What is Stock Video Footage?
Stock footage is video clips that are professionally filmed and intended for use by multiple parties repeatedly in video productions like vlogs, social media videos, etc. Stock footage clips usually are under a minute in length and can be used across multiple platforms and in many different formats. If you’ve been considering upping your video marketing through the use of stock footage, read this article to determine whether it will help or hinder your business goals.
The Benefits of Using Stock Footage
It Allows You To Save Time and Money
Stock footage can allow you to skip finding a location or setting up a video shoot. You also won’t need to pay talent or a film crew to create beautiful, professional-looking shots. Stock footage websites may charge for a membership or a single-use fee, but it is generally much cheaper and less time consuming than creating organic content on your own.
The Footage is Professional and High Quality
Professional videographers use a wide array of film equipment to choose from and produce content with full HD resolution or 4k footage. High-quality stock footage allows you to incorporate professional footage into your projects.
Assists with Storytelling
If you need assistance with storytelling, stock footage can be a good option to fill in gaps and help your video production maintain a good flow and quality from scene to scene. There is typically a wide range of stock footage clips available. If you’re looking for a wide shot or a close-up shot, there will likely be an option suitable for your needs. For example, if you’re producing a story focused on a clothing sale, you could find footage of people shopping, etc.
The Drawbacks
The Footage is not Unique
Any footage accessible on a stock website is available to anyone and everyone. Don’t be surprised if you see clips in other film productions or social media ad campaigns. You can try to differentiate stock footage by incorporating your specific brand elements in the footage, like your font and brand colours.
Footage Can Lack Authenticity
Stock footage was filmed, with no specific goal, in mind. Some stock footage can come across as overly staged or full of cliches. If you are looking for stock footage that involves people, certain facial expressions or specific settings, it may be tough to locate. Stock footage is generally best used in situations where specifics are flexible.
Cost & Confusing Copyright and Licensing Terms
You might assume that stock video footage will always be a cost-effective way to enhance your video marketing, but some websites can charge a lot of money for a single or multi-use license for a video. Make sure you do your research to determine whether the footage you want will even be of benefit to you in the long run. Should you wind up using stock footage incorrectly, you may face financial consequences down the line.
The Alternative: Custom Video
If you have the budget, consider choosing custom video for your marketing needs. With custom video, you can decide the footage you want to be filmed, with far fewer limitations. Custom video footage allows you to depict a specific scene, location, reactions, people, etc. You will have original content that is solely for your use and unavailable to your competitors.
“You can also consider using a mixture of stock and custom video footage, but custom video marketing is by far the best way to communicate your brand’s message.” CM2 Media social media strategist, Christine Casarsa, concludes.
When you use custom media correctly, it can increase your social media following, sales, brand awareness, and customer loyalty. If you’re interested in using custom media for your video marketing but don’t know how to begin, we can help! We are a digital marketing agency located in Burlington, Ontario, and we specialize in working with passionate small-to-medium sized business owners! Give us a call at 1-855-656-5262.
Follow us on Instagram or LinkedIn. We look forward to hearing from you about why you shoudln’t use stock video footage in your marketing. We are located in Burlington, Ontario.