The appetite for video content in the modern digital world is larger than ever.

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From the TV in your front room to the phone in your pocket, there is an avalanche of content streaming to potential consumers every single day. To put it in perspective, there is more video content uploaded every 30 days than all the major TV stations have created in the last 30 years. 

To keep up with the meteoric rise in demand, brands are seeking more and more motion content to feed their video hungry customers. The need to produce original media on a weekly (if not daily) basis has forced companies to retool their marketing strategy and give video production it’s very own place at the captain’s table. 

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In-house production is now the latest ‘must have’ for any fully-fledged marketing team, giving them an instant resource to create their own videos. If you’re looking to build a busy schedule with product reviews, interviews, demos, communications and big budget projects then it makes sense to have a dedicated squad in place. It’s created a new landscape in video production that has companies asking, ‘In-house or external?’

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In the kingdom of information... video is king

If you’re already considering setting up your own in-house production unit, then you’ll know that the impact of video is second to none. For anyone who still needs convincing, you just need to take a look at how companies are thriving by putting their video plan in action. 

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A prime example of the power of video is how it pushes conversion rates through the roof. If your brand landing page has a video then conversion shoots up to over 80% and nine out of ten customers use video to inform their buying decisions. Any email communication that merely has the word video in the subject line will double the chance of click through.

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These numbers are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the advantages of video. For one, when your site has slick video content it keeps your customers there longer, meaning Google will push you up the ladder to a top page listing. From building trust and engagement with your customer base, to increasing your online presence on social channels, there’s no better way to get the impression you want.

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The human brain processes video content almost 60,000 times quicker in comparison with cold hard text. If you’re serious about getting your message out, you have to like those odds. It’s not whether you should use video, more about how to make your videos work better.

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In-house stalwarts

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“It's a cliche that filmmaking is a team sport. However, let me just say it again: filmmaking is a team sport.”

‍Ramona S. Diaz - Documentary Filmmaker

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Now you’ve laid out your video marketing master plan for the on-coming year, it’s probably dawned on you the level of work that needs to be done. It’s obvious you’re going to need a team to help you on your way to multi-channel video success. If you’ve decided to build an in-house team for the bulk of the work then you’ll need to make sure you put the right mix of talent and experience in place.

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It’s often the case that small to medium companies will draft in a ‘one man band’ videographer to kickstart their video revolution. They’ll bring in a utility player to do everything an external team would do and because they’re here day in day out, it’ll keep costs down and keep the videos coming thick and fast. While there is truth in this, there is also the risk that the quality will suffer.

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Conception, planning, directing, lighting, editing, color grading and distributing a constant range of video content can be a big undertaking. If you’re looking to create impressive videos that convert, then you’ll need people with technical expertise and experience to make your vision a reality. That means setting up a water-tight structure for your team with well defined roles that help get the most from your investment. One thing is certain, you need to be prepared for some compromise with an in-house team.

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Whether it’s drafting in a ‘run and gun’ videographer to fill up your YouTube channel or a full production squad to cover your every filming need, you’ll need to make sure your content plan is hitting all the right notes.

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There is wisdom in having a dedicated team that knows your brand inside out. For a start you’ll be able to keep your messaging on brand at all times. With a tight knit group of hand selected people you’ll be able to train them up in your own image, making sure that they’re all singing from the same hymn sheet. Another big advantage is the fact that you can push out regular content on all your lower tier channels but first you’ll need a plan to define what type of content you need day to day.

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Help, Hub Hero

The help, hub, hero approach will give you the tools to design a video strategy that works. It’s a three tiered plan that you can use to create content that’s greater than the sum of its parts. It provides a streamlined guide for smarter media output, showing you those distinct areas where you are ahead of the game or where you might need a boost in expertise.

