Many arts organisations are increasing the use of video on websites, via email, and on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok etc.
Video can be a brilliant way to quickly show people how incredible an experience is.
Enabling those who know nothing about us to try us for the first time, and tempting those who know and love our work to want to see more.
How might you capture more attention with your next video?
- Always start with your audience – who are you creating this video for?
- What do you want people to do / think / feel?
- Map out the story you want the video to tell.
- Experiment with different hooks to capture interest in the first second of the video.
- How might the start of the film compel people to watch it when they spot it on your website or in an email?
- How might we stop people scrolling on social media with something that grabs their attention?
- Map out key moments in the video where you can add new hooks to hold attention, build interest, and encourage people to watch more.
- For example, this might be a story hook e.g. a plot twist,
- or something that makes them care about the character and want to know what happens next.
- It might be a text hook – a great line from a play or a something that makes people laugh,
- or a visual hook that intrigues people, etc.
- Review each key moment (even if it’s only a few seconds long) – why will someone care enough to want to watch the next bit?!
Make it tempting for people to share
Using an effective ‘hook’ doesn’t need to be complex.
As a simple example, this is a reel from my garden shared on Instagram last October to welcome in the new season.
It uses a visual hook – an atmospheric opening image.
And a simple text hook – ‘Hello October’.
The caption was designed to evoke the cosy feeling of autumn: ‘When you’re ready for autumn leaves, cosy knits, hot chocolates and open fires’
This short reel was shared over 2k times with people adding it to their Insta stories to welcome in the new season themselves.
Watch the reel to spot the other simple hooks used throughout the short film.
Let’s create content that people can’t resist
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How might our social media content deliver brilliantly for our audiences and for our audience ambitions?