We have filmed a lot of business owners in the past twelve years, and the one thing that everyone has in common is nerves. Whether it’s someone who’s used to only working behind the scenes or a public speaking veteran, no one is immune once the red recording light is on.

This can result in many confidence killers- stuttering, speaking at a weird pace, ums, and a flat personality. These are rough enough when you’re trying to film a great video for your business, but with the rise of video calls and live streams, all eyes are on you. Don’t worry; all is not lost. Here are some excellent tips to help you radiate confidence the next time the cameras start rolling.

Rewind and Recenter

I know when I start feeling anxious, my strategy is to barrel through whatever situation I’m in like an express train. As a result, I speak way too fast and sometimes skip over things I mean to say altogether. So, before you start (or if you find yourself flustered in the middle of filming), take a breather. Try taking a deep breath and exhaling for twice the time that you inhale (for example, breathing in for 5 seconds and out for 10).

Let your heart rate slow down, so you aren’t so tightly wound. Reflect on why you’re filming in the first place- maybe you don’t know the first thing about being on camera, but you’re probably an expert when it comes to your business. Focus on what you know, and that expertise will shine right through.

Chat with someone about interesting work stories or industry facts that spark your passion in conversational tones. That will translate well when you transition into filming. Also, watch how much caffeine you drink beforehand!

Limber Up

Video may be a digital platform, but it’s a great idea to get physical when you film. Standing or sitting ramrod straight with no expressions or gesturing will send your audience to sleep.

Pay attention to speakers that keep you engaged or even with how you and your friends and family move as you talk to each other. It’s only natural to use hand gestures and other movements when you speak, so don’t let yourself get locked up when you film. As long as you stay within frame, feel free to move and get active with your content. It may even help to stretch a little before you start, and throughout filming breaks if you are filming for an extended time.

Forget About Perfection

First of all, it’s not real. Secondly, no one will care if you stumble over a word or take a quick second to breathe. But if you spend all day doing retakes because of little mistakes, they will be able to pick up on your frustration.

Once you focus on perfection, you stop focusing on the actual content of what you’re saying. Your end goal is not the perfect video. It’s to inform, sell, or entertain. When we focus on perfection and can’t get it, what ends up happening is that we quit or we settle for “good enough .” You can have an excellent, engaging video, don’t keep that from happening. Besides, your audience will know you’re just as human as they are.

Make Those Mistakes- Then Learn from Them

I have a personal trainer that I send videos to in order to get feedback on my form.  One of his biggest recommendations is that I also watch those videos so I can see the errors he points out and watch my progress. Do I? Absolutely…not. Watching myself lift is the absolute last thing I want to do right after getting a root canal without anesthesia. But he’s right, I should. Which means you should do as he says and not as I do.

Reviewing even your practice runs with a gentle, critical eye can help you understand how you come across on camera in ways that third-party feedback can’t. Be sure to focus on things you’re doing well, too. Maybe you had difficulty making eye contact with the camera but never forgot what you were saying. Maybe you realize your posture or positioning just doesn’t work well with a particular shot. Perfection is not the goal, but improvement should be.

Once More with Feeling

Practice. Then practice again. Then do it some more. Practice what you’re going to say, write a script or bullet points. Practice just standing in front of a camera. Practice charismatic, well-timed hand gestures to drive your point home. Practice eye contact. Again, not for perfection’s sake. You’re practicing for comfort and confidence. Like most things, it will get easier. Be gentle with yourself and committed to knocking it out of the park.

Ready for the spotlight, but wondering what your next steps are? We do both video production and video marketing. So, schedule a free strategy call with us today!

The post How to Feel More Confident on Camera – Or at Least Look Like You Are appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

What is it, The Benefits, and More

In the wake of the digital age, more and more of our reality is being translated to digital formats. From the way we shop to the way we communicate and build relationships, the digital world is where the future is going.

While social media has paved the way for content creation and that value that it so obviously provides, new waves of media are being introduced on a consistent basis. One of those new waves of media. Interactive video…

Throughout this article, we’ll be discussing what interactive video is, how it can be beneficial for businesses, and what platforms can be used in order to produce such content.

Interactive media is the future, or at least, a part of it. If you don’t jump on it soon, you’ll quickly fall behind the curve, unable to adapt with the times. As a business, especially online, it’s imperative that you become acutely aware of the ongoing developments in the digital marketing space.

Interactive video just so happens to be one of those developments…

What is Interactive Video?

Otherwise referred to as ‘IV’ in the digital workspace, interactive video is simply a type of digital video formatted in such a way that allows consumers of the video to interact and take action during viewing.

Depending on the type of interactive video being presented, users have the ability to click, drag & drop, hover over, converse, and customize variants of the video in order to illicit a desired action. This is, in short, what it means to interact with an interactive video. 

The primary purpose of an IV? You guessed it! Engagement.

While we’ll delve into the benefits of why a business would use interactive video as a means of marketing shortly, simply put, an IV produces more engagement than a standard linear video.

For those with a keen understanding of digital marketing, you know that engagement increases conversion rates, and conversion rates ultimately boost the bottom line of your business.

Interactive videos, however, are fluid, with several unique types…

Types of Interactive Videos

As mentioned, while there’s a skeleton definition of what an interactive video is, there are several types of IV’s, each offering their own unique methods and tools of interaction.

Below are the four (4) most common types of interactive videos:

• Conversational
• Clickable (a.k.a. HotSpots)
• Exploratory (a.k.a. 360 Degrees)
• Customizable (a.k.a. Branched Stories)

Depending on the desired action of a business or the preference of a consumer, a given type of interactive video may be more suitable than another. Nevertheless, all types provide similar functionality and intent, each effective in their own way.

