Video production and marketing
Three steps to add the power of video to your website
1. Record your video
2.Upload it to YouTube
3. Link or embed your video stream
What should your first video message be?
If a visitor were to pass your showroom, you would take the opportunity to show them around. Do the same on your website or blog. When a visitor arrives, welcome them to your site with your instructional video. In essence, you want to show them your “virtual Internet showroom.”
Tell them how it is different and the benefits that you or your products offer. If your site has links, tell your visitor what information they will find if they follow those links.
I offer lessons and instructions online. I play the piano and offer certain musical resources to take your piano playing to the next level.
Step 1: Record your video
Set up your camera and stand about two to three feet in front of it and start talking. At first, I used a digital camera and put it on a tripod. Then I put the camera on video and I sat down and started talking.
Don’t worry about what you will say, just start talking and recording. If this was your first time visiting your website, what would you be looking for and what would you like to know?
Don’t worry about writing what you are going to say. Just speak your mind and don’t be afraid to record multiple takes. The delete button is powerful and allows you to retake the photo many times.
Then look at them and choose the best one. The exercise of being on camera and just talking will help you hone what you say. It will also help you overcome your fear of being in front of the camera. Recording multiple takes will help you look, sound, and feel natural. And that’s important! Remember to smile and be yourself.
One of the greatest powers of using video in your marketing is that it gives your current and potential customers the opportunity to meet you face to face. Once you’re happy with the shot, put it up on YouTube.
Step 2: Upload to YouTube
If you don’t have an account yet, go to www.youtube.com and sign up for a free account. Once you’ve got it set up, which will take a few minutes, connect your video camera to your computer and upload your video to YouTube. Most camcorders come with software that may require you to transfer the video to your computer before you can move it to YouTube.
Often the hardest part of the entire process is getting the video out of the camera. If you’re having trouble, you may want to consider investing in a video camera that’s specifically made for putting videos on your computer or uploading them to the Internet.
Step 3: Link or embed your video for streaming.
Once you have your video on YouTube, you will find two different sets of internet encoding to the right of your video. The URL code allows you to link people to your YouTube video, and the embed code allows you to place that video directly on your website.
I recommend that you put your videos on your website. Keep your visitors on your site instead of sending them to another site. If you maintain your own website, simply copy and paste this code into your web page. If you have someone to maintain it for you, send them the code. It can save you hundreds of dollars by getting videos on your website. The key is to just do it.
As a music teacher, I enjoy recording students playing their favorite songs and then sharing the link with family and friends. I have also enjoyed making a video of images of pirates and children’s books with background music on one of my blogs.
Once you’ve put a welcome video on your website, there’s a lot more you can do. The most important thing is to put the URL of your website or blog in the description box. That way, you’ll drive more traffic to your site and increase effective newsletter signups.
In fact, there is power in adding video to your website.
