Key points
- A launch video answers three questions, in this order: what is it, who is it for, where do I buy it.
- Show the product being used, in a real situation, not sitting on a table.
- One benefit per video. The other benefits will make other videos.
- Plan three videos, not one: before the release, on the day, and one week later.
The three questions to answer
What is it? Is it for me? Where do I find it? If one of the three is missing, the viewer has to guess, and a viewer who has to guess moves on. Write your three answers on paper before you think about a single image.
- What it is: one plain sentence, with no trade word. “A bottle that keeps water cold all day.”
- Who it is for: a situation. “For people who work outdoors.”
- Where to buy it: one address, said aloud and written. A site, a shop, a phone number.
The test is simple. Read the three answers to someone who has never heard of your product. If they can repeat them a minute later, your video already has its skeleton.
What to show: the product at work
A product on a white background is a catalogue photo. A launch video shows the product in someone’s hand, at the moment it is useful. That moment is the one the viewer imagines for themselves.
| What you have | What you show | Suggested style |
|---|---|---|
| A product you can hold | Photos or clips of the product being used | Story or Demonstration |
| A service or a piece of software | The screens or the steps of the service | Demonstration |
| Measurable results | Your numbers, a before and an after | Figures and facts |
The order to tell it in
The hook: the situation
Start at the moment the customer needs the product. “Midday, full sun, and your bottle is already warm.”
The product comes in
Its name, its picture, and the sentence that says what it is.
The benefit, shown
We see the product fix the opening situation. This is the longest part.
The proof
A true number, a detail about how it is made, a commitment you really keep.
Where to buy it
An address, a price if it is stable, and nothing else.
Launching a handmade sauce, 35 seconds
- Hook: “Is your Sunday rice missing something?”
- The product: the jar, its name, “a chilli sauce cooked by hand”.
- The benefit: a spoonful on the plate, and the dish changes colour.
- The proof: “Three ingredients, no preservative.”
- Where to buy: the address of the shop and the number to order.
Three videos are better than one
A launch is not a day, it is a period. One video published once will be seen by few people. Prepare three, with the same idea and a different angle.
- Before the release: the announcement. “It arrives on Friday.” You show little and you give the date.
- On the day: the full video, with the address where people can buy.
- One week later: the first real reactions, or a question a customer asked you.
The three videos do not need to differ in everything. Keep the same style, the same voice and the same colours: a viewer who sees two of them should recognise your product at a glance. Only the angle changes.
If your product is an app, the rules shift a little: see our guide to making a launch video for your app.
The mistakes that sink a launch
- Trying to say everything. Five benefits in one video means no benefit remembered.
- Talking about yourself. “We are proud to present” does not interest the customer. Their own situation does.
- Forgetting the address. A beautiful video with nowhere to buy sells nothing.
- A price that changes. If the price may move, do not write it in the video: point to the page where it is kept up to date.
- Filming the box. The packaging is not the product. Open it and use what is inside.
Before you publish your launch video
- The viewer understands what the product is within the first ten seconds.
- The product is seen at work, in a real situation.
- The video carries one benefit.
- Every number shown is true and can be backed up.
- The last image says where to buy.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a product launch video be?
From 30 to 60 seconds for social media. If your product needs a longer explanation, make a short video to create interest and a longer one for your website.
Do I have to appear in the video?
No. A voice over pictures of the product is enough. Appearing helps when you are the brand yourself: a craftsperson, a maker, a shopkeeper known in the neighbourhood.
Can I launch a product with no advertising budget?
Yes. Publish the video on your own accounts, send it to your existing customers and ask them to share it. Nobody can promise how many people it will reach, but it costs you nothing to try.
Should I put the price in the video?
Only if it will not change for months. Otherwise say where the current price is shown. A video with an out-of-date price has to be remade.
With Meratek
How Meratek makes your product launch video
In the Motion tab, the Motion design mode offers five styles. For a launch, choose Launch, Demonstration or Figures and facts, depending on what you have to show. You write your idea, add your photos or screenshots, and Meratek asks you a few questions before it builds the film with the voice.
The price in credits is shown before you start. One hundred and forty credits are offered when you sign up. Meratek shows only the numbers you give it: you remain responsible for their accuracy.
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