With more than 500 million Facebook users online and other social sites attracting new visitors every day, one thing is clear: Social media is here to stay. If you aren’t contributing already, you can be sure many of your competitors are. More than ever, companies are tweeting, posting and blogging about their businesses. The question now is: How can you rise above all the noise? The answer is video.
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, video is worth 10,000. Facebook is the second most trafficked website right now, and its users love watching video. Instead of reading about a product, they can see it in action—instantly personalizing the brand. A video that offers quality content, an interesting viewpoint or something funny can go viral. Because viewers often share tastes with their network, the video is passed from friend to friend, sharing it with contacts and colleagues and—boom—you’ve just sent your message to your target market with little to no cost. Additionally, you can start your own viral campaign by boasting your contribution to the video revolution via blogs, emails and other social outlets.
Successful business owners know their industry intimately. But a video can demonstrate your knowledge to prospective clients in a very intimate way, often duplicating a personal sales call. Video conveys your expertise with greater impact than pictures and words alone.
How do you join in?
There’s an amazing new generation of inexpensive and simple video gear. Handheld cameras like the Flip and Kodak Zi8 (and even phone cameras) make creating and uploading video very simple. Most digital video cameras come with intuitive editing software built right in. All you have to do is plug it into a computer, the software automatically installs and you’re literally ready to edit and upload in minutes.
The five top ways to integrate video include video blogging (vlogs), client testimonials, product and service demonstrations, interviews with industry experts, and personal biographies. When creating them, consider the following tips and tricks.
Use a tripod. This keeps the camera stable and you won’t make your audience nauseous. Always shoot with light coming from behind the camera so your subject is well lit. Take advantage of natural light where possible (usually sun, or near a window if indoors), just be sure to use something to light the subject and/or product well.
Ensure sound quality. Now that you’ve made sure your subject looks great, make certain the sound quality is good. Be careful of ambient noise, try and shoot in a quiet area and invest in an external microphone if possible.
Create an inviting atmosphere. Remember, this is your opportunity to woo potential clients. This is your blind date, so look your best and match your video up with your professional image. The other day, I was debating between two very similar professional services with whom I was unfamiliar. Both had introductory videos, but one offered a two-minute piece that was welcoming, educational and encouraging—it immediately won my business over the other.
I also like to shoot in unique places to engage the audience: outside or in a quiet green backyard, just be aware of the wind factor. Look for an interesting aesthetic, something out of the ordinary that will keep the audience’s attention. Practice speaking out loud and use natural inflection in your voice—no monotone. In other words, speak in your normal, conversational voice and tone and act as if you’re talking to a friend—not to the camera.
Make content valuable. Add value to the conversation by educating your audience. Don’t be afraid to state your opinion. After all, you’re the expert. Saying something controversial or profound can incite the audience and spark a conversation. Starting a discussion is what social media is all about. Again, provide unique content, be original, impactful and remember that just because you shoot it doesn’t mean that you have to use it—experiment!
Keywords
When creating content for Internet videos, the key is to get found by search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. Think of it from the user’s point of view. For example, how many different ways can you search for a local dentist? By doing keyword research, I was able to find 128. Users search the Internet through these engines and search engines rank websites by matching the word or phrase you entered with an exact match in the page on a website, blog, video or directory site. They then list the most relevant pages in descending order, with the top-ranked page typically acquiring about 80 percent of all search results. This is why ranking via keywords is imperative.
Here’s a simple trick that 90 percent of your competitors likely don’t do. You can integrate keywords into your video by using the words your audience is seeking. Since most editing programs save a video file name as a number, rename your video with keyword titles before uploading. For example, if you want to be found as a Rohnert Park dentist, you’d name your video “Rohnert Park Dentist.” Use keyword(s) in the visual title of the video as well and make sure to include them audibly in the description of the video as close to the beginning as possible (Google gives more weight to words at the beginning of the field versus the end). Another little-known fact is that Google owns YouTube, so video provides “Google juice.” Contributing to YouTube helps get you ranked on search engines, which results in more traffic to your website.
Online video is currently the marketing king of the Internet, and its low cost and longevity make it an irresistible option. Once the video is created and uploaded, it will be viewed repeatedly and won’t cost you a penny more.
Ryan Perry has owned and managed highly successful businesses for more than 20 years. His focus and goal now is to help small businesses be successful in their local niche using readily available tools on the Internet that are free and/or inexpensive to implement. You can learn more about his inventive work at www.simplebizsupport.com or by calling (707) 888-8302.