The Benefits of Using Interactive Video

Like any effective marketing tactic, implementing interactive video as part of your content marketing strategy can be an extremely advantageous approach to boosting engagement, conversion rates, and retention rates, among the KPIs.

Moreover, because today’s digital world largely focuses on visual media, there’s no better way to create visually appealing content that provides value to the consumer than interactive video.

Lastly, because of the rapid progression of tech in recent years, consumers are becoming more and more demanding, largely expecting to be in control of what they consume. With IV, you can provide that. Unfortunately, for many businesses, interactive video production is a skill they have yet to acquire.

Lucky for you, you’re reading this article, so get a jump on your competition and become fluent in all things interactive as timely as possible so that YOU can be an industry authority in interactive, visual media. 

Below are the various benefits of using interactive video and why your business should consider its implementation:

• Promotes User Learning
• Boosts Engagement and thus Retention
• Improves Conversion Rates and thus the Bottom Line
• Acts as a Versatile & Effective Piece of Content
• It’s Device Friendly (i.e. Desktop, Laptop, Mobile)

Interactive video provides a new means of consuming content, learning, and promoting, among other things. Now, not only do you watch, but you can interact! This is extremely beneficial in multiple professional facets, as well as leisure ones.

First, as mentioned, IV is an extremely effective tool for learning and training for businesses. Second, it’s ideal for consumer engagement and interaction. Lastly, it’s simply a step up from traditional media; an outlet for creativity and innovation.

In summary, the benefits of IV are vast. Jump on the band wagon and see for yourself! 

Interactive Video Platforms

If you’ve since been convinced of the value and necessity of interactive video, you’re likely wondering how to begin to produce such media. If so, you’re thinking in the right direction!

While interactive video is certainly a desired skill that needs to be developed, platforms and software companies have developed tools that make it easy to understand and even easier to produce. 

Below are several examples of interactive video platforms:

• MindStamp
• WireWax
• HiHaHo
• Amazon IVS
• Vidzor
• StoryGami
• Wootag
• Adventr
• Touchcast
• Cinema8

While we won’t be going into detail regarding specific interactive media development platforms, hopefully the list above will provide you with a springboard into your own research into the amazing world of IV!

Interactive Video Examples!

Before we part ways, I thought I’d share with you some pristine examples of interactive videos used by some of the largest brands, music artists, and organizations in the world. By observing these examples, you’ll hopefully gain an even clearer understanding of what IV looks like in practice and how it can truly be a high-quality production for your content strategy.

Of course, you don’t need to go to the extent to which what some of these companies went to, however, it’s always best to see with your own eyes in order to learn and understand the world of a given topic.

Here are a few great examples of interactive video!

And that’s a wrap!

If you’re ready to talk about a video marketing campaign, schedule a complimentary strategy session with us today.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Interactive Video appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

Video is one of the most popular marketing mediums today, and like the stray cat your neighbor has been feeding, it looks like it’s going to be around for a while. We’ve seen some trends come and go already – good riddance shaky, Blair Witch selfie videos – while others are just coming into their own. From Story-based video within Instagram and Snapchat to the increasing popularity of live video, to the advent of video-specific search engine optimization, today’s marketers are experimenting with a completely new set of tools to create and share videos with their audiences. Here are 5 of the most promising for 2019.

Video is Going Live

Ready for your close-up? With platforms like Instagram Live, Facebook Live, YouTube, and Twitch, the stage is set for real-time video to make its appearance more than ever in 2019. With real-time video, users feel more like you’re speaking directly to them, which results in more engagement and interaction time with your content.

The proof is in the pudding: according to a recent Facebook study, live video watch time increased four-fold over the course of the past year. Make no mistake: real-time video represents a real opportunity for businesses today.

Vertical Video is on the Rise

A recent Statista report shows that over 50% of all online videos are now viewed in a vertical format in mobile, meaning you need to be thinking about how you can create video that is optimized for mobile.

Forget sprawling, horizontal wide-screen footage; creating vertical videos allows you to present an optimal foot forward in channels like Instagram Stories and Snapchat. Plus, with Instagram having launched IGTV and other companies likely to follow suit, vertical video is a format you can’t afford to ignore.

Video is Becoming Searchable

Channels like Facebook and YouTube allow you to embed captions in your videos. As AI gets smarter, its ever-improving ability to analyze and classify videos in search results means that video-focused search engine optimization is on the rise.

AI can even analyze the audio track of a video to transcribe it for search purposes. While this can feel a little “Big Brother,” it means that the verbiage you use in your videos is about to matter more than it ever has.

360 Video is a Reality

With virtual reality growing in popularity, it’s no surprise that 360-degree video is becoming a thing. 360-degree video allows viewers to change the perspective of what they’re watching, creating a more immersive and engaging experience. Do you want to feel like you’re right there on the red carpet with Lady Gaga? Now you can do that… well, almost.

The most in-demand categories for 360-degree video are sports and travel, live entertainment, movies, news, and TV shows, so look for more coverage in those areas in the near future.

Shopping Spree? Yes Please!

This one is dangerous. New advances in technical capabilities allow brands to highlight products within a video, with swipe-to-buy opportunities not far behind. It’s only a matter of time before you’re able to immediately purchase those stylish shoes the video host was wearing or that bag they were raving about.

Conclusion

While your grandma is still trying to figure out where to look when her phone is recording, the rest of the world is moving ahead with new video formats at break-neck speed. Video has the potential to radically change the marketing game in 2019, and it’s going to be exciting to see how companies are able to put all of the new formats and tools to good use over the coming year.

