7 Tips for Using Video to Market Your Business: Third Path Media
Vlogging is the new blogging. If you aren’t using video on your website to market your product or service, you should strongly consider it. These days, it doesn’t cost much to get started–you just need a $30 mic, a $50 tripod (maybe), and a $200 HD camera. And if you need a TelePrompTer, an iPad and a free app will do it.
However, there are some very important considerations that can make a huge difference in the impact of your video marketing efforts.
Tip #1: Lighting is King
So often, I see videos that are way overexposed or way underexposed. And when the light level happens to be about right, it seems that it’s either one-sided or creating heavy and often awkward shadows.
All of these things are most importantly distracting, but they also result in a perception that you may not want your prospect, lead, or customer to have. If you get your light level and distribution right, it can make your video look incredible and give a professionally produced perception to the viewer. That perception is an extension of you, your brand, and your business.
The easiest way to have great lighting is to use a box light off to one side at an angle, a reflector on the other side, and one or two incandescent spotlights to add some warmth and tonality. You definitely have to experiment to find the right balance and angles, but I’ve found that you can figure it out in an hour or two the first time and then, within minutes, reproduce it each successive time you shoot (assuming you have to take down the lighting each time like me).
Tip #2: Keep Your Eyes on the Camera
Again, distraction is bad and your eyes moving around the room and not staying focused on the lens is very distracting. Remember that the viewer sees it as you looking directly at them–and they expect it.
If you are not looking at them, it can be awkward but can also lead to the viewer losing interest or getting distracted.
Tip #3: Don’t Move Around Too Much
OK, did I say distraction is bad?
Moving around requires the viewer to focus on more than just your message. You want them focused on your message, right?
Tip #4: Offer Good Value
Don’t just post a video about an employee’s birthday. I mean, I am sorry, but no one cares (at least not so much that they want to watch a video about it on your site).
Clearly define the goal and value you plan to deliver in each video. If you post videos that don’t have value, you will lose your audience immediately, AND the vast majority won’t come back next time because they’ll think it will be more of the same.
Every video should provide value to your viewers.
Tip #5: Target the Content and Length to Your Audience
If you are a malpractice lawyer, don’t publish a video about how to be a great snorkeler. Publish a video about common malpractice issues and how to avoid them.
And if your audience is human, keep it short. You know (since you are one) that they don’t have a lot of time. So get to the point, provide the value targeted for your audience and then wrap it up.
Tip #6: Always Include a Call to Action
Even if all you do is say, “sign-up for my newsletter,” you must have a call to action. WHY would you spend the time making the video and then not include at least one hook? If you’ve provided value, the viewer definitely won’t mind.
The best approach, if you can, is to tie it specifically to the content of the video. So if you are a beauty salon and you’re doing a product demonstration, you could offer a simple “mention promo code X” to get a % off on this product next time you come in. Or better yet, “sign up to get a coupon” because then you have the ability to communicate again in the future (and if you are segmenting properly, you can target this person with something else in the line or another deal on a new product, etc.). Lot’s of possibilities with that approach.
Tip #7: Make It Searchable
Be sure to tag it appropriately when uploading to YouTube or Vimeo or whatever service you use. Also, include a text description on the page you publish the video to on your website.
Make it short and descriptive about what the video is about. Both of these tactics will help get it ranked in the search engines. Plus, not everyone has speakers or has them turned on (especially at work) or wants to or has the time to actually watch–giving them a description at least gives you the chance of still getting your message across.