A good Kickstarter video is the key way that successful creators draw in backers and spread their story. The problem is that sometimes it’s hard to figure out exactly what should be included in your Kickstarter video and how to present it.
In this post, we’re going to show you some of the successful Kickstarter campaigns in August and ask, “What it is that makes them so great?”
One thing to keep in mind is that a strategy that works well for one project may not suit another. A good way to find out what might work for you is to look at other successful campaigns in your niche.
Featured in this list are projects from different categories, including: design, technology, vegan, product design, and accessories.
1. inkbox: The 2 Week Tattoo
Creators: inkbox ink inc.
Amount Funded: $243K+ CAD
Number of Backers: 6.8K+
Video Length: 3:37
This first video for inkbox: The 2 Week Tattoo showed up on my Facebook feed, even before I knew that it was a Kickstarter campaign. The video starts with young adults showing off their temporary tattoos, followed by the co-founders introducing themselves and telling a story about how they’ve always wanted tattoos without the lifetime commitment. Based on their success, they seem to have found a common problem.
They go on to explain (accompanied by rhythmic background music) that they have found a solution! The video shows how the 2 Week Tattoo works, how to use it, and how to get it.
After announcing a stretch goal that will allow customers to design their own unique tattoos, the team thanks viewers, asks them to support the campaign and share it on social media, ending with the logo.
This video is an example of good production and editing. Shorter shots and a focus on important details help keep the audience engaged.
2. Fishbone Charging Station – Tidy Up and Charge Up!
Creators: Trendlift
Amount Funded: $31K+
Number of Backers: 667
Video Length: 3:08
Starting with the logo, the video for Fishbone Charging Station reminds us of common charging problems, only being able to charge one thing at a time and dealing with a tangled mess of wires.
Starting with peppy background music, the video shows the team getting to work on a solution, while a voiceover explains how they got to the prototyping phase of the project. The video highlights how useful and easy to use the product is and how this solution can provide worry-free charging for your home or office. Finally, the team asks for the viewer’s help. The whole thing ends with another shot of the logo and a short blooper.
While this video looks and feels a little more amateur than the first one, it still has a lot of strengths. A lot of backers on Kickstarter like supporting the underdog and are suspicious of creators with large budgets for PR and video production. This campaign featured their team in their video, did a good job explaining and displaying the usefulness of their product, and included some fun and personality to catch potential backers’ attention.
3. Vegan Black Metal Chef: The Seitanic Spellbook
Creators: Brian Manowitz
Amount Funded: $45K+
Number of Backers: 1K+
Video Length: 2:52
In this out of the ordinary Kickstarter video, a black metal rocker needs your help to summon this book into existence! With metal instrumentals in the background, this video assaults the senses and is generally very random and entertaining for a recipe book. There is an explanation of the books features, along with cheesy lines like, “Be rewarded like the Gods” or “I need every last minion!” and ends with a thank you.
When filming your Kickstarter video, don’t be afraid to take risks. Keep in mind some basic production values, but remember to take a chance when it comes to grabbing your audience’s attention. It worked for this campaign – The Seitanic Spellbook has raised over $10K more than its original $35K goal and still has weeks to go!
4. The Sunglasses That Will Change The Business Forever
Creators: Hawkers Co
Amount Funded: €118K+
Number of Backers: 7K+
Video Length: 3:04
This video begins with the team at Hawkers Co introducing themselves, their goal, and then asking for help. There is an element of randomness in this video – like people riding an inflatable swan in a pool – with men and women showing off their sunglasses and shots of the sunglasses on their own.
A cool song is playing as the team shares information about their focus on e-commerce, good prices, and good quality (not to mention the fact that they’ve sold over 1 million pairs). After a long list of benefits, the team thanks backers for their support and ends with a joke about the party being over.
Hawkers Co went with a very high quality, traditional approach to this video. Some people dislike videos for crowdfunding campaigns that look like something you would see on TV. Still, this video features a lot of familiar elements like short shots, sex appeal, and the concept of unique lifestyles to successfully help attract backers to fund their project.
5. The World’s Best TRAVEL JACKET with 15 Features || BAUBAX
Creators: BAUBAX LLC
Amount Funded: $5M+
Number of Backers: $30K+
Video Length: 3:48
BAUBAX’s Kickstarter video starts with upbeat music and features men and women wearing their travel jackets. The bulk of the video focuses on the product with words that highlight different benefits.
This is another video that went with longer shots and a less professional feel, but still gets across the idea that their product provides a simpler, ideal travel experience. The four different styles, quality, and price are highlighted at the end of the video. The team also asks the audience to back now (please) and share.
I chose this video because even though it’s relatively simple and a little less exciting than others in this list, this campaign has still managed to raise millions of dollars! It also addresses the point that even though it is good to be random and exciting sometimes, other times it might be better to focus on highlighting the strength of your product and getting important details across in a simpler way.
Conclusion
These videos have a few things in common, like how they introduce the team, display and describe the product, and ask people to back their project and share it on social media. In this list, the shortest video is 2:52 and the longest is 3:48, which supports advice saying that videos should be kept short and to the point.
From this list, it’s obvious that there are many different ways to create an exciting Kickstarter video – whether you use a more traditional style or go with something new and unexpected. Doing research into similar campaigns beforehand and getting a lot of feedback along the way will help you create a strong video that brings in pledges.