Whether you are just dipping your toe in the water with video or feel like you could give Spielberg a run for his money (um really??), Six Degrees Digital Media is here to help. From content ideation, to script consult, producing, editing, and actually getting your video seen, wherever you are in the video process, we’re ready to give you a hand.

Schedule a call with us today.

The post 5 Video Trends That Will Change the Game in 2019 appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

Have you ever wondered what it actually takes to make a professional video? Well, wonder no more. We’ve put together for you the Evolution of a Video.

You may be surprised to see all that goes into making a quality video. It’s more than just point and shoot.

There are several components to consider to make a polished video that will get the attention you want.

After all, you’re not making a video just for the sake of making a video right?

Here, we’re showing you how a video improves with each piece of equipment and editing.

You can see how adding in each of these makes the quality of the video better and better.

If you can afford a videographer or marketing agency to film you, great. If not, try to invest in each piece of equipment one at a time until you’ve got what you need.

You can always outsource your editing if you aren’t comfortable with technology.

If you need assistance with your video campaign, schedule a strategy call with us today.

The post How to Make a Professional Video appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

First of all, congratulations on adding video to your marketing mix.

You’re one of the smart ones targeting your audience with video.

Check it out…

So now that we know you audience wants video…

You want to know what to put in that video right?

No worries, I got you covered.

Step 1: First things first, we need to decide on what type of video and topic.

For the sake of this article, let’s choose an article that can build your brand and get shared ok.

After all…

Time to go into beast mode scripting now…ready?

Good.

Now we know we are going to make a video that will help create brand awareness.

You have a few choices here based the product or service you offer.

Either you can do some type of demonstration with your product or you can do some type of tutorial, or a how-to video.

A product demonstration is pretty straight forward.

The question is –will that type of video get you the engagement you’re looking for?

Here’s the thing.

If you have some cool product that’s got a “wow” factor to it, then yes.

But if your product is something difficult for people to get excited about…

Then you’ve got some work to do.

Is there a way you can incorporate humor with it?

Think on that while we move on to the next type.

Tutorials.

With tutorial videos, if you can solve a specific problem that you know your audience has, you’re good.

The thing to remember here is, you want to just stick to one problem at a time ok.
Did you know…

Lastly, I want to cover How-to videos.

These are great and we do these all the time to offer up value.

Think of your frequently asked questions.

In fact, you may already have those on your website.

Those would be easy to turn into a video.

You likely have those on there because you know people have questions on that.

Now the thing is, don’t use something that is specific to how you operate.

How-to videos are about explain to someone how they can do something.

What’s a small service that you can show or explain?

Here are some options for you to think about:

• How to get a “x” stain out of a [carpet, shirt, mattress, etc.] • How to write a great [cover letter, term paper, thesis, etc.] • How to fix a [toilet handle that jiggles, stuck window, squeaky door, etc.] • How to decipher [a food label, employment contract, rental agreement, etc.] • How to [buy a computer that’s right for you, check your security settings, etc.]

If you’re having a hard time coming up with ideas, check out this video for ideas.

Now that you’ve got a topic and title for your video…

Step 2: it’s time to think about what you’re going to say.

Here’s a way to get some ideas on that.
Check out other videos on YouTube with your title or similar titles. Sort your search based on the number of views.

You can also do a Google search and just select the video option.

Google is ranking those videos for a reason.

See which videos have comments as well.

Did the viewer have a question that the person didn’t answer in the video?

That’s actually a great opportunity for you to answer that question in your video.

Start watching these videos with intent.

I want you to see what they included that was so compelling that so many people watched that video.

Ok so let’s fast forward and say you have you’re ready to produce your video.

There is one more thing that you have to include in your video.

Step 3: Ask people to “do something”.

It can be something like:
• “If you enjoyed this video, go ahead and share it.”
• “Got questions? Drop them in the comments and we’ll answer.”
• “If this video was helpful to you, give it a Like and Share.”

It’s helpful to tell your viewers what it is you want them to do.

So now you’ve got your video produced.

Excellent.

That’s half the battle.

I don’t want to leave you hanging now that you have your video ready.

Here’s your bonus tip: How to get your video seen and get views.

There are a few ways to accomplish this.
If you have an email list, definitely send to them.

You can upload to your YouTube channel.

If your video is optimized properly you may even get it ranked in Google.

If you want to get it ranked in YouTube, here’s an infographic for you on YouTube ranking factors.

However, one of the fastest ways to get video views is with a video ad.

Whoa!

Did you see that stat?

258% increase in video ads since 2016!

Amazing right!

I highly recommend you try this as well.

Remember this is more goodwill content.

You’re not so much trying to generate leads here but get your name out there and build trust.

That doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t get leads.

But you should do a different type of video if that was the goal.

If no one really knows who you are, then brand-building videos are a great way to go.

And it’s pretty cheap.

Seriously like you can end paying pennies per view.

And you can get in front of a lot of people really fast.

So there you have it.

Let’s recap: How to Script Your Video in 3 Easy Steps that Makes Viewers Take Action

1 – Decide on what type, topic, and title of your video
2 – Research other videos to see what is popular to help you with what you want to say
3 – Tell your viewers what you want them to do after they watch your video
4 – Bonus tip – get your videos seen

Here’s one last stat for you in case you still aren’t sure video can help build your business.

Need more help?

Schedule a strategy session with us today.

The post How to Script Your Video in 3 Easy Steps to Make Viewers Take Action appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

65% of executives visit the marketer’s website and 39% call a vendor after viewing a video according to Forbes.

Let that sink in for a minute…

Can you imagine your sales efforts getting a significant boost just from using a simple video?

