Branded videos are essential for corporations and not-for-profits.

They let your customers and clients know who you are, why you exist and most of all, why they can't live without you!

But what makes a good branded video?

If you are going to invest your time and financial resources into a branded video, you want to make sure you are getting the most out of it.

Let's take a look at a few videos and talk about them.

BEAUTIFULLY SHOT!!! This video certainly has a WOW factor in that it was well shot and it tells various short stories to connect with people. However, what exactly is Swift? Yes, there is an invitation at the end to look at their website but I wanted to know:

• Who they are

• What they do, and;

• Why I can't live without them

I don't want to go somewhere else for that information.

Let's check out another video:

Oooo this one is fun!!! The graphics are great and we get a lot of information in a short amount of time (NOTE: you don't want a video that drags on much longer than 1 minute and 30 seconds). From this video we know who Winshuttle is, what they do and how they can help us out. We can all become heroes! YAY!! What's also great is there is a call to action at the end. We know exactly what we need to do next. No questioning or searching for more information.

What's missing from this video? A personal story. This is a great informational piece but we are missing that connection point. That story that makes us go "that's me!"

So, what makes a good branded video?

• Tell your customers and clients, Who you are, What you do, Why you do it and Why they can't live without you.

• Tell a story - make that personal connection with your clients. You know what they need! Tell a story about how you met that need for someone.

• Call to action - let your customers know what they need to do next: Call, email, like, share...dance a jig!

• Keep it short - we live in a world where attention spans are dwindling. Say what needs to be said as concisely as possible.

Not sure how to make this happen? No worries! That's why I'm here!