Making videos and marketing
Arts EntertainmentsThree Steps to Adding 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 stopped by your showroom, they would take the opportunity to show you around. Do the same on your website or blog. When a visitor arrives, welcome them to your site with your how-to video. In essence, you want to show them your “virtual internet showroom.”
Tell them how it differs and what benefits 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 online lessons and instructions. I play the piano and offer certain musical resources to take your piano 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 placed it on a tripod. Then I put the camera on video, sat down, and started talking.
Don’t worry about what you’ll 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 scripting what it will 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 multiple times.
Then look at them and choose the best one. The exercise of being in front of the camera and simply speaking will help you refine what you say. It will also help you overcome the fear of being in front of the camera. By recording multiple takes, it helps you look, sound, and feel natural. And that is important! Remember to smile and be yourself.
One of the greatest powers of using video in your marketing is that it gives your customers and prospects the opportunity to meet you face-to-face. Once you’re happy with the shot, post it 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 set it up, which will take a few minutes, connect your video camera to your computer and upload your video to YouTube. Most video cameras come with software that may require you to transfer the video to your computer before it can be moved to YouTube.
The hardest part of the whole process is usually getting the video out of the camera. If you are having trouble, then you might consider investing in a video camera that is specifically made for placing video on your computer or uploading it to the Internet.
Step 3: Link or embed your video for broadcast.
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 put 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, just copy and paste this code on your website. If you have someone to keep it for you, send them the code. It can save you hundreds of dollars by placing 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 pirated images 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 that you put the URL of your website or blog in the Description Box. That way, you will drive more traffic to your site and increase effective newsletter subscriptions.
In fact, adding video to your website has power.