience!

Of course, there are a few steps to get ready first.

Frame rate and Resolution Settings

Before you pull out your camera and start recording, go to the video settings on your phone and ensure your video camera is set to record in 1080p at 30fps. FPS refers to frames per second and 30 is a standard setting that you can select if the option is there.

The 4K Question

Some phones will even allow you to record in 4k which is higher quality than HD. But is 4K the right choice for you? The advantage of filming in 4k is, naturally, the quality of the image.

However it’s important to note that most people may not actually recognize this quality increase, for a few reasons. First, your posting platform may naturally compress it, and it will also depend on the screen that the end user is viewing from as well. So the benefit of filming in 4k is lost a little bit in the delivery.

Now the real advantage from 4K comes in editing. Over the last several years we have been filming a lot more in 4k, especially for interview content.

The reason for that is because when you get to the edit suite we’re able to punch in on a shot up to 200x and still maintain HD quality. This means we’re able to get a wider and a closer shot from the same one camera set-up which can reduce cost for our clients.

That’s for slightly more advanced videomaking. For most uses and especially for your DIY cellphone video content we’d recommend ensuring you’re at least filming in HD quality. The moral of the story is that you don’t always need professional gear – you just need the know-how for how to use what you do have to the best of your ability. So if you’re interested in getting started creating your own video content please reach here as we’d love to help you.

Prefer to let a professional team handle your video content? Contact us here to get started with Arc and Crown Media!

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How to Best Use Hashtags on LinkedIn

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 16:46:00 GMT

While LinkedIn only officially incorporated #hashtags in 2018, hashtags have been in popular use since well before that in social media. They have become one of the core elements of social media, and LinkedIn is no exception. Here are some tips to ensure you’re using your hashtags wisely and efficiently.

How to use LinkedIn #hashtags

You can use hashtags on LinkedIn in your posts and articles.They give both a higher chance of being discovered by members who follow or search for the hashtag you’ve used.

How to add hashtags to your LinkedIn update:

How to add hashtags to your LinkedIn article

Keep these tips in mind!

1. #Hashtags are the seasonings, but your copy is the main dish

Hashtags can be placed after copy, or embedded cleverly within copy— but should never replace copy.

2. No punctuations

Any spaces or symbols used within the hashtag will break it. That means apostrophes, commas, exclamation points, or hyphens can not be added. When you type hashtags manually on LinkedIn, it will appear bold what actually becomes a hashtag.

Here’s a cheat sheet:

3. Don’t use too many

This is a big one. It’s certainly appealing to think more hashtags means more eyeballs, and admittedly there is no limit to the number of them you can use in a post on LinkedIn. But anyone seeing a huge number of them will catch on that you’re just fishing with a wide net. You might even be marked as spam. Your content should remain the most important aspect of your posts. It’s usually suggested to limit each post to 5 hashtags max .

4. Find your niche and use it

There’s a niche for every industry and every subject, and with those niches are particularly specific hashtags. Nailing the right hashtag will connect you to best online community who cares to see your content.

The post How to Best Use Hashtags on LinkedIn appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

3 tips to make your on-camera performance shine!

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 15:54:00 GMT

TIPS: Many of the people we work with say they aren’t confident in their ability to perform in front of a camera.

And we say ‘perform’ because speaking on camera is not the same as speaking to someone in person, and it’s not even the same as speaking to a large crowd. The main reason is because of the lack of energy coming from the other side. You’re performing a one-way dialogue with zero feedback, which can be daunting when the lights turn on and the camera starts rolling.

Here are 3 easy tips you can do to dramatically improve your on-camera performance.

Eye Contact

The first tip is maintain eye contact. You want to be looking right into the camera lens so that when someone watches the video they feel like you’re speaking directly to them. You also want to hold eye contact and try not to look away because small movements can appear bigger on video and wandering eyes can come across like you’re nervous or you don’t know what you’re talking about.

So maintain eye contact as much as possible and show your confident side.

Being too Quick

You do want a good pace for your video to keep it moving along, but you
don’t want to speak so fast that it makes it difficult for the viewers to
catch everything that you say.

Nerves can play a factor in this. Before you start talking it’s always good to take a deep breath, smile and then begin what you want to say in a thoughtful way, emphasizing key words to help you slow down and ensure your viewer is really taking in your message.

Energy!

Lastly one of the most integral elements to your performance is energy!
No matter how great your content is if your energy is lacking it will turn some viewers away.

When you’re on stage, or in this case in front of a camera, normal energy levels feel dull and lackluster. So you need to push yourself. It might feel a bit weird or
funny at first but again remember this isn’t just a conversation – this is a performance.

Your viewers are taking the time to hear what you have to say and
you want to ensure that you not only give them something interesting enough
to want to tune into, but also keep them engaged and excited about what you have to say.

Hopefully these tips will be valuable for your next video project! If you’ve ever wanted to record your own video content but aren’t sure where to start please contact us here as we’d love to assist you.

The post 3 tips to make your on-camera performance shine! appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

The Benefit of Teleprompter Apps

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 17:21:00 GMT

Trying to Memorize a Script for Camera?

TELEPROMPTER: When it comes to being on camera, is knowing what to say and memorizing your talking points one of the things holding you back from creating your own video content?

If so then check out this video which offers a simple solution that pros use.

What does a Teleprompter do?

While for some videos a more informal unscripted format can work best, but when you’re trying to produce concise content, having the ability to write out exactly what you want to say and delivering it without error can mean you just need to focus on how you present it.

That’s where a teleprompter comes in. The word might bring to mind large setup that professionals use in big TV studios, and indeed that is what a newscaster might use.

With a teleprompter, the words of the script appear on the screen on the phone, and scroll based on your selected talking speed. This not only allows you to plan out what you want to say, but it also makes for a quick recording process and a seamless edit with no cuts or transitions needed. Instead of stopping-and-going at specific sections, you can easily get out your whole script in one go!

Now, with more people tuning in to user-generated video content, we now have a supply of simple form teleprompter apps that you can use just on your cell phone. In the video that’s exactly what Vanessa is using. These are a great resource no matter what your content is.

Try Practicing It!

We always recommend clients to go on YouTube and search “ teleprompter practice ,” as there you’ll find various videos displaying scrolling text so you can see what it feels like. Another simple tip when using a teleprompter is to move your head a little bit when you talk so it’s harder for viewers to recognize that you’re reading.

The post The Benefit of Teleprompter Apps appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Best Practices for Great Learning Videos in 2020

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 15:21:00 GMT

Segment Your Content into Modules

Be Mindful of Video Length

Incorporate Visual Aids

course

here

The post Best Practices for Great Learning Videos in 2020 appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Why Story-Based Videos are So Effective

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 17:08:00 GMT

The post Why Story-Based Videos are So Effective appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

3 Ideas to Promote Your Video Content

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 15:12:00 GMT

Are you making the most use of the video content ideas you’re creating?

Add a Link and Description in Your Email Signature

Connect Whatever Dots You See

Consider Paid Ads

The post 3 Ideas to Promote Your Video Content appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

What Length Should You Make Your Video?

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 20:21:00 GMT

Is Shorter Always Better?

How do you decide what length of video you should be creating? When I talk to my clients I always tell them focus less on the length of the video; unless you’re putting it on a specific platform or it’s an ad spot that’s required to be a specific length. If that’s not the case, focus less on the length and focus more on how you’re providing value, and getting across your message across, in the most effective way possible. Sometimes that means 30 seconds, other times that means five minutes because you’re going more in depth and the viewer is really interested in the information.

Shorter IS usually better for promotional content

When we’re working with clients that are doing overtly promotional content, say for an event highlight or a product launch that’s where we do typically try to keep it under the one minute mark, because studies have shown that people’s attention spans start waning at that time.

Longer video is best for educational content

When I’m creating educational content it might be a 45min or 60 min webinar, and that’s fine too because it’s not overtly promotional content. It is more educational with the express purpose of offering value to the viewer. When your content delivers great value, then the length doesn’t matter.

Conclusion

You always need to think about your target audience, the objectives that you’re trying to reach, and how can you keep that message as tight as possible. Put yourself in the viewer’s shoes: if this was another company that you didn’t know much about would you consume that piece of content? Would it be engaging for you? What is the mark that you would stop watching? So you do have to be a little bit strict with your content, and make sure your message is as tight as possible. But do remember that the most-watched videos on youtube are over 10 minutes so when people are engaged and want to consume a piece of content they will take the time to do so.

The post What Length Should You Make Your Video? appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Mental Health Tips

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 19:29:00 GMT

The post Mental Health Tips appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Content Ideas During These Times

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 20:26:00 GMT

Have you been thinking about how you can connect with your audience right now using video content? If not I urge you to reconsider, because studies have shown that the companies that did best coming out of the last recession were the ones that continued or even ramped up their marketing and communication efforts.

So right now I want to share with you three ideas for types of content you can be producing right now. The main thing you want your content to be focused on is how you can help others.

SOLVE DON’T SELL

You’ve probably heard the saying solve don’t sell. So think about what type of expertise/ advice/ insights do you have that you can share with your audience. That should be the root of the content you’re producing right now. While news stories of COVID-19 are permeating our life right now, people are in different situations.

OFFER SOMETHING FUN

some people are working from home and also having to deal with the stresses of home schooling their children while others may have been laid off and have a lot of free time on their hands. Searches for the word ‘bored’ have increased by over 600% so maybe you can think about how you can relieve some of that boredom through your content, or maybe create a piece that will uplift and inspire.

Think about content that will ease and entertain

We are starting to see some positive side effects coming out of this crisis. Things like the environment being positively impacted and consumers wanting to shop more locally or with small businesses. So think about these shifting perspectives and how you might be able to aid consumers with that new-found purpose.

The post Content Ideas During These Times appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Inner Strength is Keeping Valuable Conversations Rolling

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 19:29:00 GMT

Today we’re profiling Inner Strength Communication as part of our video series, Stay In-novating.

What is Stay Innovating?

Stay In-novating profiles innovative small businesses in Canada that are finding creative ways to deal with the various challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping business running, providing support to employees, adapting to a completely different customer’s experiences, these are only some of the topics that are the things we should bt talking about. This series was developed to promote and support our small businesses that deserve the spotlight for their excellent services and decisions during these times.

About Inner Strength

In the midst of COVID-19, internal communications has become both undervalued and overworked. Many organizations have no one in place to do internal communications, and people in this space are burning out and having mental breakdowns.

Inner Strength Communication runs multiple conferences year-round, including the only conference solely focused on internal communications in Canada. With the pandemic lockdown, all events were shut down. They wanted to ensure the conversation about internal communication continues, and so company founder Priya Bates began Coffee Chats twice a week to inspire and elevate the voices in the industry.

Priya found that there was a lot of noise out there, with free content being commonplace online, so her chats were fashioned to be purposefully different. The Chats are small group sessions, where only 10-12 can register. It is entirely free of charge, and built with the goal of fostering community and getthing people to know each other

The Chats started with only her facilitating, but puling from her great network of experts she’s brought in more people to speak on their own specialized subjects – such as confronting fear, maintaining a career mindset, and communicating through change.

Companies who not just communicated but LIVED their best practices will come out of COVID-19 strong and with greater loyalty. Those are the companies people will want to work for.

Thank you to our Official Supporters

We are thrilled to be supported by these organizations that truly care about advocating for the small business community and Canada:

Startup Canada is the national rallying community and voice for Canada’s 3.5 million entrepreneurs, representing more than 250,000 entrepreneurs and 50 grassroots communities. They are the network promoting, inspiring, educating, connecting, and giving a voice to Canada’s entrepreneurs; supporting them to start, operate, and scale businesses that build a better Canada for the world today and for future generations.

Next Canada is Canada’s strongest and most dedicated entrepreneurial network made up of 500+ top Canadian academics, entrepreneurs, investors, and founders. They accelerate their trajectory with access to education, mentorship, and funding.

RSM Canada LLP provides public accounting services and is the Canadian member firm of RSM International, a global network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms with more than 41,000 people in 116 countries. Their purpose is to deliver the power of being understood to our clients, colleagues, and communities through world-class audit, tax, and consulting services focused on middle-market businesses.

Canadian Chamber of Commerce has connected businesses of all sizes, from all sectors and from all regions of the country to advocate for public policies that will foster a strong, competitive economic environment that benefits businesses, communities, and families across Canada.

The post Inner Strength is Keeping Valuable Conversations Rolling appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

How to Look Your Best on Camera

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 17:49:00 GMT

We all want to look our best. When you went to a business meeting, you checked your hair, adjusted your clothes, and made sure nothing was out of place. Now that almost all meetings are going video, making yourself look good on camera should also be added to your grooming checklist.

Here are some simple tips we suggest to give your webcam videos (or videos shot on your smartphone which is a fantastic option we’re teaching in our course), that little extra pop.

Wear a Bright Solid Colour for the best effect

Wearing a nice colour makes you stand out from your background, and without even needing to say a word gives off the feeling you’re trying to portray.

Avoid Wearing Busy Patterns

Busy patterns are distracting and sometimes come up strange on camera. Better to keep it simple, so that people want to look more at your face and not what your shirt says.

Makeup – For Guys and Gals!

The camera picks up on visible makeup much less than the human eye does up close. You might want to consider using a touch more than you would normally. This applies to men too! Some simple anti-shine goes a long way when you’ve been in the home office for a long time, and with it being summer now the heat starting to take its toll. The camera tends to be very sensitive picking up facial shine, especially if you’re situated very close to a light source.

Be Mindful of the Best Background For You

Your background should be neutral, show off a professional environment, or display things that are relevant to the topic. Everything in the frame of your video tells something about you and your company. If something doesn’t need to be there, it’s better that it isn’t.

The post How to Look Your Best on Camera appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

CanadaHelps is Helping Charities Go Digital During COVID-19

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 15:32:00 GMT

Today we’re profiling CanadaHelps as part of our video series, Stay In-novating.

What is Stay Innovating?

About CanadaHelps

For over 19 years, CanadaHelps has been informing, inspiring and connecting charities and donors, with the causes they care about. They have facilitated over $1 billion in giving.

Both small and large Canadian charities are supported. Offering much more than just donation processing, they enable fastest disbursements, and provide robust reporting and fundraising technology to charities nationwide. Digital transformation is a fantastic asset for charities to create greater outreach for their fundraising.

What COVID-19 created was a time when physical donations were at an all-time low. CanadaHelps used this as an opportunity to establish their “Cause Funds.” These funds were inspired by research that suggested that Canadians respond better to a cause as opposed to a specific charity’s branding, and donate more generously in times of crisis. Any donation made to their Community or Healthcare funds are distributed between hundreds of charities instead of just one.

Canada Helps has seen high demand with this model, with corporations like Gore Mutual Foundation coming in to match $2 million in donations.

Thank you to our Official Supporters

We are thrilled to be supported by these organizations that truly care about advocating for the small business community and Canada:

The post CanadaHelps is Helping Charities Go Digital During COVID-19 appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Responding to COVID-19 as a Business (June 2020 Quarterly)

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 18:39:00 GMT

The COVID-19 pandemic has largely affected every person and every company. No organization has been an exception, including ours.

For us as video content creators, the question for Arc and Crown Media was if business could keep running without being able to film on site. It was a very uncertain time – but we got through it. Thankfully, we’ve been able to continue to service our clients in ways beyond just filming in person. Across Toronto, we’re amazed to witness how many other small businesses are also putting in the effort to change their offers during COVID-19, reimagine their services, and find ways to give back to their community at one of its greatest moments of crises in recent history.

And from all of these organizations and leaders, we take to heart the lessons learned for the next big crisis.

Stay Communicating

The lesson we’ve all learned in these past few months is to never let communications slip – especially in times of great change and movement. And that at the core of all messaging should be an authentic and human voice.

K eep Awareness High and Alert

We’ve learned that it’s okay to not know everything at the start, but provide awareness that you’re ready to act at every moment with new information coming in.

Be Genuine and Care for Your People and Community

Those that stepped forward and said genuinely “these are the causes we’re supporting” found support back from their communities. Finding ways to offer support for your clients or community in any way you can as a company should always be the biggest priority in a crisis.

Don’t Just React – Respond and Rebound

This was the most important step for us. We knew we couldn’t film the way we used to. The same goes for all production companies – but that didn’t mean the need for video was diminished. How we responded first was to start putting out short helpful video content to teach people simple steps at home to appear best on camera. We didn’t even use professional gear, just our own smartphones, and the tools that could be easily accessible or purchasable to an average person. We wanted to enforce the fact that video was about the message first, and the production value second for those that had value to provide their communities but were hesitating to put it out.

Large scale events like COVID-19 when everyone has the same fears and concerns in their minds are the ideal time to align yourself with the causes you truly care about. For us, we looked at the small business community and what we could do to help them bear through the dramatic loss of business. We wanted to lift up their voices, and inspire other businesses to do the same.

For that exact reason, we started Stay IN-novating, an exciting video series with the mission of giving some much-deserved spotlight to Canadian businesses that are reinventing themselves to support their community, their employees, and customers. We’ve profiled apps to facilitate getting prescription medicine delivered, and AI companies repurposing their technology to help medical nurses more safely conduct their checkups. What is so inspiring about these businesses is there mobility and flexibility to address the challenges set forth by the COVID-19 pandemic and not just survive, but thrive in what we will have to call “our new normal.”

Visit stayinnovating.com to see the amazing companies we’ve profiled, and even apply for your company to be featured as well.

The post Responding to COVID-19 as a Business (June 2020 Quarterly) appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Myant is Redefining “Wearable Technology”

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 15:19:00 GMT

Myant is changing how clothing and textiles interact with our lives, with a whole new meaning for “wearable technology.”

Stay In-novating profiles innovative small businesses in Canada that are finding creative ways to deal with the various challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping business running, providing support to employees, adapting to a completely different customer’s experiences, these are only some of the topics that require addressing. This series was developed to promote and support our small businesses that deserve the spotlight for their excellent services and decisions during these times.

About Myant

Myant’s focus is innovating textiles that sense and react to the human body.

No matter who you are, young or old, whatever your walk of life, and regardless of your level of mental and physical ability, we all spend the vast majority of our daily lives with textiles touching our skin. We believe that this makes textile a natural interface to the human body.

Myant’s vision is to use textiles as a means to collect health and performance data from your body. By knitting sensors into the textiles already in your life like clothing and environmental surfaces, we have built a continuous connection to your body, creating a digital twin of your health and performance. Using machine learning on the Myant Platform, meaningful insights are derived as you go about your daily life, helping you better understand and optimize how you live.

Myant’s technology is particularly suited for remote patient monitoring for the triaging, assessment and ongoing delivery of care to vulnerable populations like elderly patients in nursing homes or those in remote/rural communities who have limited access to healthcare. A patient’s healthcare providers and loved ones are now able to stay connected to what matters most no matter the distance.

Myant uses 3D robotic knitting machines to integrate sensors and actuators into textiles. The company’s expertise in textile sciences was instrumental in its rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Myant responded to a public call for PPE, rapidly designing, testing and manufacturing a new brand new line of masks that incorporate the use of copper and silver yarns (metals known for their antiviral and antibacterial properties). Myant is currently producing 340,000 masks per month, with the intention to ramp up manufacturing to 1 million masks per month in the coming months. They are also continuing to design and test new designs of protective equipment, with the vision of a reusable cloth product that can compete in protective ability with medical-standard N95 masks.

Thank you to our Official Supporters

We are thrilled to be supported by these organizations that truly care about advocating for the small business community and Canada:

The post Myant is Redefining “Wearable Technology” appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

IRIS R&D is Applying SmartCity Tech into COVID-19 Healthcare

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 19:21:00 GMT

Today we’re profiling IRIS R&D as part of our video series, Stay In-novating.

Stay In-novating profiles innovative small businesses in Canada that are finding creative ways to deal with the various challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping business running, providing support to employees, adapting to a completely different customer’s experiences, these are only some of the topics that require addressing. This series was developed to promote and support our small businesses that deserve the spotlight for their excellent services and decisions during these times.

About IRIS R&D

IRIS R&D is a privacy centric smart cities solutions company – helping municipalities make data driven decisions and build better road infrastructure.

The state of emergency by Canadian Municipalities provided them with the opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of their iPORT road monitoring solution in helping municipalities monitor high-risk road infrastructure and reduce liabilities.

The current state of affairs also pushed IRIS to re-evaluate their core technology, re-examine their values as a company and prove their commitment to meaningful community impact.

Back in January 2020, IRIS started a project with a Mohawk College to develop a solution that can monitor soil and plant moisture levels in Hamilton’s 3480 acres of Municipally-owned parkland. The current process is highly manual – parks & recreation inspectors drive out to each field and collect data daily. The project was an AI-enabled thermal camera to be installed on lamp poles located in municipal property. These cameras could sense when the park needs to be maintained and watered, doubling as a security feature.

COVID-19 caused a new application of this technology. After researching different applications of the thermal technology Iris has found a novel use case and solution that doesn’t exist in the marketplace today.

IS R&D Group Inc. and Dr. Hamilton-Wright’s Time Series Machine Learning lab are collaborating to bring to market a novel technology allowing passive, remote and contactless measurement at a distance of three key metabolic markers: heart rate, breathing rate and skin temperature to be tested at Hamilton hospitals.

Though they have only conceptualized this project recently – it is moving at a tremendous pace as key partners are recognizing the potential value of the solution across many use cases in the billion-dollar health sciences sector. They are currently working towards the full commercialization of the product.

Iris R&D would like to mention that none of this would be possible without the support of one of our advisors, Cyrus Tehrani (Hamilton CDO), and of course their amazing Innovation Guelph mentorship team.

Thank you to our Official Supporters

We are thrilled to be supported by these organizations that truly care about advocating for the small business community and Canada:

The post IRIS R&D is Applying SmartCity Tech into COVID-19 Healthcare appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Kleanr is Clearing Out COVID-19 One Space at a Time

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 13:19:00 GMT

Today we’re profiling Kleanr as part of our video series, Stay In-novating.

Stay In-novating profiles innovative small businesses in Canada that are finding creative ways to deal with the various challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping business running, providing support to employees, adapting to a completely different customer’s experiences, these are only some of the topics that require addressing. This series was developed to promote and support our small businesses that deserve the spotlight for their excellent services and decisions during these times.

About Kleanr

Kleanr is a cleaning company – one of the many types of services to see a dramatic hit to business when companies worldwide were told to shut down workspaces to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

At first, Kleanr experienced as much of 95% of their clients needing to stop working – which naturally meant a massive hit to their own business and survivability. What they did in response was pivot to provide what service was in demand. And that was anti-viral cleaning. Their deep clean anti-viral cleaning service was fairly under-utilized before COVID-19, despite them always having offered it. However, now it has turned into their best-selling product.

Cleaning services are still a need no matter the location, and people are booking Kleanr. Kleanr is, in particular, looking to make it easier for clients that are struggling most during this pandemic; those who have been on pause due to those events. For these customers, Kleanr decided to permit customers to defer payment, or receive discounts based on a case-by-case basis.

Taking inspiration from Loblaw’s pledge to increase grocery staff’s wages by $4 an our, Kleanr also upped the ante even further with a $7 wage increase to their cleaners’ hourly wages. Having the deep-cleaning option has allowed Kleanr to continue supporting their staff while providing an essential service to companies hoping to recover from this unprecedented economic situation.

Kleanr is currently looking to expand down to Ottawa and Ontario.

Thank you to our Official Supporters

We are thrilled to be supported by these organizations that truly care about advocating for the small business community and Canada:

The post Kleanr is Clearing Out COVID-19 One Space at a Time appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Animo is Making Mental Health Measurable (Stay In-novating)

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 20:55:00 GMT

Today we’re profiling Animo as part of our video series, Stay In-novating.

What is Stay Innovating?

Stay In-novating profiles innovative small businesses in Canada that are finding creative ways to deal with the various challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Keeping business running, providing support to employees, adapting to a completely different customer’s experiences, these are only some of the topics that require addressing. This series was developed to promote and support our small businesses that deserve the spotlight for their excellent services and decisions during these times.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, a large concern is the effect on the mental health of countless people being told to stay socially distanced. That’s where Animo is providing a means to make mental health top of mind for corporations.

About Animo

Animo’s platform is an AI, digital behavioral health solution. It provides users with integrations to platforms like Slack and email to passively track their mental health well-being. The platform is based on the underlying principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and accessible via web or mobile. CBT is a therapeutic approach that assists people in managing daily challenges like anxiety, depression and stress in a results-oriented manner.

The platform was originally designed for use as a tool for companies that deal with a large number of employees, where they are often more remote communications taking place. Animo connects users to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) modules that help them address stress, anxiety and depression.

In addition to their base platform, Animo also developed a mobile app called Close-Knit which serves to notify select friends when the user’s mental health is in a low state. It was inspired by personal acquaintances dealing with mental health challenges like bi-polar disease.

Mental health has grown to become a significant topic in our everyday lives. Animo is providing greater insight to our mental wellbeing in our work.

Thank you to our Official Supporters

We are thrilled to be supported by these organizations that truly care about advocating for the small business community and Canada:

The post Animo is Making Mental Health Measurable (Stay In-novating) appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Find Quick Work for Quick Pay with Hyr

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 16:08:00 GMT

Today we’re profiling Hyr as part of our video series, Stay In-novating.

What is Stay Innovating?

About Hyr

Hyr’s fully mobile app connects businesses and workers to fill any shift at any time. Did your dishwasher call out, or you need temp workers for your pop up store? Hyr’s tech allows businesses to post shifts or temporary staffing needs, and choose from experienced workers to fill in, and they take care of the rest including taxes, payroll and insurance.

Pre-March, Hyr’s business was focused on the retail and hospitality sectors. However, on March 10 ^th with the start of the COVID-19 lockdown, 90% of Hyr’s business users had to close their businesses, or significantly reduce their operations.

That said, other essential businesses were seeing an increased demand for temp positions. In particular, grocery and delivery staff became highly sought after, as restaurants became takeout only and grocery store workers became “secondary frontline workers.”

More, Hyr realized the greater need for volunteers during these difficult times and launched a volunteer portal for non-profits to connect with their community of workers.

Hyr’s team quickly adapted their platform to allow both essential businesses and nonprofits to connect – quickly – to their community of 25k workers. The skilled hospitality and retails pros were/are able to quickly jump into these roles and earn much needed income at a time they need it most.

