Video Trumps Text Every Time!
It should come as no suprise to anyone that video is extremely popular. Why? Because many people learn by what they see rather than what they hear. Video is usually more entertaining and satisfies both senses. So video is a terrific way for business owners to reach their audience. The best news is that for a very affordable cost, you can start recording and publishing your own video quickly and easily.
As a Social Media Specialist Virtual Assistant, I encourage clients to use video wherever they can to drive home their message to their audience. Granted, video tends to work better in a Business to Consumer B2C0 environment rather than Business to Business (B2B), but it is still an extremely powerful medium. And since YouTube is owned by Google, your SEO (search engine optimization) rankings will be very high since Google heavily indexes its own sites. YouTube is ranked as the #1 video web brand.
Here are my top 5 tips on using YouTube:
1. Get yourself your own ‘channel’.
By creating an account on YouTube you are setting up your own channel and it’s free! This allows all your content to be stored in one place and easily accessible. Make sure you fill out the profile completely which includes adding a picture of yourself. Try and use one that is consistent with your other social media sites. As always the objective here is to develop a relationship with your audience so invite comments!
Helpful tip: When allowing comments on your videos, select the option that allows you to ‘pre-approve’. This will help you manage the comment stream and keep things on a professional level.
2. Style To Suit Your Needs
There are different types of videos that you can post:
- Sitting in front of the camera talking to your audience,
- Demonstration style where you actually show your audience how to do something,
- Educational style using powerpoint slides/screen captures to demonstrate your material
- More enhanced videos with a more professional feel which usually requires more experience and a few more sophisticated tools.
Choose the best type to suit the message and experiment with the different styles. It’s also important to practice, practice, practice in front of the mirror and then with the camera to get comfortable. Get someone to critique it for you so can get some feedback as to how you come across on screen. Pay particular attention to the lighting, your background, your posture, gestures etc. A smile can go a long way.
Helpful tip: Using a product like the Flip Mino makes it pretty easy to start filming and posting quickly. The nice thing about this camera is that it has the usb plug in already on the camera making it super easy to plug into your computer and begin the upload to YouTube! Make sure you use a tripod because even the best hand will shake under pressure! If you want to see someone who’s a whiz with video, check out Lou Bortone.
3. Content
As with the other social media sites, content is king. Make your videos entertaining and provide value. YouTube allows videos up to 10 minutes, but honestly not many people will sit through a 10 minute video unless your content is really compelling. The recommendation is about 3 minutes. Facebook for example has a limit of 2 minutes, so the idea here is short and sweet.
Helpful tip: The other key thing to note is that there are only certain filetypes that these sites will accommodate. Make sure you check YouTube or Facebook first to know which filetypes they will accept and film accordingly. You don’t want to have to start with file conversions. That’s why I am suggesting the Flip Mino. It’s format is acceptable to sites like YouTube.
4. Keywords
Using keywords in YouTube is the same as using keywords on your website or on your blog. Choosing these keywords carefully will increase your chances of getting found on sites like Google and YouTube.
Helpful tip: If you don’t want to allow your video to be embedded on anyone else’s site, make sure you inhibit the embed option when you upload your video to YouTube. However, in the spirit of being open, authentic and the possibility of greater viewership, you may want to allow your video to be used by others. This might even open the door for joint venture partnerships. Just make sure that you brand your video somehow, either by embedding your url directly onto the video, or by wearing your logo’d material in the video – something that protects you and your video.
5. Syndication
Once you have produced your video and posted it on YouTube, don’t forget to link to or embed it into your blog, on your facebook page and even your website. Consider posting it to other video sharing sites like Metacafe or Google video. This further promotes you and your business.
Helpful tip: Last but not least, don’t forget to evaluate your success. YouTube actually will give you stats on your video, how many times it’s been viewed, commented on, and even how many times it’s been embedded on other sites. In this way, you’ll know which have been your most successful videos!
So those are my top 5. If you feel daunted by the idea of using video, there’s help out there for you. Consult your Social Media Specialist Virtual Assistant for help.
I’d love to get your feedback. Use the Reply option below and tell me how you use Video in your business!
As a bonus, I offer comment luv here on my blog…By leaving a comment, you will be able to link back to your own site…great for SEO 
Look forward to hearing from you!
While physically located in Newmarket, Ontario where Joanne lives with her family, as a VA, she is virtually yours anywhere….
