When Should You Create A Video Yourself Versus Hiring Out To The Pros

Combining professional and team made content can 10x engagement.

How most of the C suite feels about video marketing.

Do It Yourself Video Production

Technology has made it possible for anyone to do a video and market it. professional and capable cameras are cheap(ish), smart phones are all around and there is a ubiquitous amount of either free or low cost editing software.

YouTube, Wistia, Frame, and No Film School among many others has made life much easier. You can find some “how-to” videos/articles and you’ll be running in no time.

All these are reasons that can push you to do a video by yourself.

Pros of DIY video

It is often lower production value and hence lower/no direct cost

It is sometimes faster to produce

The raw edge that it has seems to be more appealing in certain situations

It can be spontaneous and reflect current events

It gives an un-staged feeling which is great for authenticity

Cons of DIY video

The low cost can reflect that you are not taking your video marketing and brand seriously

It often results in poor image and audio quality which can hinder the message you want to pass across

It can be time consuming as well even if it is DIY

In many cases, DIY projects are not usually completed

The time and trade-offs in order to do the video yourself might not give a good return on investment

Hiring Out Your Video Production Needs.

Hiring out your video production gives you the best chance in making good first impressions.

Video production is not as easy as it looks. A professional video producer knows what he or she is doing and they have the expertise to do the work. They can get a quality project done because they are well-positioned to do so, possessing hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment.

These are important things to think about when hiring out video work.

Pros of hiring out

Professional videos have a more polished and stylish edge

An outsider usually brings a fresh perspective/idea

Professional video producers are aware of the latest trends in the market and bring these into the production

Professionals can help with the difficult aspects of video production

They can easily help you avoid scripting, casting, acting, & technical mistakes

Professionals save you time and money in the long run because the get the job done right the first time (or guarantee a fix until satisfaction)

Cons of hiring out

Cost. Most "real" professional shops start at $10k and go up from there.

Getting the right person/team to hire may be difficult

Working with a new team requires some on-boarding/culture fit

44 might have a point. If you're involving more than 3 people, you might consider calling a professional to help.

Regardless of what you prefer, it all boils down to what your expectations are.

What is the end goal?

Hiring a professional company like CineSalon or the many other awesome vendors out there may be the best way to go. In other cases DIYs like video blogs and social updates are much more suitable.

It is really about what you want to achieve, how you'll track success, and why you want that in your content strategy.