More and more, people are making decisions about who they want to work with without even meeting you – having a spot video on your site or in your signature is the next best thing to sitting down and having a chance to meet you and learn about you and your business. I create spot videos that are like “moving headshots”; I work with you to come up with the right things to say as I help you look and sound your best on camera. That’s how people decide that you’re the one they want to work with!
Amy Porterfield is a social media strategist and co-author of Facebook Marketing All-In-One for Dummies. She helps entrepreneurs across industries establish strategies to maximize the power of social media and increase the success of their online marketing efforts. Here is an excerpt from a recent blog targeting mistakes you can avoid in your next video:
5 Video Marketing Mistakes Most Businesses Make
September 30, 2015 By Amy Porterfield
Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast
I know it’s only October, but I’m already thinking about how to boost my business in 2016. And one of my biggest goals is to do more video.
Video is a complex issue for a lot of entrepreneurs. You know that it could help you make an amazing connection with your audience. But all the tinkering that goes into it–the lighting, the camera setup, the script–is a surefire way to fry your brain.
Now, you actually may be killing it with video right now. Maybe you have a natural eye for what looks good on camera, you’re a master of improvising quick, witty nuggets of wisdom on the fly, and talking into a lens brings out all the warmth and sparkle of your personality (instead of turning you into a cardboard cutout like…um…some people I know).
If that’s you, my hat is off to you. But if not, maybe you’re more like me —you’ve made some videos, it went okay, you know you can do better…but it’s easier to just save it for another day. (Or year.)
My good friend James Wedmore dropped by the other day, and we started chatting about video, and before long I had to ask him if we could turn the conversation into a podcast interview. He has so much great stuff to share about why video is important, and how to make it really practicable for your business.
James says that learning to connect with his audience on video changed his business and his life.
Our interview was OUTSTANDING video tips and tricks. I want you to listen to the whole thing so you don’t miss any of it. I also want you to make sure to access the three-part FREE series he put together just for you on how to make great videos for your business.
Five Video Marketing Mistakes
Shoddy camera work
You don’t have to be Martin Scorsese or anything, but you do have to avoid those black bars on either side of your video—they’re a huge turnoff to your audience. (Easy fix: record video with your camera or phone held lengthwise, not up-and-down.) Other no-no’s include shaky camera action, bad framing, and fuzzy focus.
(If these no-no’s are already breaking you out in hives, relax. All of these are easy, one-step fixes that James spells out.)
Lighting
Newer cameras and phones can correct for this, but it’s worth it for everyone to learn how to set up quality lighting. The bedroom lamp is just not going to cut it. Nothing makes your video (and your brand) look instantly amateurish like bad DIY lighting. James gives the name of his favorite lighting kit that’s cheap and reliable. Click to listen.
Audio
James says stop using your in-camera microphone. Doesn’t matter if you have the fanciest phone or DSLR out there…the onboard microphones will not pick up quality audio and your beautifully shot video will either sound like it’s coming from the bottom of a well OR sound like your grandmother shouting over a long-distance call.
Again, just a little bit of cash outlay will get you a great-quality lapel microphone that connects into your camera or phone. Your audio will get instantly synched, and you’ll be able to talk in your normal tone of voice without worrying that the mic isn’t picking you up.
Don’t Be Boring
A lot of people protest that they can’t do video because they aren’t funny, they aren’t loud, they can’t talk fast, they aren’t an extrovert.
Well, guess what? You don’t have to be any of those things to have an engaging video. As James puts it,
“The opposite of boring doesn’t mean funny.”
What you do have to be, James says, is passionate. And…well, just listen to what else he says. You’ll have no reason to doubt your “interestingness” ever again.
