Branded video introductions and stings – should your business have one?
We look at whether or not your corporate videos require a branded video introduction or title. 99% of the time, they don’t! But why?
After spending time crafting your video to tell a clear, concise and engaging story to your time-poor audience (time-poor meaning – ‘there is always something more interesting to watch’) you then hit them with a 15-second logo animation… and they’re gone – to watch a cat video elsewhere.
But we need branding… don’t we?
If you don’t have a branded video introduction, how will your audience know who commissioned the video?
YouTube displays your company logo alongside your video, as well as your company name and description on your channel. More than that, it displays the name and description of your video to the viewer. So why are you putting a logo animation or a branded video introduction at its start on Youtube?
But the video is embedded on my website or intranet
If your video is embedded on your website, you still don’t need an introduction or title start! The YouTube or Vimeo video you have embedded will display the video title, whist your web page should describe what the viewer is going to watch. It’s good practice to have a title or description underneath your video, so again, no need for an intro.
However there’s always the exception…
There is a case for branded video introductions – if you need to remind your users of what you stand for. It’s not about your logo but about your proposition. ‘We Help Endangered Species’ – would be displayed alongside the WWF logo.
It’s not TV
YouTube is NOT television. TV viewers are passive. YouTube viewers are actively engaged. Just because television programmes have titles, doesn’t mean your video needs them. If you MUST, then delay it. Have a short introduction as to what the video is going to deliver, then your SHORT branded animation, if you must.
Don’t default
Many organisations are defaulting to ‘put our sting at the start and end’ with no thought to the user’s experience and why they are doing this.
So, I ask. Please stop putting your annoying (albeit beautiful) animated logo at the start of your video. Consider leaving it to the end, as an outro with a clear call to action. Where it belongs.
