By
Isabella Jaye
To adequately access the very large audience controlled by YouTube and other networks, you must produce video content.
Perhaps you have noticed that Facebook is increasingly optimizing for video content. And if you want to use tools like ads on premium on-demand video sites, you also need video content.
Don’t panic – you can do this.
A smartphone is a basic investment you need. We strongly recommend you also invest in some kind of stabilizer, which the clerk at your Apple or photo store might call a “gimbal.” You need to invest an hour in learning how to use the gimbal – but it is worth it so your videos won’t be shaky.
If you really want to get fancy, ask the clerk about a directional microphone that can plug into your smartphone and help you capture better sound.
One of the simplest and most effective ways to use video is with the built-in tools many of the online communities provide – like Facebook Live or Instagram stories.
Once you’ve created your video, you can upload it to SpeakEasy Political and select your voters. Your video will display on the Internet and on Facebook during the date range you choose.
It will get just a little more complicated with pre-roll ads – and you might very well need to recruit some help here. You are competing with both campaigns and brand advertising, so you want to meet some basic production standards with these ads.
But it doesn’t need to cost thousands to make them. Remember the single most important thing: what is your message? Who are you talking to? What are they interested in?
Are you running because kids in your community would be safer going to school if we had crossing guards? Show a crossing guard and a kid on a busy street and speak directly to camera about your plan to keep our kids safe. It is better if the person holding the camera or smartphone is thinking about where the sun is (so your face isn’t too dark or too bright) and other production details. What matters most is the message.
PROTIP: The average video is watched for just 7 seconds. Don’t belabor your point – say what you want the audience to hear right at the beginning of your video
For more on how to build a digital strategy for your campaign, download the recently released e-book, 12 Must-Know Facts About Digital Media, by SpeakEasy Political founders Eric Jaye and Danielle Winterhalter.
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