Thank you to our Official Supporters

We are thrilled to be supported by these organizations that truly care about advocating for the small business community and Canada:

The post Find Quick Work for Quick Pay with Hyr appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

MedEssist Lets You Order Prescriptions With Just a Snap

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 14:02:00 GMT

Today we’re profiling MedEssist as part of our video series, Stay In-novating.

What is Stay Innovating?

About MedEssist

MedEssist is a new startup working towards personalized apps for pharmacies. The MedEssist app allows Canadians to order medications from any pharmacy using their phone or computer by scanning any pharmacy receipt. It is designed to remind users to take their medications, safely store their medical data, and order their refills through the app in seconds.

They are used by 125 pharmacies and 3 hospitals over the past year. When Covid-19 hit, they saw that current clients were using the app more to reduce foot traffic in local pharmacies, and dedicated themselves to promoting this benefit. This promotes social distancing and limits the number of patients entering or waiting at pharmacies to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to the more vulnerable population.

During the COVID-19 situation, frontline nurses and doctors are often prioritized for protective supplies, however, it is important to remember that pharmacists are medical professionals as well to ask medical questions to. Community pharmacies are small businesses themselves, with a majority of them not originally having a website. This is where MedEssist is stepping in the help the pharmacy business.

MedEssist will also allow hospitals and pharmacies to share inventory to address medication shortages, making the challenge to deal with limited supplies much easier. On the patient side, users can use MedEssist to locate pharmacies based specifically on the supply of the medications they need.

Thank you to our Official Supporters

We are thrilled to be supported by these organizations that truly care about advocating for the small business community and Canada:

The post MedEssist Lets You Order Prescriptions With Just a Snap appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

A+C Encourages Businesses to Not Just Stay In, But Stay Innovating

Thu, 28 May 2020 13:40:00 GMT

Introducing a new video series that supports local small businesses to stay innovating!

Stay Innovating: COVID-19 has been a trying time for all of us, and one that has had us all asking ourselves, “What can we do to help?” As a video production company, we may not be able to do something like call upon the manufacturing capabilities to produce face shields and ventilators for the cause, but what we can do is shed some spotlight on the companies that are going out of their way to support their communities during COVID-19.

Stay IN-novating is a new video series with the purpose of profiling bold Canadian businesses that are coming up with innovative ways to support the community, their employees, and customers, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you’re a tech company finding a creative approach to leverage your resources to aid the effort in flattening the curve, or even a restaurant finding ways to continue providing quality service even as takeout, we want to share what you’re doing.

Here’s a look at our Stay In-novating series, in this short demo:

These videos will be produced by Arc + Crown Media using existing assets that the profiled companies bring to the table, meaning we don’t break our pledge to social distance either.

The video series will be shared online by our agency, and by our official supporters.

You can get involved too!

Interested in joining the cause and becoming an official supporter of Stay In-novating?

As an official supporter, your logo will be shown on the supporters’ page at the end of each video. The goal is to reach as large of an audience as possible to better connect our communities and highlight the ingenuity of Canadian businesses.

Please email your intent to become a supporter to info@arcandcrown.com with the subject line: “Stay IN-novating Become a Supporter”. We look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you to our Official Supporters

We are thrilled to be supported by these organizations that truly care about advocating for the small business community and Canada:

The post A+C Encourages Businesses to Not Just Stay In, But Stay Innovating appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Lighting Tips (Video)

Tue, 12 May 2020 18:33:00 GMT

We’re here today to share valuable Lighting Tips to make your video content look clean and professional!

It’s more often the lighting, not the camera, that provides a professional look to video. Check out this video of our Executive Producer Vanessa Holding sharing easy lighting tips for any setup!

You don’t need professional lighting or equipment to give yourself a good light. Often the trick is just knowing good placement. Here are some simple steps to ensure you’re making the best use of your natural light:

Lighting Tips #1: Try to use natural daylight coming in from a window if possible or a well-lit room

A window is a good source of light, but be wary of moments when the sun is shining directly through

Lighting Tips #2: Avoid hard lighting or direct sunlight on your face

Facing directly where the sunlight is coming from will overexpose your face, making it look “blown out” with loss of detail

Lighting Tips #3:Avoid creating hard shadows on your face

If using a window with blinds, ensure that the blinds are not casting harsh shadows on your face. Move the blinds out of the way to have even light on your face.

Lighting Tips #4: Avoid being ‘backlit’ by a bright background that will overpower the light on your face

Avoid having a window directly behind your head, as the light will hit directly into your camera. Most video software (Zoom, Skype, etc.) will auto-expose the image, meaning it interprets how much light the camera takes in and raises or lowers the exposure (what you perceive as “brightness”) as necessary. In other words, to deal with massive amounts of light hitting the camera lens, it will darken the entire image, meaning your face will suddenly look dark.

Instead, indirectly face the window to provide even light

Being near a window is best, but not directly in front of it in case there is harsh sunlight.

Looking for the right hardware to really boost the level of your remote interview setup? Check out our remote broadcast guide .

The post Lighting Tips (Video) appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

How COVID-19 changed eLearning

Thu, 07 May 2020 19:00:00 GMT

While countries are at different stages in COVID-19 infection, currently there are over 1.2 billion children amongst 186 countries affected by school closures worldwide during to the pandemic. Education systems have, “by default,” turned to eLearning.

How is the education sector responding to COVID-19?

In response to the heightened demand, a large number of online learning platforms have come to offering free access to their services. Amongst these platforms include Mathletics , an award-winning companion tool to be used by educators in teaching students math. For language learning, there’s Duolingo , a free mobile and web app that teaches 30 languages, including as Spanish, French, Mandarin, and Japanese. Science teachers have access to Stile , and resources like Lemonade Stand cater to the older learner as a self-directed platform that helps students develop entrepreneurial skills.

One can certainly make the argument that eLearning was already a burgeoning industry, with global Edtech investments hitting US$18.66 billion in 2019 and the global market for online education expected to climb up to $350 Billion by 2025 . With the sudden influx of classrooms using tech-based learning, new features are rapidly being deployed to meet growing needs. For example, Lark , a Singapore-based collaboration suite developed by ByteDance , began offering teachers and students unlimited video conferencing time, real-time co-editing for project work, and smart calendar scheduling, amongst other features.

At-home effects of online learning

The quick changes from eLearning platforms reflect the less-than-smooth transition from real to virtual classrooms. As the first country to experience classroom shutdown’s due to COVID-19, Chinese students have been the most impacted by long-term use of online learning. Lack of interaction, loneliness and poor exercise are but several effects reported by young Chinese students asked about their at-home situation. The World Economic Forum profiled one such Chinese student, 10 years old, and suddenly living the life of an “online learner.”

For education for K-G12 students, parents are now also an essential part of the equation. Educators aren’t there physically to guide students. For parents that suddenly need to enforce at-home living in addition to their usual working lives, just having the tools for learning is not enough. LMS’s that can additionally provide the proper scheduling and incentive to learn regularly are especially beneficial for parents that aren’t fully capable of monitoring their children’s education at all times of the day.

Creating social environments for learning

With interaction at an all-time low, there is a rise in use of collaboration platforms that support live-video communications, including Hangouts Meet, Teams , Skype , WhatsApp , and Zoom. Not all native learning platforms feature this particular functionality just yet, but it is expected that more learning software developers begin taking into account more ways to incorporate live-video as a core function of their eLearning platforms.

More digital means of creating digital learning content

Many traditional classrooms make use of various arts and crafts styles of learning to apply theories in practical ways. In a remote environment, this is no longer as simple as handing each student glue and popsicle sticks. The start of COVID-19 saw more education being in orally communicated rather than applied in practical settings. This can be expected to drive less engagement in the long run. In response, we’re seeing more reliance on platforms that allow digital content creation, for educators to give students a chance to visually grasp theories through application. This idea fits squarely with the popular “gamification” concept that has been made popular in recent years, where sparking a sense of entertainment and/or competition further aids in overall knowledge retention.

eLearning with more offline functionality

One of the prominent challenges of a heavily online-based education is that the delivery of resources tends to be greatly reliant on internet connection. This has increased the necessity for learning platforms like language learning app Kolibri , education tool Rumie , and Ustad Mobile which market themselves as mostly offline services that don’t require constant internet stability.

Psychosocial support is important as well

Mental health affects learning. In distanced environments under fear of infection and social interaction, mental health is at risk and should be taken deeply into consideration. For that reason there are various resources for educators to properly address the COVID-19 situation to students, and parents.

Here are some resources provided by UNESCO for how to take the right approach in addressing COVID-19 concerns for educators:

What this means for online education

The transition has not been so smooth, simply due to the sudden nature of the change. This means there are those that critique how effective eLearning truly is, and others continuing to defend its uses. However, it is without a doubt that these events have been the eye-opener that will encourage unprecedented growth in both the online education and video collaboration sectors. eLearning platforms are realizing that they can potentially be (and should be) much more than simply a set of resources, but a means to collaborate, and encourage better learning on one’s own time. These are all indirectly applied through features based on user feedback and general demand. The online education community has a larger sample size than ever before, and will, without a doubt, come out of the pandemic better equipped than ever.

The post How COVID-19 changed eLearning appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Learn about Zoom for Video Calls (Video)

Wed, 06 May 2020 17:13:00 GMT

Video calls are a must now

Despite self-isolation and social distancing, businesses still need to run. And successful businesses run on good communication. That’s why it’s little wonder that professionals are increasingly resorting to video chats and conferences for their business meetings and everyday comms. The fact that it’s so hard to buy a webcam online nowadays is a pretty clear indication of how many users are relying on video calls in present times.

There are plenty of benefits to being able to see the opposite person’s face that gives video calls the edge over a standard phone call. Facial reactions, head nos, and head shakes, all contribute to how our body language provides communication on its own. All this in part results in better understanding at the end of the day.

Video calls are faster to get set up if you’re looking to engage with a large number of people. You don’t need to spend the time calling each person and merging them in, instead, you can just send them the link to click on when it’s time to talk. In addition, video calls have the novel advantage of allowing you to share your screen with the other parties, which eliminates all the lost time trying to blindly direct a co-worker to adjust or fix something on their monitor.

Getting started

There are a number of different companies offering video calls, but in this video Executive Producer, Vanessa Holding talks about Zoom . Zoom has been the go-to video chat program for Arc and Crown for years now, as a simple and versatile tool that can be free to use if you’re willing to work with some minor limitations. The free version only lets your call last for 40 minutes, but you can mitigate this by restarting another meeting which will last another 40 minutes. If you anticipate needing those video calls to be more steady without interruptions, then the paid options are certainly worth looking into as well.

Tips for Zoom

If you’re interested in using Zoom for your business, be sure to check out our previous blog about neat tricks to take even better advantage of what Zoom has to offer. This includes an instant filter to touch up your appearance, and a virtual background to add some pop to an otherwise plain room. These tricks are completely viable even if you’re using the free version. Also, be sure to check out our list of hardware to buy and general best practices for video calls .

The post Learn about Zoom for Video Calls (Video) appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Camera Framing Best Practises (Video)

Mon, 04 May 2020 21:06:00 GMT

The Importance of Good Framing

Much of videography can be considered an “invisible” art. There is more that goes into it than just what shows up on screen. A viewer won’t always be able to express or verbalize the impact of purposeful videography, but the effect exists nonetheless. Camera framing is just one of these factors to quality video making.

At its best, good camera framing lets your body take command of the frame like as if you’re taking command of the subject, which lets viewers see you as a point of authority. At its worst, bad camera framing dwarfs your presence and distracts the viewer from paying attention to what you’re saying.

As social distancing continues and video calls are the new norm for business meetings, camera framing should rightly become part of your professional etiquette, going hand in hand with body posture and language. A good camera framing shows that you’re paying attention and that you’re worth paying attention to.

As part of self-isolation, we at Arc and Crown have decided to do what we preach and continuously put our own video content from home. Check out Vanessa Holding’s video on some best practices for camera framing – whether you’re interviewing remotely for TV, to a partner, or to a client.

The post Camera Framing Best Practises (Video) appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

How to Arrange for Your Home Broadcast Interview

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 20:30:00 GMT

Imagine suddenly being called to be on a remote home broadcast interview. It may be to be for the news or to share important information. Perhaps it’s to be as a remote speaker for a digital event. Regardless of the reason, are you ready to appear on camera at home? There’s only so much notice and now you need to prepare what you can.

High-quality remote interviews go a long way to build awareness and build your reputation as an authority in your field. How your interview is set up and conducted is critical to its success.

Here are the main factors you should immediately factor when about to conduct a remote interview at home. This is useable information even for standard video calls, which have seen a surge in popularity in recent times.

Home Broadcast Hardware

First, you need the physical items to conduct your interview. Most of these items can be considered “optional” based on existing computers, which of course is mandatory.

Webcam

If you are using a laptop, it may have an existing camera. Even if your computer has a built-in camera, you still want to consider purchasing an additional USB webcam for the higher quality.

Here are some of the highest-rated webcams as of 2020:

1. Microsoft LifeCam Cinema Camera

2. Microsoft Corporation LifeCam Studio Web Camera

3. Logitech C920 HD Pro Webcam

4. Logitech C925e HD Audio Webcam

5. Logitech Brio 4K Ultra HD Webcam

That said, webcams are experiencing a bit of a short-stock at the moment, likely due to the huge demand with more video calls being made. If you see any of these come back in stock definitely consider getting one for your at-home video production quality.

Microphone

Similarly to your webcam, relying solely on your laptop’s in-built microphone can be disadvantageous. Especially if broadcasting from an older laptop, your microphone may be uncomfortably close to your laptop’s fan, which may blanket your voice. Having poor audio is very inconvenient in any form of video chat. To mitigate this, be sure to consider a high quality microphone. If you’re in the market for a highly rated mic, consider any of the following.

1. Rode NT-USB

2. Blue Yeti

3. Audio-Technica AT2020USB

4. CAD U37

5. Samson Go Mic

Speakers

While possibly a lower priority to the webcam and microphone, having a dedicated set of speakers certainly has its benefits. Lower quality in-built speakers can result in you having difficulty hearing the other person. Additionally, speakers with an output “lag” is what causes the dreaded “voice echo” when it reaches your microphone. On the other hand, having proper speakers allows you to avoid potentially having to wear unappealing earphones while on your broadcast. Here are some of the notable speakers coming out of 2020.

Software

Apart from the physical hardware, of course, you need the proper software to establish the video call. This will depend on what is being requested, but in general, you’ll commonly see any of the following:

Ensure you know which program or app you need to have downloaded and installed, and make sure that you’ve had an opportunity to test the app before the official call. Many of these programs require a bit of setup to connect with the appropriate audio and video hardware, and you want to know that you’re looking proper in terms of webcam placement, posture, etc.

High-Speed Internet

The speed of your internet is directly linked to the quality of your video call connection. This includes your upload and download speeds. Check your various speeds on free sites like fast.com. Attempt to have the following:

Adjust Your Backdrop

Environment matters for your home broadcast. Make sure you’re being cognizant of the elements of the room that can be seen behind you.

Before Starting Your Home Broadcast, Follow These Steps

If you follow these steps you will be set for your remote video interview broadcast. Good luck!

The post How to Arrange for Your Home Broadcast Interview appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Get Creative with Your Communications During COVID-19

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 20:45:00 GMT

Don’t Just Focus on Communications, But Connection

The role of the communications professional is now more important than ever, as every company has been affected heavily by recent events related to COVID-19.

Now is not the time to vanish from your audiences or internal teams in the hopes that things will just resume as normal in a few weeks. Even if the nation-wide quarantine were lifted tomorrow, there’s no denying that the world has changed with how much everyone has been affected. Brands are realizing that how they handle their communications now will deeply affect their perception well after these events.

That means that most brands, naturally, are doing their part communicating. What you want to avoid as a result is just saying the same thing as everyone else. Your audiences have heard the same message countless times. At this point, the purpose of your message is not just to communicate, but to connect.

How to Connect Through Your Communications During COVID-19

During this global pandemic, what we’ve observed is 3 phases of communication:

1.REACTION – to current events

2.REBOUNDING – finding ways to cope to a new normal in our lives

3.REINVENTING – adapting to the state of affairs and developing new services and products to match new needs.

Phase 1: REACT

At the beginning of the nationwide lockdown, what we witnessed is a wave of “reactionary communications” explaining how organizations are coping with the situation. “We’ve shifted our hours”, “we’re working remotely”, “this is what we’re doing to help clients & employees”, etc; these showed that companies are acknowledging the severity of the situation and are pledging the effort to properly accommodate their members and community with the unique situation. This is just the tip of the iceberg of your overall COVID communications strategy, but your message should remain heartfelt and sincere.

Take Galen Weston’s example from Loblaws for example:

Phase 2: REBOUND

This is all about understanding the new normal. The world has changed; how is your brand fitting in with a different lifestyle? Take Burger King in France, for example, who after being closed completely put out ads to show customers how to make a whopper at home

To rebound, you need to think about how you can help people ease into this new lifestyle and entertain them during it. After all, at this stage, we’re a little tired of hearing about all of the negative things happening during COVID and many people are focused on keeping positive and active while in isolation.

Right now, one of those biggest obstacles to staying positive isn’t doom and gloom, but boredom. Searches for the word “bored” has increased by as much as 626% recently.

Even if your brand is entertainment-focused, it doesn’t mean you can’t find creative ways to entertain. Chipotle connected with zoom to create a virtual hangout for 3000 fans with celebrity appearances, and also gave away free burritos. A win-win situation for anyone. What Chipotle did well was focus on the evidently growing audience of virtual meeting tools like Zoom to reach their otherwise-lost markets. So ask yourself as well: How can your company leverage virtual events to connect with your customers or help employees connect with one another? Maybe you have someone at your company who loves food and can lead a cooking class, or maybe you can create a forum for parents to share ideas

Phase 3: REINVENT

Everyone’s now talking about the fact that when all of this is over – and we have no idea when that will be – we will not be going back to “life as usual.” It will be a different world after COVID-19. People have opened their eyes to instant online delivery, online grocery shopping, and new forms of indoor entertainment. This is a perfect time to experiment, or even pivot, with your business as the markets have been turned upside down. We’re seeing pedestrian navigation apps make changes to include social distancing features and companies like sports gear companies like Bauer turning to make medical protective gear.

Today’s business landscape is all about purpose. Now that you’ve reacted and rebounded, it is time to confront the newfound challenges brought forth by COVIID-19. The purpose is more important now than ever. Consumers will be looking for ways to create a more sustainable world.

You may have to redefine your purpose, like Nike’s “Play for the World” campaign. It was a pivot from their usual “Just Do It” campaign which focuses heavily on personal effort and perseverance. This new campaign took that self-same vibe and energy that they’ve built over the years and put it in a global community perspective, all while cautioning their follower base to live safely during COVID-19.

How you reinvent your purpose and branding will have to respond directly to the prevalent emotions of today – many of whom which been sobered by the effects COVID-19 has had on personal loved ones, jobs, local businesses, and the economy as a whole. Right now the brands that are thriving are those that show both empathy for those concerns, and the inspiration to get through it. Those are the ones that will excel even through these times.

Need help brainstorming ideas for your communications and video marketing?

Reach out to let us know your needs with us here.

The post Get Creative with Your Communications During COVID-19 appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

3 Types of Video That You Can Still Produce During COVID-19

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 21:13:00 GMT

Due to the nationwide quarantine, video productions have been put at a sudden stop. Like with all other industries, this is a devastating blow to the industry. According to the City of Toronto , production investments in film, television, digital and commercial media contributed $1.96-billion to the local economy in 2018.

However, just because video production has come to a halt does not mean your business can’t still be looking at producing content. In fact, now may be a more important time than ever to promote how your business is changing gears to respond to COVID-19 or maintain business as usual. Whether you’re in healthcare and need video content to easily provide instructions to new recruits or volunteers, or whether you’re in the restaurant business showing how you’re spicing things up in your takeout menu, there are still ways that video can make an impact.

The best part is, there are types of video that can be produced and used to great effect even without needing physical production with cameras. Here are some ideas to get your ideas spinning.

Animation

The first solution, of course, is animation! There’s no camera required at all for animation, as it’s created from scratch or manipulated using existing graphics. Choosing between animation and live-action is a common debate when producing corporate video content. What we tell clients that ask us this very question is to consider what they want to get across. At the end of the day, are they trying to teach something, or get the viewer to feel a certain way?

Live-action is an ideal choice for getting audiences to feel a certain way, like excitement or pride towards the brand. This is because people connect with other people, especially when there is a story that can be told. That engagement drives strong brand and company appeal.

However, for more complex, information-heavy or informational subject matter, (think complicated software, brand-new tech, or finance), then, going with animation is a great choice. It lets you explain big concepts in simple, appealing and visual ways, which helps viewers understand quicker and remain engaged.

Stock Footage

We just mentioned the effect of seeing real people, but that comes with the difficulty of not being able to assemble many people at once to conduct a proper video shoot. However, this opens an opportunity to instead make use of high quality, professional footage that has already been shot and is made available for purchase to use! Many available stock footage on sites like GettyImages use content shot by professional videographers that also join on large productions. This is an incredibly cost-effective method as sometime going out of your way to procure a specific shot can cost thousands of dollars. As stock it might only cost a small fraction of that.

We recently shared a thank you to our nurses, and many asked us how we got into a hospital to shoot. Actually, it was all stock! We never had to walk into a hospital and endanger ourselves or anyone onsite.

The natural limitation with stock footage is that you’re really able to work with what’s available. It’s also worth noting that different stock libraries are associated with different costs, and potentially even different legal rights for use.

Creating video content that is largely reliant on stock footage requires a different kind of storyteller, one who is capable of putting existing pieces of a puzzle together to create a cohesive narrative rather than coming up with an idea from scratch. The benefits of contracting a video production company to produce content based on stock footage are that they can potentially leverage their partnerships with stock resources for better pricing, and they will know how to best make use of stock footage so that they don’t come off as felling like stock.

Self-Shot or DIY Video

We believe that all content is good content. In these times of global pandemic the best thing a business can do is stay relevant with continuous communication. Owners especially have good reason to put themselves forward with video content to share with employees, like Galen Weston (Executive Chairman, Loblaws) has done:

Maybe you have a camera and can record your message that way. If not, perhaps it is more likely that you have a smartphone. We recently released a video all about how powerful your smarphone can be for video – and ways to make smartphone video look professional!

The COVID-19 crisis has been a test of every business’s mettle, and we’ve seen many brands step up to the plate and display their faith in their causes. Now is the best time to put out video content to show how your brand is responding, or make an impact on your business.

Interested in producing video content with us? Share with us your needs and we’ll send you a free quote!

The post 3 Types of Video That You Can Still Produce During COVID-19 appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Story Spotlight – Ve’ahavta (Barbara’s Story)

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 13:07:00 GMT

We’ve spoken at length about how the persuasive power of good storytelling can propel a brand message more effectively than typical marketing and paid ads. The purpose of the story-based video is to showcase the person with the most compelling story, with emotion being the crux of the narrative. Today we’ll be taking a look at a story-based video that we produced for non-profit charity organization Ve’ahavta, where we really got to know about Barbara Berryman, one of Ve’ahavta’s many clients.

In it, Barbara shares with us her personal experience with homelessness, and how encountering Ve’ahavta was a life-changing moment for her. The full version of the video (which you can view on their site here ) was played at Ve’ahavta’s volunteer event, The Ve’ahavta Project , in which volunteers came together to prepare various supply and lunch kits for the people of Toronto who were experiencing homelessness.

The Process to creating a Story

When we proposed producing a story-centric video, we asked our contacts at Ve’ahavta if they knew anyone with an impressionable story to tell. In cases where that is still an unknown, we commonly help identify the ideal candidates by conducting phone interviews with potential “Hearts” of the story. This time, Ve’ahavta already had a story in mind with Barbara.

Beyond what we already knew about Barbara based on existing news coverage, we still conducted a preliminary interview with her well before any scripting or storyboarding. In this discovery interview, we asked questions to go beyond just knowing the events of the story, but also in order to get to the motivations and personal struggles associated with every event.

Ultimately, our goals for any story-based video are to uncover the following three factors of the subject:

Uncovering Motivations

What made Barbara’s story unique to many viewers was that she did not fit the “stereotype” of someone experiencing homelessness, which is something we were aware of from the beginning when her story was suggested to feature. Her starting words whenever the conversation comes up are that no one would suspect her of dealing with such hardships. She was dressed well and appeared lively – no one would suspect that at some point she had to resort to sleeping in her storage unit.

That much got people’s attention – what captured people’s emotion was the “why.” She didn’t want her family – her children, and grandchildren – to worry about her, and to this end, she admits having to lie to her own family about her situation. This provides the extra perspective not just on Barbara’s situation, but for all similar individuals going through similar circumstances. Getting to this moment is the emotional throughline of the video, with the conclusion being that the support provided by Ve’ahavta has helped get her on her feet.

The Process to Putting the Story Together

From the transcription and notes taken from the first single interview, we pulled the standout quotes and from it created two items: a list of keywords to guide our direction, and a general outline.

One interview can go from one to two hours. Everything spoken is transcribed and notated. Naturally, only a small fraction of what the subject says will make it into a video that only spans 3 to 7 minutes. We take the key soundbites, following the direction of the overarching keywords, and string them into a cohesive storyline. From that, we create a storyboard which lays out the visual elements to be associated which each story beat, be it a staged shot or general candid b-roll. The storyboard also informs how we want to word our interview prompts for the actual filming.

It is important to note that none of this constitutes a word-for-word script. We firmly believe in ensuring that the recorded interview is real and organic. However, this is the benefit of having the person who conducted the first discovery call to conduct the interview as well. We know the content we want to shoot before the camera is set to roll. During the interview, this allows us to prompt for certain direction by saying “I recall you mentioned this event or this feeling, can you share that with us again?” to guide the subject towards our storyline.

Ve’ahavta is a Jewish humanitarian organization dedicated to promoting positive change in the lives of people of all faiths and backgrounds who have been marginalized by poverty and hardship. Even now during the COVID-19 quarantine, their Mobile Outreach Van provides much-needed supplies and food to people who need it most in these times. Please consider donating here to their cause.

