It's easier than you think to create cost-efficient marketing videos 

With video constantly evolving, it can be difficult to figure out where to start in order to keep up. The simple fact is that even with a relatively small budget, videos can be effective. Many “viral” videos are the result of just pointing and shooting on a phone. It doesn’t require much to attract your audience and it definitely doesn’t have to be expensive. With these few simple tips, you can begin creating video and slowly invest more over time.  

Plan Ahead. The biggest mistake you can make is not planning in advance of creating a video. In order to spend the least amount of money and time on your video, you will want a basic outline or storyboard. Will there be music? Is the video meant to be upbeat? Do you need to film anything or will stock footage work? This will help guide the decisions you make when looking for the materials that need to go in your video.  

Utilize Free Resources. While they don’t have everything you will be looking for, places like Youtube Audio Library and Pexels Video may have what you need for background music and stock video. There are plenty of free resources out there that may take a little bit of digging to find what you are looking for, but by utilizing your storyboard you can quickly narrow down options. Once you have gotten everything that you can for free, you can look at what you have left to get through paid options.  

Record It Yourself. There are plenty of inexpensive tripods available that compact down to double as a handheld stick. Attach your phone and you are ready to go. This can be great for things like product or location footage that you won’t be able to purchase elsewhere. Watch a few YouTube tutorials on how to get expert looking footage from your phone. Need to record an interview? Get a microphone for less than $100 that will plug into your phone and record high quality audio. Make sure you found a tripod that supports attachments.  

Outsource Without the High Price Tag. Websites like Fiverr have a ton of great inexpensive resources coming from quality creators. Need an opening animation? Looking for a voice over actor? Run a search and look through the various portfolios of freelancers to find the one that matches your style and budget. Read reviews of people who have worked with the freelancer in the past to be sure that you’ll be getting exactly what you expect. This will especially help if you have already decided what you wanted in your planning phase as often times freelancers will charge extra for multiple revisions.   

If you know where to look, you can start making video a part of your marketing. It may take a little bit of time to get it right but start somewhere and start with a clear idea. Eventually you can invest more into it and look at higher budget options for things like equipment. Video is critical to your long-term marketing strategy and with these tips, it can be more accessible than ever.