Tag: video marketing

  • AI Assisted Video Production: Why It’s Not Always Cheaper, Easier, or Just About Quantity

    Does AI simplify video creation? Many clients seeking creative services believe it should, expecting lower prices as a result. This creates a significant disconnect, as their cost expectations often don’t align with the time and effort truly involved, especially when aiming for high-quality, AI-assisted output.

    What’s often overlooked is that AI, while powerful, isn’t a magical button that instantly translates a script into a perfect video. Achieving the desired outcome with AI currently requires extensive prompt engineering and fine-tuning to make the video look realistic.

    a woman using a laptop
    Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

    Furthermore, many advanced AI features come with subscription costs that should be factored into the client’s budget, not solely borne by the creator.

    In this article, I’ll address the false assumptions about how AI affects video production expenses.

    Misconception 1: You Should Charge Me Half The Price Because You Are Using AI

    This common misconception stems from a misunderstanding of how AI integrates into video production. As a professional, it’s crucial to clearly outline where AI contributes and how it impacts pricing. For example, AI can significantly streamline the creation of a script, voiceovers, and background music, potentially allowing for cost reductions in these specific areas.

    However, once you move into the video editing and visual assembly phase, the value of human expertise becomes paramount. Clients need to understand the distinction between AI-generated assets and the nuanced, often iterative process of human editing.

    To navigate this, consider itemizing your quotes. Clearly separate the costs for AI-assisted elements versus human-intensive tasks. Better yet, employing an hourly rate often proves to be the fairest approach.

    This way, if a client initially opts for a more AI-driven video but then decides they prefer human-edited refinements or a complete shift away from AI-generated visuals, they’ll understand the increased cost reflects the additional time and specialized skill involved.

    This transparency manages expectations and ensures you’re compensated fairly for all your efforts.

    Misconception 2: Its Easy to Create Videos With The Help of AI. Anyone Can Do it.

    While it’s true that even basic prompts on premium AI video editors can generate video quickly, this simplicity comes with significant drawbacks. The core issue is that the assets and templates used in your video are often generic and widely available, meaning your content risks looking identical to others.

    Over time, you’ll likely encounter videos similar to your own, which dilutes your unique brand or message.

    happy woman using laptop in cozy living room at home
    Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com

    Moreover, relying solely on AI output often means you’ll have to learn video editing yourself to truly customize the video. Tasks like adjusting audio levels for a voiceover or fine-tuning transitions require human intervention to achieve a polished, professional look.

    You might end up spending more time refining AI’s raw output than if you’d engaged a professional from the start, effectively wasting time to save a small amount of money.

    Beyond technical tweaks, successful video creation demands creativity. If you lack a creative eye, your AI-generated videos might feel generic, uninspired, and frankly, inhuman.

    An experienced video producer brings years of creative insight, ensuring your project stands out and connects with your audience in a meaningful way. So, while AI handles the prompts, human creativity and expertise are essential for crafting truly unique and engaging content.

    Misconception 3: Quantity, Not Quality, Matters.

    While it might seem tempting to churn out a high volume of videos with AI, this approach often overlooks the critical role of brand identity.

    How do you want your audience to perceive you?

    Strong brands are recognized by consistent elements like specific colors, fonts, and a unique voice. Unless your AI tool allows for precise adherence to your brand guidelines, you risk ending up with a chaotic mix of styles that confuses your audience and dilutes your identity.

    Focusing purely on quantity over quality means your brand’s voice and visual identity will likely be inconsistent, making it hard for people to recognize and connect with your content.

    A professional video producer, on the other hand, prioritizes aligning your videos with your company’s mission and vision, meticulously adhering to brand guidelines during editing.

    Once that strong, recognizable brand identity is established—where people can instantly identify your videos—then you can strategically scale up your content quantity. Building a high-value brand takes significant effort and a clear perception of how you want to be seen, not just a high volume of generic videos.

    Conclusion – Debunking AI Video Production Myths

    As we’ve explored, the world of AI-assisted video production is ripe with misconceptions. It’s clear that the belief you should charge half-price because you’re using AI often overlooks the nuanced skill and time involved in prompt engineering, fine-tuning, and integrating AI output with human expertise.

    Similarly, the idea that it’s easy for anyone to create quality videos with AI dismisses the critical need for creative vision, brand consistency, and often, additional human editing to achieve professional results.

