Answer: they’re short and they get to the point quickly.
Now think of your average online B2B video. Usually they’re the complete opposite – way too long and stuffed full of corporate speak that buries the message and confuses the viewer.
So if you’re still making the sort of business video that is 10 minutes long and full of talking heads and statistics, I’m afraid I’m the bearer of bad news – chances are people will switch off before it’s done.
Think about it – if you click on a video online, how long do you give it before giving up on it? Ten seconds? 20? 30? What if your killer sales message is 2 min 30 sec in?
Oh, too late, they're gone.
In fact, research claims , so make those first 10 seconds really count and keep them watching longer.
So, what to do?
Keep it short. Make it punchy. Make it visually interesting. Here are 10 tips to get your videos noticed.
Work out why
Establish why you need a video and what you want it to do. Five minutes thinking about it with a pen and a back of an envelope really can help here.
Less is more
People are time poor, so cut to the chase. Does it really need to be five minutes or three minutes long? Why not make two or three shorter videos rather than one long one? That increases your SEO footprint too.
Don't bore us, get to the chorus
You or your client might eat, sleep, live and breathe your company, brand and products, but your viewers don’t. Cut to the chorus, give them the sing-along bit they’ll remember, not a massive build-up.
Be creative
You may sell widgets, but why does that have to be a dull video? Think laterally. If your widgets are the toughest on the market, why not film them being hit with a hammer by a weightlifter or run over by a truck? Preferably somewhere hot and sunny (that’s just for the crew’s benefit).
Show not tell
Don’t just tell people what you do, show them. Give them crisp, creative images that they'll remember and want to find out more about.
Colour not vanilla
It might be easier to film in your office, but think about how it looks and what it says about you as a brand. Remember, when we watch we're picking up the subconscious stuff too. If your office looks terrible, film somewhere else that doesn’t.
Talk in simple terms
Don’t "think out of the box" or tell us about how you "leverage" your "strategic vision" on camera. Your viewers will "leverage" themselves away. Talk in plain terms.
Don't give us the pitch
Show us (through pictures or otherwise) why your thing is so fantastic, but don’t go for the sales pitch – yet. Video’s best at creating interest and warm leads, not closing the deal.
Think viral
What would people share? More to the point what would you share? Look at the video you pass around on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. What makes you click "share"?
More like an ad
The best visual messages sometimes don’t have the product in then at all. Think of the Cadbury’s drumming gorilla. No chocolate bar to be seen, but the impact was huge.
Consider getting some of these elements into your next B2B video and you’ll be getting closer to making your company look less like dead wood and more like Hollywood.
Matt Smith is Head of Production at Tech TV