The post Story Spotlight – Ve’ahavta (Barbara’s Story) appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

4 Crucial Marketing Tips To Stay Afloat During the COVID-19 Crisis

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 19:58:00 GMT

MARKETING TIPS: Never before has online marketing been so crucial. With audiences being asked to remain indoors to prevent the spreading of the virus, internet exposure has risen exponentially in all demographics, and with it, online brand recognition. However, this is by no means a “business as usual” paradigm; your marketing audiences are expecting you to react to (and in many cases, be proactive with) the crisis situation. How is your brand acting in the face of COVID-19? That’s what people want to know.

This applies to your employee marketing as well. They want to know that your brand is taking this situation seriously and doing its part in this war against coronavirus. How your response is received will greatly affect your brand perception not just now, but afterward as well. As such, it is critical to understand how we must change our marketing playstyle. Position yourself poorly and you could potentially put yourself at risk of “war profiteering” from the crisis – a quick means of becoming a public enemy. But, establishing a human connection and showing that your brand supports the causes against COVID-19 is an effective way to be remembered as a brand that did its part.

Here are the 4 principles to always keep in mind, whether it’s in your COVID-19 marketing or communications.

Show Up and Make a Difference

It’s understandable that there’s a lot going on. You may suddenly have to figure out how to coordinate remote workers and consistent video meetings. However, just because we’re physically becoming more sheltered does not mean we don’t have a large role to play still publicly. Don’t just “disappear” to weather the storm, but find creative ways to appear and do your part. For example, here are just some of the ways other companies are looking to impact their communities.

Support and Collaborate

The companies at the frontlines of this crisis – the essential businesses, healthcare organizations, and government, are all in need of support and aid. It might be in the form of supplies, equipment. We’re seeing liquor breweries transition to producing hand sanitizer, and clothing brands support in producing cloth hygiene masks. Now is the time to find ways to support such organizations, in whichever ways possible.

BlueDot, for example, is a start-up grown from the labs of the University of Toronto. Their AI solution combines natural language processing with machine learning in order to understand and predict the spread of infectious diseases around the globe. BlueDot was one of the earliest notifiers of the risk of the dangerous new illness, having even predicted its path of infection internationally.

BlueDot is now working with the Canadian government to continue utilizing AI to gain a greater comprehension of how COVID-19 is mobilizing and where we can implement solutions to reduce its proliferation.

Don’t Aim to Sell, Aim to Solve

Audiences aren’t looking for what you’re selling as much as they’re looking for how you’re addressing current challenges. This principle has applied even before COVID-19 hit the world, but it’s especially the case now. As such, brands should be allocating their utmost attention to devising an impactful (and appropriate) answer to the issues people are facing today.

Take AlayaCare as an example. To address the difficulty of professional caretakers providing aid to people such as seniors given current distancing requirements, they released a COVID-19 screener as part of its home care mobile app software. The application gives care workers the ability to electronically assess risk before they make their visit to provide home and community-based services. This not only protects the worker but those nearby in the community as well. The tool is meant to be used before each visit and is available to personal care workers and clinicians.

Promoting that your brand is helping solve current challenges shows that you are reacting appropriately to the needs of the community, which elevates brand perceptions as one that shows support and compassion during times of crisis.

Communicate with Emotions, Compassion and Facts

During these times it is imperative to display positivity against fear, commitment to cause, and gratitude to all the people that are coming together in these times. It is also an important time to ensure the community. Many factors have come together to create fear and negativity in the community – it is with empathy that you can communicate properly to help alleviate these fears. This is the time to clam and inform – for both your client, customers, and employees.

Subaru, for example, has foregone typical advertising in favour of a direct message thanking those in the frontlines. We produced a similar video in our previous post thanking the nurses battling the virus.

Let’s make a difference. Our communities require us to not just Stay In, but also Stay Innovating. If your business is taking creative ways to support the causes against COVID-19, or our communities in light of COVID-19, you might be a good fit to be featured by us in our upcoming video series “STAY IN-novating”! Please share with us your insights and business plans with us here .

The post 4 Crucial Marketing Tips To Stay Afloat During the COVID-19 Crisis appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

How to Start Your Own Podcast

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 20:47:00 GMT

Perhaps you’ve listened to a podcast before and thought, “Hey, I could do this!” Or you have no idea what a podcast is, in which case it’s even more critical that you find out now.

By the end of this blog you will have a basic overview of:

What is a Podcast?

Think of a podcast like a regular radio show that people can download and listen to on their phones, or tune into online. It might not be every day, but the point is that you’re putting out consistent talks and discussions on a variety of topics that people are interested in listening in on.

Podcasting is not a new form of media, but it has seen rapid increase in popularity in the past few years. And what surprises many people is just how lucrative podcasts really are, either as a standalone business or as an effective arm in your marketing arsenal.

And in these times where you might find yourself stuck at home in quarantine, well, now might just be the best time to start. The big appeal for podcasts is that they can be very informal if you’re not so big on blogging or creating traditional marketing content, and just want your authentic voice out there talking about relevant and current subjects.

How do I Start a Podcast?

Getting started with Podcasting always sounds like it should be complicated when on closer inspection it’s not. At the end of the day, all you really need is some equipment to record yourself, a computer, a podcasting host to serve as your platform, and then you need to submit your episodes to directories to actually reach listeners. This video will get you started with the basic knowledge you need to conduct your own research into what fits best with your budget and objectives.

Equipment

So let’s start off with the equipment. Naturally, the number one most important piece of equipment is your microphone. This is something that you definitely should understand that you get what you pay for. Cheaper microphones will have a natural compression on your voice, or is more likely to pick up unwanted background noise.

In general, you’ll find two kinds of microphones out for purchase: USB and Analog. Both are useable and feature their pros and cons. But in general, for a more budget-conscious setup, you should go USB because it can easily be inserted in your computer. Analog microphones usually market themselves as having richer audio quality, but they tend to be a bit more expensive, and some may even require an additional audio interface (separately purchased) which may add a bit more to your budget.

A microphone that we see commonly used for businesses is the Blue Yeti USB Microphone . This is a decent choice for a first-time podcaster.

These next additional items for purchase are technically optional, but we highly recommend the investment if you’re looking to be podcasting long-term.

Pop filters take out some of the “popping p’s” when you speak, and to some extent also increases your mic’s lifespan by reducing any saliva moisture entering the device.

Good headphones will also give you a more authentic listen to your content, so you know how much background noise is actually being picked up that you should be conscious of.

Software

Now how do you record your podcast to your computer? There are actually quite a few options. Audacity is a very popular – and free – audio editor. You can record directly on the software and edit it to remove the unwanted audio at the start and end, or any hiccups in between.

Audacity is a software for PC, but if you want to pursue a free software on Mac then Garageband is also an option. If you already have Adobe Creative Suite, there’s also Adobe Audition.

However, one last option we would suggest is not an audio editing software, but a video editing software like Premiere Pro or the more consumer-grade Premiere Rush. Video software naturally comes with the ability to record and piece together audio, though Pro will have slightly more options for advanced audio editing. Why we mention video is because if you video record your podcast content and take just the best snippets, those are prime content to put on your YouTube channel, Facebook or LinkedIn to further grow your voice and reach. Outreach, and audience is how you can be in a better place to potentially be sponsored and make podcasting a sustained business. If you have video on your mind, either now or in the future, consider it the better long-term plan to pick up a video software so you can be comfortable creating both audio and video content early.

Identify and Define Your Brand

Now those are the technical factors that you need to make a podcast, but always remember that the most important thing is assessing your content itself.

You’ll want to not only identify your content niche, but also be aware if there’s actual demand for your intended content. Do this by researching what similar creators are doing, and most importantly planning how you will be generating different content than them to stand out.

Other factors to think about:

Select a Hosting Provider

And lastly, you need to pick your podcast hosting provider. This is where you’ll be uploading your videos for people to find online. Why should this be considered as opposed to just hosting it on your site? Here’s why:

When it comes to a provider, you’re mostly looking at: Cost, Ease of Use, RSS Feed Support (confirm), Embeddable players, and potentially a site builder that lets you build a whole website with your episode integration.

These are the top 5 providers currently for podcasting:

Go and Record!

From there, it’s just a matter of recording the content. You can record it on your own, locally with other experts that you bring in, or with multiple people in different locations using SKYPE or ZOOM (ideal for current circumstances with COVID-19). The main rule to keep in mind is to be authentic, lively, and genuinely interested in your content. Listeners should have a reason to listen to your podcast over someone else’s.

Release Your Podcast Online

So let’s say you’ve gone and recorded your first episode, and edited it, added a theme song, and everything else. Congrats! Now it’s time to get that it into people’s devices?

To publish your episode, first upload it to your host provider based on their instructions. Now it’s time to get listeners. What you’ll need is your podcast’s RSS feed, which you can get from your hosting provider.

The task here is to start by listing your podcast in popular directories that people search for when they’re on the lookout for podcasts. When listeners browse directories like iTunes or Stitcher, they only see podcasts that have been added to the directory. Not doing so cuts out a large potential audience from accessing your content.

You only have to add your show to a directory once. From there, your RSS feed will update as you add episodes, and the directories will update as well.

The main directories to consider are:

But other directories include:

Be Proactive and PROMOTE!

Like with any content out online nowadays, it’s a million to one chance that the right person chances on your content organically. You need to push that content up as much as possible. Encourage people to leave reviews, join communities that match your niche and promote your content there; there’s many creative ways to go about this and it’s really a matter of your perseverance and trust in the quality and value of your content.

Our biggest tip for podcast beginners is this: plan for the long-term. You won’t be a beginner forever. One of the main appeals for podcasts to audiences is the incentive of regular, valuable content, that’s current with the latest trends and coloured by your unique perspective. Podcasts are meant to be slowly built up, cultivated and honed and polished over time.

Convert Podcast Relationships to Business Opportunities

Inviting someone to be on your podcast is a chance to show that you value their insight. Not only that, but podcasts are a fantastic way to additionally have a chance to share advice or otherwise show the value your own insight provides on their business, which can generate conversion leads now or sometime in the future.

There’s a lot more information on starting a podcast but this video shares the basics. For more information, there’s a great resource on https://blogging.com/podcasting t hat also shows how to import and export projects on Audacity and get those projects onto hosting platforms.

Do you already have a podcast, and are interested in video capture for additional online content? Contact us to share your podcast needs!

The post How to Start Your Own Podcast appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

A Thank You to Nurses During COVID-19 #StayHome

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 14:40:00 GMT

Thank you to all Medical Staff and Nurses

These are not only the times where we must come together, but also where we show respect and gratitude to the nurses and staff operating on the frontlines in the war against COVID-19.

Every day, nurses and other care providers face threatening conditions, and shortages in both staff and supplies. That includes doctors, and even med students volunteering to help their communities. They work a tiring number of hours, and come back to face the tide again the next day. The video we produced pays homage to their courage and perseverance.

Thank you to all other current at-risk professionals

We also want to share our gratitude to all of the essential workers out there; from cleaning staff and grocery store clerks, to bus drivers and delivery personnel. We appreciate all that you’re doing to keep our nation running in this time of uncertainty.

What we can do

Now it’s our turn. Support the nurses and other frontline professionals in your lives by following CDC guidelines to reduce the virus’s spread and the toil on those in our medical industry. Stay home if your intent to go outside is recreational only.

You can also consider any of the following as well:

Support Your Small Local Businesses by Shopping Small

This is an unprecedented economic crisis and shops are doing all they can to survive – every bit of support counts.

Buy Groceries for Neighbours

Especially if you know your neighbours are seniors and/or have underlying health conditions that place them at greater risk.

Order Delivery

Restaurants are still open and takeout is currently their only available form of business. You can support them in these times and still get your pizza fix!

Don’t overbuy essential items

If everyone buys at a relatively normal pace, everyone gets what they need – the supplies are still kept open in stores in a steady stream. Especially for hygiene items like soap and hand sanitizer, you should most likely want for everyone to have these available to them so that the community as a whole is cleaner.

Donate blood if you can

Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not the only fight the hospital must face. Self-isolation has severely cut blood donations, which is still a crucial necessity.

Spread the Message, Not the Virus

At the end of the day, this is just as much a fight for awareness as it is a fight for our lives. Conflicting, confusing, or fear-inducing messages result in members of the community not taking the correct measures or potentially putting themselves and others at risk.

With proper communications and accurate information, we better position ourselves to brave this storm. We believe this is where video can be at its most beneficial. If you have a message to share with your employees to maintain morale, or to your clients to assure your services are still available remotely, telling that message in a video gets this job done right. You can also further promote proper self care and hygiene, or express gratitude to the medical staff as well. Or, you might be shifting gears and adjusting what your business provides to help cater to the new needs in these unique circumstances. Video is your outlet to inform the public how you’re showing support.

At the end of these events, it will be those that showed their support and got their message out that will come out of this lockdown stronger.

Have a Thank You Message to Share of your own?

The post A Thank You to Nurses During COVID-19 #StayHome appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

How to Get Started Shooting Budget-Friendly Videos on a Smartphone

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 15:11:00 GMT

Why Smartphone Video?

We’ve heard it time and time again: video is a powerhouse medium for any corporate body or organization, whether it’s used for recruitment , to promote corporate culture , or even for internal elearning . No matter what you do, or what department you’re in, video can play a heavy part.

But let’s face it: not every organization, or not every department within an organization has the budget that a larger-scale marketing campaign would be working with. Furthermore, with new videos being generated every second online, video content creation has become just as much a question of quantity as it has of quality to keep up with the crowd.

Today we break the mold and make a claim that very few – if any – other video production companies are willing to state. And that’s that videos taken from your smartphone are not as bad as some are willing to have you believe.

We’re not saying that smartphones will overtake the video industry – that’s likely not going to happen. But what Apple, Samsung and the like have provided is a chance for small companies or small divisions to bring about their creative concepts and messaging to the forefront in video. Many people already have a smartphone, which puts you right at a good starting point when before the price of high-end camera equipment was a barrier to entry.

But wait before you dash out and begin filming with your phone! Phone cameras are good quality, but so much more goes into thinking for a professional production company. Factors like lighting, sound, and shot stability, while simple on paper, are paramount to good production and should always be prioritized and considered. How each of those is controlled is through additional equipment. That may sound complicated – and more importantly, expensive. We’re here to show you that it’s actually neither. Considering you already own a relatively newer model of smartphone, the additional gear we recommend is a few hundred dollars, tops.

With that in mind, our latest quarterly newsletter video is all about these basic tools and peripherals that you should absolutely consider to boost your smartphone shooting game. On a limited budget, we can say with confidence that this is a smarter alternative to just renting or purchasing a top-of-the-line camera.

Smartphone Gear Checklist

In the video we look at:

Take the Next Step in Simple Video Content Creation

We believe great video stories and ideas should never be hindered by cost. Does the idea of being able to successfully create your own videos in-house entice you and open brand new avenues for marketing or communications? If so, our smartphone video training, along with our in-person workshops and 1-to-1 consulting, is the perfect next step to learning how to take a video concept and bring it into realization. Our live expert takes you through the preproduction process with best practices for video, and how to make the most use of the equipment mentioned to attain high-quality video content. Register now and start your journey to becoming a video production expert!

The post How to Get Started Shooting Budget-Friendly Videos on a Smartphone appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Try Using Interactive Captions For All Your New COVID-19 Video Podcasts

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 20:28:00 GMT

INTERACTIVE CAPTIONS: With many of us currently under quarantine due to COVID-19, when it comes to recent video content trends we’re seeing more online podcasts occurring as industry leaders are using this chance to set up video meetings with others and talk about the state of their industries.

As we see more podcasts, and with 2020 being an era where accessibility will be a bigger consideration than ever, it’s an ideal time to look to add interactive captions to longer-form content like podcasts. Why? Just because people have more time to be watching videos now doesn’t mean they’re still going to pay attention to your whole podcast if not everything is relevant. Why not give them the ability to search for the content that engages them, and direct them straight to that point?

And if you haven’t heard about our piece on accessibility, check out our “Got a Minute?” Video on Accessibility .

What are interactive captions?

You probably are already familiar with regular captions, which provide viewers that otherwise would not hear your video to still grasp all the context they would need (of course this includes the vast number of users scrolling through their feeds on muted autoplay).

Interactive captions on Wistia take that to a whole new level – you can click on any caption (desktop only for now) and it brings up on the screen a transcript of the video (by the way, having a transcript is also great for your video for various reasons like better readability by SEO engines!). Viewers can then search the term they’re looking for (like “supermarket” if they’re specifically interested in your thoughts on how supermarkets can deal with fluctuations in demand) and filter through any time you say that word in the video.

This is a great step towards a personalized viewing experience, that comes bundled with a welcome load of valuable engagement.

So, how do I get interactive captions on my videos?

First, what you need are the captions themselves. If you already have a working .SRT file, that’s perfect! All you need to do is head into the Customize panel on your video in Wistia and select the Captions settings area. They will automatically become interactive. Now whenever a viewer clicks on the image they can see the whole transcript imposed on top of the video and search for the exact place that they want to go to.

If you don’t have an SRT file yet, there are a few options you can take to getting one. The easiest is simply having Wistia generate the captions for you at a small fee. They have a cheaper, machine-generated version (about 25 cents per minute) and a slightly pricier human-transcribed version well. There are multiple other third party sources as well.

If you’re willing to put in the small extra bit of time, there is a way to use YouTube’s free platform to generate a .SRT file as well – we’ll be putting out a blog about that sometime in the near future.

Interactive captions have actually been a feature on Wistia for about two years now, but it hasn’t gotten a lot of infamy. However, with more forms of longer content being produced, this is a fantastic way to stand out with the appeal of the viewer being able to just get to what they can engage with, without needing to wade through minutes to hours of other content.

Definitely give Wistia’s interactive captions a try – promote its use. It’s far more superior, accurate and convenient than pasting timecodes in the description for YouTube. Hopefully, we see more features like this in other video content, and being promoted by other video platforms.

The post Try Using Interactive Captions For All Your New COVID-19 Video Podcasts appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Working Remotely? Try our Fave 3 Tips When Using Zoom Video Meetings

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 20:52:00 GMT

As more and more employees are being asked to work remotely, the need for effective communication in places like Zoom video has never been more important than today. However, business needs to be able to be conducted as usual, as if in physical meeting rooms, despite the geographical distance. Using emails, phone call and messaging apps are simply not enough to communicate everything effectively. Pure text commonly results in miscommunication, and phone calls lack visual support to any topics being discusses.

That’s where video comes in. At Arc and Crown we live and breathe video, even in our day-to-day operations. That includes regular video meetings where we can share occuring projects on one screen to all participants. While there are multiple video meeting options, the one we use and recommend is Zoom. It’s versatile and incredibly helpful.

Even on the free account, you can:

1. Important meeting? Record it as a video!

Being able to record your meeting for future reference is invaluable for meetings where crucial (but not confidential) information is being discussed. This is a huge beneift for people that missed the initial meeting, or for participants that were unclear about certain instructions or topics discussed. Even better, if someone needed to confirm something discussed in the meeting, you can simply direct them to the video.

You can start record simply by clicking on the Record button on the bottom of your Zoom screen. You’ll need to be a host or co-host, and of course have a meeting started. Definitely be aware of your quality settings depending on how the meeting is being conducted. Some Zoom calls might be broadcast-style, where only the host appears on screen and the participants are only spectating. In that case, you’ll want to set Zoom to only record the audio and video of the host. If you have a paid plan, cloud storage will be available for your recordings – if not just be ready to have enough local storage to store your videos – especially with high quality video and long sessions these files can get quite large!

2. Make yourself look a bit better with automatic Touch Up

This is a feature that has recently been a user-favourite with markedly higher use. It’s basically a beauty filter for your Zoom calls. The method is very simple: just go to the lower-left-hand corner of the screen, click Video Settings , and then check the box marked “Touch Up My Appearance.”

This is an instant way to remove certain spots on your skin, with a slight softening effect. In times of stress, this is a much-appreciated gift.

3. Try out screen sharing and annotations!

Screen sharing is one of the biggest feature of Zoom, as it allows the host of a call to display whatever’s on their screen to all other participants. This means clearer instructions, simpler communication, and less instances of “hold on, I just need to pull up the message from my inbox.”

Annotation tools take screen sharing even further. With annotations, meeting participants can draw and highlight what’s onscreen, to indicate specific areas that need to be highlighted. Whether you’re a graphic designer going over mockups with your team, or an architect pointing out a deficiency in a blueprint, this is an invaluable tool.

To annotate during someone else’s share screen Zoom meeting, click on “ View Option” from the top of your Zoom window, and then select “ Annotate .” A toolbar will appear that shows your annotation options, including text, draw, arrow, and other options. Don’t worry, these annotations can be saved as well! The host can use the save button on the toolbar to capture the whole screen with all annotations as a screenshot for future use and reference.

Working remotely doesn’t mean working any less efficiently! Try out these tips in your next Zoom chat.

The post Working Remotely? Try our Fave 3 Tips When Using Zoom Video Meetings appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Events Cancelled? Employees Going Remote? Spread Your Message, Not COVID-19 With Video

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 17:58:00 GMT

With COVID-19 becoming increasingly acknowledged by global organizations as a threatening worldwide pandemic, large events and conventions are being cancelled or suspended in order to allow time for government bodies to implement the necessary controls to combat its rapid spread. The same goes for flights in, or out of certain countries. Even the NBA has announced a suspension in light of these growing concerns, and Twitter is now asking that all of their employees work remotely to avoid unwanted infection from an unknowing carrier. Schools in Toronto are also seeing a two week off period after March Break during these vulnerable moments.

The consequences are grievous for events that have been months, perhaps even a year in the making. Refunds for tickets can even be harmful to the event planners that may have spent some capital from the early purchases on booking for the event venue, speakers, and so forth.

Compared to the 1918 flu pandemic that swept North America however, the technology we have at our disposal in 2020 advantageously allows us to “keep calm and carry on” in the face of these current complications, if a few gears can be shifted. If your event or conference has been canceled due to coronavirus concerns, or if your employees are confused about what should be done to continue working while keeping health and safety the top priority, video is one solution to ensure the valuable information that you have to provide (and the time of the people that you’ve painstakingly coordinated) can still be brought together and shared to the people that need it.

Here are some ways to use video to keep some of your panels, discussions, and other events on track despite the current “lockdown” landscape.

Live webcasting during COVID-19

With a webcast, instead of assembling a crowd, you just need your main speaker(s) and a camera crew to get your panel, discussion, or product announcement out to the public. If you’re confident in your speakers’ personal webcam equipment, they can even join online to avoid any physical meet-up entirely. That said, in such a situation you will have less control over connection stability, audio sound, and video quality compared to if the speakers came into a closed environment. However, the overall benefit is that viewers don’t need to physically attend the event, but simply tune in from their homes as they would for a virtual meeting.

Live editing features a number of benefits over recording your event live and piecing the video together after. Check out our blog with video on some of the tricks we use for live webcasting.

On-camera Addresses during COVID-19

In times of crisis, one of the most important tasks in any organization is to uphold effective, clear communication. Especially in an environment when people are avoiding in-person meetups, or large meetings and town halls, the on-camera address can come as a crutch to ensure that all members understand what the process is to be like in the following weeks to months. Effective on-screen addresses provide clear direction, and when created in high-quality video, provide assurance to its viewers. This is also an important opportunity to emphasize that ensuring people’s health is the top priority and that processes will return to normal once the necessary actions have been made to combat COVID-19.

Safety First, But Continued Progress Second

It’s a shame that after many months invested in planning and coordinating large public events, we see such an abrupt cancellation. Disappointment is an inevitability, and in the case of brands looking to announce a product, they may resort to looking for alternative means to showcase their launches from conventional trade shows. Public health and safety is, and should always be the top concern. However, just because people are quarantining themselves does not mean we should be quarantining information, or refrain from continuing the important conversations and dialogues that we’ve been having about other important topics. For that we have various outlets to continue driving important messages across, that still reach people in the safety of their homes. We’ve come a long way since 1918!

The post Events Cancelled? Employees Going Remote? Spread Your Message, Not COVID-19 With Video appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Explaining Shoppable Video and How it Sells Your Products Better

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 21:04:00 GMT

For the past year or so, the term “shoppable video” has been making its rounds in the marketing and media industry and has become something of a buzzword. But what exactly is shoppable video and why is it coming up now? And more importantly, is it something worth considering for your business? Let’s find out.

How Shoppable Video Works

What shoppable videos provide is a way for viewers to engage directly with the video (i.e. within the video player) to be directed straight to the store page of the product they’re viewing. Before, converting views to sales involved some middle step with the platform. “Check the link in the description,” “Type in this URL,” “Scan this QR code” – sellers were coming up with increasingly elaborate means to shorten the journey from the first encounter to store checkout even if by mere milliseconds.

Today Show hosts show off NBCUniversal’s ShoppableTV solution. Credit: NBCUniversal

Instagram was notorious for this, as there were little means to get users on what would feel like a smooth transition from ad to the product URL page. Imagine the response when Instagram began incorporating shoppable images. You’re scrolling through and see a nice photo of a woman out in a sunflower field, enjoying the warm weather. Wait, it’s an ad for the sunglasses she’s wearing. There’s a small icon that reads “See details,” and with a tap you’re brought to the store page.

The success of shoppable images naturally heralded the arrival of shoppable videos. Now you can see an ad, and if it’s what you’ve been looking for, you’re one click away to getting it.

What’s so Different about Shoppable Videos?

The fact is, the idea and methodology behind shoppable videos are actually not new at all. At its core, these are interactive elements laid onto the video, which has been an existing feature for years now. In fact, one of our earliest blogs (and our first newsletter ) was about interactive video and how important it was going to be in the future. So what’s the difference between interactive video and shoppable video where one has become a buzzword and the other not so much?

To clarify one aspect of it first: shoppable videos are a form of interactive video content. However, the reason it has become so popular is that it’s probably the simplest form of “interactive” content you can get. There is one singular purpose of the shoppable video – go from seeing the video to being linked to the sale. When we talked about interactive video in the past, we explored a myriad of unique ways to take advantage of its interactive features. Creating a “choose your own adventure” style of storytelling, forging “customized” outcomes and messaging based on viewer choices, providing multiple outlets and paths for the viewer to end up on, the list goes on.

What we’ve observed is that these more elaborate forms of interactive media are fantastic for transforming a lot of content into an engaging platform where the viewer can access only what they need to know. For eLearning, recruitment, even employee profiles, this is beneficial. There has been a lot of merits being able to click on the specific section you want to learn about, or specific job position or a specific individual that you want to tune in to.

