The Internet is picky, and so is your audience. Both can sense a dated video within seconds of hitting play. You’ve invested time and money into making an explainer video; you expect a long (and lucrative) shelf life. Hey, nobody likes a day old sandwich, or a wilted salad. Freshness matters.
There are a few tricks you can use to lock in the freshness of your video, keeping it relevant for months and years to come.
DON’T: Customer logos
It’s tempting to ‘name drop’ all of your biggest clients, but think long term. Will you have the same roster of clients this time next year? How about in 10 years? Customer logos may give you cred now, but it may also date your video down the road.
DO:
Address industry verticals, or focus on the key pain points of your customers. Those are timeless.
DON’T: Trendy pop culture references
It might be a mistake to think that everyone will still be talking about the Breaking Bad finale, or wikileaks, or the cronut in a few years. That was SO 2013. Some pop culture references are timeless (“Who shot JR?”), but be careful about how many you throw around.
DO:
Use abstract ideas. For example, a squirrel gathering acorns in preparation for a long winter will always resonate, the Kardashians may not.
DON’T: Mailing address
Have YOU lived in the same place for 50 years? Chances are, your physical location will change, so it’s best not to include your mailing address in your video. You might move 3 times before next year, it’s business!
DO:
Include more permanent contact details. No matter how often you move, you’ll always have a website, and you can take a phone number with you! Use a website URL and a phone number instead of a physical address.
DON’T: Temporary offers
While ‘call to action’ is important, it’s advisable NOT to offer a special promotion that you can’t use forever. For example, GOOD: Call us now for a free consultation, BAD: 25% off your first purchase. Your sales team will struggle to fend off questions about that offer for years.
