Speaker Types,
If you couldn’t be at our September meeting on the 19th, you missed a good one. Folks who attended learned all about how to use internet video to grow their business, some had HUGE breakthroughs, others lost weight, and Steve Hughes started to re-grow his hair. And that was just during the pre-meeting networking.
Here are my notes and key takeaways from our first meeting of the year.
Harlan told us that Google searches for videos FIRST and now lists up to two videos in its searches before it lists websites. Whoa. In other words, you can be listed on the top spot of your key words if you get the right video out there in internet-ville. (By the way, don’t go looking for internet-ville. It’s not a real place, it’s just a figure of speech.)
For internet video to work, Harlan said you must come across as:
- Genuine
- Honest
- Real
- What this means is that your production values need to be professional, but not too slick.
Why use internet video marketing to promote your business?
- Strategic use of video is a great way to create “fans”
- It’s the second best way to meet you. (Meeting face-to-face is best in case you were wondering.)
- It’s FREE! (Once you create the video and post it, 6.6 billion people can view it.)
What do you need to create dynamite internet videos?
- Start with written material and then convert it to video. (It’s hard to create something out of nothing so get writting!)
- A process you can follow. To save time and maximize your resources.
- Someone to help you (either to shoot videos for you or to show you how to set up your own home studio).
Branding your video. Take active steps to make your videos uniquely yours. Uncopyable. Here are some ways to do just that:
- Your set or background – use your logo or some other unique image to brand it
- Use sound – some people like to use a soft music bed in that background; your call
- Your unique style – we strive to be unique on the platform; do the same on your videos
Lighting suggestions:
- Your goal is to recreate the sun with your lighting
- Make it as natural looking as possible
- Use diffusers (look it up), umbrellas, and lighting angles to look like a star
- No shadows on your background
Harlan recommends that you script out your video, but don’t sound scripted. How do you do this?
- Read it at least 10 times before you begin shooting
- Practice it out loud over and over
- Some people like to use a teleprompter, others prefer to record without. Just find the right system that works for you.
- Free teleprompter – freeteleprompter.com – as the name implies, it’s a FREE teleprompter. How ’bout that?
- Videocue.com – another teleprompter option
- Prompt for Mac – teleprompter software that costs about $30
Some other great sites to check out:
- Viddler.com
- Tubemogul.com
- Vimeo.com
- YouTube.com (duh, but I had to mention it)
- ImageVideos.net (Harlan’s site–check it out, he’s got some great things to offer)
For good royalty free music, try these sites:
- istockaudio.com
- musicbakery.com
That’s all the news that fit to blog.
Don’t miss our next amazing meeting on October 10th. Atlanta’s own Jim Mathis will dazzle you as he shows us how to make money in a down economy.
For more details and how to register, click here: http://www.nsastlouis.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=25
May all your ovations be standing,
Steve Hughes
El Presidente, NSA St. Louis