    Finally, prioritizing quantity over quality with AI can dilute your brand identity and fail to resonate with your audience.

    While AI is a powerful tool, it’s an accelerator for skilled creators, not a magic wand that eliminates the need for human input, creativity, and strategic thinking.

    Understanding these distinctions is key to setting realistic expectations and valuing the blend of technology and talent that truly delivers impactful video content.


    Do you have other misconceptions about the cost of AI assisted video production? We’d love to hear them! Please share them in the comments section below.

    If you’re looking for professional AI-assisted video production services, contact me here.

    You can also follow me on social media @cheptionymutai for more insights and updates.

    Up until next, bye and bye and take care.

  • Video Marketing: 5 Creative Video Ideas for Your Business

    Video Marketing: 5 Creative Video Ideas for Your Business

    Today, YouTube stands as a dominant search engine, with TikTok and Instagram also serving as significant platforms. The extensive user base and high search traffic make video an unparalleled marketing medium. Regardless of the industry, leveraging video is now a critical strategy for promoting products in the digital marketplace.
    The initial step can often be the most challenging. Many hesitate to produce original content due to a fear of failure, while some delay due to the expenses associated with video production.

    However, are these concerns sufficient to prevent someone from utilizing video content as a marketing tool for their business? It’s important to note that platforms like YouTube and other social media networks offer free content publishing opportunities.

    In this article, I will share with you 5 types of content that you can create about your business for very small initial investments. Remember that you can create more effective content when you hire a professional content developer to help you. I highly recommend this based on my long term experience in the media business.

    Why Hire A Professional Content producer Yet You Can Do Everything?

    Many people underestimate the ‘creative process’ and ends up wanting to do everything from preproduction to postproduction alone in order to cut costs. When starting, you can go this path if you don’t have money to hire an extra hand to help. But if you have small budget that you can spare to hire someone to help you with shooting the video and editing, you better do so from the beginning and retain that person for as long as you are working on video marketing content. This way, you will have enough time to brainstorm on ideas for your next video. Selling is a craft. We sell everyday. We sell value. Without a well thought and organized process in video marketing, you will have rough time selling despite creating high quality video content. With this said, lets now talk about the type of videos you can create about your business.

    Talking Head Videos

    Videos featuring a ‘talking head’ are highly effective for narrative purposes. In this style, the individual on screen (you) is captured in a medium shot, close-up, or long shot while addressing the camera. This approach is frequently employed in news segments, particularly during speeches or expert interviews. In the realm of video marketing, the presenter may opt to either recite a pre-written script or spontaneously narrate a story related to the topic at hand.

    This is very ideal when starting to work on content for your business. Irrespective of if you are using a camera or phone to record the video, make sure that the audio is clear. Invest in a good lapel microphone.

    Also, if you hire a professional to help, it will be cheaper since all the equipment’s they will be using will be yours. So, in this case, you are hiring labor and professional guide since the same person will be working on editing the video.

    Crafting your inaugural video narrative with care ensures a seamless flow that captivates your audience. Introducing your business starts with introducing the person behind it – you. When viewers connect with the founder’s story, it fosters a deeper trust and engagement with the brand. Smile and let your passion shine through; it’s the first step to building a loyal community around your business.

    Drama/Comedy Videos

    Drama and comedy videos are very popular niches today online. Did you know that you can use drama and comedy to market your business?

    Let’s take a local mechanic who runs a bustling motor repair shop. This savvy fixer-upper can craft tales or reenact customer encounters right in the heart of their workshop. They’re not just about wrenches and oil stains; they’ve got a treasure trove of side-splitting anecdotes from under the hood. And while they’re sharing these comedic gems, they can cleverly weave in their shop’s name and whereabouts, ensuring their garage becomes the talk of the town.

    As their garage gains recognition, an increasing number of customers will seek out their services. Producing this kind of video content may initially require a significant investment, including hiring actors and a producer. However, the enduring benefits of regularly creating such content can be substantial.

    Video Tutorials

    We have 3 types of video tutorials namely; Screencast video tutorials, camera recorded video tutorials and animated video tutorials. Video tutorials can be produced for any kind of business. You just choose the type of video tutorial ideal for your business.

    Screencast tutorials capture a phone or computer’s screen activity to demonstrate the use of websites, applications, or software. These instructional videos are particularly beneficial for vendors promoting software-related products, providing a visual and practical guide for potential users.