However, for a pure marketing piece, it’s about making that connection quick and with as few distractions as possible to transition the user to checkout. For that, shoppable videos are quick and seamless and offer the experience customers want – reduced travel time from “I want it” to “I got it.”

Should I be Considering Shoppable Video for my Business?

You can expect shoppable video to become more prevalent as large medium platforms begin adopting it. Albaba and Ted Baker are certainly making use of it to great sucess. While still somewhat in its early stages (you may be constrained by video platform at the moment if you wish to employ shoppable videos), we can only expect this trend to be put to more use moving forward, and in increasingly new and clever ways. Almost every video has a Call to Action, to statement to provoke the viewer to take the next step after watching the video. Shoppable videos make that Call to Action a real action that can be taken immediately and with a single click at the moment when the message is strongest. This is yet another great way video can be leveraged to market your product or service.

The post Explaining Shoppable Video and How it Sells Your Products Better appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Wistia is Upping Its Accessibility With New Features

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 18:45:00 GMT

In our latest newsletter video in December 2019, we talked about the importance of accessibility in video content. After all, only 40% feel comfortable using the Internet . That’s a huge percentage of the population and one that’s worth catering to.

That’s why we’re so excited about some new changes in video hosting to allow videos to be an accessible environment to all viewers (and listeners!).

Wistia , the video-hosting platform that we often use for client video reviews, recently announced their new features for accessibility . Some features are still in beta, but represent a good indicator of more things to come to giving everyone equal opportunity to enjoy video content.

Here is a list of the new features Wistia is reporting they will have:

High Contrast Color Picker

Considerate colour design choices was a huge factor that we’re glad Wistia is incorporating. This makes it so that viewers with low contrast sensitivity can better discern the progress bar from the video itself.

Increased opacity

Transparent progress bars made scrubbing through the video more difficult to all viewers. Now, with an opaque progress bar, times are clearer to see and work with.

Closed Captions

Closed Captions are now, for the first time, able to be included in Wistia-hosted videos by uploading a .srt file. While not a new feature for other platforms, like YouTube, this is a fantastic new direction for Wistia. Closed captions are not just for accessibility. Because it adds additional text content to your video, it becomes easier to detect for keywords for search engines, giving your video a nice little boost in its SEO.

Audio Descriptions

This is where our team at Arc and Crown Media is most excited. We talked about audio descriptions and how this gives great additional context to those unable to see your video fully to understand what’s happening visually. Wistia is incorporating a new toggle so that audio descriptions can be chosen. An amazing aspect of this feature is that this can allow a single video file to be created – whereas in other instances the content creator would need to host two different versions of the video – one with audio descriptions and one without. This is where we really see Wistia valuing both sides of the video experience – for those viewing the content, and for those creating the content – to altogether create a better, more streamlined process.

Wistia is one of the early adopters of this feature, and we cannot wait to see how this will impact other video platforms as well to incorporate something similar.

Improved Mobile Experience

Accessibility is not solely about disability. Many video viewers are also limited by the device they use to consume content. Wistia is also improving their infrastructure to provide a better mobile experience as well.

An elegant checklist

Finally, a simple and easy to use checklist ensures content creators are doing their due diligence to ensuring their content is accessible. This is actually a great first step to promoting greater awareness about accessibility overall and represents good things in the future.

As users of Wistia ourselves, and as avid fans of accessible content for everyone, we are looking forward to using Wistia’s new features, and the waves they will hopefully make for other major platforms as well. Video has continued to be the premiere medium that consumers choose online – for entertainment, tutorials, learning, or purchasing decisions. With such a powerful tool, why limit its reach by forgoing accessibility. That’s where Wistia is starting to really d a fine job. YouTube, Facebook, and other platforms – take note.

The post Wistia is Upping Its Accessibility With New Features appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Tips for Shooting a DIY Video on Your Smartphone

Sat, 04 Jan 2020 15:55:00 GMT

DIY VIDEO: With fewer opportunities to step onto a real film set, this year is one where more and more users have opted to create their video content with the most accessible camera at their disposal – their smartphone. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: a smartphone is a perfectly useable means to create video content for yourself. The name of the game sometimes is just getting your content out, and in many contexts, if what you have to share is meaningful enough the quality can be lower like on a phone than on a professional-grade camera. That said, here are some of our tips to getting more out of your smartphone shooting.

Find a good spot to shoot in:

Look for a neutral background to shoot against – such as a solid white wall, or a clean space. Avoid clutter at all costs.

Equipment:

This one gets more people than you’d think. Ideally, you’ll want to shoot your video horizontally on a smartphone. Even better if you have a friend or colleague holding the phone. The reason for shooting with your phone on its side is because this will ultimately result in a larger frame on a laptop, on most social platforms. Shooting vertically means you’ll usually be met with those huge black bars on the left and right.

Deliver your content concisely:

This point is one of the most important and applies not just to video, but anything you deliver to an audience. Keep it short, and simple.

OTHER BEST PRACTICES FOR BEING ON CAMERA

Here are some recommendations to ensure you’re looking your best, and delivering your material well.

LIGHTING

How you use your lighting is critical. Here are some simple steps to get a nice shine without any unwanted shadows.

Do’s and Do Not’s of Lighting:

Interested in taking the next step with your self-made video content? Try out our course here and become and an in-house expert for video production!

The post Tips for Shooting a DIY Video on Your Smartphone appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Do headers on social videos really work?

Sat, 04 Jan 2020 15:11:00 GMT

Do headers on social videos really work?

TRANSCRIPT:

I would REALLY appreciate your opinion! Have you seen videos with headers like this one before? What do you think of them? I’ll be honest that it’s taken me a while to create this video. I have been thinking about doing it for months. I’ve always had an aversion to this heading style, but it’s hard to put my finger on why. I guess it’s because it reminds me of a cheesy sales technique. Instead of people tuning into your content because they have come to know and trust you, it feels like you have to SCREAM for their attention. But on the flip side, I totally understand the value of a super concise title that neatly summarizes what the video content is about to attract attention and encourage viewers to keep watching.

So I wanted to put the ask out to my network, and see what you guys think here !

The post Do headers on social videos really work? appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

The Best Moments of 2019

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 20:09:00 GMT

2019 was a historic year on countless fronts. We share some of the ups and downs, and feel-good moments from this year in our holiday video.

There were some serious moments in 2019

There were some great moments in 2019

And let’s not forget all the big events in pop culture

We want to share a huge thank-you to all our partners and clients that made 2019 so special. Here’s to a fantastic 2020!

The post The Best Moments of 2019 appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

2 Simple Types of Videos That are Great for B2B and B2C Leads

Fri, 13 Dec 2019 21:36:00 GMT

B2B & B2C: We’ve posted before about how story-based videos and explainer videos elevate your brand to your B2B audiences . Sometimes, you’re not looking for a tear-jerking story, nor are you trying to explain the whole process of your organization or product.

There’s nothing wrong with keeping your video simple. If anything, the simpler the better in some cases! Here are two types of videos that are amazing in how cost-efficient, simple, yet effective they are. These are testimonials and product review videos.

Testimonial Videos

Even in a single interview, there is a story that can be told. However, your choice in interview subject is paramount. As we say time and time again, the most powerful stories come from the least powerful people. People don’t want to hear your CEO or head of marketing say how great your company is. No matter how much they truly believe it, most people assume that it’s only natural for them to say that. Everyone wants to take pride in what they do, and actually, that’s something you can capitalize on. Find someone who your target audience will immediately sympathize with – again, humanize your content – and lead them towards responses on why they love what they do and how your product or service has allowed them to do better.

What you’ll find is a real opinion that will entice viewers to want to feel the same way.

Check out this testimonial example if you’re not convinced:

Here are some tips to getting a killer testimonial:

Demo/Review Videos

If the quality of your product speaks for itself, then a demo video is a definite fit for you. Limit the fluff and show just why your product is the right purchase. Having an expert review the product lends authority to the subject and is recommended for B2B targets, while going with someone relatable (like Youtube Influencers, for example) is recommended for B2C. Whichever you go with, make sure you address real issues that your product solves, and show genuine reactions when the product does its job. Really sell the benefits of why your product is so great, and by that we mean don’t just list its features, but go into the impact that each feature has on the users’ lives.

Here’s a great example of a review video that we love for the business messaging tool Slack , which our team uses for our own day-to-day communications.

Keep it Simple, But Not Shoddy

Testimonial videos and review videos are considered simple, but by no means does that mean you should be shooting on your phones and putting that up online. Production quality is crucial in every video you put out. Not doing so can hurt your brand. The role of your video production company is to ensure high picture and sound quality, good colour, and meaningful content at the end of the day.

Not sure where to even begin looking for video content? We can help. Give us a shout and we can talk about your next big project.

The post 2 Simple Types of Videos That are Great for B2B and B2C Leads appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

How to Make Your Videos Accessible and AODA-Compliant

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 14:27:00 GMT

Adopt Video Accessibility Features Now to Future-Proof Your Videos

In Ontario, accessibility is required by law, specifically the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act . These are the legal requirements that you must follow to be more accessible to people with disabilities.

Ways to Make Your Video More Accessible for AODA

In the video above, we will dive into 4 ways to make your content more accessible:

AODA & Accessibility are About Being Aware and Being Mindful of Your Audience

Accessibility is an ever-changing landscape, but it all boils down to one theme: care for your audience’s needs. That theme should be the case regardless of disability or no. Stay up to date with all of your audience’s needs, and be prepared to respond to any request. Doing so will make your content more readily available, and therefore more successful in the long run.

Want us to help?

We can create accessible forms of video content for you, or take existing content and retroactively make it more accessible. Contact us now and let’s get the conversation going!

The post How to Make Your Videos Accessible and AODA-Compliant appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Ways to Use Video to Engage Your Millennial Employees

Thu, 28 Nov 2019 21:39:00 GMT

Tomorrow’s Millenial Workforce

In 2018, the Millennial workforce made up the largest generation in the workforce – 35% against the Gen X’er’s 33%. And that number is moving up fast. In fact, by 2020, millennials are expected to reach close to 50% of the labour force. That means if you’re not seeing them as a core demographic and meeting their needs within your organization, you’re putting a huge potential strain on your employee culture, morale, and productivity.

Here’s What Millennials Want

Millennials Want Video

Video is the ultimate engagement tool for the quintessential Millennial, it’s easily on-demand, playable on smartphones, and when done right, encouraging for a sense of community and culture that feeds the Millennial principle of greater purpose. Here are some video ideas to get them interested:

At Arc and Crown, we are Millennials that know Millennials. Our videos inspire, engage and inform. To learn more about what we do at Arc and Crown Media Inc , please click here . If you have any questions about how we can help you, contact us here .

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5 Recruitment Videos To Take Inspiration From

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 16:48:00 GMT

Top talent is hard to come by, hard to attract, and hard to retain. However, achieve all three things and your organization will always stand to benefit. Today, that’s no longer a rare notion as the competition to recruit talent becomes increasingly fierce. Video will usually be your best bet to standing out amongst the crowd.

About a month ago, we shared five awesome recruitment videos that were quirky, unique, and sure to get eyeballs from the people who matter.. Here’s five more that we also loved:

ZenDesk

The narrator’s tone and repetition of the phrase “This is” fills this video with exactly what their brand promotes: “Zen.” It’s a comfortable, caring community portrayed by Zendesk, and the POV shooting puts you right in the seat of a new recruit. You feel like you’re there, taking a tour of the Zendesk office, meeting all the employees, and appreciating both the mundane and unique aspects of their workplace life.

Google

We’ve had a lot of funny videos, but this video from Google shows that there’s work and there’s play. What stands out in this video is when they mention how Google is very colourful, yes, playful, yes, but “it also feels very academic.” This video is targeted for recruiting interns, most of whom have known mostly an academic setting for most of their lives. The “campus lifestyle” Google presents in this video feels familiar and welcoming to exactly the people watching this video.

Apple

And now here is an example where we drop the jokes and focus on value: in this case commitment and perfection. It’s straightforward but the beauty of the video is that these views are coming straight from the employees themselves. They came to Apple with these core values and objectives and are excited to work with others that share the same mindset. When you’re thinking of your recruitment video, you should keep in mind that the best people to know who your company needs based on the environment are your employees themselves.

Animal Humane Society

We mentioned humour as the currency of the Internet. Where humour are like coins, authenticity are the gemstones. With more and more people living in their digital spaces but with so much content out in the world clearly trying to “sell something,” people are looking for real human emotion to connect to. This video from the Animal Human Society shares the great moments, the tough moments, the big and small moments, and shares a truthful look at what their lives are like.

GoPro

If you have a product to promote, why not use it in your recruitment video as well? GoPro’s Office Soccer video shows employees using GoPros and having a bit of fun in the office. There’s some branding for the bookends, but no one needs to give the GoPro any specific mention. You can tell they trust in their product. The video is still about the corporate lifestyle and we get to take a unique tour of the building.

Have these samples given you an idea, but you don’t know where to take it? We can help. At Arc and Crown we focus on and understand your recruitment audiences, and create content that speaks to them. If you have any questions about how we can help you, give us a shout!

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5 Corporate Culture Videos That Have You Readying Your Resumé

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 20:46:00 GMT

Last month, we shared Five Corporate Culture Ideas that were sure to have you interested in submitting your resumé. If you’re still shopping around culture video that fits your workplace, here’s another five to get you thinking about how to present your culture.

Why Talk About Culture?

Because it represents how workable your workplace is. That’s an increasingly important factor as recruitment has become more competitive than ever before. Company culture is far more than just mission statements, origin stories, or PR. At the same time, it’s more than just having a foosball table near the kitchen. It’s everything you do, everything you represent, and everything you expect from your current and future workers. So yes, culture matters, and that’s why you definitely want to check out what other companies are doing to show off their workplace cultures.

Let’s take a look, shall we?

Here’s something refreshingly different. Take note of the lack of call to action urging you to apply to work with them now or check out their website. That’s not the purpose. This culture videos is meant for Basecamp to say, simply, “This is us.” The more unique your approach to making that statement, the more you stand out and interest others. In this case, Basecamp shows the exact community that they have – a diverse and hardworking group of people that like memes, are very down-to-earth, and just don’t understand fancy coffee. A great example of showing culture in the funny and mundane.

This sample shows that company videos can be for the public as marketing, just as much as it is for internal, employee engagement. At Founder’s Brewing, the employees believe in their product, and are proud of it. Employee pride is a great driving force – not just for your team to continue contributing their all, but for those outside your organization as well to see the passion your employees output. Seeing passionate employee makes audiences want to be part of that experience as well – either by buying the product, or by applying to join.

Seer Interactive

Microsoft

Live video means real authenticity. All the little hiccups associated with live video are expected. Microsoft used Facebook Live to bring out this Q&A panel discussion with four employees, answering questions from prospective employees. Environment? Simple, professional, yet sufficiently laid back. Culture? You come here to succeed and they help you with that. Most importantly, check on the side of the video and you see more comments and engagement from viewers, with Microsoft responding.

Zappos

Zappos is famous for having paid their own employees to quit when they don’t mesh well with the team. From that alone you can tell they care about their workplace dynamics and synergy. From the video, you can tell that they like being weird, fun and goofy – and want all you weird people out there to join in the fun!

Culture is about your people

Think about your employees. What is it that they like about working in your workplace? You want what they like to be what your prospective hires like, and then show it! That’s how you continue growing a collaborative, cohesive work environment.

Did these out-of-the-box videos get your creative juices flowing? If so, then let’s make a video! At Arc and Crown Media, we bring your company culture for the world to see. To learn more about what we do at Arc and Crown Media Inc, please click here . If you have any questions about how we can help you, contact us here .

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New Series Announcement for A+C: “Got a Minute?”

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 16:03:00 GMT

A Brand New Series!

We’re excited to share with you our newest video series! “Got a Minute?” caters to today’s busy professional marketer, educator or communicator who cares to learn the latest tips on maximizing video content quickly and efficiently. In one minute, we’ll teach you our hard-won tricks of the trade, things to look out for, and other ways to make yourself a video expert.

Our first episode, featuring our Executive Producer Vanessa Holding, is all about finding out whose story to tell when featuring someone in your next corporate video. So, got a minute? If so then check it out!

There will be a new “Got a Minute?” episode every few weeks, so be sure to subscribe to our channel and stay tuned to our playlist.

Stay tuned for all the latest tips that will benefit you and your business. Video is an invaluable source of lead generation and brand building, and you’re missing out if you’re not leveraging this fantastic tool. At Arc and Crown, we are here to help you navigate how to make the most use of video to drive your business forward.

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4 Video Ideas to Elevate Your Higher Education Brand

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 17:18:00 GMT

HIGHER EDUCATION: Each year of the past decade, Gatehouse has measured communications practices and trends across the globe in the largest survey for internal communications professionals.

For the first time in its history, Gatehouse listed video as a top digital channel in 2019. The announcement was a shock to some, but not to all. After all, video is:

Higher education institutes around North America have already seen the benefits of using video in creative ways to attract prospective students and alumni – as well as engage with current faculty and students. Here are seven ways we’ve seen video being used to great success, to interact, inform and entertain.

Social media gives brands and institutes a chance to put out video content that is less focused on direct messaging and more about showing a unique culture. The tone of these videos tends to be more quirky, creative and funny. They give audiences a valuable chance to see what the day-to-day lives at the institute might be like. The University of South Carolina presents a great example in this video that shows their faculty out of their element – trying to comprehend “Millennial vocabulary!”

“Hype,” “Traditions,” “History,” or “Promo” Video – this kind of video has many names and ways to go about them. However, the overarching purpose of these videos is to generate excitement and school pride amongst students and staff. Videos that excel at this, like McMaster University’s YouTube video with 127K views, emphasize their traditions and history through its people and places. Depicting the diversity of the people, the sights on the campus, and the shared singular experience is how these videos portray a real, authentic message.

The accomplishments and breakthroughs made by faculty and students are sources of immense pride and elevation – and these videos give them just the recognition they deserve. See one of the UWaterloo’s YouTube videos highlighting Professor Donna Strickland – 2018 winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Incoming students and staff are going to be nervous about their fresh start in a new setting. They know little about their expectations, the new policies and even where the simplest things are. Welcome videos are great to show your environment and culture, and excite them about the next few weeks as they get to experience new things and become acclimated to their new environment. This video from St. Lawrence University is a simple concept – taking shots from their orientation that shows how much their volunteers care about spreading their school culture.

Have these samples given you an idea, but you don’t know where to take it? We can help. At Arc and Crown we focus on and understand your higher ed audiences, and create content that speaks to them. If you have any questions about how we can help you, give us a shout!

(Blog originally written by A+C and posted on higheredcommunications.com )

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2 Great Types of Videos that Convert to Real B2B Leads

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 17:43:00 GMT

An Invaluable B2B Tool

B2B Marketing and branding specialists all around the globe agree that video is the most powerful medium to reach our audiences. After all, video will soon take up 80% of all Internet traffic and is seeing no signs of slowing down. Jason Hsiao, founder of Animoto , stated that businesses need to learn how to “speak video” if they want to keep up with today’s digital landscape. In other words, video is today’s most sought-after language.

As is the case with trying to learn any new language in a foreign environment, growing your branded video presence is hardly a simple task. It’s not just about learning the textbook words and phrases – but learning the way native speakers themselves choose to communicate. Similarly, your video needs to come in a familiar, recognizable way so that your viewers click in knowing what to expect.

At the end of the day, your video’s B2B conversion ratio will hinge on how effectively you communicate your key message, defining factors, and core values. And that might not always be by simply stating what it is you do and what the product is. So, let’s look at some of the most effective, tested ways to style your video for gaining the attention – and leads – of your desired business groups.

Story-based Videos

People often ask what our name “Arc and Crown” stands for. The “Arc” represents the narrative arc in storytelling (exposition, setup, climax, resolution), while the “Crown” represents top royalty. In other words, our name is based on the golden rule that “Story is King.” And that’s exactly why video centered on storytelling is number one on our list.

With the business world as we know it turning fully digital, what we’re seeing today is a decreasing amount of human connection as people spend more time in front of a screen and less time in front of each other. This means that users are actively looking for the human emotion lacking from most digital communications – whether it’s sadness, anger, laughter, inspiration, joy, or pride. They want to consume video content that feels human . And if you can provide that range of emotions, you’re at a good place to drive them to action – ideally to your landing page.

Stories stick. That’s why even if we’re not necessarily shooting a completely story-based video, we’re still usually looking for elements to help define your story. Even Angela Ahrendts, CEO of Burberry, stated that they had brought in a cultural anthropologist to help them hone in on what their story is.

Here is one example for WeConnect International to show how you might create an engaging story while still keeping your service or organization relevant.

Explainer Videos

Explainer videos are simple in concept but have their own subtleties that make them shine. The difference between an effective and ineffective explainer video is this: if you’re thinking of making an explainer video that just becomes an “about us” campaign, people are going to click elsewhere.

The fundamental core of explainer videos is providing value to the viewer. The focus is on the viewer and what they can learn from you. This is a less direct form of marketing for your brand, and it works. People want to collaborate with people that they believe actually care about their business. Present yourselves as an expert and provide useful information while indirectly showing off your company culture and uniqueness – and suddenly you’ll find people looking to contact you for business, not the other way around.

Check out this example of a great explainer video about the Cloud Sidekick Pipeline Optimization Platform, which facilitates agile development:

There are other types of videos that we will be covering soon. If you’re interested in successful B2B video content that sees results and ROI, these 2 types of videos are a great place to start. Always be on the lookout for how you can humanize your content further. If your creative juices are spinning after seeing these examples, but don’t know where to start shooting, Arc and Crown has you covered as one of the most trusted guides to great video in Toronto, ON. Share your ideas here and we’ll get you up and running.

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5 Recruitment Videos You Wish You Thought of

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 13:00:00 GMT

Recruitment is built on change

Recruitment as an industry has always adapted to the changes and trends going on in the world.

Right now that trend is video. Is video new? Not really, in the same way that CV’s can also be considered thousands of years old (used by the Ancient Greeks). But that doesn’t mean it’s not on the rise. By 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic — 15 times higher than it was in 2017. ( Cisco )

Here’s what you need to know:

59% of executives say they would rather watch a video than read text. ( Wordstream )

71% of people watch more video than they did a year ago. ( HubSpot )

It’s no longer a matter of corporates and prospective workers wanting video, they are now expecting video at every moment. And just like the Amazon.coms of the world that adopted the power of the Internet early, it will be the early adopters of video that will appeal to new talent in the workforce that grew up with the Play button.

However, just having video is rarely enough. It’s the ideas and creativity behind the video that gives the medium so much sway.

So, without further ado, here are some of the best recruitment videos online that you WISH you thought of (we certainly did!)

Here are our main takeaways from these examples:

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5 Company Culture Videos That Are Sure to Pique Your Curiosity

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 13:00:00 GMT

Culture Matters

How would you describe your workplace?

Is it fun? Creative? Filled with benefits?

Your company’s culture includes all of the core values and principles that guide your organization’s actions. In a sense, everything a company does reflects its culture. And that means everything little thing matters.

Caring about your company culture means caring about your current and future employees. Job applicants care about company culture, and whether they mesh well or not with the culture greatly affects their success in the workplace. Studies have shown that when workers don’t fit within a culture, they are more likely to become disengaged with work and quit. Recently that trend has been on the rise as newcomers to the workforce join with an innately lower sense of company loyalty. These Millenials and Gen Z’s are far more willing to move between jobs than their Gen X and Baby Boomer predecessors.

Today’s employees live and breathe video

Video is an invaluable tool for conveying and demonstrating company culture. Not only can it be used internally to celebrate and recognize current employees, but it also can be used as a calling card for potential applicants to have an authentic look at the work lifestyle you offer. Even if your videos target your internal audiences, that doesn’t mean it has no value externally as well – buyers are more likely to purchase from a company that they know treats its employees well.

Company culture videos that we love

Here are some great company culture videos that pushed the envelope in creativity.

Be different

Being different is good. It gives your company culture an identity that represents your company and its employees. Company culture videos aren’t about the bottom line; it’s not about sales or customer service or marketing. It’s about you and what you enjoy doing every day. And if you truly love what you do it should feel like you’re not working at all. That’s what you want your culture videos to portray.

Of course, that doesn’t mean these videos don’t make an impact in your sales. You can bet these examples above brought in new employees, interested buyers and overall higher attention. The people make the company – highlight them in the truest way possible, and people will get to know your company at heart.

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The Benefits Of Live Editing (June 2019 Arc And Crown Quarterly)

Fri, 20 Sep 2019 13:00:00 GMT

WHAT IS LIVE EDITING?

Most video cameras record footage to a storage card, which is then imported into a computer to piece into the video. However, live editing is something that can be done if you have multiple cameras set at once. The footage from each of the cameras is routed to a hub and switcher, where we can then choose to cut between shots while the action is still occuring. The main benefit of this method is a faster turnaround for your videos, meaning people can see them sooner.

LIVE STREAMS WITH PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION VALUE

Live editing means you can add dynamic cuts to an otherwise static camera shot. Whether you’re streaming to a private platform or simply YouTube or Facebook, a live webcast is a great way to get your content out to a wider audience. Live streaming has been an effective way for businesses to provide a more authentic voice to their people, and has allowed organizations to address questions in a more meaningful way.

INTERESTED IN LIVE STREAMING AND EDITING? ARC AND CROWN IS HERE TO HELP

What we use for our corporate clients gets a similar effect to large, multicamera TV studios – but at a fraction of the cost. We scale the number of cameras to your budget and needs, and ensure that even if you’re shooting live, the quality looks polished and professional as if it were edited in post. Got a project or an idea? We’d love to hear it here !

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Why You Should Care About Your Company Culture and Ways to Boost it with Video (Arc and Crown September 2019 Quarterly)

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 16:22:00 GMT

Company Culture Matters!

In today’s constantly shifting working landscape, your culture is the tether that ensures you attract and retain quality talent that meshes well with your team. Check out our Quarterly video above where our Executive Producer Vanessa Holding dives into the pitfalls of lacking a cohesive culture. View onwards and she’ll also go into how you can use video to make your company culture stand out and be heard – across not only your internal employees, but your prospective hires and customers as well.

