Many people are reluctant to shoot videos for their business, which is a shame, because putting video on your website, blog, social media pages and elsewhere can do so much for your positioning, visibility and credibility online.
A few of the many excuses reasons people cite:
- Video is too complicated – I don’t know how to shoot, light, edit or upload video
- I don’t like the way I look or sound on camera
- I don’t know what to say
- It takes too much time
Here are a few of the many reasons why video has power:
- It’s more personal than print. The written word doesn’t come close to the impact you make talking directly to your audience. People can get a sense of your wit and wisdom and make a connection with you more quickly through video than by "reading your stuff."
- Positions you as an Expert. The way you look at the audience through the camera lens, the words you use, the stories you tell all help build the viewer’s trust in your knowledge and authority.
- Many people are visual learners so give your fans a variety of ways to consume your content – video, written copy and audio, a multimedia approach to reach different people in different ways. (and you can use the same content to create all 3! Shoot the video, transcribe it for a post or article and strip the sound for an audio recording.)
- Want people to linger longer with your content? People generally scan text. Watching video takes more time.
Remember today you have a TV studio in your pocket! You will find talking head videos are some of the easiest to produce.
You simply talk directly into the camera lens on your smart phone, tablet or the web camera on your laptop. Position the camera at eye level or slightly above. Stand in front of a window or if outdoors, with the sun on your face, not behind you.
What to say? Be yourself. Talk to one person. Share a tip or short story about something that will interest and delight them. A minute or so will do. Mix the personal with the professional. No script. No Hollywood production. Speak naturally. Do it all in one take and get it out there.
Today's technology makes it dead simple to do a few fast, easy edits or upload the video “as is” with a few clicks. Post it on social media sites, your blog, YouTube, etc. Promote your videos with links in your email signature, on your webiste, on social media profiles, in your newsletter and elsewhere.
Don't get hung up on the way you look or sound.
Practice, practice, practice and force yourself to watch your videos. Delete and try again until you are okay with your presentation. Don’t aim for perfection.
Commit to posting 2 videos a month and over the course of a year, you’ll have quite a collection. You can do that by blocking out time every few months to bang out a bunch of videos in one sitting or let viewers peek into your life and work by shooting videos on the fly every few weeks.
Imagine the thrill of walking into your next networking event or prospect meeting and hearing someone say:
“I feel like I know you from your videos.”