4 Tips For Creating and Marketing Your Web Series

This article was written by Jeremy Campbell who's Founder and President of the video production freelancing site Spidvid. 

For every well created web series, there are hundreds that are poor and find audiences under 100 viewers per episode. Just remember that when creating a web series, you need to showcase your passion through the lens of the camera, and capture your audience's undivided attention.

Below are 4 tips for creating and marketing your web series:

1. Write Engaging Scripts - Many web series creators spend very little time on their scripts, and it clearly shows. These creators are in such a hurry to start filming their project that they neglect what all remarkable films are built upon, and that's engaging writing and storytelling.

Take your time during this phase of the project by thinking out compelling characters that will resonate with your audience, and scenes filled full of interesting situations. If you want your content to stand out, you need to focus on creating something original but at the same time take a look at some of the top viewed and rated videos on YouTube to get a sense of what works and what doesn`t.

Online audiences expect to watch web series that pushes the envelop more than network TV shows do, so don't be afraid to tap into your inner Seth McFarlane and be radically original. I recommend that you write your scripts using Celtx, as the software is free and provides a simple and elegant solution for all your pre-production needs.

2. Production Value Matters - If you saw this year's breakout film "Super 8" then you likely know that production value is key, as the filmmaking kids in the film were constantly out to get as much as they possibly could for free. You don't have to compete with Steven Spielberg, but you need to get the basics right. Simple key things such as quality sound, lighting, and shot selection.

Make sure that the dialog between characters can be easily heard, which means that you need to invest some money into sound equipment. Every web series creator or people on his or her team should have a decent camera, sound equipment, and lighting at the very least.

Once you have got solid acting talent on your team and a tightly written script, then your execution and production values will next determine the success of your project. Don`t forget that online viewers can watch anything they want, so your productions have to stand out from the 99% of crap out there. It's trial and error, so see what concepts stick with your viewers, and then figure out how you can improve everything by 10x to appeal and reach a wider audience.

3. Understand Your Medium - The ideal length for most online videos is five minutes or less. You need to understand that attention spans are short online, so prepare your script and production accordingly. Within your 5 minutes or less you need a beginning, middle, and end.

You need to hook viewers within the first 5-10 seconds or your series will either be turned off, or will be pushed to the background in favor of a text message or tweet. Also remember that many viewers watch video alone while online, but are inclined to share content if it will raise their social status in a positive way. Don't hesitate to ask viewers to share your series with their friends, family, and followers at the end, just remember to do it in a friendly and appreciative way.

4. Marketing, marketing, marketing - What many creators and producers do when they first release their videos and web series is get Twitter profiles and Facebook pages, and start yelling and screaming at people to pay attention. Doing this is like yelling into a chasm that's filled with the echoes from thousands of people who simply don`t care. Attention is too valuable and coveted now, so you can't expect to earn it by broadcasting content that only matters to you. Marketing is all about getting people to know, like, and trust you and your content.

The most effective way to build a grassroots marketing campaign is giving for getting. It's a slow process but in order to receive attention, at least in the beginning, you must pay attention to what others are doing and engage with their content. If you come across a web series that is in the same niche is yours then comment on their episodes, blog posts, and jump into the conversation with them on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus. Sharing is caring, so if you come across outstanding video entertainment then please give your followers a break from your content and mix in others too.

These are just some basic tips, but ones that should serve as a starting point for getting your projects off the ground, and hopefully into a successful flight path high above the clouds.

Do you have any tips you'd like to share? If so, feel free to add number 5 below with a comment!