by Elaine Slatter | Featured Contributor
Nothing says it better than a picture…..well yes there is something better, the power of video for your business. All the popular social media platforms are emphasizing video content. How can you get started and use video marketing and leverage the power of video? Here are some tips to help you.
Get Started By Using The Video App On Your Smartphone Camera
This is the easiest way to get off the ground. People like authenticity and nothing beats being you, talking about things that you are passionate about. Keep the videos short and sweet, one message per video and around 1-2 minutes are ideal. These types of videos are great for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you are not sure how to take good videos with your smartphone, check you this YouTube how to video.
Other things to consider are, a smartphone tripod or selfie stick, lighting options, either natural light or professional lighting kits, remote button and a lapel mic. All these items can be purchased at a reasonable price from Amazon.
Professional Video Shoots Have Their Purpose
If you are launching a book or a prestigious event, or a product, then consider a professional video shoot. Video shoots should tell a story. Add an emotional element that appeals to your target audience and it will pull them in and prompt your followers to share your video.
Start A YouTube Channel
YouTube is the #1 place people go to learn “how to” _____________ . Yes, fill in the blank here. It could be how to apply makeup, how to cook different foods, exercises to eliminate “muffin top”, how to use Canva etc. Once you have created your channel, you can work on building an audience and over time, monetizing your YouTube channel. Currently, channels will require 4,000 hours of watch time within a 12 month period and at least 1,000 subscribers before you can get ad revenue.
Even if you aren’t interested in monetizing your YouTube channel, you can direct your audience to subscribe to your feed for all the new and interesting things you are creating to support your audience. Subscribers will be automatically updated on new videos you have launched. To encourage subscribers to your channel you can use Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to talk about your channel. You can even have a ‘giveaway’ incentive for YouTube channel subscribers to help build your channel.
When posting your video don’t forget to categorize it, tag it and put any links to websites (including your own) in the description.
Show Up Live On Facebook And Instagram
Facebook groups and Instagram TV are great venues for live video. It’s always a great idea to invite people ahead of time to watch your “lives”. If you schedule them on the same day and time each week, you are more likely to get your tribe to tune in to hear what you are going to say.
Conduct Video Interviews With Interesting Guests
Using the Zoom technology (free for one on one recordings) you can split the screen, invite a guest and record the session for posting on any of your social media channels
Post video on the home page of your website
Nothing helps visitors to your website understand your business than the power of video. To produce a video about how your company serves its clients you can record a video on Lumen 5 free of charge or use software such as Powtoon to make an animated video.
Post Testimonials On Your Website
The best videos to post on your homepage are short and snappy testimonial videos. Instant referrals from people who love your work. Yes, you can film them with your smartphone. They can be filmed at your location, your client’s location or just about anywhere without a distracting background.
How to Make Your Videos More Professional?
Make sure you edit them and add some snap with a bit of music and branding intros and outros. If you are a little tech savvy then you can do it yourself using these tools:
Editing on iPhone or iPad: iMovie, Voice recording on iPhone or iPad: Voice Memos, Editing on Android: 10 best free apps. Voice recording on Android: Voice Recorder.
If you don’t feel confident and have a small budget, Fiverr is a great platform to find a video editor/producer. Look for a 5* review with around 100+ reviews and you will have a few choices to pick from.
Have you tried the power of video for your business? What channels are the best for you for audience engagement?
Elaine Slatter is a Small Business Expert, founder of XL Consulting Group and author of the popular book, “Fabulous Fempreneurship”, a complete business guide for women. XL Consulting Group helps entrepreneurs with market planning, strategy, branding, web design and social media. She has over 30 years of executive business and marketing experience and is ready to help you rocket your business to success. Elaine is passionate about mentoring women to become successful women entrepreneurs. To find out more, visit XL Consulting Group or join the Fabulous Fempreneurship mastermind.