Videos have been a staple format for conveying information, and for good reason. Studies show that people retain 95% of a message when consumed through video, compared to a mere 10% through text alone.

Using video for your brand or personal use can be transformative. But the path from idea to a polished video is no cakewalk.

So if you just spent 3 weeks and $100 on a single video that wasn’t a success, and are dreading creating more video content, this is for you.

In this post, we’ll give you a quick recap of the long, tedious way to make videos online and introduce you to how you can cut the time to just 5 minutes with AI.

Recap: The old step by step on how to make videos online

The traditional way to make videos is long. It’s time consuming and often requires setting aside a lot of resources. Let’s quickly look over the steps to you have to typically take:

Identify your audience

Start by imagining your ideal viewer groups, considering factors like age, location, and interests. Creating a persona centered around their needs and pain points provides clarity.

For example, if your target audience is hobbyist photographers in the U.S. aged 15-40, dive deeper into their specific challenges and desires.

Identify your value proposition

Your value proposition is not just about what you offer but how it addresses your audience's needs or pain points uniquely. It's the essence that captures attention and keeps viewers engaged.

Consider what makes your video valuable, whether it's educational, entertaining, or solves a problem. Align this proposition with your audience's interests. This ensures that there’s a compelling connection between you and your audience.

Understand the types of videos you can make
Here are some types of videos you can consider creating:
1. Animated Videos: Bring your message to life with visually appealing motion graphics, using animation to convey complex information in an engaging and easily digestible format. This is the most commonly used type across brands and AI video generators like Videomagic specialize in creating these videos at scale.
2. Unboxing Videos: Leverage the anticipation as you unwrap and explore products. Unboxing videos can give your audience an immersive, tactile experience and a closer look at the items you love.
3. Product Demos: Dive into the functionality of your offerings, addressing potential queries and showcasing the value your product brings to users with a hands-on demonstration.
4. Customer Testimonials: Boost your brand credibility by sharing authentic experiences and positive feedback from satisfied customers. This creates a compelling narrative for your brand that resonates with potential buyers.
5. Sizzle Reels: Build excitement with dynamic highlight reels, capturing your brand's or products' essence in a visually stimulating montage that leaves a lasting impression.
6. Event Recaps: Extend the life of your events with engaging recap videos. Give your audience a glimpse into the highlights and key moments. This boosts attendee engagement and promotes future gatherings.
7. Webinars: Use the knowledge shared in live webinars by repurposing them into video format, ensuring that valuable content continues to educate and inform a broader audience.
8. Livestreams: Connect with your audience in real-time through live streaming on platforms like Instagram and Twitch. This gives you immediate engagement and interaction.
9. Tutorials: Provide valuable guidance with step-by-step tutorials, helping viewers with specific tasks and maximizing the utility of your product or service.
10. Talking Head Videos: Establish a personal connection with your audience through first-person videos, allowing influencers and creators to share insights, experiences, and opinions directly.
Find topics to make videos on

Whether it's daily news, how-tos, or predictions, choose your topic to meet the specific needs and interests of your audience. This ensures your content stands out in the digital space which is already crowded with similar videos.

Tools like Ahrefs and TubeBuddy can further refine your keyword strategy. Keep your video's theme at the forefront, identifying content gaps and delivering substantial value.

Shortlist/ prioritize ideas based on value

The sweet spot is where mutual value intersects – make videos online that are not only meaningful for your audience but also align with your business goals.

Prioritizing ideas that bridge this gap creates a win-win scenario. Consider what topics offer genuine utility, entertain, educate, or solve a problem for your viewers while helping you achieve your business goals.

Create a script for your ideas

Your script determines on what level you can connect with your viewers. Whether you're delivering a voiceover or featuring on-screen talent, a well-thought-out script is necessary for a successful production.

Remember, authenticity is key – introduce yourself or your company and clearly articulate the video's central point, and engage your audience directly using "you." Write in a natural, conversational tone, allowing the script to flow seamlessly when spoken.

Additionally, consider integrating music, special effects, transitions, or any visual elements to enhance the overall viewer experience.

Create a storyboard

The next step is creating a storyboard — a roadmap outlining planned scenes and visualizing the narrative flow, ensuring your team is well-prepared before the cameras start rolling.

Whether using a template or crafting one from scratch, a storyboard allows you to sketch out each scene, considering essential details like composition, camera angles, and potential dialogue.

Plan where to shoot

The choice of locations should align with the narrative and the overall tone of your video.

A quiet room with a simple background is enough if the focus is on a presenter addressing the camera.

Consider the logistics of shooting outside or at specific locations, and be proactive in obtaining necessary permissions beforehand. This ensures a smooth production process and compliance with any legal requirements.

Additionally, factor in the technical aspects of shooting, such as lighting, angles, and camera setups, to guarantee the visual coherence of your video.

Get your assets aligned

When you think about how to make a video, all you think about is what you need to shoot. But the thing is, not everything needs to be captured firsthand.

Once you have your primary footage, explore additional elements that can elevate your video.

Use stock footage to add depth and variety, seamlessly integrating visuals that complement your narrative. You can also consider using special effects to amplify engagement, creativity, and visual appeal.

Don't overlook the impact of sound—thoughtfully chosen music or sound effects can enhance emotional resonance. By using each of these diverse assets, from visuals to sounds, cohesively, you create a more dynamic and immersive viewer experience.

Post-production edits and refining

And at the last, refine your video content by patching together the screens that add value the most and are scripted well to create a final version.

While the approach above does work, taking 3 weeks to go from ideation to publishing a video is like losing your audience to a competitor by not moving fast enough.

Now this is where AI video generation comes in.