Video marketing has become essential, but quality is still more important than quantity. Simply developing videos to reach your audience isn’t enough – videos need to resonate with viewers in order to move the needle for your firm. In fact, resonance is the most important factor in whether or not your audience will take action.
12 Tips on Video Marketing for Law Firms
1. Hook Viewers From the First Moment
The first few seconds are the most critical when it comes to maintaining attention. Data indicates that people who make it through the first three seconds are likely to watch at least 30 seconds of a video. An effective video hook goes beyond just the title. A successful intro will visually engage viewers and preview the video’s core messaging. Focus on generating interest in the remainder of the video.
2. Tell a Story
People respond well to story-telling. A well-crafted story not only captures attention but embeds information into people’s memories and elicits an emotional response in them. Stories are a great way to personalize information and humanize more technical concepts. Creating an emotional response is more likely to drive action as well. For example, rather than just listing the benefits of doing certain things, try to highlight excitement in those benefits.
3. Focus on Positive Emotions
When it comes to eliciting emotions, it’s better to highlight the positive than the negative. Research has shown that emotion drives our behavior, while logic justifies our actions after the fact. In order to really resonate with viewers, try to generate warm feelings rather than fear, anger, or anxiety. Happiness, hope, and excitement are some of the most common emotions that tend to drive viral content. Making people feel good is more likely to lead to a lot of views, as well as engagement, and lead to success when it comes to video marketing for law firms.
4. Learn What Makes Videos “Sticky”
The concept of stickiness involves making ideas digestible, memorable, and compelling. Experts have evaluated a lot of ideas considered sticky, and found that the following elements were present:
- A simple message that’s easy to understand.
- Something that breaks cliche and evokes curiosity.
- A concrete idea that people can recall vividly in their mind.
- Supporting evidence.
- A purpose that relates to people.
- A compelling story that inspires action.
5. Make the Best Use of Visuals
Our brains rely on imagery to comprehend and remember ideas. Visual storytelling helps people to grasp ideas more easily. Make sure to complement your video’s text with dynamic graphics, footage of real people, interesting imagery, and even popular movie or TV clips. Ensure viewers have a visual representation of the concepts in your text to build a full picture of the video’s core ideas.
6. Add an Appropriate Soundtrack
The background music can make or break your video. Music can be the difference between wanting to view the whole video or clicking out immediately. Music is a powerful tool for evoking the emotion we’ve been talking about. Keep the music consistent with the theme of your video. A more fun and playful video can feature whimsical music, whereas a serious video will have more subdued tones. An interesting jingle at the beginning can also help to create a brand and make your videos recognizable.
7. Pay Attention to the Thumbnail
The thumbnail is often a user’s first impression of your video. Ensure your thumbnail stands out. Keep the colors, font, and design elements in line with your firm branding. Make sure to include some text to help display what the video is about. And include images that are relevant to the video and its content.
8. Prioritize Audio
There’s nothing worse than listening to a video and having the bothersome experience of struggling to hear the audio, dealing with inconsistent volume, or annoying background noises. You should always try to ensure your audio is clear and crisp. Try investing in a good microphone and go from there.
9. Understand the Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is an art principle that is used when shooting footage as well. Imagine there’s a 3 by 3 grid when you’re filming. Instead of placing the subject right in the middle, try placing them along the lines of the grid.
10. Optimize your Video for SEO
Did you know YouTube qualifies as a search engine? All your videos should be optimized for SEO. If a video is posted to your website, make sure to include keywords in the alt text. If you’re posting your video to Youtube, also make sure to include keywords in the title, description, and tags.
Related: SEO for Law Firm Websites
11. Remember Mobile
Most viewers are going to be watching videos on their phone. This means it’s essential that you keep mobile in mind. Don’t make text or graphics too small on your video. Test your video on mobile. And ensure the thumbnail is still legible and attractive even on a small screen.
12. Promote, Promote, Promote
People aren’t going to know you’re posting videos unless you remind them. Don’t be afraid to promote your videos on social media even if they’re being hosted on your website or YouTube. You can also promote videos via email, incorporate them into blogs, or include them in newsletters.
Takeaway:
Of course you want to see the reach of your videos grow – that is, an increasing number of people who are exposed to your video. But another important metric is engagement – and to achieve higher numbers there you need to really resonate with viewers. Follow these tips to make your next video more compelling.
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