TRANSCRIPT:

I’m Vanessa from Arc and Crown Media and this Quarterly we’re talking about Corporate Culture and how video can be used to boost team morale, create a higher sense of purpose, and make brand ambassadors out of your employees, which all leads to better long-term success for your company.

Here’s a quote that we love by Richard Branson: “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.”

And while many companies understand this in theory, turnover is still costing the US economy an estimated $30 billion dollars annually. Building a strong corporate culture is not a fix-it-all solution, but it is a good place to start to find and retain great talent. Washington State University reports that a stronger culture yields a 30% smaller turnover rate compared to weaker cultures.

That’s because employees care about culture. When employees don’t fit within a work culture, they are more likely to become disengaged at work and quit. Or, even worse, they stay and contribute towards a less cooperative environment, which means lower productivity, less innovation and grumpier mornings.

It’s also important to mention, company culture is more than just having a foosball table or giving away free food. At the same time, it’s also more than just your mission statements, or origin stories. Your company’s culture includes every core value and principle that guides your organization’s actions and it should be embodied in everything you do.

So how do we communicate all of that?

First of all, we show, don’t tell. That’s where video comes in.

Video is the perfect medium to showcase who makes up your company, highlight the values of the organization, and use humor and storytelling techniques to ensure it’s remembered.

For example, showcase what makes you great. For ISPA Store Fixtures, we created a website video but it went beyond just showing their operations, and instead showcased employees at their in-office gym, enjoying a company wide BBQ, and we interviewed workers from the office to the warehouse. This video was not only something that a lot of the employees felt valued for being apart of and something they can share with their friends and family, but it also showed how the company’s investment in their employees meant better results at the end of the day.

You could showcase your fun side, by parodying movies, music videos or themed topics to aid a big announcement or congratulate employees for a recent award.

Or you could think outside of the box, like DropBox who did a traditional testimonial style video where employees spoke about why they loved working at dropbox, but it featured muppet versions of their employees.

Another great way to engage an audience is with emotion, by using a personal story to draw viewers in. For example, we created a video for Blue Swan Financial which profiled the owners journey to discovering what charitable giving meant to him, how he could leave a lasting legacy, and inspire others to do the same.

And RBC wanted to make it clear they cared about diversity and inclusion in their workplace, so they got the conversation started with their Speak Up For Inclusion campaign. It featured people from all walks of life, including RBC leaders.

What all of these examples have in common is they show their people, because that’s what lies at the heart of their businesses.

The one thing you should walk away from this quarterly knowing is this: “Work skills can be taught and developed. Fitting into a culture can’t.” So make sure you establish what your culture looks like, and provide your employees with a reminder of that culture through every touch point.

When employees feel aligned with the vision of the company they are working for, they experience higher satisfaction on the job and they feel more personally invested in promoting your brand.

Video is a great tool in your communication toolkit to establish and reinforce a clear vision of who you are as a company and what you value.

At Arc and Crown we create culture videos for brand identity, diversity and inclusion, corporate responsibility, staff appreciation, recruitment, and more. We’re happy to chat about how you want to cultivate your culture and make employees feel like they’re a part of a community in the workplace. Feel free to visit us at arcandcrown.com for more information, or shoot me an email at Vanessa@arcandcrown.com to get the conversation started.

Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you next season!

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5 Tips To Improve Your YouTube SEO

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 13:00:00 GMT

YOUTUBE SEO: Like Google, everyone’s favourite video browser, YouTube also contributes to online traffic. This video sharing platform is widely accessible to everyone across the globe and generates billions of page views every month. That includes websites and blogs.

However, simply uploading content on YouTube isn’t enough. To make your video stand out from the millions in the same category, you need to optimize it in the same way you would with written content. When you enhance your videos through search engine optimization (SEO), you make it easy for your target audience to find it. Similarly, you can ensure your content scales to the top of search results and stays there for as long as possible.

To help you plan your video optimization strategy, our Arc and Crown Media Inc . experts have listed five tips to improve your YouTube SEO. Keep reading to learn how to rank better, increase your views on YouTube, and target the right audience.

Tip #1: Make use of keywords.

Keywords are how YouTube and Google search engines decide if your content provides more value to the viewer than others. In other words, keywords directly affect how your video or site ranks on a search list.

To ensure you use the right keywords in your content, first determine four to five keywords for your video(s), and one priority or ‘focus keyword.’ To do so, imagine yourself as your own target audience. What words would you type into the search engine to get to your video or website? Select the words that best summarize your video content, while using the right vocabulary that your desired audience would use.

You’ll want to incorporate your focus keyword (and other keywords where applicable) in the:

Tip #2: Use a custom thumbnail.

When you upload a video, YouTube by default provides three possible frames from your video to use as the thumbnail. However, you’ll want to upload the most enticing image from the video to draw viewers to click on your link.

Keep in mind that the way you export a still image from your video will depend on the video player you have. Most video players, like QuickTime Player, have the option to “Export” or “Save As” a video, where you can select a frame to save as an image file type like “JPG.”

When you upload a thumbnail to YouTube, you get to incorporate your keyword in the image filename as well. So, remember to make the best use of it.

Tip #3: Add captions.

Captions are an SEO goldmine as YouTube can comb through the text for optimization. This is especially the case if your captioned text provides main and related keywords for YouTube to pick up on.

If you want to add captions to your video, here are a few ways to do so:

(Note, if YouTube has put you into YouTube Studio Beta, the option to return to the classic Creator Studio is near the bottom on the left panel.)

From here, you can choose how you want to add or edit the subtitles or closed captions of your video. You can add them manually using their tool, or upload a “.srt file” containing all the text. YouTube also has automatic tools that transcribe based on voice.

Tip #4: Put your videos into playlists.

With a playlist, once your viewer is finished watching one video in the playlist, they are immediately directed to your next video. Playlists are the perfect way to keep your viewers watching more of your content. To set up playlists, go to Video Manager > Playlists > New Playlist. After creating the playlists, you can enter the edit page for each video and choose to add them into the specific playlists.

Always title your playlist, and make it a category where you can add in multiple videos. Just ensure that each video is relevant to your playlist theme. This is so your viewer is compelled to keep watching. It’s also possible to add a description for your playlist which is another good chance to incorporate your keywords and boost your SEO.

Tip #5: Don’t forget to link.

Links are valuable because if one webpage links to another page and that page links to other pages or links them back, search engines see them as more useful content for users.

Link your YouTube channel to your blog, social media, and website, and do the same on these platforms. If your video showcases other companies or people, link it to their website and social media pages and ask them to link it back to you. This boosts both your YouTube and Google SEO and potentially drives viewers to visit your other online sites.

To learn more tips and tricks to boost your video content online, reach out to Arc and Crown Media Inc . , the video production experts in Toronto, ON. Whether you’re interested in converting prospects on YouTube, your website, or at your next social event, we will guide you from start to finish to ensure your video content gets maximum views and conversions. We help you build your brand, educate your clients, and push them to engage with your content.

For more details on what we do, please click here . If you need any assistance in improving your YouTube SEO, get in touch with us by clicking here .

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You Shot A Video For Your Business! …Now What?

Mon, 16 Sep 2019 13:00:00 GMT

We’ve had a lot of corporate clients come up to us with amazing, innovative video ideas that we love . Many of them carry a clear vision of what they want all the way through scripting, production, all the way down to the final edit. But when it comes to actually getting the video out to the public, suddenly they have no clue what to do with it.

That’s completely normal. Promoting video content online is like trying to be seen wearing blue in the middle of the ocean. But what value does your video have if it’s not seen? Not to fear, here are the starting steps, and some more advanced tips we suggest you try out if you want to stand out in the sea of digital content that we live in today.

STEP 1: UPLOAD VIDEO(S) TO YOUTUBE/ VIMEO/ WISTIA

This step seems obvious, but the differentiating factor is how you put up your videos on these sites. Why? Because of SEO. In any platform with massive amounts of content being uploaded each second, you have to know how the platform works to rank your video as more relevant over others. This topic is so important that we have a separate blog all about this topic here. The in-a-nutshell of it is that it’s all about knowing the keywords to use which your target market would be searching for.

Also, don’t underestimate the power and cost-effectiveness of using paid ads on places like YouTube. Speak to us here about options for paid ads on this platform.

STEP 2: POST VIDEO(S) ON YOUR WEBSITE TO HELP CONVERT VISITORS & IMPROVE SEO

Embed your video(s) on the pages where the video will most likely be viewed in full. To embed a YouTube video, click the “Share” button and select “embed.” Then copy-paste the text into your website’s source code.

When people engage with your video, that engagement is noticed by search engines like Google who rank your site higher because it has more relevance to the users. As a result, you want to place videos where they make sense to be played.

For example:

STEP 3: UPLOAD VIDEO(S) TO YOUR SOCIAL PLATFORMS (LINKEDIN, FACEBOOK, TWITTER & INSTAGRAM)

Social is where most online content live now. You might feel tempted to just copy-paste a YouTube link and post it. The issue with this is that the views within platforms like Facebook do not contribute to the views on YouTube. That’s why you sometimes see YouTubers include a picture image of their video, but then supply the link in a comment for audiences to properly be directed to the YouTube site. If you are looking at building up a following on YouTube then you can take this route, or similarly you could post a direct link to a page on your website where the video lives. However remember this is one extra step for the viewer.

If pure engagement is the priority, the best practice for videos on social media is to upload the video directly onto the platform so that it will auto-play within the feed.

Here are some extra tips for your videos on social media:

Speak to us about options for paid ads on these platforms. Ads on social media are very customizable; you can set daily and total budgets with specific time-frames to run the campaign as well as micro-target your key audience to effectively reach viewers.

Target the People That Will Watch: Your Friends, Family, and Industry

If there are any group pages relevant to your industry or target market you should post your videos there. Oftentimes clients don’t want to sound too promotional on social media. A way to share your video without feeling too promotional would be to ask for feedback. Something along the lines of “Would love to know what you think of ‘x’” works well – people are more likely to respond if you ask a question or encourage them to give you feedback.

Capitalize on your co-workers, vendors, friends, family; they’re the most likely to engage with your content. Ask them to share, comment, and like the videos you post so that it will get more reach into their networks.

Here are ways to engage with your existing following.

Option 1: Email Campaign

Either through your company newsletter if you have one, or a specific email campaign, you can send the video and/or link to a blog where the video(s) is featured, on a monthly or bi-monthly basis to your email list.

Encourage your email list to share with anyone they think may find the content interesting or useful.

Tip 1: Adding the word “video” in an email subject line boosts open rates by 19%

Tip 2: Make sure to embed in your email a clickable screenshot photo from the video with a play button overlay to encourage viewers to click, along with a clickable text link for those whose email blocks photos

Option 2: Email Signature

Consider adding a clickable link at the bottom of your signature which links to a youtube playlist or a specific landing page on your website where the video(s) is housed.

Ensure the copy you use is enticing: “See videos on some of our favourite products here”

Option 3: Presentations/Events

Videos are a great tool to kick-off a presentation or event, capture audiences’ attention, and give them a better idea of your brand. They can also be used throughout to supplement information and drive home a point.

Option 4: Partnerships

Pass these videos along to any companies that you have or can create partnerships with to post on their own website or social channels – ex. Sister companies, vendors, related associations. It’s free content for them to post and associate themselves with, and in turn you’re getting access to their network.

Be shameless about asking friends, colleagues, vendors, and clients about sharing your video content. You spend a lot of time planning and executing video projects and most often others would be happy to help and share this great content.

Paid Strategy

Beyond all of the free strategies mentioned above – which heavily rely on the network you already have around you, a paid video ad strategy could be effective and not that expensive depending on various factors. Let us know if you’d like to be connected with our partners that can provide more information on a paid strategy option.

Future Video Considerations

Overtly promotional content is necessary and helpful in certain situations (ex. Front page of your website where viewers are searching out relevant info on your product or service), however on social and for ‘pull content’ that pulls target audiences to want to learn more about your brand, try to develop content that is educational and/or entertaining in some way. People are more likely to share content that they find humorous or will make them look well informed when sharing online.

At Arc and Crown we want you to get the most out of great video. To learn more about what we do at Arc and Crown Media Inc , please click here . If you have any questions about how we can help you, contact us here .

The post You Shot A Video For Your Business! …Now What? appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Video Production Services

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 13:00:00 GMT

As a video production agency in Toronto, the experts at Arc and Crown Media Inc. have the experience and tools needed to craft an engaging, educating and entertaining video . We believe in providing clients with video content that compels emotions and drives action.

If you are considering a video production company to help you market your business services , promote an event or for another project, you want to get the most out of your experience and ensure that you get what you pay for. Here’s how to know that you’re getting quality video production services.

Your video agency should have the best production and post-production tools.

Find out whether the video production team assigned to your project understands your needs and has the capacity to achieve your unique goals. When you work with us, we listen to your ideas and then convert your creative vision into a memorable video. This is possible due to the following facilities and features that we offer clients:

To speed up the script-writing process, allow your producer to assist.

We suggest letting your producer either manage or help develop your script. The script is the heart of your production and your actors, shots, locations, and most importantly your overall budget will be entirely dependent on it. The producer should bring their expertise to write and/or develop the script so that it reads out optimally for video, and is concise in getting its message across.

Make sure your producer can communicate your message.

At the end of the day, the most important thing to ask your producer is whether the video can convey your message properly. While high-quality cameras, dedicated audio recorders, and professional lighting are all wonderful to have on set and greatly spur the interest in your video, they are not the core of video production. When you want to create a video that brings results, you want a producer that can not only bring those elements together (cameras, sound, and lighting) but can also communicate through the video script the main point that you need to get across to your viewers.

You also need to make sure that your producer inspects the location before filming, keeps track of the number of on-screen actors as well as examines the product or service you want to promote.

A professional producer should ask the right questions.

When your producer (or contact person) asks the right questions, you can expect to receive quality services. They should also guide you towards solutions that will meet your needs and resources. Ultimately, the goal of a producer should be to try to comprehend the goal of your video, the reason you want to create a video, the kind of message you’re trying to get out, and the audience you’re trying to speak to. They should then understand how to piece it together while keeping your location, shoot time and budget in mind.

A few questions you can ask your producer are:

Beware of producers or videographers that promise to fit all their services within your budget. Remember that your video production will involve many costs (cast, equipment, post-production, etc.), so it is better to know all your costs upfront than face them after your video is ready.

Producers that assess your budget and explain what you can achieve at that price are likely to be trusted. You can expect higher quality from them as they understand the original cost of each line item and can, therefore, stretch your dollar more than those who are unaware of pricing and may end up overpromising.

Working with Arc and Crown Media Inc.

When it comes to the professional film set, time is limited, and quality video content needs to be made. You need an expert team that has traversed the content creation landscape time and time again to guide you through the process and maximize your investment.

Arc and Crown Media Inc. is equipped with years of dedicated experience and an extensive roster of professional crew members to ensure you have exactly what you need and that production obstacles are always just stepping stones for creative solutions. We also treat all of our clients’ brands as if they were our very own, especially if you can provide us with your own branding guidelines.

If these are not sufficient reasons to hire our video production company, we give you two more:

Collaborative revisions.

Our diverse, creative team works closely with you to first derive the core beliefs and values of your brand, and then present the first draft after filming on a collaborative video platform that you can share and comment on. From there, we revise until perfection.

HD quality and compressed for web.

When investing in a project, you want a partner that won’t just perform the bare minimum. At Arc and Crown Media Inc. , we are dedicated to providing real, tangible value, ensuring you get the most out of your dollar spent. In other words, we assure the highest quality video production and guarantee that the video plays as intended anytime and anywhere. We compress our videos for the web to ensure the perfect balance between the two and safely store your footage for added measure.

Choosing our team is the next step to achieving great video results, and it will be a decision you’ll never regret. To learn more about what we do at Arc and Crown Media Inc. , please click here . If you have any questions about how we can help you, contact us here .

The post How To Get The Most Out Of Your Video Production Services appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

The POWER Of STORY (March 2019 Arc And Crown Quarterly)

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 13:00:00 GMT

STORY IS THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT WE DO

People like to ask us, “What does ‘ Arc and Crown ’ even mean? Why did you choose those two words specifically?”

Well why don’t we just look at the definitions of the words:

It takes a second to see it. In our own way of phrasing it, “Arc and Crown” means “Story (the “arc”) is King (the “crown”). We’re digital storytellers, and proud of it. This quarterly video newsletter is going to be all about that – story – and how the way you find story in your company or brand can revolutionize your video content.

WHY “STORY?”

Let’s backtrack a bit.

For a lot of corporate video makers, digital content creation tended to follow a certain go-to “formula.” What this looked like was this: the crew showed up on the day of the shoot and covered everything – interviews, b-roll – you name it. Then they went back and pieced together what hopefully would be a cohesive message in the editing room.

The thing is, what that tended to create was a lot of videos that looked and sounded pretty much the same, just with a different logo at the end.

The process improved greatly when more time and effort was dedicated before the shoot, so people knew exactly what the look and sequence of the video should be before the camera was even picked up. We cannot stress enough how crucial the preproduction phase is to maximizing your production shoot date, when every second counts.

However, the newsletter video below isn’t just going to talk about how to prepare more for your video, but will request that you change the way you see video entirely.

IT’S ALL ABOUT EMOTION

Your one takeaway is going to be this single core belief: “Emotion drives action.” Not your company motto, not your staff or clients saying how great you are, but the emotion inside each and every one of us.

And, guess what, the way that we’ve spurred emotion, as seen over thousands of years of history, is story. And at the centre of each of those stories has been a hero, a protagonist, someone who fought for their desires – for success, for equality, for justice, for love. Someone who struggled, persevered, and defeated the odds. These are the people that interest and captivate us as an audience, and instil tremendous emotion that moves us off our seats.

The example in the video shows how we chose to focus on the story of just one single member of WeConnect Canada, an organization dedicated to growing women entrepreneurs, and asked her about not just her own company, but her story beyond that.

What you can find is that if you just allow the story to take the main stage, you can expect more attention gained, more conversation sparked, and more likes, comments, and shares – we guarantee it. And that’s what you really want, real engagement and real action being taken from watching your video.

Interested in bringing your own story to light? We’d be happy to hear about it in our contact page here .

The post The POWER Of STORY (March 2019 Arc And Crown Quarterly) appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

eLearning Client Spotlight: The Centre For Education & Training (TCET)

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 13:00:00 GMT

Showcasing a Valued eLearning Client

At Arc and Crown Media Inc. , we pride ourselves on providing high-quality video production services for eLearning, and over the last several years, our success has been driven by happy eLearning clients, who have given us referrals and written positive reviews about our services. While quality is something that runs through our veins at Arc and Crown, so does gratitude.

Through this post, we want to highlight a client who has assisted in building our successful reputation.

The Centre for Education & Training (TCET) has been a valued client of Arc and Crown Media for almost 3 and a half years.

TCET provides invaluable resources and tools for newcomers to Canada and ESL/FSL learners to assess their language speaking proficiency. They offer online assessments that can be taken at home and in between busy schedules, catering to anyone in need of their services.

A Look at the Video Production Process

Together with TCET, we’ve scripted, storyboarded and filmed over 22 dramatic scenarios and 100 audio scenarios in both English and French for The Centre for Education & Training’s online self-assessment program. From casting talent and procuring set design, to a seamless editing phase and 1-year on-call support, our team was excited to be apart of this initiative to aid newcomers to Canada. We worked closely with their guidelines, to achieve the best results. The goal was to provide viewers with high quality audio and video scenarios for an easy to consume viewing experience, so they can accurately assess their English and French language skills.

As most of the content we produce for TCET is testing material, we cannot show the videos. However, you can view the promotional video below:

About TCET

TCET is one of the foremost Language Instruction platform to Newcomers to Canada (LINC) and has been invaluable for our team to deeply understand the needs, considerations, and objectives of the eLearning industry as a whole. We’ve even written more about how video is the perfect companion to eLearning.

TCET is one of our closest eLearning clients, and we have both gained much from working together. TCET is a pleasure to work with and represents our reasons to be proud of Canada: the openness to diversity, cultures, and newcomers, and the tremendous effort we take to ensure that everyone is on equal footing in their personal and career advancement.

The people we work with at TCET are professional, and always considerate of the people who are using the resources they provide. They want their learners to have a precise understanding of where they are at in their language proficiency, and how they can improve. At the same time, they encourage bringing new creative flavour and visuals to their content.

We sincerely appreciate clients such as TCET, and it gives us immense satisfaction to know that we make a difference to not only TCET but also their learners.

As a growing business, at Arc and Crown Media Inc. , we prioritize customer service and high-quality work. The next time you’re looking for a video production agency in Toronto, ON, get in touch with us by clicking here or visit our website .

The post eLearning Client Spotlight: The Centre For Education & Training (TCET) appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

10 Valuable Questions To Ask A Potential Video Production Company

Fri, 06 Sep 2019 13:00:00 GMT

VIDEO PRODUCTION: If you’re looking to create a video in Toronto, whether it’s promotional business material, event marketing, or an e-learning course, it’s important to pick a reliable agency with high standards. After all, the end product will be a direct reflection of your business! Therefore, it’s essential to choose a production company that you can trust to create a video that accurately represents you and your business with high-quality production value that you can be proud of.

If you’ve never worked with a production company or created a video before, you may not know where to start when it comes to choosing the right one for your business. To make the whole process easier for you, we’ve outlined ten valuable questions to ask a potential video production company.

During your initial consultation, ask these questions to help you understand if this company is the right fit for you, and capable of producing a video that you’ll be excited to share with your audience.

The producer is the person in charge of beginning the project and seeing it through to final delivery. They will be your closest contact throughout the duration of the process, so it’s good to become familiar with them early and know that they understand and can execute your creative vision and objectives.

A video can be made on just about any budget – the only difference is quality and scope. A producer that you want to work with is someone who can take your budget number and tell you that you’re limited to exactly this number of shoot locations, hours, types of gear, video length, crew size and number of talent. Beware the producer that promises everything regardless of what your budget is – everything comes at a cost, and you’re better off knowing what that is sooner rather than after the invoice is mailed.

Any video production company or freelance videographer worth their salt has a reel for you to see. This is a highlight video of their best work – or perhaps work that’s relevant to your project. When watching a reel, you’re taking into account not only the quality of the shots but the range of styles being shown to get a sense of how adaptable the video production company is to different branding guidelines and objectives. At Arc and Crown, we actually have multiple different reels to show clients, based on if they want marketing, eLearning, or an event video.

This one is important. If someone shows up in front of the camera and you intend to use that video commercially, you need written consent to use their likeness in your video. Usually, the video production company will come prepared with their own photo release forms, but you can feel free to bring a release form with your own terms. If you’re using your employees in the video, you want to take into account the case where they are no longer a part of your company.

No one knows your company better than you, but it’s the video production company’s job to get as close as they can get to convey your message. To know your brand or company better, your producer should be requesting for past presentations, your branding guidelines document, any relevant white papers you’ve published, and your logo and other graphic assets. You may not have all of these on hand, but anything to allow your producer to understand your needs and pain points better will contribute to the effectiveness of the video.

Either the client or the video production company will take the first crack at the script, but regardless of who builds the first draft, there should always be some back and forth between both parties to ensure proper collaboration towards a polished script. The script is the backbone of the entire production and should rarely be rushed with a “we’ll fix it on set” mentality. Your producer should be working with you to ensure the script plays well on screen and conforms to the originally proposed video length.

Usually, the video production team will offer a download link to access your video, but other physical forms exist such as DVD and hard drive. Your video production company should be capable of delivering the file to you in any format you request.

When creating videos for social media, the specific requirements of each platform needs to be taken into account. For example, right now Instagram sees better use out of square video than rectangular video because it gets more screen space on mobile. Conversely, Twitter allows a smaller pixel resolution than Facebook or LinkedIn. Each website is different and will interact differently with your videos, or video links. It’s good to ensure that your video production company is aware of the requirements for your exact needs.

If you’re keenly interested in the exact look of your video, you may want to inquire a little bit about the videographer(s) in charge of your filming. Each videographer comes with their own list of equipment, including the camera, lighting, microphones, etc.

Your video might use some stock footage to give it a more impressive look for your budget, for example from Shutterstock . You’ll at least have some music laid underneath the video to give it some pace or rhythm. However, someone shot that footage or created that score, so if you’re planning to use your video commercially, your producer should know the legal rights associated. Most stock footage and music sites are completely royalty-free, so once you’ve purchased them, you can use it indefinitely. However, if you’re looking to use content that is not royalty free but under the Creative Commons license, then your producer will need to determine whether that content is permissible in commercial content.

Want to get started with a video production company in Toronto committed to creating valuable, high-quality video? Then say hi to us at Arc and Crown Media .

Backed by a passionate and driven team , we’re dedicated to making every company, every person, every story, interesting and enticing. We provide video production services for those in healthcare , professional services , associations and colleges , franchises and agencies . We fit your budget and reflect your business.

Reach out to Arc and Crown today to get started on your video project or take a look at some of our work here .

The post 10 Valuable Questions To Ask A Potential Video Production Company appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Your Complete Corporate Highlight/Promo Video Production Checklist

Wed, 04 Sep 2019 13:00:00 GMT

PRODUCTION CHECKLIST: At Arc and Crown Media Inc , we understand that video production can be quite a challenge. While planning, filming, and editing a video can be viewed as a stressful or laborious task, with a little preparation, you can handle your video production quickly and easily.

As experts in video production in Toronto, we’ve created a handy checklist to help you complete a video production with as little stress as possible. Follow our checklist to a corporate highlight/promo video production, so that you can get back to focussing on your business.

Production Checklist: Pre-Production

This is all the foundation work in video production that you want to ensure your video team has prepared before picking up the camera.

If your video is going to have any amount of scripted content, then you want to lock that content down before anything else. The script will dictate what you want to look at, and the tone of the video. If you intend to go with interviews instead of scripted narration, it is equally important to prepare your interview prompts and answers ahead of time.

This is the list of different shots that you intend to get on the shoot date. Having a shot list is crucial both for your videographer to know what needs to be recorded by the end of the day, but also gives you a sense the scope of your project. That is vital for your scheduling and budgeting. If it seems like your ideas are getting more than your budget can cover, then it’s time to revise either the budget or how much info you need to cover in the video.

