Shhhhh. Do you hear that? It’s the sound of people viewing your video silently. You don’t need audio to make an impact. Read on to find out how and why you should invest in silent video.
Social Media and Silent Video
Where do you watch the most video? If you’re like the majority of people, you’re watching videos on a mobile device. If you’re not using headphones, you may have the volume down or the content muted. And if you’re watching a video at work, it’s highly likely you have the audio off.
The most popular places to view videos are YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Facebook and Instagram have settings that allow a user to watch a silent video as the default. This is the safe choice to avoid blasting unwanted audio at work or during your commute. Did you know that 85% of Facebook videos are viewed without sound?
How to Communicate Without Words
Now that we’ve established it’s common practice to watch videos without audio, why not take advantage of this trend? It’s advantageous to make videos that are either devoid of audio or still have an impact without audio. This allows you to reach as many people as possible.
Captions, graphics, and text can fill in some gaps. Your audience will effectively read your video. But try not to overwhelm with too much reading. Use words on-screen for emphasis and guidance; implement a title that sets up your video, and then use text to highlight important bits or to act as a segue.
Using video effects can draw attention and help you tell your story. Timelapse or hyper-lapse is an effective way to compress a demonstration, showing the viewer a complete process in a short amount of time. Recipes are a good example of this technique. With just a few graphics and a condensed timeline, you get the full picture when actions speak louder than words.
Animation can bring your silent video to life. Manipulate your animated characters to tell a story that’s easy to follow. With the addition of a few captions, even the most complex subjects can be explained. Furthermore, using bold or bright colours is a good way to capture attention visually. This approach makes your animated video stand out.
If you’re going to use text, make it provocative. Use superlatives like “popular”, “best” and “worst” to draw attention to your video. Try a negative headline or try to appeal to curiosity. I know I feel the need to click on a headline that promotes the next great superfood.
Tell a Good Story
With or without sound, you need to tell a good story and connect with your audience. If you’re going silent, make sure you have a story that can be told visually, or figure out how to get your message across without words. Reinforce your brand with corresponding visuals and see if you can make an emotional connection.
Conclusion
If you decide to forgo audio and create a silent video, make sure your video looks great! At Key West Video, we use the latest equipment and trained professionals to make each video visually stunning. Our editors also know some pretty neat tricks to get you noticed. Call us today for a quote and we’ll make your silent video sing.
