Organize Videos for Great Ads

What is the challenge many DTC founders face (more than creating captivating video content)? It's organizing and optimizing this content to build ads that reach and resonate with your audience. A well-organized video library allows you to find winning ads faster. So how do you organize your way to winning ad campaigns?

1. Cut Your Footage into Scenes

Traditionally, when you organize videos, what do you think of? Dropping all of your recent video content into the folder version of a nesting doll?

The problem is that 1 raw video can contain a lot of different assets you and an editor need easy access to. Think back the times wasted spending hours searching for that one video where that one person said that one thing...

It could make you cry, right? "But it's organized." Then how is it still so hard to find what you're looking for?

**You're not breaking down footage into specific scenes.**

Scenes allow for specificity in organization and repurposing content. Before you store all of your footage in your video library, consider cutting it into scenes like:

• Hooks
• Benefits
• Product B-roll
• Testimonials
• CTAs (Calls to Action)

Try to think of scenes like a copywriter. What are the key segments you need to craft your message for impact? Then, organize your footage into scenes to ensure each clip serves a strategic purpose in your storytelling.

2. Label Your Files (with naming conventions)

Once you clip all of your footage, it's time to start sorting them. You're going to want to do this through specific file naming. Labeling files in a way that works for your team and their creative workflow is vital. Do it wrong and your team gets lost. Do it right and it streamlines the process of finding and repurposing content.

The best practice would be to label based on shoot, scene, visual/audio, date, and version/take. Always keep in mind that this may look different depending on your footage and needs.

Some things to consider while developing labels around these questions are:

UGC format

• Is it a head-on filmed review?
• Is it a creator unboxing a product?
• Is the product being tested? Consider including

By Audio

• Is it high quality audio?
• Is the audio low quality but salvageable?
• Is it unusable audio, but visuals are good?
• Is the audio unique for the campaign? (Is it ASMR style, is it filtered, is there music baked in, is there Nat sound, etc.)

By visual quality

• Is it high quality audio?
• Is the visual low quality but salvageable?
• Is the visual unusable, but audio are good?
• How was it filmed? (Is it POV style, is it selfie style, is it filmed on a tripod, etc.)

3. Categorize Your Footage

Now that you have a foundation of scenes and solid labeling, it’s time to categorize it all. This is also where we recommend customizing your team's creative workflow the most.

If you can only use a drive, use folders. If you have an asset management system, use tags. If you use Recharm, well--- sit back and relax, I guess. Since we auto-organize for you, you wouldn't even need this blog. But otherwise try categorizing by the following criteria:

UGC Creator: Break down videos by who films them. This will help you track performance and evaluate partnerships you have.

Method of Filming: If you didn't include this in your naming convention, this may be a good way to categorize your footage. It helps differentiate styles your audience responds to. As you test in ads, you can determine if professional shoots or smartphone footage works best

Campaign Objectives: Consider building categories around the campaign objectives. This can be “Brand Awareness”, “Engagement”, “Traffic”, “Conversions”, etc.

4. Ask for feedback and Implement

Understanding the needs of various team members who access the video library is crucial. Here are some actionable steps:

Who Needs Access: Determine the necessary access levels across roles and departments.

Adjust Based on Feedback: Regularly consult with users of the video library to refine and improve the system.

5. Maintain your system

An organized system is not a one-time effort. Let me repeat that for those in the back...

This is not set it and forget process. It requires ongoing maintenance. Here are vital habits to maintain your video library:

Purge Unusable Footage: Keep the library lean and relevant to your brand.

Update Metadata: Ensure labels and categories evolve with your content strategy.

Organization Efficiency: Regularly reassess the structure as your library expands.

Conclusion

When you are creating ads you need a video library that is organized and easy to navigate. If you are looking to organize your footage yourself, remember to...

• Cut your footage into scenes
• Label with naming conventions
• Categorize Your Footage
• Ask for feedback
• Maintain your video library

Organizing and Maintaining your footage yourself can be painstaking, but it’s valuable beyond measure. Remember that if you don’t have the time or energy to organize your footage, that our team can do it for you! Check out Recharm for auto-organization that helps you scale your ad production.