What do Kickstarter successes know that you don’t?

34841101_s-2 PR explains the importance and components of a great Kickstarter video

A puppy becoming best friends with a Clydesdale horse is touching. An unusually bendable cell phone is fascinating. A mutant giant spider dog is plain weird. These are just some of the most popular videos on YouTube. However, what makes a great video on Kickstarter?

You Tube has its place in providing entertainment and information but Kickstarter is serious business. A memorable video could mean the difference between getting funding for your creative idea and watching it die before your eyes. With help from PR, your company can create a powerful video for your project and increase your chances for Kickstarter success.

How can your company create an outstanding Kickstarter video?

Come out swinging. At most, you have a few seconds to capture viewers’ attention, so make it count with a powerful, thought-provoking opening. You can begin by focusing on the one aspect that makes your idea unique, highlighting it at the start of your video.

Tell your story. Potential funders will want to know things like background on the people behind the project and how you got to this point. You can also show interesting aspects such as how the product is made or testimonials from people who have already used it.

Show genuine examples of how your product can add value to the lives of consumers. For example, Emberlight demonstrated this using actors and natural-looking settings to show its product in action.

Use humor to make it memorable. This can help you show creativity and a bit of your personality. Consumers respond favorably when they can relate to a company on a personal level.

The right music can help. Your background music shouldn’t be too loud or overpowering and it should relate to your product. For example, classical music probably doesn’t pair well with an exciting, take-no-prisoners type of video game.

Keep it short and sweet. You should be able to explain your product and its functions in fewer than four minutes. If the video is any longer, you run the risk of losing your audience.

Make use of celebrity spokespeople if possible. Having faces and names that people recognize can go a long way toward building interest and increasing views. More people seeing your video can translate into more who are willing to help fund your project.

Take the time to do it right. No one wants to watch a shaky video that looks like it was shot in your garage. Of course, not everyone has the money to hire a professional cinematographer. That’s fine – startups can also be successful on Kickstarter – but it’s important to make your video as terrific as possible. You can do this with preparation and planning. In all the excitement of trying to get your project off the ground, don’t forget that people will need to not only view but also like your video in order to get the funding you seek.

Don’t forget about editing. You can have the greatest footage in the world but if it isn’t put together in a proper and engaging way, it’s useless. Your video should look and sound seamless.

Have a terrific product. Of course, all the video tools and publicity tactics in the world won’t matter unless you have an amazing idea to begin with. For instance, The Coolest Cooler was created by an inventor who initially attached a blender to a weed whacker so he could make frozen drinks at picnics. The public really responded … to the tune of more than $10 million in funding on Kickstarter.

Hire a PR firm to help you. Axia Public Relations can help you combine your key messages with cool production techniques to create an awesome Kickstarter video. Contact us today to learn more about our special projects services.

Lisa Goldsberry is a writer for Axia Public Relations with more than 15 years of public relations experience. She specializes in business, higher education and technology PR. Connect with Axia Public Relations on Twitter @axiapr.