VIDEOS: WHY WE MAKE THEM AND HOW WE MAKE THEM

Over the nearly 20 years of our existence as a company, Affordable Granite has made a sequence of videos. Why is video helpful for a solid stone worktop company?

1. Video explains processes

Some information is communicated far more easily by video than in words. Words are important when it comes to describing a customer’s contract with us, of course, but to actually help potential customers have a feel for what will happen if they place an order with us, the dry words on our quote and confirmation letters can’t compete with a video.

The Current AG Introductory Video (Full Version)

2.  Video helps us reach our public

Posting videos into YouTube and from there into social media is a great way to reach out to potential customers. In these days of interconnectedness and the power of the Search Engines, anything which can stake our claim in the digital world that surrounds us is important. We are there on Instagram,  Facebook and Pinterest – once in a blue moon we even Tweet! Video is powerful in the age of the influencer.

3.  Video is fun!

Let’s face it, videos are fun! One great reason for including them in a website is just to breathe life, movement and fun into the pages. We feel that our videos introduce us ion a more approachable, human way than we could achieve with words and pictures alone. We want to be the granite worktop company with the human touch; we want to speak your language.

A brief video made in house on the making of one edge profile

A lengthy video case study

These days, of course, we are all movie-makers. Most of the population carries a pocket-sized video camera that would blow the mind of any film maker from the middle of last century. Whatever your brand of smart phone, the chances are that you have made a video of some kind.

We often find ourselves videoing bits and pieces around the factory or on site. From the sparkles in a new quartz slab, to the workings of saws and grinders, we have short videos. Some are posted direct to Facebook, while others end up in our YouTube channel.

But these short videos, while fun and informative, do not have the kind of professionalism or spoken content which is essential to proper videos. Not least, Google only recognises videos as having value if the Search Engine can “hear” a spoken soundtrack. We need quality video for that – we need someone to help us create the material we need.

One of our brief YouTube videos showing on of our CNCs in operation.

Apart from our main “Introductory  video”, the videos which see most of our effort are case studies. These are generally in support of our Case Study pages, which have photos and descriptions of kitchen worktop installations in different stones.

In some of our earlier case study videos, we shot video footage at the same time as taking the stills. Our first video in that style was shot by Joao, a friend of the company, in support of our case study on BQS Blanco Massa in Guildford. Andrew took the stills, Joao shot the video, and they all came back together on this website.

Subsequently, Andrew started shooting video each time we did stills for a case study – but our problem was to get the editing done, as Joao was no longer available.

Enter Splashdog Media. Our recent videos have been put together by our friend Ash of Splashdog. The key elements which he has brought to the party are:

• solid camera work, for our main corporate videos,
• a really good microphone voice, which has transformed our texts into proper tools for explanation
• a knack for making videos using our high resolution still images

It’s that last skill which lies behind the Classic Quartz Marbre Carrara video you can see here. It was entirely made from stills, brought to life by Ash – even that winning smile from joiner Nick Geard!

One of our brief YouTube videos showing on of our CNCs in operation.