Business Promo Video Shot on an iPhone: Should We or Shouldn’t We?

Producing a good promo video for a business venture is not as easy as it could at first seem. The high quality videos we see on TV are created by teams of many professionals – producers, directors, camera operators, script writers, location scouts, art department, editors and many more. These videos are also usually shot on very high level equipment which is expensive to rent or buy.

In many ways it is possible to say that the better promo video you want (especially visually), the more aspects we need to be able to control, for example the environment (hired location or studio), the kind of on-camera talent that will be cast, set decorations, wardrobe, make-up and styling.

This all means that certain kinds of video productions are really beyond reach financially to many small businesses.

Video For Small Business: Should You Always Go For Highest Quality Possible?

Many small businesses think about including videos into their marketing strategies, but don’t have the money to produce high-end videos. Does it mean they should forget about videos completely?

The answer is simply – no, they don’t. There is always the DIY (“Do It Yourself”) method. If you don’t have the money, but do have the time, you can definitely create quite a good promo video even with your smartphone – be it iPhone or any other brand. There are certain kinds of videos that will actually “work” better if they are shot on an iPhone.

Promo Videos That Can Be Shot on an iPhone

Talking Head Video

A talking head video is a video where the main action happening on-screen is a person talking either straight into the camera or slightly to the side of the camera towards (unseen) interviewer. The frame would usually be filled with the head and shoulders of the talker.

There are many videos that can be shot in a “talking head” style such as Q&A’s, testimonials, instructional videos, and others.

Video Blogging and “Making Of” Videos

Video blogging in many cases is done by using iPhone or other smartphone. The same applies to “Making Of” or “Behind the Scenes” videos. Small businesses can also capture their daily work or hot topics using the same simple equipment. Showcasing daily life in your office or facility does not have to be done with an expensive looking video. People actually want to see “the real you”, and not the glamorized, polished version usually seen in corporate videos. Therefore mobile phone videos are perfect for this purpose.

There are however some things to be aware of. Even when shooting with an iPhone or smartphone you should find time to educate yourself about video production process, otherwise you risk making a video that simply looks too unprofessional.

Product Review Videos

Product review videos are usually not shot by the company itself, but by the customers. Nevertheless we would like to mention these videos in this article, because they are quite important for every business, especially for the ones which sell physical products.

If at all possible try to encourage your customers to send in their product review videos. Those will most likely be shot on iPhone or other smartphone.

Another alternative is to arrange a special location in your own office or facility where you can invite customers to come in and shoot the video. This is a good way to slightly impact the video quality.

There are in fact some studies revealing that video content has greatest impact on sales when both professional and consumer created videos are displayed on websites. There exists certain kind of special synergy between these two types of videos which improves the sales considerably.

The lesson from this for small businesses is that both kinds of videos are important. When possible invest in high-end videos. But don’t forget to use the simpler iPhone videos as well – be it talking head videos of your staff, behind the scenes of your work environment, or product videos sent in by your customers.

End Note

It is true that video production when done according to highest standards can be too costly for small businesses. But it doesn’t mean businesses should not use video as a marketing tool at all. It is OK to shoot videos on an iPhone or other smartphone as those can create a feel of genuineness. It must be said though that this “Do It Yourself” approach should use only for certain kinds of videos – the ones that are less intricate and more straightforward, e.g. “talking head” videos or “behind the scenes” videos.

However, even when shooting on an iPhone, it would be recommended to educate you about video production basics. Some extra equipment will also most probably be needed. If you don’t have time to learn video production yourself, then only option is to hire a professional video production company. There are many promotional video production companies out there, and not all of them are extremely costly – all you have to do is research.