Each week I look at actual video and/or social media used by small businesses. I look at what works and what doesn’t as well as how I could take a different approach. That way, you can avoid similar mistakes and duplicate what works.
This Week’s Business Video
Nick’s Pizza And Pasta - 2300 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626
The Breakdown
What Works
Food! Lots and lots of food! This is a restaurant after all. They do a pretty good job of showing different kinds of food. From the pizza to the pasta, seeing the food prepped in the kitchen and presented finished on the plate got my mouth watering.
The exterior shot of Nick’s gives potential customers a visual cue for finding the restaurant. It’s on a corner, next to Supercuts. Saves time looking for the restaurant next to Walgreens.
The interior shots show Nick’s as a busy, popular place. IF all those people like, maybe I will too. This could lead a customer to Yelp in search of a rating or reviews.
What Doesn’t Work
Cheesy zoom outs, and I don’t mean the pizza. One zoom, maybe, but three in a row to open? Zooming out is meant to reveal something new. So if it doesn’t reveal something new, don’t do it.
Only one shot of the interior, from one angle. While we see the restaurant, we don’t get a feel for the space and it’s ambiance. Same with the one exterior shot the restaurant, too far away. I think they really dropped the ball with showing the actual restaurant.
Lastly, the music is seems incongruent with the message. A bit dark and brooding, which doesn’t help create an inviting atmosphere.
What’s A Different Approach
I like starting with the exterior shot, but one shot isn’t enough context. I would use a number of different angles to create a better context for the restaurant while providing a few more visual cues for customers. A standard “beauty shot” is good for the final shot, but use the opening to create context and provide visual cues.
People like a restaurant for it’s ambiance and atmosphere as well as the food. Is this a family restaurant or a quiet place for lovers to tryst? Thus, I would use numerous shots of the interior, showing what it’s like to sit in the restaurant. I would highlight the booths, the tables, the decorations, the help staff, the bar, and, most importantly, happy, smiling customers.
In the kitchen was a great idea. I’d improve it with more closeup shots of the food prep and use different angles. I’d also use a studio lighting setup for the food tp make look as good as possible. If you’re going to show the food, make it look yummy.
I like the logo and information on top of the interior, so I’d use that too.
Final Word
Keep in mind that video is a language. So keep it simple. Zooms can get distracting and cheesy if you use them too much. You can create interest by using more shots from different angles. This helps create energy and movement in your video.
Remember, these opinions are entirely my own and are just that - opinions. Your turn. What do you think?