Sounds great right…

So what type of video should you use?

That’s the question.

Here’s the thing…

It depends on where your potential customers hang out.

Now then, if you already have a list of prospects that you reach out to, the easiest thing for you to do is add a video to an email.

There are a few ways to incorporate video in your email.

First, you can show how your product or service can help your prospect.

The thing is this is probably going to be a generic video about your product or service.

What I recommend is adding a personal touch.

Now you may not be able to reshoot and entire video.

But what you can do is film an extra video.

Here’s what you do.

Film as though you are talking to Mr. or Ms. Prospect.

Talk to them about the specific problem they are having.

If it’s more than one problem, I’d focus on just the biggest problem, and at the end of the video just touch on the fact that your product or service can also help with the other issue(s).

Explain how your product/service is the right solution for that specific problem at their organization.

This is going to show that you understand exactly what they are struggling with and that you want to help.

In fact, be bold if you can and say you know you can help if that’s the case.

Conclude your video with an invitation to watch the video on how your product works.

If your email system allows you to embed a video in your email then do that.

If not, then just add the link to your videos.

Now here’s the next thing you want to do…

Add the word “video” in your subject line.

Why?

Because…

According to a report published by Forrester, including video in an email leads to a whopping 200-300% increase in click-through rate.

Crazy right?

But maybe you think those numbers are just too good to be true.

I get ya…

So think about this.

What if it was only half that….or a quarter of that…or heck a tenth.

20-30% increase is still great right?

Now I get that this is all dependent on you having a product or service video, to begin with.

If you don’t, then talk to the management and encourage them to get that done.

And if you’re the management…

Well done deal right?

I know it can be a bit daunting when you first get started with video.

The last thing I want to do is give you advice and not a way to execute.

I invite you to schedule a strategy session  and see if we can help.

The post Use This Simple Video To Generate Ready To Buy Leads! appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

Are you intrigued by video but not really sure if you have the know-how or budget to make video work for you?

Well keep reading because I’m going to give you the lo-down on how to get started with video even if you have a limited budget.

If you are truly on a limited budget, the DIY route is going to be the most cost-effective for you.

Here’s how you get started.

The very, very, very first thing you need to do is decide what the goal of your video is.

Don’t make a video just to make a video.

Unless you are just practicing and want to learn the ropes in which case go for it.

If you plan on having your video work for you though, here’s what you need to think about:

• Is this a welcome video for your website?
• Is this a video to explain a product or service?
• Is this a value add video chock full of good info to position you as a leader in your industry?
• Is this a video for lead generation?

This list is the most common but you may be doing something else.

Let’s talk about the time, effort and cost you’ll need to invest to create each of these types of videos.

This way you’ll have an idea of what to expect.

Welcome video for your website

So here’s the thing with your welcome video.

Don’t make it a long, boring, in-depth explanation of all you have to offer.

Sure you have a lot of great stuff you do and you want to share that with the world.

But you really need to hold back here.

Pique your visitor’s curiosity and leave them wanting to learn more.

You’ve likely been on websites and started to watch a video that left you feeling less than excited about the business right?

Don’t follow the monkey see, monkey do tactic.

Think of this as your elevator speech.

But make sure your current pitch translates well into video.

Don’t just focus on what you do but explain the benefits your customers get as well.

Now then, if you already have something written out – or maybe you have it memorized and just need to write it out, great.

You just saved yourself some time there.

Now let’s talk about how to get this video produced.

There are a few ways you can create your welcome video.

One is with your smiling face on camera.

And you can record great videos with a smartphone.

Here’s what you need to invest in.

A tripod and an external mic.

Cost:  approximately $35

If you don’t want to invest in lighting equipment, you’ll need to be very intentional about where you film.

Some indoor areas have enough overhead light and you’re good to go.

If you are filming outside, you just want to be careful of shadows and cloud coverage.

Go ahead and do some test clips in different places and see how your footage looks.

If you can’t get decent-looking footage then you’ve got two choices.

Either invest in lights or hire a professional to come film.

You can use softbox lights or umbrella lights.

Lights are going to cost you up to a few hundred dollars but you’ll have them to use over and over again.

I recommend having at least three lights. Four would better.

If you are not ready to go down that road, then consider hiring a videographer for a day.

This way you don’t have to worry about any equipment at all.

Be prepared to spend anywhere between $50-250 an hour for a videographer.

Pricing depends on where you are located and what level of experience you are looking for.

They will typically book a block of time from ninety minutes to three hours (or more) for one video.

It depends on the length of the video.

Your welcome video should be about one to two minutes.

You could go up to three but it better be really solid and engaging.

Don’t feel like you have to put everything and the kitchen sink in here.

You can do other videos about your products and services and we’ll discuss those a little later.

Keep in mind videographers need time to set up and take everything down as well.

If you end up needing to do a lot of takes to get good footage, this could cause the time to get used up very quickly and you may be looking at additional charges.

Check out How to Prepare for a Video Shoot in Three Easy Steps

If you do hire a videographer, they will likely give you the option of editing your video as well.

This is where you’ll have to decide on whether or not you want to invest in professional editing or go the DIY route.

If you, or someone on your staff is interested in learning video editing, then let them give it a go and save the money.

However, if time is of the essence for you, then you may want to consider letting a professional handle it.

But before you make that decision, check around.

In fact, if you have a school nearby that has a multi-media program, you could reach out to them and see if they want to take your video on as a student project.

Or just hire a student and let them edit your video to help build their own portfolio.

You may get them free or dirt cheap.

But remember they are “students” so don’t expect perfection right out of the gate.

Alternatives to Being on Camera

Now then, if being on camera is scarier to you than the zombie apocalypse, you do have some options.

