There's been a huge increase in demand for video content to throw out over social media, but with each platform optimising for different audiences, it's important to get it right.
So, we all know by now that Text Neck is a thing. Albeit likely to be the impending health crisis of our generation, it’s our mission to make sure that it’s caused by watching awesome video content. With a plethora of platforms to consider, it’s imperative that the right approach is chosen to avoid the risk of the ever-dreaded scroll down the feed.
Oftentimes, these are short, 30” or less pieces that are designed to capture attention and get viewer buy-in, then redirect them to the rest of the campaign material on a dedicated page. This isn’t just restricted to traditional video though, we’ve produced animations, GIFs and stills to help reinforce social campaigns.
As a client we can be demanding in a variety of ways. I’m always impressed, and grateful, for Nick and the team’s incredible work ethic, skill at providing creative solutions and general good humour. I don’t want to recommend them to you as I’d prefer to keep them for myself ;-)
It’s a big thumbs up! Pass on our thanks to everyone involved with the project, it’s turned into a brilliant piece of work and I imagine the feedback will be fantastic from our wider team and audience.
Storm & Shelter were great to work with and delivered a professional product that we're proud to show off! 10/10 would bang.
Stuff to consider when making Social Content
Every video production project is different, but there are a few important things to consider depending on the type of content you're need, who the audience is, and how it's delivered.
Coming up with ideas for a social campaign is the most fun we can have with our day. Call us sad, but seriously, we get off on this stuff. A commercial ad has a singular purpose: to get people excited about ‘your thing’. That means manipulating tickling their emotions in just the right way, which requires a deep understanding of your market and your customers. The concept has to be on point, balancing creativity with a solid strategy. Two things we happen to be pretty good at. We got this. Trust.
It ain’t just pretty pictures that sells your big idea, getting that script nailed is a big part of an effective ad that gets people talking—or even better—buying. Those key messages, that selling point, and the way that special offer is communicated is mega important when it comes to painting your brand in the best light and making that thing you’re advertising something viewers just can’t miss out on. Whether it be voiceover-led or just text on screen, it’s important that it’s impactful and speaks to your target audience in just the right way. Researching audiences and competitors and working with experienced writers is our worst-kept secret to success.
There’s no point spending a bunch of money on getting an ad made if the the talent is lacklustre and doesn’t sell your brand and product the way it deserves. We’re here to make sure that the people in your ad look and feel perfect for the role. Whether that be finding that incredibly well-spoken, beautiful hunk of a man or that creepy-looking old woman trained in stage combat, we make sure they’ll hit the mark and look the part. With bags of experience dealing with talent agencies and free agents alike, we know how to scour the Earth to find the perfect talent for any production.
Whilst most people tend to watch TV with the sound on, when it comes to social feeds, very few will listen with audio as they’re scrolling. This means it’s super important to get your ad transcribed and subtitled so that viewers can be dragged into your narrative message without making the almighty effort to hit that unmute button.
We’ll transcribe, translate (if necessary) and subtitle your ads, supplying you with .SRT subtitle files for the social platforms that support them (giving viewers the choice to watch with subs or without) and for those that don’t, we’ll supply versions of your ad with the subs ‘burnt’ into the video so that they’re always visible. Don’t make the mistake of thinking those pretty pictures are enough to draw these buggers in. Make sure your script is seen as well as heard!
Social Content FAQ
How much does social content cost?
When it comes to this kind of content, the answer is another question: “How much stuff do you need?” You’ll either already have a content strategy that’s got this decided, or you’re in need of a bit of assistance with this. Sometimes, you could just have an idea of what you need, a bunch of cash, and are exploring what you can get for it. That’s also fine! We’ll check out your brief, have a think about the best ways to reach your audiences on the platforms you’re looking to hit, then devise a crafty and borderline-evil way of winning their attention and ultimately, their business.
How long does social content take to produce?
For animated, quick-fire social media content, we could be talking a matter of minutes. A day’s work can result in a suite of social content, various aspect ratios, sizes and lengths for social media channels. For live-action stuff, it’ll usually mean some pre-production, shooting and then post-prod, which can take a couple days, although we’re also no strangers to a same-day turnaround for PR-driven content. Something happening today that you need to shout about this afternoon? Sure thing. Coffee and a winning attitude can achieve pretty much anything.
How will I review the content?
We use a review service called Frame.io which allows us to conduct online review cycles of the ad, where you can log in and leave comments directly on the vid. No more long email chains where things get lost and cross-talk makes it a multi-coloured quoted text nightmare. This also means you’re able to have a comprehensive and contained review with stakeholders no matter where they are or when they’re free to feed back—it’s all visible and organised so everyone (who needs to) has their say.
I’m from an agency. What makes you guys different to the next production company?
Well, if you’re looking for a company that’s nice and quiet and that’ll just do whatever it says in the brief with a yes sir, no sir mentality, then I’m sorry, you’re in the wrong place. Sure, everything we do hits exactly what your client needs and is in-line with your objective, but we’re the kind of people to run with an idea and throw in a few suggestions and curveballs, giving feedback from a production perspective so that we can make the best possible content for the client. We’re not obnoxious, middle-finger-in-the-air kinda stubborn, we just know from experience that clients enjoy the fact we offer our creative input and give an experienced outside perspective to help content shine and get those other agencies going "ah jeez, wish we’d have thought of that".
How we like to get things done.
Getting great content made should be as straightforward and painless as possible for our clients. So we double down on our processes, thrive on transparency, and communicate like the warm, bright (and slightly peculiar) humans that we are. We’re aware that our clients are busy people—our job is to make your life easier, not to add to your workload.
Sure, making money is important to us; it means we get to keep doing what gets us out of bed in the morning. But we’re always clear about where your budget goes. No sneaking around, no hidden costs. We don’t believe in tricky small print—we like big, bold, honest conversation.
These lovely human beings look after our clients. Look how chirpy they are! Don't you just wanna pick up your phone and give 'em' a call? Or, if interacting with humans in real time saps your energy (know them feels), feel free to lob us an email.
