Why did your last promotional video only get a handful of views? Here’s how to fix it.

Originally featured on theoryfilms.co.uk

For your video to achieve its objectives, a robust distribution strategy is vital.

It’s surprising how often I speak to new clients who have a “great idea for a promotional video” but no real plan for what to do with it after delivery. They often believe that posting their video to the home-page of their website, LinkedIn, and other social media guarantees thousands of views and an inbox flooded with new inquiries. When this doesn’t happen, and their video only gets a handful of views, they’ll probably blame the video. 

Let me break it down. An enthusiastic client describes their vision: the film will have emotion, a tracking shot, and an exploding cake! And I respond, “Great, let’s blow up a cake, but how are people going to find it and watch it?” The answer is almost always the same: “We’ll post it to LinkedIn and social media.” 

That’s it?!

You see, a great idea only goes so far without a solid distribution strategy, so here’s some advice. Before you engage a video production company, answer a fundamental question: how are we going to actively get this film in front of our target audience? “Actively” is the keyword here. If you plan to toss it like confetti into the online abyss, hoping it will magically sprinkle excitement everywhere, then spoiler alert: it won’t. Algorithms can’t sense your artistic vision.

However, if your answer involves direct sales email marketing, YouTube pre-rolls, or digital advertising, etc, you’ve a far greater chance of achieving a significant return on your investment. Hollywood blockbusters don’t become blockbusters without the studios having a meticulous marketing strategy!

And trust me, your production company will appreciate that you’ve thought about this, as it impacts the film creatively and technically.

Ultimately, video production isn’t just about making great films; it’s about creating a plan to ensure those films provide a significant return on investment. So, dear clients, before you leap into the world of flashy drone shots and endless coffees from artisan coffee shops, take a moment to decide how you’ll share your film once it’s made.

After all, a beautiful video without a plan is like a delicious cake no one gets to eat—just sitting there, growing stale. And nothing screams “missed opportunity” louder than a stale cake!