earch to really <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/tutorials\/how-to-understand-your-audience-and-create-videos-they-want-to-watch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">understand your audience<\/a>. Read the comments. Read the feedback. Read the threads on Reddit where your brand is being mentioned, both positively and especially negatively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s how you\u2019ll learn to understand your audience, their perspective, and what they really care about. \u201c[Your brand] is how people perceive it, not how you think of yourself,\u201d says Rossi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-everyone-can-teach-you-something\">2. Everyone can teach you something<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key point: <\/strong>Non-creatives can often provide the most insightful feedback &#8211; don\u2019t discount someone\u2019s opinion just because they\u2019re in a different department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No matter how many years you\u2019ve been a professional in a field, there\u2019s always more to learn. And the people you can learn from can sometimes be the ones you least expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think you have something that you can learn from each and every person on your team,\u201d says Rossi. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t discount the people you wouldn\u2019t consider specialized in your field.\u201d Just because someone\u2019s never edited a video in their life doesn\u2019t mean that they haven\u2019t watched a million videos online and seen ads. They just have lived experience on the other end of the spectrum, which shouldn\u2019t be discounted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But a big part of being able to learn from non-creatives is knowing what questions to ask when you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/blog\/how-to-get-effective-video-feedback-review\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">looking for feedback.<\/a> \u201cThe way to ask for feedback is \u2018How does this make you feel?\u2019 or \u2018What\u2019s the message that you take away from this,\u2019\u201d Rossi explains. Asking questions about the bigger picture or the main thing you want your audience to get from your video can provide really valuable insights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you\u2019re bringing in teammates for feedback like that, it\u2019s important to bring them in early. Because if a message isn\u2019t clear or they\u2019re coming away with the wrong impression, that\u2019s something you want to fix before putting hours of production work in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-don-t-lose-your-joy\">3. Don\u2019t lose your joy<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key point: <\/strong>Burning out as a creative professional is a real risk. Joy is your long-term fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you only take one lesson away from this article, this should be it. Because while the other lessons here matter, this is essential to creating successful video and seeing success in your career.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even if you absolutely love video and consider your work your dream career, you can still get burnt out. And once that happens, all the parts you used to love about creating video can quickly become a struggle and that will show. \u201cIf you don\u2019t breathe your enjoyment, your joy, your creativity into your video work, your audience will be able to tell,\u201d says Rossi.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you do find yourself in that situation, beyond taking some time off to recover and recharge, here are some more ideas for finding your joy again:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lean into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/blog\/expert-tips-for-testing-and-iterating-on-your-videos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">experimentation<\/a>. What small moments or changes can you make to switch things up a little?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ask yourself how you can make a process more fun. If you\u2019re brainstorming ideas, try changing up your environment or doing a more collaborative approach.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCreative work is hard. You\u2019re creating something out of nothing,\u201d Miller explains. \u201cSo finding a little bit of spontaneity, not having to make everything perfectly optimized, and switching things up is a good way to explore a different approach.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-production-principles\">Production principles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-done-is-better-than-perfect\">4. Done is better than perfect<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key point: <\/strong>Perfection will only stall progress, but momentum drives results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As creatives, it\u2019s rare to be 100% satisfied with something we\u2019ve worked on. Many of us are perfectionists, but in most cases it hurts us more than it helps. \u201cAnother way to say this is \u2018perfect is the enemy of progress.\u2019 If you\u2019re focusing too much on every little detail, you\u2019ll get in your own way,\u201d Rossi points out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the fast-paced world of video, learning to know when to leave well enough alone is an essential skill. Because the results of 5 \u201cjust okay\u201d videos will give you way more helpful information than one \u201cperfect\u201d video. And even then, that video you spent forever perfecting may not even end up performing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both recall how there&#8217;ve been many times where they\u2019ve spent a lot of time on a piece of creative to perfect it, only to launch it and see it get zero traction. So even though they spent a ton of time on it, no one ever sees it in the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Miller puts it, \u201cYou\u2019re going to get a better understanding of the creative by getting it out into the world\u2026 rather than making a lot of assumptions and overthinking your own decisions.\u201d You\u2019ll have plenty of time to make changes and tweak things later. Just focus on getting something published first, then you can focus on what\u2019s working and what can be improved for the next round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-quality-is-king-but\">5. Quality is king\u2026 <em>but<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key point: <\/strong>What\u2019s considered \u201chigh quality\u201d changes depending on the platform and purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">8 years ago, \u201cquality is king\u201d meant the quality of your production value. How much effort are you putting into setting up a shot? How realistic and impressive are the visual effects? While this can be important in some videos, it\u2019s not true across the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, quality is king means the quality of your content overall &#8211; it\u2019s not just about production value. \u201cYou can create a really brilliant idea\u2026and it can be shot on an iPhone,\u201d explains Rossi. Not having <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/blog\/hd-vs-4k-video-which-one-is-right-for-my-project\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4K quality video<\/a> isn\u2019t a death sentence for views. Video has been democratized, and a great video is judged on way more than how crisp and clear the visuals (and even audio) are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, focus on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/blog\/narrative-techniques-storytelling-in-video\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">storytelling techniques<\/a>, creating a solid narrative, knowing your audience, and understanding the platform your video is going on. Because what works well for a TikTok isn\u2019t necessarily the same thing that will work for a Meta ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-faces-win\">6. Faces win<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key point: <\/strong>Human faces draw people in &#8211; it\u2019s biology, not just branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With our video marketing, we\u2019ve found that faces are really valuable. \u201cIf