6 easy ways IBM makes videos compelling

The possibilities for diversion on the internet are endless, and your directorial efforts will go unnoticed if you can’t make your videos compelling.

“Be dynamic in what you share,” says Amy Loomis, director of IBM Think Academy. “Just because it’s video doesn’t mean it’s brilliant. It’s not like the medium’s going to cover up a bad message.”

Luckily, even beginners can learn techniques that grab viewers and liven up videos. Here are a few tips:

1. Tell a speedy story.

IBM used fast-motion to show how easy it is to put together a mainframe computer. Though the work took an hour, the fast-forward version was only two minutes long, Loomis says.

“Those kind of start-to-finish narratives where the motion and the visual narrative in and of itself tells the story—those are very effective,” she says.

2. Rightsize your video.

Videos should run not more than four minutes, nor fewer than 15 seconds, says Loomis. The goal of the video and the experience of the end user should determine the length.