Thursday 7 April 2011

“Video Killed the Radio Star” and Video Blogging Killed the TV Star

With the availability of the Internet, consumers expect that they will have information about the brands they buy and the people behind them readily available as well. Though blogging is often used by businesses and consumers alike, video blogging can also be an effective way to share information about a business or product. There are not many corporate video bloggers, so video blogging is a great opportunity to get your name (and face) out there.

By using videos, it is easier to create a more personal connection between you (and/or your product or service) and your viewers (and potential customers). When viewers get a glimpse of your personality, mannerisms, etc., they feel that they know you and experience a stronger feeling of trust.  Trust is crucial when consumers are trying to pick a product or service to spend their money on.

According to a comScore Internet survey, YouTube is now the number 2 search engine, and it has been found by a recent Forbes/Google survey that 75+% of C-level executives watch work-related videos on business websites at least once a week.

Not only is video blogging effective, it is also economical. All that is needed is any kind of camera (webcam, video camera, etc) as well as a room with some sort of lighting. Once your video is created, it’s easy to upload your video to a large number of sites, including Vimeo, YouTube and DailyMotion.

Here are some tips before you try your hand at video blogging:
1. Move focus from your product to unique content
Viewers are constantly looking for new and interesting material when viewing videos online. If viewers gain a more positive take away from your material, it’s more likely they’ll remember you and your brand.

2. Choose a video format and stick with it
Make it easier for yourself and your viewers to stick with your video blog – pick one format to use (i.e. quick tips, product reviews, etc) and stick with it. It can be exhausting and complicated to try and maintain different concepts.

3. Show your true personality 
It will be obvious to viewers when you aren’t showing your true self on your video blog. Allow yourself to be authentic and to make small mistakes (viewers can find this endearing!) and anything that sets you apart from other video bloggers will keep viewers coming back for more!

4. Market and promote this video blog (vlog)
Though it is often assumed, it isn’t often the case that because you have posted it online it will be found. Use other media that you’re online with (your website, blog, social networking websites) to promote your video blog and create noticeable and memorable headlines for your videos to grab viewers’ attention.

You may also find this article and video helpful about how to get the most out of Youtube Editor: http://mashable.com/2011/04/03/how-to-youtube-editor/

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