Photography Video Marketing Challenge: Product Video and Studio Tour

A product video or a studio tour lets your audience explore the options you offer, the environment in which you work and how your environment enriches your work. These videos are not exactly a sales pitch, but they do show clients what you can create for them and where you will create it.

A product video shows what clients are actually buying. Whether it’s a wedding album, a baby book, or boudoir package, your video generates excitement for the final product. Your video should focus on both the physical part of the package, and the emotional importance of what you are selling.

A studio tour is a good way to create that excitement. A studio tour (or a tour of your favorite locations for shooting) turns the camera around so customers can see the space they will inhabit if they choose you as their photographer. In essence, you are letting clients in so they can imagine being there and participating in a shoot with you. They get an exciting sneak peak into the creative process, and that in turn builds expectations for your brand.

Tips for making a great Product/Studio Tour video:

1. Product videos should be short – just a minute or two. If you add a studio tour, two to three minutes is plenty.
2. Carefully choose your images to show your work and/or your work space in the best light. If you are touring your studio, select at least some images that were done in your studio. If you don’t have a studio, show off your favorite locations. If you are showing your product, show the product! Don’t just add photos – show the album.
3. Use text slides to give details about your product and/or studio.
4. Balance the story your video tells. Give enough time to both the studio tour and your products.
5. Link directly to your website using the Call To Action feature or add your URL in your YouTube/Vimeo description so people can go back to your site.
6. Add your logo at the start and end.

Product videos and studio tours are great advertisements for your brand and what it can offer. Tell the world! Post to YouTube, Facebook, on your website, and share with clients and co-marketers.

Wedding and portrait photographer, Lucia Gill does a beautiful job of presenting her wedding albums. With lots of images and video and very few text card, her video is a great example of show, don’t tell:

Jasmine Guara at Ishot Studios does a great job of blending a studio tour with behind-the-scenes footage and images illustrating her studio’s diversity:

Share your studio or product tour and get feedback in the Animoto Social Video Marketing Community on Facebook.

Portrait Photographer, Sue Bryce and Animoto launched a series of challenges designed to encourage, inspire and motivate photographers to start marketing with video. Participants create a video a month and post it on social. This is an in-depth description of one of the 12 challenges.

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