What’s the difference between a good videographer and a bad one?
A good videographer captures your vision perfectly. A bad one captures your frustrations in high quality … with bad lighting and shaky footage!
A truly good videographer should care about your success, and they should do everything to get you good results.
I’ve hired all sorts of videographers, editors and marketers for Team Trust. Most are great, but there are a few rotten potatoes in the mix. These rotten potatoes can wreak tons of havoc on your life.
They can cost you money; suck your time; and bring so much frustration. I get it. I have been there, and I have had some tough conversations over the years.
I wanted to take a moment to describe the four red flags of a bad videographer. These are THE signs that you have hired the wrong professional videographer, and that you need to keep a critical eye on their efforts.
1. They Never Ask About Your Goals
Some videographers simply deliver a video file and walk away, without helping you maximize your reach through social media, email campaigns or storytelling techniques. A good nonprofit videographer should offer guidance on how to use video for impact and fundraising.
Or … A videographer may fail to format videos for different platforms (e.g., Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, TikTok) or, for dermatologists, miss key trends in aesthetic content. They might not even optimize videos with SEO-friendly titles and descriptions.
That’s not going to work.
Too many videographers, or video marketers, just want your money. They don’t care about your results, and they will never ask whether their work actually helped you.
From the very beginning of a project, your videographer should be asking tons of questions. They should be asking what you want, what you expect and how you define success.
If they don’t, then you are in trouble. We are never out to eat up your funds. Here, actually, is proof.
2. They Are Poor Communicators
You can’t micro manage, and you shouldn’t.
But you do need to know what’s going on. Especially when confusion arises.
Video projects can be confusing, and they may require your videographer to make decisions in the moment. That’s fine, and you should trust them to make the right decisions.
If you don’t have the greatest chemistry with your videographer, they should share with you a strategy, or rough outline, of how they are going to finish key production tasks. Ask them to be specific, and enforce deadlines as needed.
Research shows that 37 percent of business leaders have had to extend project timelines because of miscommunication. That costs you money, and eats up your time.
Don’t fall into this trap. Choose reliable videographers, instead!
3. They Are Just Bad
Let’s be honest: Some videographers are better than others. Their work just pops, and it’s impressive.
You deserve quality, and your audience expects it.
We work with tons of nonprofits, and studies have found that 72 percent of donors are “very likely” to donate after watching a video. Dermatologists can see a similar boost in patients from video. BUT, if your video is bad, that video boost goes out the window.
Dramatically.
Plus, it makes your practice or organization look bad.
If your videographer is not getting better, then you need to make a change. Blurry footage? Bad sound quality? Bad lighting?
Those are bad, very bad.
4. They Are Getting Bad Reviews
Your videographers can be the face of your organization, especially since they are interacting with those you serve.
They have to be nice, friendly and caring people. If they are not, I urge you to make a change soon.
Trust is paramount for nonprofits. Negative reviews can lead to a loss of donor confidence. They can scare potential patients, impacting your practice’s growth and reputation.
Please keep this in mind when you hire a videographer going forward. Also remember, we are here for you, and I’ll give you tons of freebies!