When it comes to marketing your business, one of the best options is video content. However, producing a video, even a short one (about a minute or two), can be a time-consuming process. From ideation to shooting to editing, creating a single content piece can take a few hours.
Fortunately, AI is here to streamline everything. But is it worthwhile? Let's break down how AI is disrupting the video marketing niche and whether your brand can benefit from it.
A Brief Overview of AI Video Content
The AI video market is huge, and it's only getting bigger. In 2022, the industry was valued at over $479 million USD, and it's expected to grow by almost 20 percent by 2030.
There are tons of AI video generators out there, all promising to boost your speed and efficiency. While many of these video generators are similar, some focus on a specific type of video content. For example, you can create animated videos with cartoon characters or generate explainer videos with a human-looking avatar speaking at the camera.
AI can help with the creative process as much or as little as you like. For example, you may just want to use an AI-generated voice to dub your script. In other cases, you might use AI to create an entire video from scratch based on a prompt or blog post.
While we don't recommend letting the computer handle everything, it can take over many of the time-consuming steps required for creating video content.
Pros and Cons of Using AI for Videos
As with every other AI tool, video creation has advantages and disadvantages.
So, it's imperative to keep these pros and cons in mind when determining whether you use AI video content, as well as how to produce and publish it to your audience.
- Pro: Create Videos Faster - AI can help with every step of the video creation process. You can use AI to come up with ideas, write scripts, generate images or animated characters, and even edit the final piece. You can simply act as a supervisor, approving or denying specific content elements.
- Con: Lack of Unique Branding - The more you rely on AI to create individual pieces, the less unique your brand. Since everyone is using AI to create images and videos, you have to develop proprietary elements to make your company stand out. For example, an AI won't necessarily use your brand voice, color scheme, or logo, meaning you must add those in afterward.
- Pro: Perfect for Content Testing - Because AI can generate a new video from scratch in minutes, you can use what it makes as a foundation for your actual content piece. For example, you can take your blog content piece (i.e., how to prepare for a summer barbecue) and see what the machine creates. From there, you can decide which elements to keep and which ones to utilize in the final product.
- Con: Limited Scope - AI tools are only as good as their programming. Some video production tools have massive libraries of images and stock footage, while others have a much more limited range. Sometimes, the AI can't even render what you want for the video, forcing you to settle for a less engaging substitute or creating the piece yourself.
Tips and Tricks to Get More From AI Video Content
Realistically, the best option is to use AI for the more mundane and time-consuming tasks like ideation and editing, while leveraging human creativity for the more central elements.
Here are some top tips to make sure your brand can maximize the value of AI-generated videos.
- Know Your Goals - Once you see how quickly you can make video content for your brand, it's tempting to pump out as many clips as possible. However, you should still focus on your core marketing objectives. For example, one video series may offer insights into specific products or services. Another series may help build brand awareness. Overall, don't just make content for content's sake.
- Always Double-Check AI-Generated Materials - Although AI programs are improving daily, they can still make some glaring mistakes. For example, if you use an AI script, it may have weird sentence structure or grammar errors. Similarly, the script may fabricate elements, so you have to double-check any factual statements. If you're using AI imagery or animations, watch out for mistakes like gibberish lettering, extra hands and arms, or jumbled background details.
- Focus on Quality, Not Quantity - Just because you can start creating three times as many videos as you did before doesn't mean you should publish that much content. While it's important to maintain marketing momentum, too much content can oversaturate the market. Instead, put more time into creating high-quality pieces that move the needle. Since you're saving time on production tasks, you can use that time to craft better scripts or original visuals.
How to Compare AI Video Generators
Because there are so many AI tools out there, it can feel a bit overwhelming to pick one for your business.
So, here are some of the more critical aspects of AI video generation to pay attention to.
- Pricing - Some tools charge one flat rate per month, while others operate on a credit or per-video pricing system. You should consider how much content you want to produce in a single month and whether you will scale it up in the future. Also, take advantage of freemium versions or free trials whenever possible.
- Content Type - Some AI video generators specialize in using static imagery, while others focus on animated avatars or characters. Ideally, you can use a tool that does both, so you have more flexibility. Also, some tools are best for cinematic video content, while others are designed for simple explainer videos with minimal edits.
- Publishing Potential - Video content often works best when posted on social media, but you may also want to put it on video hosting sites like YouTube and Vimeo. Make sure you can format your content accordingly for a smoother publishing schedule. For example, social videos often work best in the vertical format, while YouTube videos work best in landscape mode.
- Customization - Ideally, you should be able to create and publish a video from scratch, using your own imagery, scripts, and branding elements. Then, you can use AI to fill in the gaps and streamline the creative process. Some AI video tools focus solely on generating everything for you, meaning it's harder to customize each piece.
Let Laveh Help You Leverage AI for Marketing
Even with AI taking over many of the tasks associated with video marketing, producing a single video can take several hours from ideation to publication. So, it's often best to rely on marketing professionals who know what kind of content engages your audience the most and which pieces will help boost your brand profile online. Laveh is your one-stop shop for all things digital marketing, and we can help you leverage AI for a better return on investment. Contact us today to find out how.
