A shoestring budget for an award winning creative

Video opens up a whole new frontier of social engagement - immense storytelling power that allows you to take your message to the next level.

At the end of last year, LinkedIn introduced native video for members, and more recently the ability for brands to sponsor video from the Company page. Every day, we see over a million posts, videos and articles course through the LinkedIn feed, generating tens of millions more shares and likes.

The good news is that thanks to the technology we have in our pockets and the ability to publish content direct to social media platforms, professional video content is no longer restricted to high-budget film directors. And with more than 80,000 CMOs and over 9 million people working in the marketing and advertising industry on LinkedIn globally, Cannes couldn’t be a better time to give it a go.

Here are our top 5 tips for those interested in creating award winning video content from the south of France.

1. The bare essentials
You don’t need expensive equipment to get started, one of the most powerful video tools is right in your pocket. Most smartphones today can record videos of high visual and audio quality, the key is using a couple of low-cost tools and tricks to bring that quality to a professional standard:

• A tripod - A stable video is key to professional looking footage. You can easily get affordable, portable tripods for your phone online and it will do wonders to the stability of your film.

• Sound - Whilst an in-built phone mic produces decent sound quality in a quiet location, it’s worth picking up a low-cost lapel mic before you go, to plug into your phone, which will hugely increase the sound quality. Subtitles are a great way to make sure your message gets across as a lot of on-the-go viewers will watch without sound.

• Lighting - Natural light is one of the best sources for clear, crisp video content. Try to film outside where possible, or in naturally-lit indoor venues, away from stark spotlights.   

2. A good story
A compelling narrative is key to drawing viewers. You want a video which communicates a singular idea, solution or goal with a clear call to action. Make it easy for them to follow and make your purpose clear and central to your entire video.

At a festival like Cannes there is no shortage of great opportunities for stories, whether you’re reporting on a keynote from an inspiring CEO, the latest campaign to pick up a Lion or interviewing some of the industry’s great talent. But even the most exciting topic can fall flat if you don’t plan your narrative. A good story is more than just a good angle, it’s conveying it in a clear, concise and engaging manner.

3. Attention-grabbing, adventurous content
Don’t be afraid to experiment with your video content, playing around with different formats, themes and visuals to see what resonates best with your viewers, driving the most likes and shares.

With an agenda jam-packed with different events, parties and exhibitions, mix up your film-set using everything from the beach to the conference centre, from sunrise to sunset. And seize the opportunity to use video to put a face to a name - whether that’s a business or your own personal brand. Make your content more engaging by offering a personal opinion and putting yourself in front of - rather than behind - the camera.  

4.  A headline to match the creative
Research carried out amongst 32,000 professionals on LinkedIn globally showed that the three biggest factors that influence people to watch a video are; the headline, the summary of content and the video image. The importance of an eye-catching headline can’t be underestimated - and having a connection between the video’s headline and image is critical.

Think about a headline that is not only relevant to the video content but relevant to your target audience, referencing their specific industry and helping the content stand out from the millions of posts on their newsfeed.

5. Take time to think about time
The sweet spot for B2B video is between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Concise is key for engaging on-the-go professionals.

But time isn’t only important in consideration to the length of your video, you need to think about when you publish it. Remember, while the digital age is all about having remote access to information at anytime and anywhere, people are busy and often inundated with content. First thing in the morning may be best for short snippets before people head to the hustle and bustle of La Croisette, while longer content is likely to appeal as people wind down and recap the day’s events.

Share video content on LinkedIn during the Cannes Lions 2018 festival using the hashtag #CannesLions