You can use a number of styles such as:

Slideshow

Virtual character

Animated Explainer Video

Motion Graphics template

The time and effort and cost of these styles of videos vary. If you have your script written and any images you need, then expect to pay anywhere between $300-1200 for a 30-second video.

Once you have your website video produced, there’s really no other cost involved.

The goal of this particular video is simply to be posted on your site and share a little about your business.

Overall cost and time for a DIY website welcome video:

Equipment – $100 to $300

Time – Plan on 40 hours for a 30-second video. This includes scriptwriting, filming, and editing time. It may take longer if you struggle with the editing process.

If you do not already own editing software, the prices vary on that as well but there are some free solutions online.

We’ll discuss other editing software a little later.

Add additional cost if you plan to use a videographer for filming or editing. Prices will be in different ranges based on your location.

Let’s move on to another type of video.

Product or Service Video

You can get a lot of mileage out of this type of video.

You can showcase a product or service video on your website as well as on social media, your YouTube channel, and even local business or directory listings that allow you to upload videos.

This is where you’ll offer up more information on the features and benefits of your product or service.

There are some similarities in video production here. It really depends on what it is you offer.

If you are offering products then you want to film those.

However, if you don’t keep your products on hand or you are a reseller, you will just have to use images.

Be certain your images are high resolution and large enough.

We’ve had clients send us images that are just way too small to be used in the video.

You may not be talking live to the camera on these types of videos so those who are camera shy can breathe a little easier.

That said, you may be narrating what is going on.

If that’s the case, you’ll want to use an external mic.

Now you could narrate while the actual footage is being filmed and use the mic that’s hooked up to your camera.

Or you could narrate after. You would just wait until you have the final edited footage and narrate what is going on.

We already covered the external mic you would use with a smartphone.

You could still use that.

Or you could have an external mic that works with your computer.

My recommendations are:

Blue Yetti

Audio Technica

These are not cheap but they are great microphones.

I’ve used both and it really comes down to personal preference.

If you are going to invest in a mic, I also recommend using a pop filter as well.

There are plenty of choices here and these are fairly inexpensive.

Cost: approximately $150

The editing process will be the same as your website’s welcome video.

You also have options here as well if you don’t want to use live footage the entire time all by itself.

Whether you are using images or footage, you can still use a basic slideshow style video.

You have a lot of options when it comes to making product and service promo videos.

Animoto is probably the most popular when it comes to slideshow style videos. They offer several different designs depending on your subscription level.

Overall cost and time for a DIY product/service video:

Equipment – mic and pop filter, one-time investment $150.

If you want to use music only with your videos, Animoto offers royalty-free music tracks.

Editing software – $16 and up monthly.

Time investment – If you already have images and/or footage you want to use, plan on eight hours for scriptwriting and learning Animoto. It may not take you that long bug I’d give yourself time to play around with the software. The timing can take a while as well as searching for what music you want to use. Once you get the hang of it and have listened to the music multiple times, you could likely whip out a video in 30 minutes once you have your script written.

Ok time to move on to our next style of video.

Value-Add Videos

Value-add videos are likely going to be the longest for you to create.

The reason being is they are simply longer in length.

They will generally be three to ten minutes long.

With these videos, you are “helping” your target audience by providing value.

This can be you on camera teaching.

It can be you recording your laptop or monitor to “show” something online or how to do something.

There are so many possibilities.

Here are some examples.

If you are a home services business, what can you show someone how to do that is generally a service that you don’t offer?

If you clean carpets, can you explain how someone can keep their carpets protected longer?

Can you do a review on different types of vacuum cleaners?

If you are a Maid service can you share with someone how to keep their kitchen smelling fresh in between weekly cleaning visits?

If you are an online service company, can you explain how someone can do something online or find something?

We do that here all the time. You can screencast what you are doing using Snagit or Camtasia.

Snagit is pretty easy to learn and use. It’s great for screencasts as well as screenshots.

However, Camtasia is a complete video editing software system.

It does have some limitations over other professional editing software but for basic needs, it’ll do the trick.

Another cool thing about Camtasia is that it has a built in tool to record PowerPoints.

Not a huge deal as you can still record a slide deck with Snagit anyway.

It boils down to price and function.

You can grab Snagit for about $50 while Camtasia (both made by Techsmith) runs about $199.

The good news is they both offer a free trial so you can check them out and see what suits you.

The thing is if you are going to make other video and don’t want the limitations of the subscription software and want a more professional look, Camtasia is a pretty good way to go.

When you want to step it up even more you can invest in After Effects and Premiere.

Overall cost and time for a DIY value-add video:

If you are going to film and edit:

Equipment $200 (tripod, mic, lights)

Editing software – $200

Time – As previously mentioned, these will be the longest videos you make. Plan on several hours of film time for a five-minute video. You will likely need to do several takes as well. This will add to the overall editing time. Editing a five-minute video may take you several days. You’ll need to go through your footage, label clips, crop some footage as well as put all the clips together. It’s a good idea to use transitions with longer videos as well to keep viewers interested. Plan on a week your first time out. As you get better at filming and editing, you may save time. However, it all depends on how much footage you have to go through.

If you are going to screencast:

Equipment – $50-$200

Time investment– this is actually a little faster to edit. The thing is, you can screencast several times and get the screencast perfect before it even hits the editing process. Then all you need is your intro and outro. Realistically, if you had no errors in your screencast, you could complete this type of video in about an hour. That’s even with a few attempts at your screencast.

Ok, we are in the home stretch now. Let’s talk about the last video on the list.