    Tutorials captured on camera provide visual guidance for utilizing hardware or tangible products, such as computer parts. For instance, they can demonstrate the process of upgrading your computer by installing additional memory.

    Animated tutorials are videos that show how things work using character animations.

    Tutorial videos serve as an excellent educational tool, providing step-by-step guidance on various tasks. They are particularly effective because they demonstrate the process visually, making it easier for viewers to learn and retain information.

    To maximize the impact of your tutorial video, it’s beneficial to conclude with a compelling call to action that ties in with your business, offering a solution to the issue addressed in the video. This not only reinforces the lesson but also connects the viewer with your services, which can address their specific needs.

    Creating a single video won’t suffice if you’re aiming for impactful results; consistent video content is key to maintaining relevance. Should you find yourself uncertain about segmenting one video into multiple engaging pieces, seeking guidance from a video marketing expert could be greatly beneficial.

    AI Assisted Videos

    AI-assisted videos are productions crafted with the support of artificial intelligence, where every step of the creation is overseen by humans. This involves utilizing AI to develop scripts that resonate with your specific market. Following script completion, an AI-powered text-to-speech tool lends its voice for the narration.

    From here you can either generate image and videos using AI software or you can purchase royalty free photos and videos online. There are many websites online today offering free photos and videos that anyone can use.

    Creating videos can be surprisingly simple yet challenging, as it requires vigilance. Artificial Intelligence utilizes pre-existing content to craft new information. Hence, it’s essential to shape your content around a unique concept of your own.

    Documentary/Feature Stories

    Documentaries serve as a powerful medium for marketing products and services. They are particularly effective when you’re providing a service that impacts numerous individuals or narrates the transformation over a certain period. To communicate your message effectively, utilizing a documentary format can be the most compelling approach.

    While documentary is deemed expensive, you may want to consider it if you you want to achieve the results you are looking for.

    There’s no need for a frequent video production schedule. Consider creating a video monthly, every quarter, twice a year, or even yearly. A compelling narrative can significantly accelerate the achievement of your objectives.

    Conclusion

    In the realm of marketing videos, a plethora of styles and concepts await your exploration. Initiating the process is often the most daunting hurdle. Begin with a single approach and gauge its effectiveness. Should it fall short, don’t hesitate to switch gears and experiment with alternative methods until you discover the perfect fit for your vision.

    Are you seeking assistance with any aspect of production, such as videography, video editing, or directing? I’m here to offer my expertise. To get in touch, please click here. Expect a reply from me within a few hours.

    And that’s it.

    Up until next time, bye bye and take care. Follow me on all social media networks @cheptionymutai.

  • How to Start An Online Business In Kenya and Its Cost

    There are several approaches to setting up a successful online business in Kenya. It all depends on the what one is aiming to achieve at the end. Its therefore important to ask yourself; what is my online business goal?

    Are you trying to build a personal brand?

    Do you want to take your existing offline business to the online marketplace?

    Are you into building a digital service business from scratch?

    dart pins on electric dartboard

    Whichever your goal is, it has to start from somewhere. In this blogpost, I will share with you the fundamental approach to starting and running a successful online business in Kenya.

    The Process

    At this point, you have niched down your business idea and is now ready to setup an online business in Kenya.

    If you haven’t, read 4 Ways To Identify a Good Online Business Idea with Traction.

    Here are the steps I suggest you follow to setup a legitimate online business.

    Video- How to start an online Business in Kenya

    Step #1 Register Your Business Name With BRS

    Identify a name to call your business and register it. Here is a blogpost I wrote about factors to consider when deciding on the business name to register. Also, I have a created a step by step video on how to register your business here.

    BRS Portal
    BRS Portal

    By doing this, your business will become legal. With a registered business, you can charge tax on the goods and services you offer. Also, you will be in a position to benefit from tax exemptions on the goods and services you offer.

    Business registration in Kenya is undertaken by Business Registration Services online.

    Step #2 Purchase A Business Domain Name

    A domain name is the address where people will find you online. For example www.cheptiony.com is the domain name for this blog. In Kenya, you can purchase a domain from Kenic.

    Take time to settle on an easy to remember domain name. This is important. Also, choose a popular domain extension like .com or .co.ke for Kenyan websites.

    The cost for this starts from $9/year.

