What makes a good video
Every experienced professional can achieve the former, while the latter shows the creator's real personality and uniqueness.
As for the authentic content meaning, it's difficult to give an ultimate definition. Loosely speaking, it's something genuine, different, and not cliche. Authenticity in marketing makes a brand way more recognizable. It's kind of a company style, a way of doing things and putting them into words. All this and something more.
Why is authenticity important
Because it makes customers see your company as a group of people, with their hopes, beliefs, values, and faults, not as a legal entity.
Gone are the times when businesses tried to manipulate clients and jockey them into purchasing their goods and services. Now they prefer adhering to the KLT principle: Know, Like, Trust. And that's exactly what authenticity is all about.
There are lots of hints on how to create video content from the technical point of view: which equipment to choose, how to set up your camera, how to get ready for the shooting, which topics to cover, etc. But today, we'll focus on how to make your video content "real" and trustworthy.
Authenticity makes your customers choose your brand consciously because they know who you are, like your personality and values, and trust you. You only need to give them that information and the freedom to choose.
How to make an interesting authentic video
There are several significant principles we'd recommend you follow.
- Be yourself; don't pretend to be someone else. It's very tempting to try to be nice, smooth things over, and avoid controversial points of view. But that makes you faceless, the same as others, not you. You are not a silver dime, and you don't have to be likable for everybody. Quite the opposite, you'd better attract "your" audience, which will be loyal to you during your booms and busts because they genuinely like you.
- Set the goal. Don't shoot the video just because "it seems to be a good idea". Think thoroughly about what you want to achieve: attract new followers, talk about your product, increase sales, etc.
- Use real stories. These may be your stories on how the product was invented, some funny anecdotes. You can also ask your customers to share their experience with your brand, and it will increase your trustworthiness and make your business closer to the clients.
- Be spontaneous. Of course, some preparation is needed, and you'd better make some prior notes but don't rely on a script, and don't try to learn it by heart. If you forget some point, it doesn't necessarily mean you should start over, mention it later and in your own words.
- Find a passionate speaker. No graphics and statistics will ever resonate with people like a truly passionate presenter does.
- Let yourself be imperfect. It doesn't mean you can do your job in a slipshod manner: of course, your videos will demand proper lighting, setting, and editing. Nevertheless, don't try to achieve 100% perfection, show your customers that you are just a human, as they are.
Hope now the term "authentic" is clearer for you and you know how to shoot truly authentic videos.