Startup and Online Video Production Basics

As digital content marketing becomes ubiquitous, how does a startup stand out and get noticed? The answer could be video content. On an Internet rife with noise, high-quality video content, content that creates an emotional connection consumers buy into, is getting results. As such, short-form original video content has become a critical component to the growth of startups.

According to forecasts released in June, 2017 by Cisco, video will make up 82% of internet traffic in 2021. Social media is an increasingly important medium for engaging with consumers, particularly in the coveted 18-34 demographic, and the largest social media companies have invested heavily in their video media recently. Facebook reported in 2016 that users watch 100 million hours of video per day on their network, and Facebook began to allow the publishing of native ads the same year. This aggressive movement toward video advertising among social media networks has resulted in a shift of advertising budgets, a sign that online video ads work.

So, what’s stopping startups from producing video content en masse? Budget. Creating high quality, effective marketing videos can be expensive, especially for early-stage startups, which have the greatest need for boosting brand visibility. One video production company that developed a unique solution for startups is Sandwich Video, which specializes in getting startups noticed with clever, informative video content. Sandwich will exchange production services for equity, and their productions run lean—Sandwich Video founder Adam Lisagor stars in many of the videos he produces. Sandwich Video has worked with, and now owns stakes, in companies such as Coin, Airbnb, Lyft, Slack and TrueCar.

Where We Come In

At ASL Productions, we have extensive experience working with startups as well, and we’re expanding rapidly in the space. Our collaboration with Crowdflik provides a great example of the type of video marketing setting apart savvy startups. Crowdflik is a mobile app that enables the sharing of content to mass audiences through synchronized video. We produced a piece for Crowdflik’s appearance at TechCrunch Disrupt that combines video with an experiential application, and creates a true connection with their audience. In the video, street performers are performing an impromptu show in New York City’s Washington Square Park when a character stumbles upon the show and begins recording it using Crowdflik’s app.

TaxDrop is another startup we worked with recently, producing a video for their crowd-funding campaign. Founder Alice Cheng had a concept in mind, but didn’t know whether she could execute her vision on a tight budget. Combining resources with Alice, we shot one scene in a boardroom to which she had access at 30 Rock, another at the public Chelsea Piers soccer field, and shot Alice’s on-camera interview in a multi-purpose office space, avoiding studio fees altogether. To boot, Alice provided the talent for the video through her network. The result is a great video turned around in just two weeks, meeting TaxDrop’s crowd-funding deadlines as well as their budget, and serving as a marketing video she can use for years to come.

Whether your startup is crowd-funding, seeking investors, launching a product or promoting an existing product, don’t shy away from video due to the expense. Quality, original video content could make the difference in achieving your goals, and ASL Productions can help you get there. The growing wave of online video content shows no signs of waning, so start producing today. Video is quickly becoming the standard for digital content marketing.