    Step #3 Get Hosting Service

    This is where your website will be hosted. All files and content you share on your website will be stored in the cloud by your hosting service provider. You will purchase hosting based on the amount of information you will be sharing.

    Most hosting providers charges are based on the web space you will get, number of websites you intend to host on the platform and more. Please check plans and pricing on the hosting service provider of your choice.

    Carefully do you research and consult before purchasing your hosting. Where you will host your website is critical. Their servers must be reliable. You will not want to wake up to find out that your website is down and not loading.

    If you are looking for pocket friendly hosting service, you can get it here starting from $20 a year.

    Step #4 Website Builders And Content Management Systems (CMS)

    business coffee composition computer

    This can cannot go without mentioning. You can get a domain and hosting directly from the popular website builders and Content Management Systems (CMS) like wordpress.com and wix.com. While building a website using website builders is easy for anyone with basic computer knowledge, the cost per year for the service is quite high.

    Both options does the job well so choose carefully.

    Step #5 Design Your Website or Hire Someone to Design it For You

    Both options above (using CMS and Web Builders & Purchasing hosting) will require your input in designing a website for your business. First, write down the content describing the services you offer. If you have images and videos that you will want to share alongside your services, sort them and save them in one folder.

    When done, design your website using the content.

    If you are not good at designing websites and prefer someone else to do it for you, you can hire a professional website designer for as low as $50.

    Here is a blogpost I wrote detailing how I hire a WordPress website designer from the popular freelancing platforms.

    Step #6 Link Your Business To Your TAX Pin on ITAX

    This is mandatory when you are transacting business with government. Therefore, its important to do this at the early stages of your business. Please consult with your tax accountant for assistance to do this. Alternatively, you can do this yourself by contacting KRA on ITax portal.

    Step #7 Market Your Business Once Its Live

    Once you have followed all these steps above successfully and your business is live online, start marketing it. When you have a well detailed website, its easy to market it. Take time to make changes on the site based on customer feedback. You will have more command and authority over your audience when you have functional website in place.

    Summary of the cost

    Service Type Cost in (Ksh)
    Business registration950
    Domain Name registration1,000
    Web Hosting Service2,000
    Website design 6,000
    Total 9,950
    Summary of the cost of starting an online business in Kenya

    That’s not all. Incorporating videos in your marketing plan will take your business to the next level. Apart from enabling users to see what your business is all about, you will able to build a lasting trust with them. For help with any video services, you can contact us on our production website on www.techtubestudio.com.

    And that’s it. You have successfully set up a legitimate business online in Kenya.

    Conclusion

    There are of-course other more requirements you will need going forward in your business as you grow. Those ones, I suggest you get them as needed. What is most important is registering your business first and making it legal.

    I hope you found this blogpost helpful. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

    And until next time, bye bye and take care.

    Follow me on twitter @cheptiony.

  • 5 Video Production Skills That Will Make You Money Online in Kenya Today

    The demand for video services online today is huge. More and more companies are looking for competent video producers to work on their video projects.

    Watch video – 5 Skills to Make You Money Online Today

    Anyone who is committed can succeed making money online producing videos for individuals and businesses.

    In this day and era, you can learn any skill related to video production online for free on YouTube.

    Arts and Design category leads with 77% in representation by freelancers compared to other categories. This is according to Freelance Forward Economist Report 2021. This means there is a huge demand for Arts and Design skills compared to others.

    Upwork

    Getting Started

    So how does the video producer decide which skills to employ in a given project?

    Its mainly based on the script provided to them by the client. Largely, video producers, editors, animators and motion graphics designers are paid to work on projects that are meant for use commercially.

    The end determines the means. How best will the message be communicated? This question will be answered based on the assets the client has and proposes to be used in producing the video. From here the skills needed will come out automatically.

    On this blogpost, I will be sharing with you Top 5 video production skills that can make you money online in Kenya and are self thought.

    List of top 5 Categories in Video production that will make you money online.

    1. Screencast Video Production
    2. Motion graphics and infographics animations
    3. Production of 2D Animation And Whiteboard Explainer videos
    4. 3D animation
    5. Video Editing

    1. Screencast Video Production

    Screencast video production is a little hyped category in video production but has a lot of demand in the tech space. The potential of growth with this category of video production is high. Screencast video production is basically recording computer/tablet/phone screens of a software or SaaS application in action showing users how to use the product or service.

