Content Creation

Dos and Don’ts for Creating a Memorable Plant Tour Video

Plant tours are a staple of many company websites. Do you know how to make your next video stand out from the crowd?

A popular piece of collateral in most marketers’ arsenal is the plant tour video. These videos can be a powerful way to showcase your company’s key capabilities while highlighting the human side of your brand. And the good news is they can be relatively easy to produce.

 Tips for Success

Whether you’re a video veteran or creating your first one, follow these top dos and don’ts for plant tour video success.

 Do think about use case. While you can get a lot of mileage out of these videos, it’s best if you start with a core focus in mind. Will the video reside on your website to inform prospects of your capabilities? Will you use it for on-boarding new clients or employees? Should you be creating multiple videos to focus on different parts of your business? Your primary audience will affect the features of your business that you’ll want to highlight.

Don’t create an elaborate script. The best videos are relatively short, generally no more than 1 to 3 minutes.  Focus on relaying simple messaging, with no more than three to five chunks of information, whether it be areas of service, employee testimonials, calls to action or so forth. The less complicated your message, the easier it will be for your audience to remember. (Tip: 150 words is generally about 1 minute of video.)

Do use captioning­––sparingly. Many individuals set their device or platform preferences to avoid sound. Light captioning will therefore ensure you reach the widest audience. However, don’t overuse typography. Assess whether word-for-word captioning versus select captioning will serve your message better. Often the latter is the more preferable option since people can’t watch with full attention and read at the same time.

Planning to be on Camera? Follow These Best Practices

Pay extra attention to attire. Avoid busy prints as they can pick up strangely on camera. Also, choose attire in a neutral weight versus short sleeves or sweaters, so your content doesn’t look dated by season. Empty your pockets and remove anything that could be unnecessarily distracting, such as a work ID badge.
Practice talking points rather than memorizing a script. You’ll appear much more natural and engaging to viewers.
Don’t be overly enthusiastic. Aim for a sincere, conversational tone.

Do have a detailed shoot plan. Plan ahead as much as possible, so you don’t overlook important shots in the moment. What close-ups might you want? Which core people will you feature? Will you shoot the outside of your property or entrance? What sorts of angles or zooms might you want?

 Don’t forget to prepare the physical location. Position your shoot so that natural or adjustable light will hit the subject matter expert from the front (often a desk lamp will do). Avoid strong light from behind if at all possible. Also, remove extraneous clutter from anything that may end up in the frame, such as a background with an untidy workstation.

 Don’t underestimate the need for good sound quality. Avoid unnecessary background noise, such as phone use or fans. Also, don’t use empty locations prone to echo if possible, such as a very large (e.g., empty auditorium) or confined (e.g., closet) space, as they won’t absorb reverb well. When shooting from a plant floor or similar setting with a lot of background noise, you’ll need to wear a mic. (If shooting with PMMI Media Group [see sidebar],you will be provided with what you need.)

Plant Tour Videos with PMMI Media Group

PMMI MediaGroup’s new video content marketing campaigns are the ideal solution for creating engaging, high-definition (4K) videos inexpensively and easily right from any smart phone, tablet or computer.

We coach you every step of the way. You’ll receive:  
·     A 30-minute phone consult with our content marketing expert
·     HD-quality filming using our app with your smart phone, tablet or computer
·     Tripod and mic sent to you as needed
·     Up to 1 hour of shoot time and 30 min. of screen capture time in standard package
·     Teleprompter assistance with remote coaching to ensure success
·     Professional video editing from PMMI Media Group
·     Opportunity to review and make edits
·     Ability to include your logo and any text treatments
·     A finished video up to 3 minutes and 15-second social-media edit
·    Three options for distribution to our audience
See a sample plant tour video produced by PMMI Media Group.
For details on video creation, distribution options and pricing, contact Wendy Sawtell, VP, Sales, at wsawtell@pmmimediagroup.com.

Dos and Don’ts for Creating a Memorable Plant Tour Video

Written by

Sarah Loeffler