When my middle son was seven, he knocked it out of the park with the first video he created.
Back when Rainbow Loom bracelets were hot, he put together a tutorial on how to make a certain type. Within three days, his video received 70,000 views. He also received quite a few nasty comments. He was seven, after all.
He’s 12 now and hasn’t been able to replicate that success since. He figured out what many already have about video.
Getting started has never been easier. You can be on camera in minutes by using the equipment you already have — your smartphone.
Having success with video? Now, that’s another story.
If you spend time and effort creating videos, you want to see a return on that investment. You want to grow your audience, increase engagement, and generate new business.
When done right, video can help you reach your goals.
Why video creates a special type of connection
We are all video watchers.
We go to YouTube to discover how to make a cake in a cup (delicious, by the way) and how to create budgets in Excel (I did that last month).
When you watch a compelling video, you feel like you know the person (or people) on the other side of the camera — and sometimes you spend large amounts of time browsing videos created by your favorite people.
How can you generate that kind of response when you create videos?
Let’s look at three simple keys to a successful video strategy.
1. Spotlight your personality to build trust
People choose businesses they know, like, and trust, and video is a highly effective way to create that connection.
Before you connect, though, you need to attract the attention of the people you want to reach.
When you craft your video strategy, consider these three main types of video content:
- Educational. What does your audience struggle with? What frustrates them? How can you help them achieve a desired result?
- Inspirational. Stories that pull on your heartstrings are often the ones that also inspire you to take action. Try case studies about significant client successes.
- Entertainment. Make your audience sit up and take notice with surprising features or humor.
All of these video types present opportunities to spotlight your personality.
Get started with cornerstone video content
I learned the term “cornerstone content” from Copyblogger:
Cornerstone content helps visitors to your website or blog know exactly what you do and how…