Lead Generating Videos

These are typically for ads. We could include videos that you want to rank in the search engines here as well for lead gen purposes.

But for the sake of this process, we are going to use videos you are creating to run ads with.

Much of the process is completely the same as all the other videos.

The difference here is that you want to be very intentional about the script you write and the way you design this video.

You’ve got to have the key components with this video if you want to get results.

Arguably this video is going to cost you more because there are ad dollars associated with it.

You don’t want to waste that money so make sure your lead gen videos are as solid as they can be.

Generally these ads are going to be short.

Typically thirty to sixty seconds although some ads may be much shorter and there are some that are longer.

It depends on what it is you are advertising. However, statistically, videos 30-60 seconds long do the best for Facebook and YouTube ads.

As with your other videos, again you have style options here.

You can be live on camera or you can use a slideshow or animated video.

Again it is dependent on what you are offering.

Keep in mind that you shouldn’t be selling high-ticket items in video ads.

Your main goal should be building up your email list first then as you are building your relationship with that list you can make your offer.

It’s ok to sell low-priced items of say $25 or less but anything more than that is really pushing it right out of the gate.

You’re much better off with promoting a coupon, a discount or something else first.

Join our list and get 10% off x.

See how that sounds much better than

Buy my stuff, it’s really great and it’s only $199.

You can also offer a free report or some other valuable piece of information.

A webinar works well too.

The cost to produce this type of video is similar to all the other videos we’ve discussed.

If you are going to film live, you’ll just have to have the proper equipment and editing software.

If you are going to do a slideshow or animated video, again you just need the appropriate software.

The main difference in the cost of lead-generating videos is you have to factor in your ad spend.

Your ad spend is really up to you and it depends on where you want to advertise.

Facebook only? YouTube only? Both? Are you going to include programmatic ads?

These are where your video shows up on other websites that target your specific demographic.

Then you also need to take into consideration how long you want your ad to run.

Typically you can set a daily budget. Or you can have a lifetime budget.

What you need to know is that the larger the audience and reach, the bigger your budget needs to be.

If you want to reach millions of people, you’ll need to spend more than $5 a day.

Another thing you need to keep in mind with ads is that there is always a testing period.

You need to test different targeting to see which responds the best.

This will take some time.

I recommend having at least $500 as a test budget.

This is NOT your full ad budget.

Don’t expect huge results with this test.

This is simply to figure out the best ad copy, the best targeting, and the best offer.

The good news is, once you have that figured out, you should have a solid ad campaign.

After that, it’s up to you how much you want to invest in your ad campaign.

The more people you want to reach, the more you’ll need to invest.

If you have a limited time offer then you’ll have a shorter time frame on the ad and you can decide what budget you’re willing to spend.

Either you let your budget dictate your reach or you let the audience size you want to reach control your ad spend.

Overall cost and time for a DIY lead generation video:

If you are going to film and edit:

Equipment $200 (tripod, mic, lights)

Editing software – $200

You may also consider just using template videos for ads.

Videohive.net has some great After Effects templates.

You could purchase a template you like and ask a video marketing company to give you a quote on producing that for you.

Please note there are limitations with templates and you’ll have to stay within the text and image/footage requirements of the templates but it does cost less than designing from scratch.

If you’re on a limited budget, these types of videos are a step up from a basic slideshow.

Expect to pay about $500-750 for a motion graphics video made from a template.

It depends on the length of the video and what if any customizations you need that are available.

There are other subscription video software editors and you can test out different ones and see what you like.

It will be a bit more time-consuming to research and test out different platforms to see what you like.

Your best bet for lead gen ads is to film and edit or use a template if you’re just starting out.

Time investment– plan on at least an hour film time to get a 30-second ad.

Also, add in scriptwriting time, which may take you a few hours.

For the editing process, you should be able to get your 30-second video edited in one day.

However, if you have a lot of footage to go through and need to splice footage, editing may take you longer.

Well, there you have it.

We covered a lot here.

Now you’ve got an idea of what to plan on from a cost and time perspective to get started with video.

If the DIY route is not something you are ready to tackle, then you have two choices.

You can hire a video editor that is proficient in making the template-style videos which are less expensive but also not quite as professional as custom made videos.

Or, you can take it slow and just have a video produced when you have the funds.

If you’re not sure what path to take, you can schedule a strategy session with us and we’ll let you know what’s the best course of action for you at this time.

We wish you much success with your video efforts.

The post Video Starter Guide for Limited Budgets appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

Now that we have a brand new year you likely decided to adopt some new marketing initiatives.

One of those is likely video which is what brought you to this article right?

Well, let’s dive right in and talk about ways video can help you grow your business.

First off, you’re going to have to make a couple of important decisions.

The first is deciding on a budget.

That’s going to drive your entire video campaign.

You’ll have expenses for both video production and video marketing.

If your budget is limited then you’re going to have to plan your video marketing strategy accordingly.

The other thing to take into consideration right off the bat is if you are going to do video in-house or outsource.

That will affect your budget as well.

You’ll have to determine what your video production is going to cost and what you can allocate to marketing.

Costs can vary whether you have someone on staff, an agency handling your video, or a freelance contractor.

Ok time to move on to how you use video to grow your business.

One of the fastest ways you can leverage video is…adding a video to your website.

Here’s how this is going to help you.

• You’ll connect with your audience faster.
• Your website visitors will be able to quickly tell how you can help them.
• You’ll be able to showcase how your products are used.
• You’ll be able to give a summary of case studies of how your services have benefited others.

Here’s why a website video is one of the first videos you want to create:

*Where both text and video are available on the same web page, 69% of users would prefer to watch video to learn about a product or service.

You’ve got to cater to what the public wants.

