Converting articles into videos isn't as simple as copy-pasting your article into a video maker and downloading the end result.
(Although many blog posts you've probably already seen claim that to be the case 🙄).
The reality is, there are a few steps you should complete before copy-pasting text into a video converter to achieve results that are actually worth watching until the very last second.
And this is exactly what we're discussing in this blog post.
Continue reading to learn more about:
- why you should convert articles into videos
- the 6-step article to video conversion framework
- how to create videos better and faster using AI
If you'd rather learn by watching, we have a video tutorial for you where we transform a Figma article into video.
But before we begin, let's discuss one thing...
Why should you even convert articles into videos?
Video is king in 2022.
It's something we'll never get tired of saying - text just isn't as engaging as videos.
And that's not just our opinion, it's supported by studies: 60% of people would watch a video before reading text if both are available.
Apart from engagement, there are more reasons why you should convert your article to video.
Reason #1: Reach a wider audience
In 2022, online video drives up to 82% of all consumer internet traffic. 🤯
Video is a fool-proof way to drive more traffic to your website and to the articles you've published.
But, there are so many more options to distribute videos than just your website:
- YouTube channel
- TikTok
... and more.
How exactly does publishing video on social media help with distribution? Well, videos get 1200% more shares than text and images combined.
So if video drives the most internet traffic in the world, and gets shared more often than text and images combined, converting text to video is a win, don't you think?
Reason #2: Boost your video marketing efforts
Have you published a new article and want to drive traffic to it?
Summarizing the article in a video format, and sharing it on social media or YouTube is a much more attention-grabbing way of sharing than simply posting a link to the article.
The majority of marketers would agree:
- 87% of marketers say video has helped them drive traffic
- 81% of marketers say video directly contributed to increased sales
- 87% of marketers reported good ROI with videos
Besides, what's a better way to boost SEO than by embedding a video on your blog post/landing page?
To demonstrate, we’ve transformed LinkedIn’s October 2022 Workplace Learning Report into video:
As we're writing this, we're realizing we should probably follow our own advice and make an article video. 🙈
If only there was a step-by-step framework to help out with that...
How to turn articles to videos using a simple 6-step framework
We designed this text-to-video framework to break down the process into an understandable, manageable, and approachable task.
For demonstration purposes, we will be using a video maker called Synthesia STUDIO. However, this framework applies to any article to video software you choose to use.
Step #1: Identify the purpose
Brainwork time! 🧠
Before you get into filming and video editing, think about the purpose of your video.
Why do you think video is the perfect format for this? Who is the target audience? Where will they see it?
Answers to these questions will help you determine the format of the video and how and where you want to present your content.
With articles, your goal is likely to summarize them and entice users to read the article in full after watching the video.
With this goal in mind, let's move on to the second step and make an article video.
Step #2: Scan the article and determine the structure
Next, let's think about the structure of the article and the subsequent structure of the video.
When scanning your article, skip through any extraneous information and focus on the following parts: title, introduction, important information, and outro.
Based on that, here's a structure we recommend for when you're converting article to video:
- title
- introduction (incl. purpose)
- table of contents
- max. 3 key points
- call-to-action and outro
Now that you've highlighted all the important parts of the article, let's move on to creating video scripts.
Step #3: Chunk and shave important information
You've found your introduction, the most important paragraphs and your conclusion, but you can't simply copy/paste entire paragraphs in full - that will make the video incredibly long and pretty boring to watch.
To make engaging videos, we recommend making a video script and including 3 main points at most.
For each point, reduce the information to chunks of 4-5 crisp sentences to keep the video short.
If you have more information, that's great! Use a CTA (call-to-action) at the end of the video to get users to read the full article or watch another video on the topic.
Step #4: Match text and video layouts
Okay. You have your text, and now you need to transform that text into engaging, yet structured video content.
This is where you take the chunks of information from the previous step and assign different video layouts to each chunk.
If you're not a professional video editor/maker, it can be hard to come up with a different video layout for each section.
That's where video templates come in handy.
You can find a template that fits the topic of your video and use that as a baseline for your content.
For example, Synthesia has over 55 templates designed for topics like case studies, technical term explainers, compliance training, and more.
To start with a template in Synthesia, go to your dashboard, click on 'Templates' on the left-hand side, choose one and select 'Create video'.
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Step #5: Copy, paste, adjust
This step is fairly straightforward: copy your video script, simply paste it into your article to video converter slide by slide and adjust.
If you're using Synthesia, the text you paste will automatically be converted to a voiceover in any of the supported 60+ languages.
You can paste your script into Synthesia in just a few clicks. Type or paste it into the script box, and choose the language, accent, and tone you want to use.
That's it! Your video now has a voiceover.
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Step #6: Visualize and style
Now that the laborious part is over, it's time to have fun and unleash our creativity!
We need to make sure that the content of the video voice over matches with the content on screen, and there are 4 main ways of doing that.
Option 1: Screen recording
You can use screen recordings to demonstrate concrete solutions to a problem.
They are especially useful if you are transforming knowledge base articles to videos.
To create a screen recording without leaving Synthesia's video canvas, click on 'Record' on top of the video canvas. Choose the screen, window, or tab you want to record.
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Option 2: Talking head
Nothing beats seeing a person talk on camera.
Known as a talking head, it is one of the most relatable and engaging video types out there, but it can be hard to make.
Not everybody has the equipment or the confidence (guilty as charged 🙋🏻♀️) to film themselves talking but worry not - AI video presenters are here for the rescue.
There are many tools out there that offer AI video presenters, but the most popular one is Synthesia STUDIO.
Synthesia offers more than 60 AI avatars based on real people, that will act as presenters and narrate your videos from the text you type.
To add an avatar in Synthesia STUDIO, click on 'Avatar' on top of the video canvas and choose one that fits your video.
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Option 3: Stock footage
Possibly the easiest way to visualize information is by using video and images. They are especially handy when you are explaining something more abstract or using a metaphor to explain a concept.
If you have branded content that fits the topic of the video, use it!
Otherwise, stock video clips and images are extremely useful if you don't have your own content.
To add and upload images and videos in Synthesia, you can go to 'Media' and browse the selection or upload your own photo or video file.
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Option 4: Text overlays
Possibly the simplest way to visualize text is with... text.
Show the most important points on screen to promote better information absorption.
Write bullet points on screen and use bold text elements to make your text stand out visually.
For inspiration, watch our lesson on creating better bullet points. 👇
Option 5: Colors, shapes and more
Graphics, including animation, photos, shapes, and colors can make the world of a difference. 🎨
You can transform 'meh' videos into professional videos by simply including your business' logo and switching to your brand colors.
The types of animations you choose will also impact the overall mood and feel of the video - you can make it more dynamic and bold, or more subtle and understated.
To play around with colors and shapes in STUDIO, select the element you want to change, and play around with the settings on the right.
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Bonus option 6: Background music
Yes, we know, music isn't exactly visual, but it can add an additional layer of engagement to your video.
So, add some light background music that doesn't distract from the video by going to the 'Music' tab in STUDIO.
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Here's what to do next
To create professional videos from articles, googling "article-video robot" and clicking on the first video converter will do the job, but won't give you the best results.
By putting a little more effort into structuring and chunking the information beforehand, you can create videos that are genuinely enjoyable to watch and bring in more traffic to your blog posts.
Excited to put all that new knowledge into practice? Try a free demo of Synthesia to create an article video today.
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