Want to get your project from water-cooler small-talk to the talk of the town, or even beyond? We’ve got the secrets you need! Because when it comes to getting your message across, it all comes down to who you’re talking to. And through the vibrant art of versioning, you can definitely get the word out right, whoever and wherever your audience is.

How do we do it? Read on and find out.

First: what IS versioning?

What you see on TV, in films, on billboards – that’s just the final product. Glossy as that can be, the road to get there is full of different iterations, distinguished by both big changes and minor tweaks. But it’s not just quality control. In the business of advertising production, multiple versions are commonly made from a video master, each of which hits a different audience. One version in Europe, one in the Middle-East, one in Asia. Where the needs change, so can the message.

How can I do it?

There are a few ways to harness the power of versioning, and to expand your audience in turn. Here’s what works for us:

1. Advance planning.

Before anything else, consider your audience. And if there’s more than one, consider their unique needs and adjust your plans accordingly before you shoot any footage at all. Plan for adaptations like shorter versions for social media, subtitled versions for the hard-of-hearing or speakers of different languages, or even the differences between one platform and another.

2. Organized thinking.

Be logical with your assets. The benefits of a clear and consistent filing system can never be overstated. Name your files consistently, create folders for each scene or location, use color-coded labels for different types of footage. They might be minor, but these steps can help avoid big headaches later.

3. Outline, script and storyboard.

In case your versions are significantly different from each other and from the original video, creating a script and a storyboard will help guide your production. Let your original vision stay intact, and keep track of any necessary tweaks.

4. Editing smart.

During the editing phase, bear in mind the adaptations and versions you’re planning to finish with. That may mean leaving extra footage either side of your video for changes to aspect ratio, or planning for different audio mixes for different platforms.

5. Testing, tweaking, and testing again.

Harness the focus group, or test your content out in the wild. Keep an eye on the performance analytics, and take on any other feedback. Make the necessary adjustments to length, pacing or content based on anything from audience tastes to attention spans. Then test again.

To sum up…

Versioning is just one useful key to expanding your content’s reach, and reaching new audiences as boldly and effectively as possible. A handful of adjustments and some clever forward thinking may be all it takes to get everyone talking about you.

Want us to do the hard part for you?

If you think your content could use an extra boost in all different directions, let us know.
We’ve got the tools and the people to make it happen!