we change nothing about [an ad] except for the intro shot, the one with the face typically performs better,\u201d says Rossi. It\u2019s not just us, either &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adwerx.com\/blog\/ad-science-ads-with-faces-eleven-times-more-likely-to-get-noticed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a study showed<\/a> that almost 92% of ads that featured a person\u2019s face got more attention than ads without faces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But it makes sense for Storyblocks &#8211; our library is full of stock media that help people tell stories. And ultimately, those stories are all created by humans, for other humans. We\u2019re all trying to connect with one another, which is probably why the number one category for downloads on Storyblocks is also people footage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"sb-cta sb-cta--theme-yellow-400 sb-cta--alignment-horizontal-left sb-cta--alignment-vertical-center sb-cta--additional-content-position-right wp-block-storyblocks-wp-blocks-call-to-action\" data-cta=\"\" data-cta-theme=\"yellow-400\" data-cta-heading=\"Explore our library of authentic, royalty free stock footage\" data-cta-content-id=\"\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"sb-cta__copy\">\n\n\t<p class=\"sb-cta__heading\">\n\t\t<a class=\"sb-cta__heading__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/video\/search\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\n\t\tExplore our library of authentic, royalty free stock footage\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n\n\t<p class=\"sb-cta__body\">\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"sb-cta__button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/video\/search\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-cta__button>\n\t\tBrowse Footage\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"sb-cta__additional-content\">\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"574\" src=\"https:\/\/sb-wp-assets.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/27101125\/Library-Card-Thumbnail_Video-1024x574.png\" alt=\"Video\" class=\"wp-image-30689\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sb-wp-assets.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/27101125\/Library-Card-Thumbnail_Video-1024x574.png 1024w, https:\/\/sb-wp-assets.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/27101125\/Library-Card-Thumbnail_Video-500x280.png 500w, https:\/\/sb-wp-assets.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/27101125\/Library-Card-Thumbnail_Video-768x431.png 768w, https:\/\/sb-wp-assets.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/27101125\/Library-Card-Thumbnail_Video.png 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether they\u2019re being used for ads, storytelling, e-learning, or social media, faces help convey emotion that can really help drive a message or feeling home. \u201cI think there\u2019s a very human element of wanting to hear other people\u2019s stories. People are drawn to other people,\u201d Miller explains. \u201cCentering your story around a specific person, maybe someone who\u2019s used your product, might just be more impactful than just listing off the value propositions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-creative-integrity\">Creative integrity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-borrow-don-t-copy\">7. Borrow, don\u2019t copy<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key point: <\/strong>Inspiration is everywhere &#8211; but just copying something without purpose will fall flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Being inspired by other people\u2019s work is only human. But when it comes to marketing, straight-up copying another brand or someone else\u2019s work is almost always a bad idea. That\u2019s because \u201c[Your work] needs to be authentic to you, and it needs to mean something to your audience,\u201d says Rossi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brands all have different audiences, different voices, and different perceptions. That\u2019s by design &#8211; otherwise they would have a really hard time differentiating themselves from their competitors. As Miller puts it, \u201cSomething may not work for your brand because there could be additional context that\u2019s understood in the back of someone\u2019s head.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So instead of copying and pasting a concept, ask yourself what about it works for that brand, and how can you adapt it for yours? Maybe it\u2019s the fun and un-serious language it uses that you think your audience would enjoy, or the cinematic videography that aligns with your brand\u2019s aspirational visual design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/blog\/mastering-authenticity-and-diversity-in-marketing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">authenticity of your brand<\/a> is its advantage. So with any idea, you need to put that at the center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-8-the-only-constant-is-change\">8. The only constant is change<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key point: <\/strong>Platform trends, audience tastes, and even internal teams evolve constantly &#8211; so make sure you\u2019re keeping up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With marketing, keeping up with the latest information, news, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/guides\/video-trends-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">trends<\/a> is a must. Because even if you\u2019ve been selling the same product for over 50 years, the world, technology, cultural landscape, people, and more have all been evolving.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So the same message or same tactics from 50 years ago won\u2019t work today. Because today, \u201cPeople\u2019s attention has never been pulled in more directions\u2013your strategy should be ready to shift,\u201d says Rossi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s why embracing change is such an important lesson. It means your team needs to stay adaptable. And a big part of that is building systems that allow for flexibility, whether that\u2019s leaving room in your creative process for testing, taking big risks, and allowing failure to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As scary as failure might sound, it\u2019s also where you can learn the most important lessons. Understanding why something didn\u2019t work is equally as important as understanding why a successful video <em>did<\/em> work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-keep-learning-and-keep-creating\">Keep learning, and keep creating<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you&#8217;re new to video marketing or a seasoned pro, there&#8217;s always more to learn. It&#8217;s safe to say in the last few years, it&#8217;s felt like being on a high-speed train, with all of the developments in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/blog\/generative-ai-video-today\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">generative video<\/a> and fast-moving social media trends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But no matter how fast trends move, Storyblocks is here to help you keep up and help you create better video, faster than ever. With a growing library of over 5 million high-quality stock media assets, time-saving tools, and a wide network of talented artists, we have everything you need to level up your video production and keep up with the competition. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/pricing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Explore our plan options and sign up today<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From creative blocks to burnout, changing platforms, and more, learn what Kaitlyn Rossi, our Creative Director, and Kyle Miller, our Manager of Video Production, have taken away from it all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":31149,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"topic":[16,15],"class_list":["post-31148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","topic-video-production","topic-video-marketing"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31148"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31148\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.storyblocks.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=31148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}