    Application of screencast video production knowledge can be used in many areas in video production.

    Screencast videos are the ones you find posted on most of the giant website help pages showing users how to do certain tasks on the platform.

    While this can be done by anyone, most of the product owners prefer to have the work done by someone else professionally.

    This is where they employ the skills of a screencast video producer, freelancer or a production agency. Screencast video production is more than recording the computer or software screens.

    There is a learning phase where you study how the software or application works before doing the actual work.

    To do screencast videos, you need to have access to a professional screen recording and editing software like Camtasia studio.

    Potential Earnings Per Month

    This skill has potential of earning you a minimum of $1000 to $5000 a month as a freelancer. It requires a lot of patience and commitment at the beginning before you break through.

    2. Motion Graphics and Infographics Animation

    black and white round analog wall clock
    Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

    Motion graphics has many different definitions. I will define it using my own words. Its basically animation of text, graphic designs, videos and images to communicate a message in the most entertaining way.

    Kinetic typography is a good example of a motion graphic videos.

    Infographics animation on the other hand is more less the same. The difference is that with infographics, your are adding motion to existing informational graphics or data. e.g case studies.

    Depending on your experience, you can use basically any professional software. To be on the safe side, I recommend learning how to use Adobe after effects. With the software, you are not limited in what you can create.

    Motion graphics skill has demand all over. Once you have built a name around it, your earning potential will be huge.

    Potential Earnings Per Month: One video of 2 Mins can make you $300-1000. If you do let’s say 5 videos a month, you are good.

    3. Production of 2D Animation and Whiteboard Explainer Videos

    2D animations and whiteboard explainer videos are two different things but share a common ground. Vector graphics and illustrations are used to produce them. For 2D, its more of custom designs and animations. e.g Tom and Jerry or the The Pink Panter.

    On the other hand, whiteboard explainer videos are produced using pre-designed templates that comes with the video production software you purchase. You just only drag and drop the elements you need in the video based on the script you have.

    2D animation projects pays well if the assignment at hand entails working on a TV show or a movie.

    Potential Earnings on 2D Animation

    One can earn up to $100k to work on a long form movie animation that may take almost a year to produce.

    On the other hand, whiteboard explainer videos created using premade illustrations and templates don’t pay much but is highly on demand.

    Earning Potential Doing Whiteboard Explainers

    On average one gets paid a minimum of $100 to create a 1 minute whiteboard explainer video. You only need to produce 10 Minutes of animation to make $1000.

    Software’s like Animaker, Vyond and Powtoon are popular for use in creating whiteboard explainer videos.

    4. 3D Animations

    pexels-photo-3913016.jpeg
    Photo by ThisIsEngineering on Pexels.com

    3D animation is one of the most demanding skill compared to other categories in video production. That’s why many video producers don’t like it much. In order to model a very smooth and good quality 3D animation video, you need a computer with high specs, time and a lot of RAM to render your animations.

    That’s why it may cost up to $3000 to develop a 1 Minute high end 3D Animation.

    If you have the right equipment’s and software to work on 3D animations, the potential to earn good money as an independent professional is high online.

    Earning potential

    $500-3000 per minute of a 3D animation.

    5. Video Editing

    With many individuals and businesses embracing Youtube as a way of marketing their businesses, there is a constant and growing demand for video editing services. Business minded individuals are looking for video editors to work on their YouTube content.

    This means if you are a good video editor, you have the potential to earn good money editing videos.
    The secret behind succeeding as a video editor is looking for many long term clients.

    Earning Potential

    If you charge $20/hour to edit a video and a client hires you to work for 10 hours a week, you make $200/week. In a month, you make $800 from one client.

    If you are able to get clients who collectively pays you for 40 hours a week and offers to assign you work for a long term, you make good money. In a week you will be making $800 and $2400 a month.

    Conclusion

    Earning potential of any creative in the video production industry depends majorly on their aggressiveness, how well they communicate, their creativity and negotiation skills. If one is able to negotiate for a good pay, they will earn good money at the end.

    And that is it from me here.

    What other category of skill in video production can a creative make money with online?

    Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

    And if you are looking for professional video production services, Techtube Video Studio is ready to sort you out. You can request a quote for Free on their site here.

    Until next time, bye bye and take care.

    Follow me on twitter @cheptiony