The storyboard combines the script and shot list to form a visual representation of the shot by shot play-through of your video. This will give you a sense of the flow of the video between the spoken content and visual imagery.

Naturally, you’ll need a camera and someone to control it if you want to get a video made. However, other considerations include the number of cameras – even a second camera for interviews will give two feeds to work with in the editing room, which might save a lot of time in the edit in the case of flubbed lines or awkward moments.

Good audio makes or breaks a video. While many cameras by default have an internal microphone, they are rarely at a “professional” quality, which can be noticeable once you upload the content online. You may want to ensure your camera can connect to an external microphone. Alternatively, more ideally, you’ll want to consider using a dedicated sound recorder (called a “zoom”) and wireless clip-on “lavalier” microphones for the best, warmest voices possible.

Ensure that not only do you have a location to shoot in but that you’ll be shooting in a good area and time of day. It never hurts to check if there will be local construction nearby, or if you’ll be shooting in an office at lunchtime when the hallways will be noisiest. Preparing yourself for the hurdles earlier on will save you from the stress on the shoot day.

You want your actors to represent not only your brand but also the diversity and openness of your company culture. If you’re using your employees for your video, try to be a little selective. Think about who you know will work at your company for a long time – you don’t want to publish a video showcasing an employee only to have to change it because that employee left.

This includes makeup artists, photographers, drone operators, etc. that are relevant to your project.

This is the information document sent to everyone going to the shoot (talent, crew, etc.) that holds the date, call times (when each person is expected on set), important reminders, and shooting schedule.

If you’re shooting more than four hours, make sure to budget time for lunch! Remember: a good set runs on good food. You want something quick to eat, healthy and easy to clean up. Strong smells will also persist through the day, so keep that in mind. Sandwiches and salads are usually a good bet.

Production Checklist: Production

This is the big shoot day. If you followed every step above this will be a breeze. Still, you want to make sure about these following checklist items:-

Wear these in front of the camera

Clean, solid colors.

Office-appropriate clothing

Suits

Avoid these in front of the camera

Green (if shooting in front of a green screen)

Patterned shirts (even if you love them)

Crazy jewelry that clinks (your mic will pick that up)

Turtlenecks (difficult to clip a mic on)

Cropped tops and open neck shirts

Make sure anyone appearing on camera has signed a photo release form giving you permission to use their likeness on camera.

Even if you felt like your first take was perfect, shoot it a second time. Details you never noticed on set might come up in the editing room.

You want to make sure at the end of the day you return the space to just as clean – if not cleaner – than the way it was when you entered.

Production Checklist: Post-Production

With the footage in hand, it’s time to weave together the video in all its glory.

Just as important as having your logo added to the end of the video is an action that your viewers should be compelled to do after watching your video. That may be going to your website to learn more, or calling a number to join. A call to action sums up the purpose of your video neatly into one line.

Your video only has value if the right people in the right places can see it. Make sure your video is compressed to play optimally on your desired platform, while still maintaining HD quality that your viewers now expect as standard.

This is a crucial step if you want your video to be accessed on YouTube or other platforms. When you upload your video most platforms allow you to incorporate tags to help search engines like Google find your video more easily. Put yourself in your desired audience’s spot and imagine what they would type if they want to come across the content you’re providing.

As the best video production agency in Toronto, ON, we cater to clients’ needs and develop high-quality digital media content at a ‘no-frills’ value, and strive to build lasting relationships with them. Our team can help clients convert prospects on their website, entice visitors to their next event, or simply communicate essential information to viewers. We are and will continue to be passionate about creating beautiful content and bringing a client’s message to life.

To learn more about how Arc and Crown Media Inc . can help you, please click here . Have a question? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us here .

The post Your Complete Corporate Highlight/Promo Video Production Checklist appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Get Set-Savvy With These Film And Video Terms

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 09:00:00 GMT

VIDEO TERMS: Every industry has its own language and terms, and the video production business is no exception. But there’s no need to worry! To help you understand the terms, acronyms, and phrases regularly used when you enlist the services of a video production agency, Arc and Crown Media Inc. has created this handy reference guide. Here you’ll find valuable information allowing you to comprehend and communicate your digital content requirements as effectively as possible.

Pre and Post

Pre (Pre-production) is the phase that includes all the work before filming (production). It includes scripting, storyboarding, shot list, casting, location scouting – let’s just say there’s a lot. Thorough pre-production inevitably leads to a great production and post.

Post (Post-production) is everything after shooting the raw footage, in other words the editing, music, voiceover, and graphic overlays.

CTA (Call to Action)

This is a marketing term for the message at the end of the video that is your primary purpose for showing viewers that particular video content. It might be “visit our URL” or “join us today.” The CTA will heavily dictate what kind of tone you will use to approach your video.

Extras

These are what we call the people in the background of the camera shot. In general, they won’t have speaking lines but remain to help create the setting.

Slate or Clapper

The board you see in movies that an assistant “claps” before a scene. The information on the slate helps the editor during post-production know which“scene” and “take” they are looking at. Also, the reason we “clap” the board is to use it later to “sync” the video and audio, as the two are often recorded on separate dedicated devices.

“One More for Safety.”

The director will often say this after a good take, meaning “we’re going for one more take, just for good measure.”

“Crop it Out.”

Sometimes a crew member will say “we can crop it out.” It generally means that the editor during post-production will later zoom into the frame, so that undesirable details on the side are no longer seen.

Call Sheet

The sheet sent to all crew members before the shoot, detailing the description of the project, time that they are expected to arrive, the location, and other critical information.

Room Tone

At the end of the shoot, the crew member in charge of audio will often ask for a moment of silence (from everyone!) for room tone. They’re looking to record the ambient room noise, with no talking or movement, for the editor’s use when putting together dialogue.

Eyeline

The direction that the main subject is looking at. For example, with interviews, we prefer to maintain our subject’s eyeline directed to the interviewer standing right next to the camera. Keeping a consistent eyeline makes the subject look more confident and engaged, and prevents awkward moments like looking into the camera by mistake.

Continuity

You might hear the camera operators or producers discuss continuity at some point. Continuity is the visual consistency tying together the different angles and shots that the camera is going to record. If the subject is wearing a red shirt and holding a cup for one shot, for example, we want to ensure that in all subsequent takes and related shots that the subject is not wearing a blue shirt and holding a pen or else the video editor (and viewers) will have a difficult time.

B-roll

When shooting interview-style content, b-roll is an umbrella term for all the beauty shots, locations shots, shots of the subject laughing, etc., that the editor will have to cut to instead of just one person talking the whole time (which is what we call “Talking Head”).

Soundbites

When we say we want to get “soundbites,” we mean nice, single sentence lines to intersperse through the edit (typically for highlight/sizzle reel-type content). No lectures, no full-on anecdotes, just quality reactions, words of wisdom, and key info.

Lower Thirds

This is that little box below a subject that shares their name and title. The name comes from a golden rule for photographers and videographers called “The Rule of Thirds” to frame subjects in an aesthetically pleasing composition.

Panning the Shot and Tilting the Shot

To “pan” the camera is simply to move the camera horizontally left or right. Conversely, a videographer may “tilt” the camera up or down.

Colour Grading or Colour Correction

A client might occasionally be told “this is not colour corrected yet” upon receiving a first draft edit. Colour correcting is the use of video editing tools to adjust the colours of the video to give it that cinematic “pop.” As colour correcting is manually adjusted per shot or location, the best practice is to approve the sequence of confirmed shots before going into any colour changes.

Hopefully, you’re better equipped now to walk onto the set with these video terms. If you’re looking for expert video production agency in Toronto, reach out to the experts at Arc and Crown Media Inc . Our services enable you to entice your audience whether you aim to market your business, teach people through e-learning, or showcase your events to the public.

View our full list of services here , or get in touch with us here.

The post Get Set-Savvy With These Film And Video Terms appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Frequently Asked Questions About Corporate Video Production

Fri, 30 Aug 2019 09:00:00 GMT

In an attempt to reach a wide audience, businesses are eager to produce exceptional video content . However, when searching for a professional video producer or production agency, they often have many questions but find answers difficult to come by. To ensure you have all your doubts cleared, the team at Arc and Crown Media Inc. has answered some of the most frequently asked questions about corporate video production.

There is no universal number because every video is different. The cost amount to produce a video will vary significantly based on several factors. These factors include the type of video, size, and scope, number of locations, talent, etc.

At the very base, our producer fee is $500 per day, while the videographer charges $1000 for the full shoot day and $750 for half a shoot day. The quickest way to know your video concept cost is by asking us! Click here to contact us and receive your free quote.

At Arc and Crown Media, our motto is that you can take as hands-on or hands-off of an approach as you want with production. We usually accommodate three approaches to the scriptwriting phase:

Option 1: You provide us with your script, and we revise and shape it for on-screen success.

Option 2: You provide us with your central message, and our creative team drafts a script based on your material.

Option 3: You can choose a professional writer to create a script for you.

Regardless of how the script gets drafted, the Arc and Crown team works to ensure that your approval and input is prioritized at each revision.

If the video content is licensed under Creative Commons , then you need to see the range of mediums that permit legal usage. If you have a promotional video, it will usually not be allowed to use content with a Creative Commons license.

Arc and Crown assist in compiling official stock footage and music from reputable sources which can be used free of any royalties and in perpetuity. We also offer the choice of custom music to set your video apart from others.

Yes. Anyone that appears on camera should sign a form permitting the use of their likeness in your video. Ideally, your release form will allow for the use of their likeness “in perpetuity,” and also accounts for employee(s) resigning from the company after they’ve appeared in your video.

While ultimately the answers vary greatly depending on the size and scope of the project, the most common timeline that we work with is two to three weeks for pre-production, one day for filming, two weeks for post-production, and two weeks for review and delivery. Overall, our team works closely with you and tailors the schedule to ensure you have the best video product available in time for delivery.

Yes, but provided they have sufficient quality. If our team is producing original content alongside pre-existing footage, we will review and ensure quality on both ends so that they can blend seamlessly.

Yes, you can take a look at some of our work by clicking here.

If our samples do not fit the style that you envision, there’s no worry. A video is an art form, and each one is different. If you want us to bring your ideas to life, feel free to contact us .

If you have any more questions about video production, get in touch with the professionals at Arc and Crown Media Inc . As the best video production agency in Toronto, ON, we cater to clients’ needs and develop high-quality digital media content at a ‘no-frills’ value, and strive to build lasting relationships with them. To learn more about how we can help you, please click here or contact us by clicking here.

The post Frequently Asked Questions About Corporate Video Production appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Busted! Don’t Believe These Myths About Corporate Video Production!

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 09:00:00 GMT

CORPORATE VIDEO PRODUCTION: Let’s face facts; you are more likely to watch and learn from a video rather than read and recollect information from a website. Videos pack in easy-to-understand information and engage viewers in a way that text can’t.

Producing original and rich video content is a vital tool for businesses to grow. Creating such corporate video content involves working with a team of experienced individuals who know what works best in the industry and delivers a video that will adapt to your requirements.

However, like in any other field, there are misconceptions floating around that disillusion clients into believing that hiring a video production company is not right for them. If you are one such client and are hesitant to bring them on board, Arc and Crown Media Inc. has debunked a few myths about corporate video production.

Myth 1: Videos can easily be captured on your phone today.

We’ve seen too many companies get burned by this. On one hand it’s true; smartphones now all have great video camera features. However, that doesn’t mean you should be putting your entire marketing budget into your iPhone just yet. The most notable drawback from taking videos on your phone is the shakiness. Phones are made to be light while their cameras are made to be sensitive. That means that every twitch in your hand is visible in your recording. Nowadays, there are stabilizers in the market to mitigate this, but the shaky footage isn’t the only concern when marketing video content. Remember, a video is one of the most significant indicators of your brand, and with continually rising quality levels for video online; the standard for what is expected will only get higher.

To reach that level of quality, you need reliable videographers. Videographers consider many elements when capturing corporate video content, from lighting to framing, down to the mise-en-scène (which is an artsy French term for how everything on camera is arranged). Now that video has become accessible and popularized, it is hard to think of it this way, but a video is still a creative art form. You would hire a professional artist to create your brand logo, right? Similarly, you would need a professional video crew to handle your video content.

Myth 2: Videos have a two-minute bounce rate.

This is an interesting one. The two-minute bounce rate is the idea that after two minutes, your audience will get bored and stop watching. We even often tell our clients to keep videos under that mark, and it has usually been of great benefit to everyone. This is because we often run into clients that want us to include everything in their video; their original story, products, and every little ingredient that goes into a product. When we mention the two-minute bounce rate, we see clients identify the crucial information they want to get across and focus on those points.

However, the two-minute bounce rate is certainly not a universal truth. In fact, YouTube recently revealed that their average video view length is actually ten minutes. However, a factor to consider would be the majority of users that are actively looking for content to view, as these kinds of viewers will be willing to watch content for any length of time. Another reason they would use YouTube would be to learn and educate themselves or for tutorials. These kinds of videos have a high completion rate because they’re driven by necessity rather than entertainment.

We offer not only marketing videos but also e-learning and other valuable video content, where we’ve found that the two-minute mark is a nice little number to keep in mind but definitely not set in stone. If you have relevant information that is worth watching, your viewers will view it for as long as necessary.

Myth 3: Corporate video production on social media is measured solely by views.

This is by far the most controversial myth on our list, and all we can say is that it is both true and false.

Think about it this way. A five-second cat video is over so quickly that you’ve added to its view count before you could even decide if it was worth watching or not. A lot of people may have watched the full video but not engaged with it. However, it was merely watched without incurring action or learning. From a producer’s standpoint that doesn’t necessarily imply success.

Ask yourself these questions: if the viewer did not finish watching the video then when did they leave? How much time did they spend on your video? Did they watch enough of the video to receive the most important information? This information is far more critical than if a viewer finishes watching the video alone.

If viewers share the video, then that’s a different story. That means views are being driven by the invisible force that makes video viral. This also says that the content is worth watching and others can be encouraged to watch it too. Not only that, but this further implies that the content deserves likes or comments too. Now suddenly you’ve reached real success.

After watching a video, the shares, likes, comments and any other additional action is the exact result that quantifies a compelling video which has showed its worth. Some of these effects are more organic or subliminal, and difficult to calculate in metrics. Take brand presence, for example. There may be a better reception of your brand from a viewer that sees the first ten seconds from six of your videos, as opposed to all of a single one-minute video. It may depend on how you structure those first ten seconds. And that is why we don’t always say view count is everything.

If you’re looking for a video production agency in Toronto, ON, reach out to the professionals at Arc and Crown Media Inc . We deliver high-quality video content that can support and advance your brand as well as cater to your specific needs. We produce marketing, e-learning and event videos to clients in Mississauga, Oakville, Markham, Vaughan, Ajax, Hamilton, North York and more across the Greater Toronto Area.

Our team can help clients convert prospects on their website, entice visitors to their next event, or simply communicate essential information to viewers. We are and will continue to be passionate about creating beautiful content and bringing a client’s message to life.

For a complete list of our corporate video production services, please click here . If you have any questions about us, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here .

The post Busted! Don’t Believe These Myths About Corporate Video Production! appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Common Mistakes People Make When Shooting A Video

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 09:00:00 GMT

COMMON MISTAKES: Video has now become the most effective tool to generate traffic to a website, share a message with a target audience or trigger curiosity. However, cost effective video equipment and new techniques have given rise to stiff competition, making it challenging to distinguish your brand.

Due to limitations, you may want to shoot a video on your own. While this may be budget friendly, there are factors to producing a video that you may be unaware of and could lead to your efforts being in vain. To resolve these issues, you can hire professional video creators who have the vision, equipment, technical knowledge and resources needed to create engaging video content.

Whether you decide to go at it alone or work with a production company, Arc and Crown Media Inc. has compiled a list of the most common mistakes people make when shooting a video.

Excess script information.

Some sources say that you can fit one-hundred-and-fifty spoken words in every minute of video. However, this does not mean that you need that much text scripted out. The golden rule is, ‘less is more’. Reducing words in your script allows more time to show, rather than tell information you’re trying to convey. A video is the most effective when a proper balance is reached between video and audio stimulus, which creates an emotional impact on the viewer. Trying to squeeze too much information per minute will overwhelm not only your audience but also your actors and voice narrators who are trying to deliver and vocalize your content. Your script is the essential core of your video production’s success, and that’s why it is imperative to ensure the key message is delivered in an engaging way.

At Arc and Crown, our team carefully combs through our client’s text and make suggestions to maximize its effect on video. We also offer full scriptwriting services, with the client’s supervision. Overall, we understand that you know your content best, but our expertise lies in what people want to see, and what keeps them watching. We find that putting the two together yields real results and real value.

Getting over-ambitious with a project.

It’s great to see your creativity flowing and that you’re excited at the possibility of what your video can achieve. However, sometimes you have to ground big ideas through definable terms, and that means looking at the budget. The budget will always be the ultimate deciding factor that dictates your project.

The second factor is the purpose. Many times, we deal with project leads that try to cram too many call-to-actions into a video because they think that can maximize their investment. The video should direct viewers to a single action that is the most important for them to take. Having too many end goals can confuse viewers of the intention of the video, or result in a less compelling message.

The solution to both is to determine your target audience, ideal budget, and single call-to-action before shooting or even scripting. The call-to-action is what you want your video to get your viewer to do right after viewing. Stick to these core objectives, and you’ll find that your production team will better understand the scope and purpose of your video, thereby working more efficiently towards a powerful video result.

Too much technical jargon.

In addition to point one about trying to incorporate too much content, another issue is if the script content is flooded with hard-to-understand terms and industry jargon. You need to know your audience, and if you’re thinking more about what you want to get across and less about what the viewer would want to hear, that’s when issues can arise.

A video’s success is quantified not just by view count, but completion rate, engagement, and response to call-to-action. In other words, the video’s success is measured by your audience’s reaction and not how polished or technical it is. By taking into consideration a wide range of understanding of the target audience, a script can be created catering to many people and thus generate a more significant positive effect.

Always ask yourself, ‘Who’s watching this and where?’ The answers will lead to amazing solutions. Maybe you’ll realize that not only do you need to make the wording easier, but that you also need to add subtitles because part of the audience may be watching this while on their commute, or may speak English only as a second language. Videos that serve the viewer in these ways boast high engagement rates and highly positive responses.

Choosing the wrong person to show up on camera.

You could have a senior expert on your team talk about important information in your video, but sometimes we find out an expert isn’t the most suitable for being on camera. Technical information can be scripted out and memorized, but finding someone with the right clarity of speech, strong expressions and engaging is often more challenging and should be the focus. The on-screen talent will represent you and your brand, so it is essential to find someone who can be heard, understood, and ideally someone who is enjoyable to watch.

It’s also good to use employees that you believe will be with your company for a long time. When employees leave and no longer represent your company, the videos they appear in may no longer be usable. Careful selection of your on-screen choices will increase your video’s lifespan. There are additional techniques we use to ensure you can easily update your video after an employee who has appeared on-camera has left, so contact us if you’d like to learn more.

Not investing in a hair or makeup artist.

The hair or makeup artist is often one of the first line items to go when trying to cut costs – this is another of the common mistakes in production. However, we’ve seen firsthand the fantastic benefits of bringing a professional to take care of appearances, as well as the consequences of not having one on set. Think of it this way: you’re willing to allocate budget to sound equipment and lighting to make your video look good, but the people in the video need to look good on camera as well. You want your brand to be represented by bright smiles and cheerfulness, not eye bags and tiredness.

The film set is different from a typical workplace. The lights sometimes shine directly on people’s faces, and the equipment can heat up. It is not unusual for the AC to be turned off as well to prevent noise when shooting. A professional makeup artist is experienced with dealing with these specific situations and has specific tools to manage shine, sweat, facial oil, and more.

More importantly, makeup isn’t limited to just women! It is even more urgent to bring a makeup artist to the shoot when men will be on camera because they usually won’t have their makeup or cosmetic solutions.

Forgetting to have on-screen talent sign release forms.

If your video is going to appear anywhere public you need to make sure the people that show up in front of the camera have given consent to use their likeness. Asking for release forms to be signed is a small formality that is ignored far too often, mainly when horrific consequences take place like actors changing their mind about your usage. The effects could range from not being able to use the video to a lawsuit. Before cameras start rolling, save yourself the trouble and insist that a release form is signed.

Your typical release form should mention that the signee permits you to use their likeness in the video in all mediums, now and in the future. You should also mention that this consent is in perpetuity. This sounds mouthy, but it is to ensure that no matter what happens later on, now or twenty years from now, you can still use that video if you wish.

If you’re looking for a video production agency in Toronto, ON, reach out to the experts at Arc and Crown Media Inc . Whether it is creating a marketing video for your website or an e-learning video to train employees or full event coverage, we offer a range of video production services across Toronto, Mississauga, North York, Vaughn, Oakville, Hamilton and more. We understand a client’s unique needs and develop strategies that help achieve their desired goal.

To learn more about the services that we provide, please click here . If you’ve any questions about us, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here .

The post Common Mistakes People Make When Shooting A Video appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Check Out Our Interactive Video About ELearning

Thu, 22 Aug 2019 09:00:00 GMT

THE ARC AND CROWN QUARTERLY RETURNS!

We’re back with another quarterly newsletter video! Last spring we talked about interactive video and how it’s going to shape the future of corporate media . This fall is all about how using video will supercharge your eLearning content.

WHAT IF MY COMPANY ISN’T SPECIFICALLY IN EDUCATION?

That doesn’t matter: every company has to train their staff at some point to equip them with the right skills for success. That still counts as eLearning, and is a rapidly growing market as skills become more specialized, and younger generations raised on digital learning enter the workforce.

WHY IS ELEARNING RELEVANT?

Because right now, 50% of learners in undergraduate and graduate studies see no difference between online and classroom courses. It’s not because they’re lazy, it’s just how far digital learning has progressed thanks to video. Video maximizes content communication by stimulating visual and audio senses, thus maximizing information retention whilst minimizing seat time. Moreover, it’s the medium of choice for mobile-based learning, the undeniable up-and-comer in eLearning that we’ll all be seeing more of in the near future.

HOW DOES INTERACTIVE VIDEO PLAY A ROLE IN ELEARNING?

You’ll see from the video! Interactive video adds the engagement element that video lacked before as a fairly passive medium. What mobile and modular learning trends have taught us is that immediate application of knowledge is the best way to retaining information. Interactive video gives us the best of both worlds with stimulating, immersive learning content with the chance to put that learning into action immediately.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

If this video has you excited about innovative ways to teach your new hires, or to share that knowledge with the rest of the world, our contact page is always open. Establish your expertise with engaged, immersive video content that leave your learners wanting for more.

The post Check Out Our Interactive Video About ELearning appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Top 5 Things To Look For When Choosing A Video Production Company

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 09:00:00 GMT

Top Five Things To Look For When Choosing A Video Production Company

A corporate video is an instant and effective way to get your business message across to your audience. Using the power of creative video storytelling is a great way to help you and your brand reach the kind of impact that you are trying to create.

There’s a lot to consider once you decide you need corporate video. You might feel the need to hit certain marketing or business goals, which is always useful to keep in mind. For the actual filming, you know a video production company could help you, but perhaps you just don’t know which one to pick, or how much company budget will allow for it. However, remember that no matter what your brand’s market scale and target audience, a corporate video service exists to bring your message to life. The job of a professional video production company is to understand your concerns so that they can create the impact you want. As such, collaboration is the key for you get your desired results.

To help you find a professional video production service a company you can trust your brand with, here’s a list of the top five things to look for in a video production company.

Just like with all of your business products and services, every video your company puts out, be it internal or public-facing, is a representation of your brand. Think of it as your company’s business card. A shaky, blurry, and stagnant video gives the impression of an unreliable brand. Conversely, great video quality and dynamic pacing pulls viewers into the values, culture, and overall appeal of your brand. Your videos don’t have to be AAA-budget Hollywood blockbusters, but neither should they be vertically-shot on your smartphone. There’s always a balance to be had, but when you find the best quality, you never regret it.

The video industry is a hugely creative one, and as such different video production companies naturally develop different styles and approaches to content creation. For example, some production companies will focus solely on television or documentaries. They sport a diverse arsenal of equipment and crew that is more specifically geared for those types of productions. If you’re looking instead for corporate or professional training videos, you’ll absolutely want to look for people like our Arc and Crown team who focus on corporate messaging. Especially for external corporate video, the content must be able to push the envelope in terms of style and appeal yet still ultimately retain the respective branding guidelines and rulings of the principal company.

This one’s never an easy subject to touch on, but that’s precisely why we have to mention it. Higher budgets mean higher quality; quality implies outreach, and outreach means converted sales and expansion. Prices vary greatly in the video industry, based on multiple aspects. The key factors to always consider for the budget are locations, the number of actors, final video length, and quality. Whenever you increase any of these elements, you naturally increase the budget. In this way, one company’s 30-second promo can cost several times more than another’s. Always be aware that the ambition of your project and the size of your budget should always walk hand in hand. Know your concept and available budget well, and with the right team, you’ll be able to find ways to make your dollar stretch.

You may or may not be surprised to know that every second in a released video has hours of work put behind it. Locations need to have been secured, actors contracted, and gear assembled before taking that first shot. Most importantly, time needs to be dedicated to allow for ample communication between the client and production company to ensure that everyone involved is making the same video. Some production companies have all their crew in-house so they generate consistent quality, but that means they can only take on a limited number of projects. Others, like Arc and Crown, keep just a core team that coordinates the projects and then brings in a diverse range of regular contractors to allow for more scalability and timeline flexibility based on individual needs. When scheduling your video content project, it’s always good to remember that video production is at its heart a collaborative experience, whether it’s through a project lead or marketing team.

The fact is, anyone can shoot a video. However, at the end of the day, you want to hire a company you enjoy working with and that you can trust to create content that accurately represents you and your brand. Our own clients have expressed the significance of working with the same production team, with the result being a consistent stream of quality content and familiarized processes that led to opportunities for growth with each project. At Arc and Crown, this is our absolute creed and mantra. We work with your needs, by understanding your objectives and limitations. Most of all we include you in the process because video production is fun and we want to include you in the experience! It is our greatest pride and pleasure to take you through the reigns of the professional video set, as guides to a great video.

