5 Key Questions for Video Project Success

By now, you probably know that in the advertising space, video content reigns supreme. Mega companies like Amazon have even reported that adding a video ad to a product description increases the chances of a shopper buying that item by up to 35%. Since we understand the importance of video content, how do we ensure that each video project is a success from idea to execution? Here are five essential questions that your video team can ask to set yourselves up for project success. 

1. What does success look like? 

Never assume there’s only one road to victory as each client may have different definitions of success. Is it getting it done on time? Is it constant communication throughout the life of a project? Whatever it may be for your client, it’s important that you have a clear understanding of what success looks like to them, and allow that to guide your decision-making as you go. If your deadline is approaching and the video is not quite right, you can save yourself stress knowing this client values high attention to detail over “getting it done quickly”. They’ll appreciate the candor and the retention of their values. For bonus points, it’s also a great practice to ask who on their team is responsible for defining success. This way, you’ll know from the very beginning who the key stakeholders are and what they’re looking for to give you that gold star at the end. 

2. What’s the greater purpose? 

Let’s admit it. We all love something shiny, like a lucky penny or a freshly washed car, but a video that looks nice isn’t all that matters. Understanding what purpose the video serves in the grand scheme of things will take your mindset from creating something pretty to something effective. When you ask your client how this video integrates into their larger business goals, you’ll not only have a better perspective for video direction. You’re also establishing yourself as an extension of their team that cares about both the success of the video and the company as a whole. 

3. Who is the audience? 

How can you create an effective video if you don’t know who it is you’re trying to affect? This is a vital piece of information that you must know upfront. It is likely that your client will have a grasp of their target audience already, but make sure to get specific with them about the project you’re working on. Is this a video for associates or executives within your audience? How do we speak differently to those roles? Do your own audience research as well to come to the conversation informed and ready to contribute. 

4. What is the scope of work?

It’s all in the details. How long will the video be? How many revisions are allotted to the client? What type of video is it? Will this video be repurposed into anything else? These questions are essential for team-wide clarity and expectation management. As you go through a project, you may need to come back to the scope time and time again, so it’s important to be aligned on this before any work begins. 

5. What’s the budget/deadline? 

When does this need to be done and how much money do we have to do it? It’s important to know if the client is driving towards a major date like a product launch or conference. This will help inform you as you work to create a project timeline with your team. Even if the client doesn’t put a ton of emphasis on timing or urgency, it’s still important that you communicate regularly about the timeline to keep the project moving forward. Understanding the budget also goes a long way as you’ll be equipped with the knowledge you need to okay that music track cost or realign with the client as you begin to approach work outside of the original scope. 

Of course, there are many more questions that you can (and should) ask before and throughout the life of the work, but these five are a great starting point for a successful and well-managed video project.