How to Choose a Video Production Company

According to a 2022 HubSpot survey, 87% of video marketers reported that video gives them a positive return on investment. 86% also said that video has been effective for generating leads.

With stats like that, it’s no wonder that more and more people are looking for high quality video. Whether you’re looking to level up your marketing, recruit more team members or build your brand, partnering with an agency is a reliable way to source great video content.

However, choosing the right video production company can feel daunting at first. There are so many factors to consider that it’s difficult to know where to start.

In this blog post, we’ll walk you through all the steps you need to choose a great video production company. By the end, you’ll be better equipped to make an informed decision, and have answers to all your frequently asked questions.

1. Set goals and work out your requirements

Why do you want a video? What is its purpose?

Before you even think about approaching a video production company, you need to answer these questions. Video marketing works best when you’ve got a clear goal in mind. Otherwise, it won’t create the business impact that you need.

If you know what you want to achieve, then this entire process will become much easier. You’ll be able to match yourself with an agency that understands what you’re aiming towards.

2. Develop a content brief

Once you have a goal, a content brief is a great next step. Essentially, it tells prospective agencies exactly what you want, so they can come back with an appropriate proposal.

If your brief isn’t clear, then they may have to fill in some of the blanks for themselves, which may not align with what you’re looking for.

Here are a few things to include in your content brief:

Goal and purpose
Target audience
Type of video
Key messaging
Examples of similar videos

It’s okay if you don’t know exactly what you want yet. An agency can work with you to develop your idea and create something that will meet your business goals.

3. Set a budget

You need to set a budget, so you know roughly how much you have to spend and what you can get for your money.

Not sure what kind of budget you need? Speak to a few agencies to get a feel for what the market rate is currently. If you come to an agency with a brief and budget, they’ll be able to tell you whether what you want is achievable.

There are lots of costs to consider when putting together a budget. Live action videos, for example, may require you to hire actors. Equally, animation or VR can be time consuming to produce in some circumstances.

Ultimately, you need to see a return on your investment. So make sure you don’t set your budget too high or too low based on the kind of return you want to see.

4. Create a list of video production companies

Don’t just go with the first company you find. It’s important to shop around, get a feel for what each agency offers, and make sure you’re both a good fit. Otherwise, you may not get the working relationship and end product you want.

Here are some methods to compile a list of agencies:

Ask your network: If you already trust people in your business network, then you can hopefully trust their recommendations too. This gives you the chance to ask them lots of questions about their experiences with a particular agency. Plus it can help you find agencies you may not have otherwise.
Use search engines: Search for companies in your local area to narrow down your options. You can use Google Maps, for example, to find agencies close by. Alternatively, you could search for specific video types you want, like ‘VR video production company’ or ‘charity video production company.’ You can also use websites like DesignRush to find suitable agencies for your project, you can see Liquona’s profile here.
Look at other videos: Have you seen a video from a competitor that you like the look of? Or just a video from another brand that aligns with your brief? Take a look and try to work out who made their video. Top tip: search for ‘[brand name] video case study’, and their agency may have written about it on their site, so you can find out who the agency was.
Browse social media: As you scroll through Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, do any branded videos catch your eye? If so, could you work out who made the video, or even direct message them to ask?
Look at relevant awards: There are many video production award ceremonies that take place every year. If you want to work with the best of the best, take a look at the winners and nominees to see who may be worth working with.

5. Prepare questions to ask them

If you want to get an idea of whether the agency will be a good fit, it’s a good idea to ask them lots of questions. Also, it’s an opportunity to learn more about them as a company more generally. What are their values? What do they care about?

If you prepare questions in advance, you’ll feel more confident that you have all the information you need to make a good business decision.

Questions you could ask include:

Do you have any case studies to share? If you have some examples of their videos, then you can assess the quality and whether they meet your standards. You can also ask whether they achieved a good return on their investment.
Do you have any client reviews or testimonials? This will help you to understand what people think of the company and what they’re like to work with. You can ask them this question, but it’s also worth checking third-party sites for more independent reviews.
What does the production process look like? This will give you an idea of how long the video may take to make and all the steps involved.
Who is part of your team? By asking this question, you can understand the experience level of the team. How long have they worked in video production? What projects have they worked on before?
Who will be my point of contact? This is important, as you’ll want to make sure you have a reliable and communicative account manager to speak to whenever you need.
What services do you offer? It might be obvious from their website, but it’s worth asking about the services they offer. For example, you may not realise they do VR or 360 videos, for example.

6. Approach the companies and get a proposal

Now you have your goal, brief, budget and questions to ask, it’s time to approach your list of companies.

You could either give them a call, arrange a video meeting or visit them in person if you’re based locally. Visiting in person can give you a much better feel for the company, their culture and what they may be like to work with.

7. Compare companies

Once you have all the information you need, sit down and compare the agencies to decide which one is the best fit.

8. Make the final decision

Your final decision will likely be based on a number of factors. Sometimes, it can just be a gut feeling. Remember: prioritise what works best for you, your company and the goals you’re trying to achieve.

Now you’ve learned how to choose a good video production company, below are answers to some frequently asked questions you may have.

Frequently asked questions

What makes a good production company?

Professionalism, creativity, expertise and good client management skills are all qualities of a good video production company. Together, these qualities ensure that your video is high quality and meets your brief. Not only that, it’ll mean your video will be made on time and in budget.

What should I ask a video production company?

Do you have any case studies to share?
Do you have any client reviews or testimonials?
What does the production process look like?
Who is part of your team?
Who will be my point of contact?
What services do you offer?

How do I find a video production company?

Use search engines
Ask your network for recommendations
Look at awards winners and nominees
Browse social media
Look at competitors and brands you like

What does a video production company do?

They produce videos for clients. They manage either the entire video production process or part of it to ensure they meet their clients’ briefs. Different agencies will produce different types of videos. For example, some may specialise in animation, whereas others may have more experience in live action.

What is the difference between a studio and production company?

Studios produce videos for the general public, whereas production companies make videos for clients. There is some overlap between them, for example they may produce the same types of videos, but the audience and business model is different.

Liquona Video Production Services

If you’re looking for a video production company, here at Liquona you can choose from a variety of services. For example, if you need a homepage video, TV ad, animation or VR video, we’ve got you covered. We specialise in a number of sectors, such as healthcare and charity video production, but can work on projects across all industries.

We’ve been voted a Televisual Top 40 video production company and our portfolio contains examples from the likes of Comic Relief, British Airways and Rightmove. Not only that, we’ve never gone over budget and we’re committed to corporate social responsibility.