If you’re looking for professional video production services in Toronto, ON, reach out to Arc and Crown Media Inc. Whether you want to convert a prospect on your website, to entice visitors to your next event, or just to communicate valuable information to your viewers, Arc and Crown Media can be your guide to video production in Toronto, Mississauga, North York, Vaughn, Oakville, Hamilton and more.

To learn more about what we can do, please click here . To get in touch with us, please click here .

The post Top 5 Things To Look For When Choosing A Video Production Company appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

What Makes Arc + Crown Media Inc. Stand Out

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 09:00:00 GMT

Thanks for stopping by to our blog! If you’re looking for more information about Arc + Crown Media Inc ., you’ve come to the right place.

About Arc + Crown Media Inc.

At Arc + Crown Media , we specialize in creating videos for the corporate world, be it for training, corporate communications, employee engagement or brand marketing. We operate with a dedicated core team , along with a highly skilled and diverse supply of contractors –including experienced videographers, sound recordists, photographers, drone operators, editors, animators, makeup artists, and more. Our business model has always been built this way because we believe in hiring the best person suited to each precise project. This model also affords extremely flexibility with our clients, enabling us to scale easily to any requirement.

We’ve been in business for almost four years now and have worked on projects that range in size from a few thousand to a few hundred thousand dollars. When clients ask if we have the capacity to take on multiple videos at the same time, the answer is always yes. No matter the type of video that you are looking to produce, no matter where in North America you need to film it, we have the resources and expertise at our fingertips to make it happen – seamlessly.

While we service clients across the GTA, particularly in downtown Toronto, we also have clients in Mississauga, Newmarket, Oakville, Scarborough, Georgetown, Montreal, New York and even Florida. It’s been wonderful to see the company expand like this, and looking back on where we started, many of our first clients still work with us today. After all, we started this company to be able to service our clients in the best way possible. We’re delighted to say that the level of customer service we provide continues to be a differentiating factor for us. Arc + Crown Media is always evolving – we’re constantly looking for innovative ways to help our client’s voices be heard. From the insurgence of aerial drone footage to personalized interactive videos, we consistently look to stay ahead of trends and offer innovative tactics. However, regardless of how the company and this industry grows in the coming years, superior customer service will always be the core focus for our team and something we constantly strive to be the best at.

We’re exceptionally proud of all our accomplishments thus far, along with the great work that we’ve produced for our clients. However, even more great projects lie ahead of us, and we cannot be more excited.

The Arc + Crown Media Inc. Difference

We take great pride not only in providing valuable video production service, but also in our ability to act as guides for our clients through the process of creating great video. We get to know our client, their branding and objectives, and offer precise solutions. This way we create a mutual relationship where both client and service provider continue growing to achieve better results with each and every video. Through this manner, many clients come to be considered dear friends. This is what we truly believe to be the key facet of our business. Once we understand our client needs, we can then be proactive and work with them to ensure effective and prompt delivery of project objectives. Every step is mapped out and planned; every obstacle is charted, anticipated, and finally met with the right specialist for the job.

Such effective prep work naturally arises from our creed of offering unprecedented flexibility, communication, and attention to detail. We also encourage clients to be as involved or uninvolved in the process as befits them, since our primary strength lies in our ability to execute. We have a strong focus on our processes to keep all members aware of the project status at every step of the way. We ensure every detail of the video production is approved before we move forward to the shoot date. By maintaining this process, we manage to stay on schedule and get the video made right, all while keeping team members and clients actively in the loop.

Our customers come from various industries with diverse needs, but they all have one thing in common: a message to share. Everyone wants content for the purpose of communicating with others, and it has to be dynamic to work. Perhaps you’re a marketing manager in the manufacturing sector, looking to creating web and social media content, but need your equipment to look two years younger to show how cutting edge you are. Or you’re a project manager at a tech company in need of training videos for your staff, but need a diverse casting of professional actors because of new equality protocol in the workplace. No matter what your needs entails, we will help you define solutions and execute them.

Video is an investment, but we ensure that you get the most out of your buck. In the prep phase, every decision takes content sustainability and online lifespan into account. We offer various suggestions on how to re-use and re-purpose video content to stretch your dollar even further. This capability of deriving maximum value from our video products is but one of the incentives for our customers to continue choosing to work with us. Our level of service, quality of content, reliability and creative contributions are just icing on the cake.

We’re still in a phase of company growth but are catching up rapidly. Our work is already being recognized for their quality by international organizations. For example, we were awarded the “2018 AVA Digital Awards, Platinum Winner for Short Form Web Video: Corporate Image” earlier this year. The award was for a video we produced for RSM Canada to launch their inaugural rebranding to the international RSM name.

A tight timeline and precise guidelines from this global-scale company meant an exceptional need for excellent efficiency and diligent communication throughout all divisions. Within those parameters, we were able to create a video that spoke to the heart of the people who made up the company. It was a rousing success.

Not to be outdone is an animated video (click here to watch) we produced for the Town of Newmarket which was submitted by our client and won two awards last year; the 2017 AVA Digital Award (Platinum Winner) and the 2017 Hermes Creative Awards (Gold Winner).

Finally, one of the greatest sources of pride for the Arc + Crown team is our pro bono work. We aspire to aid those in need with an important message that deserves to be heard. Our passion especially goes to those assisting the disability community, as well as the female communities promoting messages of empowerment and entrepreneurship. These achievements are so incredibly dear to us. We attribute our charity work not only to our own aspirations, but also to the amazing passion that radiates from the numerous champions of these causes, who have drawn us in and generously allowed us to be involved.

Here are some of those champions, and the videos we have produced for them:

Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic

WEConnect

CAWEE

Different Not Less

Difability Round Table

Our long-term goal is to be a hub for all companies who require video content, by developing divisions of the company that specialize in the different services we offer – but on a greater scale than we’re currently able to do. Not only do we want to be a place for quality content creation, but we’d also like to be a reliable provider of practical information. We wish to be the outlet for businesses to access immediate help if they require support for in-house video content, or for assistance with putting together a video project RFP. It can even be for tips on how to appear best on camera. Our goal would be the same then as it is now: to provide value by offering great advice, great video products and great experiences.

To learn more about all that we do at Arc + Crown Media Inc., please click here . If you have any questions about how we can help you, we’d love to hear from you here.

The post What Makes Arc + Crown Media Inc. Stand Out appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Watch This Interactive Video About Interactive Videos

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 09:00:00 GMT

What? Interactive Video?

It’s video you can click on to get access to other content. It’s a sweet and simple concept that has the potential to significantly ramp up your digital content and engagement. Click “View Story” on the video above to get a taste of what interactive video has to offer for your brand.

Point Viewers Where You Want Them to Go

Put links (“hotspots”) within the video to take the viewer directly to your home page, LinkedIn profile or product page. No more scrolling down to hunt for a URL. The hotspot can be used in the form of clickable text or as an icon image in the player for stronger attention pull. Your interactive video could be the all-purpose nexus to the entirety of your business’s marketing/resource ecosystem.

Make Content Fun Again

“Edu-tainment” is the name of the game these days. Interactive video brings a novel experience regardless of what content you’re bringing to the table. Particularly for educational content, interactive video provides the option to “pause” the video and require viewers to answer a multiple-choice question properly before continuing onto the next content. If the viewer answers incorrectly, the video may be formatted to replay the information until the viewer answers correctly.

Instantly Personalized for Everyone

With menus (which we usually call Q&A), you can provide your viewer with a clickable table of contents that gives them the power to not only see what information you will provide and questions you are going to answer, but also the ability to go directly to the information most relevant to them. This provides a style of video that is custom fit for every unique audience.

Establish you and your brand as video innovators that push all limits to increase viewer engagement. Contact us today to get started on your interactive video project.

The post Watch This Interactive Video About Interactive Videos appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Meet One Of The Faces Behind Arc + Crown Media Inc.

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 09:00:00 GMT

ARC + CROWN MEDIA: Hi, I’m Vanessa Holding, proud co-owner of Arc + Crown Media Inc . alongside my partner-in-crime Tatiana Rodriguez. I wanted to take some time today to share our story with you. I hope that by continuing reading you can enjoy getting to know us a little better. So, grab some popcorn because it’s storytime!

After working in the video production industry for a number of years, Tatiana and I realized that we truly loved what we did but wanted to make real waves to change up the game. To do that, we started our own company where we could work on projects and handle our clients in a way that made the most sense for us. Despite coming from different ends of the video production industry (me on the producing side and Tatiana on the editing side), we formed a great team, and have been building relationships with satisfied clients ever since.

Our goal was a true “clients first, top value added” business approach. Starting Arc + Crown Media Inc. close to three years ago gave us the opportunity to build up our process for developing high-quality digital media content at a “no-frills” value. We handpick the best crew for the job, and work closely and carefully with each individual project to create the best possible outcomes. For us, that level of collaboration between Arc and Crown and client is a display of our sheer dedication towards top customer service and client care. We firmly believe this to be the route to understanding one’s business and delivering amazing video content. Most of all, it feels great to know that the work we do, and the process we take our clients along, is valued and appreciated. And we appreciate all of our clients dearly as well.

What makes Arc + Crown Media Inc. so alluring to work with is that fact that we love creating new ways to make every company, every person, and every story, interesting and enticing. Every single one of our clients has a message they are trying to get across and we work with them to ensure their message is heard. That’s why we really value collaboration, not only within the company and our team, but together with our clients as well. Our clients are the ones who know their businesses best, so we lean on their expertise and industry knowledge before utilizing the strengths of our core team members to bring that content to life on screen.

We strive to put ourselves in the shoes of our clients and are continually asking ourselves: “What would we want” and “What would we do” if we were part of their business. We try to be as flexible and accommodating as possible, and allow our clients to be as involved or uninvolved in the process as they want to be. These traits have helped us achieve some amazing results and given us the chance to work on some fantastic projects that felt like true collaborative experiences.

One such project happens to be the first large-scale project we landed early on in our business. It remains one of the most satisfying moments for us in our business history. Since landing that client, we have worked on numerous other projects with them and still consider them one of our best clients. It was a massive win for us as a startup company back then, and we are grateful to still be able to work with them today.

As natural creative types, we love the freedom and flexibility associated with owning a business. We are able to take on the projects and tasks that are enjoyable to us, and that lend themselves to our inherent strengths. Having autonomy and diversity of tasks is something that we value and thoroughly enjoy in our day-to-day activities. Managing our own business has also allowed us to pursue our own passion projects. The Arc + Crown team loves to support and champion the causes that are close to our hearts. I personally have a connection with the disability community and routinely look for ways to support them. Both Tatiana and I are also passionate about encouraging other female entrepreneurs and women’s rights causes. It is so important to us that we can lend our voices and time to projects that raise awareness for these incredible movements, and hope that by doing so we are slowly making our mark on the world as well.

When we are not at work, Tatiana is a seasoned soccer player, and just recently won her division championship. She is also a big music fan and loves attending live concerts. As for me, I enjoy being in the beautiful outdoors and thriving in the summer weather, during which it’s near impossible to get me out of the water. We’re fun people, who look to bring that fun back into your videos and brands!

Thank you so much for reading. I have cherished getting the chance to share our story with you, and to be able to speak about the things that matter to us and how they influence the way we do business. If you or anyone you know could benefit from our expertise in video production in Toronto, I invite you to get in touch.

Sincerely,

Vanessa

The post Meet One Of The Faces Behind Arc + Crown Media Inc. appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

How To Rank Your Videos Higher On Google

Fri, 09 Aug 2019 09:00:00 GMT

GOOGLE RANK: Preface: this article contains technical information for webmasters looking to increase their videos’ readability on Google. We do not recommend editing your website’s source code without an understanding of your site’s formatting.

HOW GOOGLE WORKS

Here’s how Google’s rank works. In order to deliver users their search results, Google sends spiders all over the Internet to collect information about each individual piece of content. This is why the term “world wide web” was coined in the early phases of the Internet. As you know, online video is already a big SEO boost for your website as Google is always trying to provide users with helpful video content. Millions of people find videos on Google every day – but this means that in order to have your video show up organically you’ll need to be following Google’s rules.

INDEXING VIDEOS FOR GOOGLE

The first and foremost step to having your videos show up in search is to let Google accurately index them. If you are only relying on the written information on your video’s web page, Google may not read it as efficiently or effectively as it possibly can. In other words, you risk Google not ranking your video as highly on your search.

While Google crawls for a multitude of details about your content, these are the three main pieces of information Google looks out for in each video:

To fully maximize how you provide this critical information to Google so that they can rank you higher, you can use either on-page markup or a video sitemap. Not to worry, both of these options are entirely invisible to your website users and will not affect how your web page looks or behaves. This is a greatly effective trick to increase your videos’ click and view rates exponentially and organically.

ON-PAGE MARKUP

On-page markup is hidden descriptive data (microdata) that is added to the source code of your web page. This makes it easier for Google to collect the exact information it needs to index your video. Using video markup you can provide crucial details such as the description, thumbnail URL, upload date, and duration all while being assured that Google can properly read it.

For video markup, Google has specifically recommended using schema.org , a markup format that has been collaboratively designed and is supported by Google, Bing, and Yahoo! Check here if you want to review the full schema.org vocabulary .

There are various other forms of software approved by Google that accomplish similar results. These include Facebook Share and RDFa on-page markups. You can see here for more about using Facebook Share and RDFa for video data.

Check out this example to see what the video markup looks like in your source code.

VIDEO SITEMAPS

Sitemaps are an effective way for web developers and webmasters to inform Google and other search engines about pages on their sites that are available for crawling. This way Google can see your video page as being popular content that it will want to rank highly.

In a nutshell, the Sitemap is an XML schema file that provides a list of URLs for a site along with additional other metadata about each URL – such as when it was last updated, how frequently it changes, and how important it is relative to other URLs in the site. This way the search engines can more effortlessly crawl for information within the site.

Sitemaps offer advanced functionality such as indicating expiration dates , country restrictions , platform restrictions or even information on live streams. Find out more about using a video sitemap here.

Web crawlers do a better job of discovering pages by combing through the connected links within the site and from other sites. Sitemaps complement this data to allow Sitemap-supporting crawlers to pick up all URLs in the Sitemap and learn about those URLs using the associated metadata – thereby increasing your page ranking.

ADDITIONAL BEST PRACTISES TO RANK HIGH

These are the guidelines provided by Google to further improve your videos’ Google compatibility:

CONTACT YOUR SPECIALISTS ON HOW TO RANK HIGHER

Contact your web developer for additional advice or guidance when adjusting your site map or markups. Some website providers will have backend dashboard options, such as tags, that can serve as a substitute for video markups. In general, don’t edit any code without knowing what you’re doing, as this can lead to errors on your site.

Need high quality video on your site before you start looking to optimize Google search rankings? Arc and Crown Media is your guide to great video with greater results. Check us out at www.arcandcrown.com or contact info@arcandcrown.com to let us know about your video needs.

Ready to take a hand at making your own video content that rank high? Check out our extensive online course to become your own DIY video making expert!

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How To Market To Generation Z

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 09:00:00 GMT

Generation Z? It’s a whole new ball game. Batter up.

The “Golden” Standard

In 1979, McDonald’s introduced the Happy Meal. Few people stop and think just how monumental of a marketing strategy this was, but in a time when fast food was just that – food, McDonald’s decided to direct their marketing to the one place where no one expected the restaurant biz to go: kids.

Kids by themselves have no disposable income, but the first line of thinking is that their parents do. However, for McDonald’s the plan stretched far further than that. It was a multi generation-long family marketing strategy. After all, in 20 years – bam! – those same kids are now adult consumers, with their own families and their own children. Those children will grow up on Happy Meals, and eventually have kids of their own. And those kids will have kids. The cycle continues. The lesson from this now 40-year strong plan is that marketing to children is worth the investment.

The Kids of Today: Generation Z

The kids of today, “Generation Z” by scientific terms, are an enigma to some and a delight to others. By no means to be categorized with the digital-era Millennial, the currently age 19-and-under Gen Z ’er was born and raised in high technology. It’s your niece who learned to unlock a smartphone before she learned to speak. It’s your kid who doesn’t care for what’s on TV because everything is accessible on his iPad’s Youtube app.

The trick to marketing to Generation Z is compression. Your average Generation Z ’er has an 8-second attention span; consider that all the time you’ve got to work with. They’ve been born in a blue ocean of unending information and have somehow developed the ability to filter through it all. Campaigns that feel like traditional ads are ignored; messages that don’t pop only deflate. Your message has to be bite-sized but entertaining, never actually feeling like a call to purchase something or go to your website.

Here are some tips to formulating your marketing plan:

TV is Out, (Mobile) Internet is In

TV ads are not 100% dead per se, but you’ll have just as great if not greater success marketing to children online. Kids now are not just tech-savvy – they’re tech dependent. Over half of Gen Z ’ers would prefer to buy clothes, books and electronics online. You can also assume most children will have access to a smartphone because even if they don’t currently own one, their parents certainly will. How will you reach them in the period when they’re borrowing their parents’ phones? It could be as a short ad on Youtube, or maybe a sponsored ad for a free video game app. Whichever it is, keep it short, and keep it simple.

Understand the way they use social media and/or YouTube

Facebook was both pioneered by and beloved by the quintessential Millennial. Your younger Generation Z ’er, surprisingly not so much. They prefer privacy and anonymity, perhaps having witnessed the cases where social media has brought the downfall of some bigger personalities in media. Snapchat’s approach using ephemeral content garnered strong success from older Generation Z’ers as a result of this. Younger Generation Z ’s, however, sport a stronger attraction towards Youtube influencers, enjoying the regular content produced by these micro-celebrities. Kids are age-aspirational; they’ll always want to act like their older role models, and while these role models used to be televised actors or singers backed by big brands like Disney, now they’re Youtube vloggers and personalities supported by any sponsor. In this case, you will often find that these YouTube influencers are the cornerstones to marketing to children in the pre-teen to teen ages as they are the ones that these kids look up to and wish to emulate.

Know that they’re incredibly Google-adept

Generation Z grew up with Google and other search engines the same way you grew up with bottled water. Searching for answers is as natural as breathing for them. Now more than ever, your online reputation is crucial for your business. You need to be on the first few pages of Google just to reach the minimum level of trust with these kids. To do that, keep in mind that the key factor is fresh content. You need to be regularly releasing new content, new videos, and new updates for Google to rank you higher on its priority list. Ad words are nice to get you up there but know that Generation Z ’ers are smart enough to know when they’re being sold something.

And never forget about reviews. Be mindful of who’s reviewing your business, and if they gave you a negative comment, respond to it. This shows that your business listens to and considers the feedback given to you by your customers.

They crave social justice and good in the world

Growing global concerns for diversity, proper representation, and charity for the unfortunate has inevitably reached the younger generation through online conversation. This generation will be the most tolerant – yet intolerant – one yet. They will be greatly accepting of race and gender, but quickly eschew or scorn racist, sexist, or otherwise biased viewpoints. Media influencers have taught them that a single person can impact the world and make a difference, and these Generation Z ’ers are hungry to do just that. Give them a cause to believe in, and they will go out of their way to support you.

Every generation will have a grumble or two about the next one. But like it or love it, they’re growing fast and will make up more and more of the core consumer base with each passing moment. There’s much to be excited for with Generation Z and their incredible aptitude for technology, and with that the limitless marketing possibilities. However, know your target audience and pinpoint what appeals to them, and you could have yourself a jackpot Happy Meal winner too.

Thanks to the following sources for some of the information in this article!

The post How To Market To Generation Z appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Arc and Crown Media – an AVA Digital Awards Winner

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 17:39:00 GMT

Awards are given to examples of best-in-class industry work. Arc and Crown Media is proud that two of our videos, “RSM External Rebrand” and “Young + Free: The Mission Business” are award-winning recipients of AVA Digital Awards for the “Corporate Image” and “Pro Bono” categories.

The AVA Digital Awards is an international competition that recognizes the excellence of creative professionals around the world who are responsible for the concept and planning, direction, design and final production of digital communications content. Award-winning applicants range from a whole spectrum of mediums, including digital engagement campaigns, audio and video production, website development, social media interaction, and mobile marketing.

AVA Platinum Award Winner: RSM External Rebrand

RSM Canada, needed a video to aid in their rebranding efforts as they became part of the international RSM brand. This video was able to remind the public that the company’s core values reminded the same, while simultaneously showcasing the new offerings and value that they would be providing their clients. . The video showcases CEO Harry Blum recounting the life his father led as a Holocaust survivor, that taught him the significance of inclusion and collective teamwork in every aspect of life. This singular desire to provide more for his employees, and give greater service to more people, was the pushing factor to enter the global market as RSM – as stated in the video, “not to be bigger, but better .”

AVA Platinum Award Winner: Town of Newmarket Stormwater Charge

The Town of Newmarket was required to launch a short but informative PSA detailing a new storm water control charge on residents’ property bill. The project required a simple to understand, persuasive approach to indicate the practical reasoning for this charge. What we produced was a 2-minute animation, based on existing graphic material created by the Town, that could appeal and any viewer.

AVA Gold Award Winner: Young + Free: The Mission Business

Young + Free was a pro bono series produced by Arc + Crown that gave young, aspiring entrepreneurs and forward-thinkers a chance to take the spotlight and share their strategies for success to the rest of the world. The winning episode features Trevor Haldenby, futurist at The Mission Business, a one-of-a-kind “adventure laboratory” that creates immersive experiences for innovative companies to shake up and embolden their perceptions of the future – they call this “adventure coaching.” Their’s was a courageous endeavour, to bring theatre acting into the corporate realm, and employ narrative and storytelling to drive business growth, expectations, and culture.

In the video, Trevor speaks about one of Mission Business’s largest undertakings, a public art project that simulated a biologic apocalypse called Z.TO Byologic. The goal was to ask, “in the event of the end of the world, how do we work together to stay alive?” Under the extreme duress of life and death, participants found camaraderie and teamwork amongst each other, and learned what effect working together in a constructive manner produced. The Z.TO movement was the calling card for Mission Business that defined them as a company, and proved that entrepreneurs need to seize risk and embrace the new, unexplored and unknown if they want to move forward and succeed.

A Heartfelt Thank You

At Arc and Crown Media we’d like to thank RSM, The Mission Business, and the AVA Digital Awards for these amazing opportunities to tell your award-winning stories and compete alongside other award-winning international digital content companies. These are the stories we want to tell, and we are so glad you brought them to us.

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Interactive Video: How It Can Increase Your Video Engagement

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 09:00:00 GMT

Supercharge Your Video Content With Interactive Elements

Describing interactive video is simple: it’s video you can click on. However, it’s the way you shape your interactive video, how you structure it that gives it a completely different dimensionality from the simple click-and-play. With pathfinders, you can create a choose-your-own-adventure style of video that allows your viewer a whole new level of engagement. With chapters and menus, you can give your viewer the ability to pick the information they want to see, and leave the rest for later.

In New Zealand, Little Sister Films worked with Rapt Media’s platform to simulate a wonderfully immersive “first day at work” with Deloitte New Zealand as a never-before-seen kind of graduate recruitment campaign. It’s a prime example of the way interactive can break videos out of the mould.

When this video came out in 2014, it boasted an incredible 4 minutes average engagement. By combining a customizable narrative with “correct” and “incorrect” answers, Deloitte was able to portray a unique company culture while simultaneously specifying what they look for in their recruits. Not a bad twist for the usually dry kind of recruitment campaign.

Here are just some of the others ways interactive video can directly benefit your company and brand.

Place your viewers at the doorstep of your landing page

What our clients love most about interactive video is the ability to place clickable links (oftentimes called “hotspots”) within the video, which can take the viewer directly to their home page, LinkedIn profile or product page. No need to scroll down to hunt for a URL and lose engagement in the process, just click in the video and you’re there. The hotspot can be used in the form of a line of text or as an icon image for stronger attention pull. Besides leading to external links, hotspots can also bring viewers to other video content in your playlist, or provide instant .pdf downloads while still in the video. This allows your video to be an all-purpose nexus to the entirety of your business’s marketing/resource ecosystem.

Fun equals engagement

Your content doesn’t have to forgo entertainment to maintain its goal of being informational. “Edu-tainment” is the name of the game these days and interactive video brings a novel experience regardless of what content you’re bringing to the table. Especially for educational content, interactive video provides the option to “stop” the video and require viewer to answer a multiple-choice question properly before continuing onto the next content. If the viewer answers incorrectly, the interactive video may be formatted to replay the information until the viewer answers correctly, just like with the Deloitte interactive example.

Personalize your tutorial and interview videos

With interactive menus (which we usually call Q&A), you can provide your viewer with a clickable table of contents that gives them the power to not only preemptively see what information you will provide and what questions you are going to answer, but also the ability to go directly to the information most relevant to them. This provides a style of video that is custom fit for every unique audience. Put the viewer in the seat of the interviewer and let them “ask” the questions they want to ask, then through analytic tools find out which information is most frequently asked for and viewed to better understand your audience.

Add some flair to your website homepage without needing extensive web design expertise.

Below is a picture link to the Pearson Institute website, who used interactive video to “simulate” a high-end online homepage in an incredibly cost-effective manner. This is just one of many examples of how you can seamlessly integrate interactive video into your online presence to not only impress users, but push them to engage with your content.

Platforms to make interactive videos

While there are many tools to make your video interactive, these are among our favourite. Each will generate an embed code which you can place on your website to show the interactive video. Because the video needs to run through their custom video player, these sites do not create .mp4 or .mov files.

Hapyak

Hapyak is a paid online platform that allows you to take an existing video URL, whether it’s Youtube or Vimeo, and plug it through their site. They then allow you to apply their software that will take the streamed video and give it an interactive “overlay.” This provides the video with the ability to be clicked on. The biggest benefit for Hapyak over other interactive videos is its intuitive editing design, and the ability to add quizzes and other boxes where the user can input text (such as text answers or email addresses).

Their subscription is $200 USD/month, but keep in mind that if the subscription ends any of your videos will return to being non-interactive.

Verse

Verse is a popular paid platform that allows you to upload multiple videos to their site and piece them together into an interactive series. It’s used by some notable brands like The New Yorker and Discovery. Verse provides fairly easy to use templates that allow you to add hotspots, photo slideshows and content menus for elegant interactive video, as well as create branching storylines for otherwise linear content.

Their base subscription is $50 USD/month, for 90 minutes of video upload every cycle.

Spotful

Spotful gets the job done for a reasonable monthly price. It has a simple interface to add hotspots to reach external links.