The “help” content is your regular (often daily) content that is designed to grow your customer base in an organic way, by providing helpful guidance and advice for them. It’s described as ‘pull’ content to gain new customers, optimised for searches that will address their questions and concerns regarding your industry. This always on content will help build trust in your brand, help you build a following and show customers you’re the ‘go to’ brand for info and advice. These videos can be anything from how to guides, product reviews and unboxing videos.

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The ‘hub’ content is all about keeping a constant engagement with your core audience. It should be entertaining, engaging and valuable in equal measure to encourage customers to ‘subscribe, like and follow’ the work that your company is producing. It’s really where the foundations of your brand awareness will be built, inspiring and informing your audience with visual media that no-one else can provide.

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This combination of help and hub content will mean you can engage your customers 365 days a year to keep them coming back to your brand again and again. It’s where you can best deploy an in-house team to get the most out of your investment and give them something they can really get their teeth stuck into.

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The tip of the pyramid defines your hero or ‘Go big’ content. This is work that takes considerable time, effort and resources to make but might only need to be updated a few times a year. It’s often the main focal point of an iron-clad marketing campaign, such as an end of year Christmas commercial that’ll give your business that much needed buzz. It’s your big budget shot at turning heads to get your brand the recognition it deserves and it often calls for an expert eye to really deliver the goods.

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External experts

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“At some point during the filmmaking process ... you need the eyes of someone who understands the process and has been in the trenches.”

‍Sydney Pollack - Film Director and Producer

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There really is no substitute for experience. That’s why most companies will seek out the knowledge and skills of an external production team when they need them the most. That big ticket TV commercial and digital campaign will need the type of dedicated expertise to really take it to the next level. It’s often a surefire way to get your content to go from hero to superhero.

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The reason why it makes sense to use an external team this way is really down to how they are set up. The nature of in-house positions are usually multi-role, where a videographer might be manning a camera one day, prepping for a shoot the next and squeezing in an edit in between. It’s when the stakes are higher that having these ‘all in one’ roles can cause problems across the entire process. You’ll need people who’ve been in the trenches.

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What does being in the trenches actually mean? It’s all about focus. When you’re at war, you need trained experts that can carry out their specific task to the highest standard under the utmost pressure. It’s the same in film. This is where the strength of the external team is best. Although it’s not unknown for external team members to share skills and have knowledge of the various areas of production, they all have their chosen field of expertise. Whether it’s a crack editor who knows how to get the best from the footage you caught or an ace cinematographer who can come up with that spark of brilliance to get a key shot in the can.

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You don’t need to save your external experts just for hero content either but can find effective ways to use them across the help and hub sectors of your video plan. One way this trickle down work pattern might come into play is when you want to preserve that ‘halo’ effect from the main campaign. The external team you drafted in to create the centrepiece of your next years worth of advertising will be perfectly placed to pass this knowledge on to your internal team, meaning you keep the consistency across all your output.

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This type of side by side collaboration is something that we take pride in ourselves at Paragon. We aim to make hero content that will inform the rest of your plan, giving fresh perspective to your hub and help content. As an external production company, we can provide that outside perspective that could be lost with internal teams that often become too familiar with one tone of voice or method. It’s a knock on effect that will mean your in-house stalwarts get the chance to sharpen their own skills.

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One of the most interesting prospects for in-house and external teams to work together is through training and education. Whether it’s to consult and put together a video marketing plan, or to come on board and complete more complicated post production tasks. Wherever you might need help, we’re here to get you firing on all cylinders and creating that well-honed stream of creative content that sets you out from the crowd.

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Combined forces

If the question is ‘in-house or external?’ then the answer is simple. Both. In-house and external. The reality of creating video content is constantly evolving with the media driven attitudes of our times. What is new today is old tomorrow. To build an effective strategy and to keep your video content effective and impactful, you’ll need to combine the forces of both teams. The need and want for video is constantly rising. That means you need to be armed and ready to take on modern media warfare and make sure your brand always ends up king of the hill.

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Talk to us about a video collaboration, training and advice.

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