Do you want to create a product video or do you already have a product video? How do you know if your video will be effective? Here are some questions that you can use as a checklist to evaluate your product videos or help you improve your script before creating product videos. Watch your script or video and answer these questions. Imagine that you don’t know anything about the product and have never seen the video (or read the script). You should step back and judge the video without being emotionally attached to the product or video (and this is not easy!). Answering the questions will help you identify the areas in your script or video that are weak (or you didn’t), and help you address all the key issues. By the way, the same applies to videos explaining a service, but for the sake of simplicity, we will focus on product videos.

A. Product introduction

1. Is it clear from the introduction what the product is? y / n

2. Is the value proposition stated in the introduction and is it clear what the product does? y / n

3. If relevant, are you addressing the target audience in the introduction (who can use this product, skill level required, etc.)? y / n

4. Is the product introduction effective? Give yourself a score: 1 – 10

If you answered no to any of the questions, go back and edit the script or video. If it is too late to change the video, make a note to address this issue in the next video you produce.

B. Basic characteristics and differentiating characteristics

1. Does the video review the features / parts / functions of the product after the initial introduction? y / n

If not, skip to part C, but be sure to go back and address all the issues in section B when you improve your script or video.

2. Does the video review the parts of the product? Will the viewer know what comes in the box? y / n

3. Are different functions of the product or different options such as size, colors, etc. shown to the display? y / n

4. Does the video provide enough information to compare this product with similar products based on its characteristics? y / n

5. Is the video effective in developing the value proposition and discussing the characteristics of the product? Give yourself a score: 1-10

C. Use of the product. Demonstration

1. Does the video explain how the product works from the user’s perspective? y / n

2. Are the viewer shown specific steps they can take to start using the product? y / n

3. Do you think the viewer will clearly understand how the product should work? y / n

4. Are the demonstration and explanations effective in assuring viewers that they can use this product and that they are comfortable knowing what to expect? Give yourself a score: 1-10

Finally, once you’ve addressed all the key issues, you can move on to evaluating the video in its entirety.

D. Production quality, general impressions

1. How would you rate the overall production quality of the video, its style, level of professionalism, creativity? Give yourself a score from 1 to 10

2. Your overall rating considering the structural aspect of the video: How well was the video structured and organized, was there a logical progression, were there different parts that communicated different ideas, or did the video jump from one idea to the next at random? If you were tasked with dividing this video into separate chapters for easier navigation, would that be easy to do? Give yourself a score from 1 to 10

3. How would you rate the overall effectiveness of the video in promoting the product? Give yourself a score from 1 to 10

4. What were the strengths of the video?

5. What were the weaknesses?

Now that you have honestly answered all the questions, try writing some recommendations. You can use them when creating future videos or enhancing existing ones.