Their subscription is $14 USD/month.

Why are you providing us all with these tools if you yourselves are a video production company?

Great question! While Hapyak, Verse and Spotful are wonderfully versatile tools to add interactive options to your video collection, the design and layout of each interactive video is still largely dependent on high quality video production and editing. For example, Verse and Hapyak can allow you to add text links to bring viewers to your Twitter page, but if you want to see a Twitter icon with a “tweet” sound then a video editor will need to add those graphics. That’s where Arc+Crown comes in. In addition, for the highest success with an interactive video, video production must be conducted specifically with interactivity in mind. This means content must be compartmentalized and treated as potential stand-alone material, and the people appearing in front of camera may also be directed in a different way. Of course, we also offer the service of working with any of these interactive video tools for you, to create a product that really stuns your customers and users. Just visit our contact page and shoot us a message to see how we can benefit your project.

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Blockchain: What It Is And What It Means For Video

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 09:00:00 GMT

Will Blockchain be to Netflix what Netflix was to Blockbuster?

The digital world today

The Internet today is a “world wide web.” Naturally, you knew that. In this spider web all the points, all the individual computers, lead to a center. That center is a large computer server that stores and processes all of the transactions, data, and personal information for your web browsing, online purchasing, and Facebook posts. This is how the Internet has looked like for over a decade and a half.

Now there are some big flaws with this system, flaws that have existed for years. If you’re a hacker looking to do some major damage, you know exactly where to hit. A centralized system has a clear point of vulnerability, and though security is top-tier at the server level it’s not exactly impregnable. The second flaw, for some the more important one, is traffic. We live in an age where millions of dollars are spent a year to shave off nanoseconds of load time. A server-based, “centralized” system concentrates all of the data in one point, and will become congested like a road everyone needs to use to get to work.

Blockchain is looking to change that.

What in the world is “Blockchain?”

A video should explain it best:

Blockchain is a relatively new concept that was originally designed for bitcoin. Instead of a central server, the blockchain is a database network of voluntary user computers called “nodes.” Each computer offers a bit of storage, and simultaneously each node has perfect access to view all transactions within the network. As there is no single server, traffic is greatly lessened. The main incentive to add your computer to this “decentralized” system is the chance to deal in bitcoins or other cryptocurrency, the so-called “digital gold” that has the economic world reeling. Today a single bitcoin is worth over $9000 CAD. They can be gained by transacting within the network.

Once you’re within the blockchain network, every transaction is timestamped, bundled with other transactions occurring in the networks as a “block” of data, and attached to the chain. This is where the appeal of blockchain lies. Every block can verify its neighbouring block via timestamp. The blockchain in its entirety is available as a single entity shared amongst thousands of computer sources, each with full transparency on the information. If a single computer has a wrong block, the other thousands of computers will verify it. That means the data is entirely immutable, untraceable because it’s on every computer, and thus fully accountable, which makes it far more difficult to break into and change unless the hacker has the computing power to overhaul all computers in the network.

OK, so blockchain can serve as a superhero Paypal. How does that affect video?

Here’s how:

Anti-Piracy

Much like how the Internet was originally purposed for messaging between universities and has since grown to immerse everything imaginable in our lives, blockchain stands to become a huge factor for video creaters and watchers in the near future. Blockchain represents the latest frontier in the protection and enforcement of intellectual property. Since the dawn of the Internet age, intellectual property rights have been scoffed over, as illegal hacking and streaming of videos floods the medium. As a fluid database system with incredibly high security and a natural system that repels hacking efforts, blockchain shuts down a large portion of online theft and piracy.

P2P Distribution and Content Monetization

On the other, legitimate side of video streaming, the peer-to-peer nature of blockchain reduces transaction costs, and allows video consumers to pay directly to video creators and providers safely and efficiently. This could represent a huge blow in the future to popular middleman distributors, namely Netflix and Amazon Prime. New blockchain technology is already seeing use in early community video-sharing sites, where users are encouraged to create videos to generate the digital cryptocurrencies to then consume videos. They can watch sponsored content to generate cryptocurrencies or gain access to other videos. Blockchain allows the Internet to safely become an open marketplace for video creators and consumers at low cost and low risk for both sides.

Zero Censorship

No central server means there is no authoritative force to control or censor what is available to view or distribute either; it’s a pure user-controlled system in terms of pricing and content. This is a huge factor for those in the independent filmmaking scene, as Netflix and Youtube all require strict content supervision for users to remain on their platforms. Netflix’s content is not only affected by censorship, but also by contract lease periods. Not every movie on Netflix will be there forever, unless they choose to renew the contract. You watch what they provide to watch, not necessarily what vendors have to offer. Though the flexibility of when and how to watch is of higher convenience, Netflix is still more similar to cable than you may think.

Does this mean Netflix is going to go under?

Despite what some blockchain enthusiasts say, most likely not – at least not immediately. Netflix has made the Internet its home base, and still has its prided “suggestions on what to binge next” algorithms and branded original content. However, in the future, far cheaper subscription models may exist because of blockchain, with a chance of a much larger and faster archive of video content. Blockchain is like the fax machine in the late 1980’s: it’s new and different and only really works well once everyone has one. However, once blockchain becomes big enough to sustain itself, Netflix, YouTube and Hulu are going to want to be ready for the waves it makes.

Sources:

The post Blockchain: What It Is And What It Means For Video appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Public Relations Aren’t External Only: Internal Communications Are IN

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 16:30:00 GMT

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS: PR is not easy. Getting attention is difficult; getting favourable attention is even more so. It’s a tough industry, meeting this objective and that as you’re designing intricate strategies to bring in as many external audiences as possible.

But wait, what about your internal communications?

The missing piece in your perfect PR strategy doesn’t lie in external opinion and demographics. It doesn’t lie on never-before-seen platforms or outreach methods. It lies on the inside.

Imagine you’re a salesperson. Of course you want to meet sales objectives and raise the bottom line, but that’s just one aspect of what you do. Every day you’re interacting with existing and potential buyers, and you want to meet their expectations. You want them to be satisfied with their purchase, and experience significant results from having the product. Everyone wants to know that they create an impact.

Most likely, not everyone on your team is going to be a salesperson – but every employee, no matter what they do, contribute to your brand success in some way. Remember, it’s your members that form your company. And those members are human and have opinions. So, if your people aren’t aware of your big updates, aren’t excited about new changes or products, or can’t or won’t share your company’s message and positioning – well, how can you expect everyone else to get on board when it’s those people bringing your audiences in?

It’s ironic, but your internal audiences can be the most critical audience for your “Public Relations” efforts. Thing is, internal communications tends to be one of the more difficult forms of corporate communications – not because of a lack of engagement, but because internal communications is so often left to the side bench in favour of external messaging.

Why Internal Communications

According to Aon Hewitt’s annual Trends in Global Employee Engagement report, every estimated 1% increase in a company’s employee engagement translates to an estimated 1% increase in sales. If you can believe in that completely, then the next statement makes logical sense: doubling employee engagement means doubling your business.

Though the exact results will vary from business to business, investing in internal branding and communications will help you grow as a company. An increase in employee engagement is a leading indicator of corporate growth.

Effective internal communications have shown the following workplace benefits:

Engaged employees are more productive and loyal. This is paramount in a corporate landscape where loyalty is a growing concern as more “flighty” Millennials make up the workforce. Engaged employees are more likely to refer their friends and family to work, and can foster greater external brand growth as informal brand ambassadors. Word of mouth is still one of the most effective forms of PR!

Now that you’re thinking about internal communications, here are some starting points to think about:

Find the right place

Think about where people want to go for information. Maybe it’s via a newsletter, email, intranet, video or bulletin board. Choose one or two primary communications vehicles and focus your engagement efforts there. It’s definitely worth polling employees for their preferences. Whatever response you get, keep the number of options few in number. Saturating the workplace with outlets for information will inevitably be confusing and cause people to stop zoning in.

Communicate often

You probably want to get all your information in one message and get it over with – but avoid taking shortcuts with your internal communication. People respond better to brief messages that appear weekly than large quarterly updates featuring thousands of words.

Or communicate through video

We just said avoid taking shortcuts, but video is a shortcut you can and should take – a shortcut for your employees at least. Viewers accessing pieces of content through video formats retain as much as 95% of the communicated message, versus only 10% when communicated through text. Employees learn faster with visual aid, and are more willing to open that email or message to begin with when it has a video attached. The play button is, without a doubt, the most compelling action on the Internet. If you’re interested in using video to make your communications polished , effective and worth tuning in to, our team at Arc and Crown can help. Contact us here to learn more.

Let your workers interact with you

You want your staff to engage more – so give them the means to interact with you. Encourage them to share comments on company news, offer ideas or even contribute their own content (like blogs). It’s important that you establish a welcoming environment for ideas.

Starting out, you probably shouldn’t expect that much engagement. Trust is the foundation of any organization and it builds slowly. Implement methods to solicit feedback regularly, even if anonymously. Look into collaboration and communication tools (we use Slack) that provides an easier environment for “talking” within the company.

Recognize efforts

Engagement is a two-way street. No one wants to converse with the person in that party who only talks about themselves. Similarly, your internal communications shouldn’t only concern company news and information. Instead, also take the time to make more personal messages too. Employees want their stories and contributions to be noticed; it shows that you value and trust them. Establish recognition programs to reward employees. It’s also a good chance to indirectly promote your expectations and values for employees.

Add some friendly competition.

Because everyone enjoys a win once in a while! Motivate folks to read and act on what you’re sending. You can incite participation in an initiative that spans the whole company – and rewards are a guaranteed plus! Prizes don’t need to be big or expensive, but think of incentives that would be appreciated and meaningful. Even candy bars or lunch can be a motivator.

Your external messaging should be true to your brand promise, corporate and human values, and business goals. The same is said for your internal communications.

It’s time to blur that line between “external” and “internal.” Consistency is the name of the game for your PR strategy’s success – and that means an aligned brand vision for both sides of the coin.

At Arc and Crown we believe in engaging and entertaining internal communications – for us, all business is show business! To learn more about what we do at Arc and Crown Media Inc, please click here . If you have any questions about how we can help you, contact us here.

Source:

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5 Video Marketing Trends To Look Out For In July

Mon, 29 Jul 2019 09:00:00 GMT

Marketing trends you want to be aware of

MARKETING TRENDS: With summer going by quick, we once again are asking ourselves the question: “How will we be engaging audiences this season?” Here are 5 video trends to look out for this fall.

Live Streaming and Interactive Video

In 2017 alone, 65-72% of all Internet traffic has been driven by video, with that number expected to jump to over 80% by 2021 according to Cisco. A large majority of this traffic trend is owed to live streaming, which has been gaining rapid traction with new user-generated content apps like Facebook Live and Periscope. Live streaming has proven itself to be both highly effective and adoptable across various industries as a means to promote new products and services. Studies have shown that viewers tend to stay three times longer on live stream videos than regular clips.

Live streaming has seen especially rapid growth in webinar platforms, with the resurgence of interactive features that allow viewers to participate via polling and multiple-choice clickables. In 2019, we can look forward to new innovative forms and trends of viewer engagement used by other industries that are looking to capitalize on this recent trend.

Videos Going More Mobile

Global investment in mobile ads has recently surpassed non-mobile ads. Consumers are also expected to spend twice as much time on videos on mobile devices than desktop (an average of 36 minutes per day compared to 18.5 minutes). That’s a 25% increase in minutes watching video on the go. Whether you hate or love the fact that video players are getting smaller, it’s never too late to be making sure your videos can be played properly on a smartphone.

Right now, videos love mobile devices, and mobile loves video back – at least their news feeds do. If you’ve ever noticed on Facebook that new posts of online memes or selfies often are now in video format (usually with little moving watermarks floating about), there’s a good reason. Facebook’s news feed algorithm prioritizes video to still images when displaying content to your phone. Videos are also harder to copy from a news feed, which gives viewers more cause to share your post rather than copy/paste it themselves.

Explainer Videos

Explainer videos , which are videos that provide short and uncomplicated information about your company’s process and/or services, are a great way to provide meaningful visuals to your valuable content. In a recent study, researchers found that when given the option, website users are 4 times more likely to click on a video than read an article containing the same information. Explainers can be fun, simple, and highly effective.

Animation is often used in explainer videos to help make concepts both fun, and easy to understand. Check out below to see an AVA award-winning animated explainer video we created for the Town of Newmarket to explain a new stormwater charge on their property bills.

Explainer videos can drive strong results and are a means to building a follower base on video sharing platforms. We will certainly see more of them in the coming year.

Micro Influencers and User-Generated Content

We briefly mentioned user-generated content apps, but the people making and starring in these videos play a huge role in video marketing. Micro influencers are people that can hold and sway the attentions of 1000 to 100,000 people. They’re what you call “niche leaders,” but while their viewership may not be in the millions, their audience is much more engaged per posting on social media. Niche audiences are 4 times more likely to comment on a post by a micro-influencer than one made by a Hollywood celebrity.

According to Nielsen’s Global Trust in Advertising article, an astonishing 83% of consumers are willing to trust peer recommendation. Conversely, less than half of consumers trust online ads on their social media network. Given these numbers, 2018 may even see a new rise of “micro-micro” (audiences of less than 1,000) influencers on social networks being hired to leverage user-generated content as a means to push smaller groups of audiences toward social media marketing campaigns and landing pages.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you’re excited about all the new things to be seen. The past few years has seen more videos being created per second than ever before, and at Arc + Crown we are thrilled to see the world become more and more of a video planet. The years to come have much in store, and we can’t wait to see it all unfold.

Sources

The post 5 Video Marketing Trends To Look Out For In July appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

What You Need to Know About Crowdfunding

Fri, 26 Jul 2019 09:00:00 GMT

How to get the most out of your Kickstarter campaign

Crowdfunding. For the past few years we’ve been hearing about it as the new frontier in marketing and funding. The concept, when you think about it, is phenomenal. There’s no middle manning through investment firms or loans. Just place your product out in the wild and let prospective fans spur their own interest and generate funds to begin your sales flow.

But after the initial buzz has settled – and certainly, it was a massive buzz – crowdfunding isn’t as widely popular and exciting as it used to be. So what went wrong?

WHEN DOES CROWDFUNDING WORK?

The fact is, crowdfunding is amazingly successful – if you can hit the requirements. If you’re sporting a revolutionary gadget, video game, or film, you’ve got a better chance of hitting your target than, say, a new brand of underwear. With the overwhelming competition for donation dollars, your product has to have an undeniably different flavour from the rest. That means artistic, or mechanical ingenuity provides huge funding sway because it instantly stands out as a completely unique product. The idea of “if I don’t donate, this product may never be made,” is a fledgling company’s best friend during this time, as these generate the amazing million-dollar success stories you’ve surely read about online.

VIDEO MAKES A CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN SUCCESSFUL

Most failed campaigns have already lost before the posting was even made, and here’s why. Where most of the potential in a Kickstarter or IndieGoGo campaign falls short is the video. So many new companies overlook this fact. Yet Kickstarter even once stated just by having a video you increase your chances of reaching your goal by 50 percent.

Beyond just having a video, you need to be sure it’s an effective video. Simply because your product isn’t made public yet doesn’t mean it’s too early to have some marketing strategy. In one video you have a few minutes to convince a prospective buyer to pay in advance for your product, and more importantly to invest their time and money in you. A crowdfunding video has one chance only to hook the viewer in a single pull – campaign time is just that short for a crowdfund. You need to reel them in, and make yourself appealing enough to tell all their friends about.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR CROWDFUNDING VIDEO ATTRACT AUDIENCES

First of all, no matter what content your video shows, or how clever it is, that’s all washed away if you don’t have the right video and audio quality. You don’t necessarily need the highest-grade camera along with the newest drone model. However, if you’re using a smartphone to shoot, definitely consider options like a microphone extension that can plug in to your phone for less hollow sound. Even better, for an exceptional video, consider turning to a production company or agency to produce your video for you.

Another tip for your crowdfunding video is to take the time to introduce the collaborators behind the project. Backers tend to support the people over the idea. There’s a story behind why you’re trying to get this product out there, and that’s what the viewers want to see. They want their donated dollars to go to good products, and to good people. Be humble, and set a lower target funding. If your product is truly worth investing in, fans will donate beyond the cap.

Make every second count, but don’t drag the video out. If you’re using rewards-based funding (and you absolutely should), only mention the top two or three rewards if you choose to mention them at all. Your video should only include the best of you, your product, and your campaign.

Most importantly, learn from others. See some of the successful videos out there and why they’re successful, and note what went wrong with the unsuccessful ones. For example, COOLEST cooler was a product campaign from two years ago that took Kickstarter by storm, garnering over $13 millions USD from over 60,000 backers. Their original pledge was $50,000. As you can see, the video doesn’t stretch itself too far for high production value, nor does it try to shove incentives in the backers’ faces. It shows a single founder explain his own values and why he made his product, and his simple desire to share his product with the world.

IT DOESN’T ALWAYS WORK OUT

Sometimes, you just need to know when you’re fighting a losing battle. If your product has similar competitors on Kickstarter and none of them are being funded, maybe crowdfunding isn’t right for you. The power in crowdfunding lies in its inherent ability to generate attention. “This product is so amazing that fans are willing to pay money months before its formal production.” That’s the sort of buzz that floats on news sites, and acts as “auto-publicity” online and through word-of-mouth. But it works both ways, there’s huge disappointment in knowing that your direct consumers aren’t interested in investing in your product.

STAY LOYAL

You’ll need to support this product like it’s your own child. That means 24/7 support. 30% of your donations will most likely come from family, friends, and other close connections, and you should never hesitate to draw from these points and continue marketing to them. These donations will also make up the main force of your starting campaign, and will dictate the momentum that your product progresses with as you continue accumulating donations. Backers want to support a product that is likely to be successful, and need to see a certain amount of investment already made before taking the plunge to donate.

And like a child, you can never leave your crowdfunding campaign alone. Retweeting, sharing to different sites, calling people about the product, that’s just the start. Today’s crowdfunding platforms aren’t ATM’s where you can sit back and see money coming in. The point of Kickstarter, IndieGoGo and all these other sources is to put you, the business, in direct contact with your intended audience. This is an opportunity that never existed before the Internet existed. These sites seat you right in front of the buyer, but you still have to make the pitch and sell your product. It’s truly a chance-of-the-century, and with the right tools, it can be yours for the picking.

Source:

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The Future Of VR: Virtual Reality

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 09:00:00 GMT

How VR and AR are making an impact on the world and marketing.

In the 90s, Virtual Reality (or VR, as all the cool people say) was, along with the internet, supposed to be the future. Users were told to put on a clunky headset and in turn would be transported to a magical world that would allow us to live out fantasies without having to leave our home. And while this all sounded exciting, the harsh reality was that while being pitched as a Star Trek holodeck, it was more like a grainy, pixelated animated world. Now in 2017, the technology behind altered realities – both Virtual and Augmented – have advanced, and now it’s time to ask if VR and AR will finally have their moments.

WHAT IS VR AND AR?

VR, as mentioned above stands for Virtual Reality. VR is meant to make the user feel as if they are living in another space.The headset is still there, albeit a little less clunky, but the actual experience is startlingly realistic, so much so, that most of the time people need to sign waivers before entering the VR world as the transition from current and virtual reality is said to be particularly intense. Augmented Reality, on the other hand takes real life and adds enhancements to it. Holograms are a perfect example of this, and we have AR to thank for Tupac performing at Coachella a few years ago.

SUCCESSES OF VR AND AR

Augmented Reality has made a particularly grand mark on popular culture with the success of Pokemon Go. The idea of being able to transform a city into the world of a game is not only groundbreaking but also, heightens the concept of gaming in general. And while there has been some concern about the safety of being fully immersed in a game that you have to play in public, it has certainly been a cultural phenomenon that has caused the gaming world to take notice. The gaming world has also seen to be key for VR, as well as marketing related to the world of sports. Both are highly visceral experiences and allowing users to live the experience from the comfort of their living room is realizing the maximum potential of these worlds.

Both VR and AR have been successful in training. VR in particular has been used to for training of military and air force personnel, as well as with surgical residents. In fact, a controlled study found that VR trained residents came out 29% faster.

AR has also had great success in the marketing world. Most notably, Pepsi launched a campaign involving a bus stop where commuters would look out to see an array of images ranging from flying saucers to tigers.

LIMITATIONS

While the marketing from Pepsi was an inspired viral moment, there is a novelty factor that could grow tiresome if it ran for a regular campaign runtime. Additionally, with both VR and AR, there is the issue of things becoming too invasive. There is already hostility toward overt advertising, such as curated advertisements on the Internet, as well as overt product placement. Having advertisements in a more interactive and explicit manner could cross the line of comfort for many users. While it may be great to feel like you are actually playing hockey from the comfort of your living room, it could also be alienating to also have advertisements interspersed into your immediate space.

The other major hurdle VR faces, at least for now, is the headset needed to be worn for VR is a solitary experience. While that may be fine when hanging out on your own, it limits the social aspect that comes from gaming, or hanging out with friends and watching a movie together.

THE FUTURE

Beyond the fun, the evolution of AR and VR can have a real positive societal impact, specifically in the mental health arena. These technologies have already been used to treat PTSD, and could help battle phobias, using methods such as Systematic Desensitization.

While VR and AR are interesting technologies that are showing an importance that extends beyond instant gratification. Arc + Crown Media is excited for the opportunity to help companies that are looking to innovate and gain a competitive edge on competition. Much like how Social Media has been deemed a time waster, Twitter is integral to the news cycle, and Facebook and its “live” options have allowed for movements that may not have gotten press coverage go viral. While its uses may vary, this technology has a lot of potential, and will hopefully continue to evolve.

Written by: Jason Rayner

The post The Future Of VR: Virtual Reality appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

Arc and Crown Media’s New Website is Live!

Mon, 22 Jul 2019 18:54:00 GMT

WEBSITE: We are delighted to announce the launch of our new website!

Whether you’re in learning, marketing, or communications, there is always an audience to engage with. At Arc and Crown, we use video storytelling to we help you engage, educate, and inspire – whether that’s for your customers or for your staff.

Our belief is that all content should serve to not only educate, but also entertain. All business is show business!

Check out our work here , or learn more about us. Also, stay tuned to our blog for great new trends and ideas in the world of video communications!

Whether to convert a prospect on your website, to entice visitors to your next event, or to communicate information to your viewers, Arc + Crown Media is your guide to great video. Arc + Crown Media is interested in solving marketing challenges with video. With video marketing being recognized as a way to improve user engagement, generate brand awareness, and aid in search engine optimization, it is no wonder why companies large and small understand the importance of video in their marketing strategy. What is clear is that people don’t buy into a brand; they buy into the emotion that that brand makes them feel. That is why video can be such a powerful medium. At Arc + Crown Media we look for innovative ways to tell compelling stories through film.

For any enquiries and feedback, feel free to email us at info@arcandcrown.com or call us at (416) 451-9573 .

The post Arc and Crown Media’s New Website is Live! appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

How Music Can Change and Heighten Your Video Production

Mon, 22 Jul 2019 09:00:00 GMT

Some of the most iconic moments in film come from music. Think about the classic “dun dun” from Jaws. Or the iconic Star Wars into music. Or for many millennials, the theme song from The Hills. All of these pieces are synonymous with the projects that they are attached to. Because music etches itself onto the brain and helps guide our emotional connections.

MUSIC DIRECTLY AFFECTS EMOTION

Think about some of your favourite films and imagine them without sound. La La Land recently tied the Oscar nomination record and is dominating the Box Office. Now, music is pretty essential to the film as it is a musical, but aside from the song and dance numbers, think of the montages without music. It would just be two people running around, sometimes dancing, sometimes staring off with melancholy facial expressions, or quietly shooting up to the moon (yes, really). The audio helps contextualize all of those actions. Music is also essential to heightening aspects of a story. Think also about a film like Black Swan. The film focuses on the mental devolution of a dancer. The score is so integral to the story that it gives us cues as to where our protagonist’s head is. Without music, it would just be a bunch of strange, contorted faces.

WHAT IT GOES WITH WHAT KIND OF VIDEO

Speaking of strange, contorted faces, music is often best used in commercials. Most commercials are set purely in montage, with the music setting the tone. Cleaning supplies, food, and lottery commercials are all set to hyperactive musical montages, promoting the joy these products will bring into your life. Alternately, ads for awareness, news, or political campaigns also typically feature montages, accompanied by slower, brooding music used to emphasize the importance of the issue being discussed. In most commercials the voice-over explaining the ad is almost secondary to the audio. This is based on research that has found what kind of frequencies work best for what message. Mid-range – high frequencies usually evoke feelings of happiness, forward thinking, and simplicity. This music is usually played either on a brass instrument, or stringed instrument such as a ukelele or guitar and the tempo is pretty fast. Alternately, mid-range – low frequencies are used to convey power and strength and are usually slower, and performed on string instruments such as a cello or bass.

HOW IT CAN HELP YOUR CORPORATE VIDEO

Taking these points into account, audio can help enhance any corporate or instructional video. Music can set the environment for your video but can also help the audience emotionally connect to your brand. Music can also help highlight key points in your message. Essentially, the use of audio tracks can do some of the groundwork needed to engage an audience and help fill in the blanks.

WHERE TO GET MUSIC

The example of The Hills earlier in this piece represented the dream scenario. Take an already hit song, and use its message to convey your own. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have that MTV budget, or time to go through legal hoops to acquire soundtracks. Luckily, there are plenty of sites where stock tracks can be used for free, ranging from YouTube to Epidemic Sound. Additionally, many artists put their works on SoundCloud and have a download option available, allowing their tracks to be used for free. If that still doesn’t work for you, there are also tracks that are available via Public Domain, although that can require a different kind of patience, as for music it generally takes around 95 years after publication or 50 years after the creator’s death for a song to reach Public Domain.

MUSIC WILL HELP YOU STAND OUT

No one sets out to make a boring video. At Arc + Crown Media, we’re always looking for ways to help you stand out, and therefore rely heavily on music for all of our productions. No matter how much humour or power we try to infuse into our work, it can often feel like something is missing. This is where music can help aide and lift a video to a new level. We’re here to use music to help connect you to the audience on an emotional level, while also helping underscore the main message.

The post How Music Can Change and Heighten Your Video Production appeared first on Arc and Crown Media .

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