Plus

*93% of businesses who use video believe that it has increased user understanding of their product or service.

Additionally, with your website videos, you’re not really using those for any type of ads.

This means there is no marketing dollars needed for these videos.

It’s just the cost of the video itself.

One thing to note…

You do still need to have website traffic in order to see results from videos on your website.

While video on your site can increase conversions on your website, this isn’t the type of video that drives traffic to your site.

Let’s move on to that next.

The next way you can drive growth for your business with video is of course…video ads

You’ve likely already heard about how Facebook favors video ads over image/text ads.

They also have a higher response rate.

Check it out…

**Enjoyment of video ads increase purchase intent by 97% and brand association by 139%.

Imagine that for a minute…

If you create a video ad that connects with your audience, they are far more likely to buy from you.

So you can see how just one great ad can work for you for you over and over again.

It’s like having a lead-generating machine working for you 24/7.

Sounds great right?

Yeah.

Here’s the thing.

You can use different videos to target different audience segments and connect even more.

You can also use different videos to speak to different problems your product or service solves.

Try to only focus on one problem in each video.

This way you can get laser-focused and connect even better.

By really honing in on one audience and one problem, you can get better results.

It’s like you’re having a conversation with that person about that problem.

Think about that for a minute.

Here are a couple of scenarios to paint a better picture…

Let’s say you are a medspa or aesthetics office.

You may want to run an ad that speaks to eliminating under-eye bags.

The thing is another patient may be more interested in a lip filler.

You want to focus on just one thing.

This way you’ll have a better chance of someone watching your entire ad and taking action.

Here’s another example.

If you are a child care facility, consider an ad for each of your age groups.

If I’m a parent of an infant, I’m not going to connect with what you have to say about how you teach pre-schoolers.

And vice-versa.

Let’s take a look at one more example.

If you are a home service provider, you likely handle different issues.

You can separate those services out in your ads.

I may not have a problem with my water heater but perhaps I have an issue with a leaky faucet.

You can test out different services in your ads and see which one brings in the most leads.

One of the best things you can do with your ads, no matter what industry you are in is offer a freebie.

This can even be a solid piece of information that will be really helpful for your audience.

If there is no freebie you can offer, then think of a discount you can offer.

If you aren’t sure of what might work…here’s a few places to find ideas.

Check out the daily deal sites such as Groupon.

Also check Amazon.

Both of these sites will give you valuable insight as to what your market wants.

With Groupon, you can see different offers as well as how many people purchased.

With Amazon, you can see a number of reviews which can give an indication of how popular something is.

Ok time to move on to one more type of video that can add to the growth of your business.

The wildly underused….user generated video

So what is this exactly?

It’s video that is created by your customers, clients or patients.

You may be familiar with the term “influencer marketing”.

This is where someone of high-regard talks about your product.

They may or may not be a celebrity but they have clout in a particular industry.

Here’s how this relates.

It’s a third-party talking about a product or service.

It’s why celebrities make millions in product endorsements.

The thing is with those, you know they are getting paid to talk about the product.

On the flip side of that…

Imagine how powerful it is for someone to hear from another person who had the same problem they had…

And that problem was solved by your product or service.

It’s why you use testimonials.

It’s why you use before and after pictures.

It’s why you ask for online reviews.

All of this is to sway your prospect with positive affirmation about what you have to offer and how it has helped someone else.

All of those are great.

What’s even better is when you have it in video format.

There are a few ways to get this type of video from your happy clients.

First is to simply ask them to send in a video.

Now they may or may not do that out of the goodness of their heart and love of your product.

You could also offer a discount on their next purchase.

Another idea is to have a contest and one lucky person wins “x”.

If you have a brick-and-mortar building where you do business, you could offer an open house and ask guests if they would give you a video testimonial.

You would want to have a videographer on hand to help you out.

If you have the room and resources, you could ask your customers when they are making a purchase.

This may work better for service-based businesses.

Once you have videos, start uploading them to your website, YouTube, Facebook and any other place you can share them.

If you do an e-newsletter, you can embed add a video there as well.

Use a different video each week to continue to show your prospects the amazing results others are having with your product or service.

Whew.

Ok, we covered quite a bit here.

Let’s just have a quick recap of the types of video we covered here that can help significantly grow your business.

• Video on your website
• Video ads
• User-generated video

I challenge you to implement at least one of these in the next 60 days.

If you have any questions on how to get started, feel free to schedule a strategy session with us to ask a couple of questions.

*Source: Wyzowl

**Source: Unruly

The post How to Drive Significant Growth for Your Business with Video appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

If you have a video on YouTube then you want to have that video get as many views as possible.

If you are using this as a means of internet marketing then you absolutely need to have as many eyeballs on your videos as possible.

There are a couple of things that make a huge difference in whether or not people see your video or not.

Some of these are really easy fixes.

You’ll want to check your video metrics periodically to see if what you are doing has an impact.

The first point to consider is the title of your video.

This might seem like a no-brainer but a lot of people don’t spend as much time on the title of their video as they should.

And that’s a shame really because it’s not as difficult as you think to come up with an eye-catching title.

The title of the video tells folks essentially what your video is all about.

You want to make sure you choose the right keywords and phrases that will trigger a reaction in the viewer’s mind that says “yeah I need to see that.

This is the info I’ve been searching for.

Think carefully about the audience you’re trying to attract as well.

Don’t use jargon they won’t understand. And don’t use hipster lingo if you’re trying to attract the baby boomer crowd.

Remember you want to pique the individual’s curiosity.

In the event the name of your video is made using words that are obsolete, or even hard to comprehend the majority of the people that see it won’t click on the video.

Use words that are easy to understand and attention-grabbing.

If the video you have is closely associated with some other item, or video that’s already popular it’s possible to title your video using words that show that it is quite similar to that particular video topic.

If a “Secret Tips for Pokemon Go” video is getting plenty of views then you can name your video ”5 Secrets Tips for Pokemon Go” (or 3 Secrets, or Little Unknown Secrets, etc.).

You catch my drift here right?  You’re basically leveraging the phrase “tips for Pokemon Go”

It’s ok to leverage other people’s success.

All it takes is some research and then you have a great head-start.

Knowing what you should create a video about is a huge benefit in helping you get more views right off the bat.

The following are ten examples of titles that could be attention-grabbing, and create more interest in your video content.

1. How to Make the Best Brownies without a lot of Calories
2. 5 Easy Ways to Write a Killer eBay Listing!
3. 7 Unknown Interview Do’s and Don’ts!
4. The Secret to Writing Your First Novel in 90 days
5. 3 Quick and Easy Ways to Get Your Kids to do Their Chores
6. Famous Restaurant Recipes Made Easy
7. Need to Crayon and Marker Stains Out of Your Carpet? Try this Simple Solution!
8. The Best Ever Kid-Friendly Crafting Videos!
9. Make an Impression with Your New Boss in Just 3 Minutes!
10. The Top Ten Video Marketing Mistakes You Need to Avoid!

Use your creativity, and have fun with the title, and bear in mind that individuals react to the same kinds of buzzwords that you likely react to.

One more point to keep in mind is that if you’re uploading your videos to multiple sites it’s a great idea to have separate titles for all your uploads.

Using exact same names for videos on various websites reduces your opportunities to capture audiences through different phrases that may attract them.

Want to make the most out of your next video campaign? Contact us today for a strategy session.

The post How to Create Great YouTube Titles to Get More Video Views appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.

When you’re first getting started with video marketing, it can already be a little daunting just getting your videos made.

Then there’s the whole extra strategy of marketing your videos.

There are so many sites that you can actually upload your videos to but the biggest are definitely Facebook and YouTube.

Facebook and YouTube both have their own unique features for video sharing.

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

While you can use both platforms for your video goals, there are certain things you want to keep in mind.

Let’s go over some of the pros of Facebook first.

Video sharing

Facebook videos can be instantly shared.

You see a video in your news video and you can easily click on the Share link and all your connections can see the video in their newsfeed.

Now, this doesn’t mean all their connections will see it but there is potential for a lot of eyeballs on your video.

Another interesting feature is that when multiple people share the same video, you see that as well.

This gives even more social status to your video.

On YouTube, you can share videos but you do have to choose where you want to share them.

Once you click on the Share link, you will have a myriad of choices and your brain needs to think a little more than with sharing on Facebook.

Video Comments

More people comment on Facebook videos.

This is because you are already logged in to your Facebook account when you see a video.

The comment box is directly under the video and it’s easy to see how many other comments there are on the video.

On YouTube, you can watch as many videos as you want, but to comment on a video you have to be logged in to your YouTube account.

Now let’s look at the pros of YouTube

YouTube videos can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, and any other site that lets you post a link.

This means you have more opportunities to have your video shared from YouTube across the Internet.

Facebook videos cannot be shared off of Facebook.

Video Embeds

YouTube videos can also be embedded on other websites.

Many videos are uploaded with what’s called Creative Commons license which means anyone can embed that video on their site.

The benefit of this is that you can have your branding anywhere in the video for others to see.

Website owners and bloggers are always looking for other content they can leverage that provides value to their audience.

It’s a win-win in that they don’t have to produce content and you get exposure to their audience.

If their followers enjoy your video they may come to your channel to see what else you have.

They also have the choice to watch that embedded video on YouTube.

Video search

YouTube is not only a video sharing site, it is also the second-largest search engine.

It’s not surprising to know that “How-to” searches are up on YouTube 70% year after year.

Many people go to YouTube when to learn how to do something, product review, how to make something, and more.

They use YouTube to search for the answers especially when they feel a visual answer will be more beneficial than reading a bunch of text.

Videos ranked in the search engines

While many people search directly in YouTube, even if they are searching on Google, videos can be ranked in the search results.

You’ve likely seen that.

This won’t be for every search term but there are many, many times when you will see videos in the results along with other web pages.

Video Shelf Life

Another benefit is that YouTube videos have a longer shelf life.

Your videos will be viewed over a longer period of time since people are either searching for them or subscribing to your channel or seeing your videos in related suggestions.

There are more opportunities for viewers to find your videos.

On Facebook, once the video is no longer in the newsfeed there is less opportunity for someone to find your video.

If they are on your page and look at your video tab, then they would be able to find your videos again.

There are actually many more advantages to each site as well.

I recommend using both platforms for your videos.

All you need to do is tweak your video a bit so it works on each platform.

YouTube has specific end screens you can use that will help direct viewers elsewhere and you want to take advantage of that.

Facebook, while they are auto-playing video now, many people still watch without sound so you want to be sure to add in onscreen text or use the captions.

But you will want to upload your own caption file as the auto-generated captions are not one-hundred percent accurate.

This goes for YouTube closed captions as well.

You’ll get more life and leverage out of your videos if you create them for both YouTube and Facebook.

By uploading your videos natively to Facebook, you will get more love from Facebook as they prefer to keep users on their site and not send them over to YouTube.
Now go get started with making awesome videos.

If you need some help, we’re just a phone call away. Schedule a strategy session with us today to see how we can help.

The post Is it Better to put Videos on Facebook or YouTube? appeared first on Six Degrees Digital Media.