The 6 Keys to Creating Great Online Videos

Online video has been popular as a marketing tool for some time now and for good reason. No other form of communication is better at capturing attention. Video also can have strong impact on people's purchasing behavior. The good news is you don't have to be a major brand with a huge ad budget to take advantage of the power of video marketing. All you need is a little creativity and the following tips to help you get started. 1. Don't make a TV ad. Online videos aren't TV commercials trying to get across a single proposition in 30 seconds. People opt in to watching online videos. They have to click the play button and often seek them out. So they give videos more time, about 90 seconds. This means you can tell bigger stories, but you need to be informative, useful, and even entertaining. 2. Use the equipment you already have. All you need to produce a great online video is your smartphone. You're not shooting a commercial that will run on HD TV. Videos shot on smartphones and tablets look surprisingly good on the low-resolution Internet. Plus, these days over half of all Web browsing is done on mobile devices and those smaller screens don't require Hollywood productions. 3. Don't let the medium get in the way of the message. No matter what technology you're using to communicate, it's the message that matters most. Spend time coming up with compelling, relevant topics to share with your viewers. But make sure what you're saying reflects the image you're trying to convey about your company and the way you do business. 4. Make use of low-cost and free video tools. There are many tools and apps available to help you produce videos with all kinds of cool features. Check out VideoScribe for sketch-style videos and PowToon, which is free, for impressive animated videos and presentations. YouTube offers a free built-in editor, but there are third-party tools available for that as well. Two popular examples are Loopster and WeVideo, which is free to start. 5. Customers can create great content. Some of the most engaging online videos you see come from customers. Instead of figuring out how to promote your products or services, let your customers do it for you. Invite them to send in videos about the benefits they get working with you. User generated content feels more natural and honest. To encourage participation, stage a contest or offer a small incentive. If customers aren't into making videos, ask if you could shoot a brief interview where they answer a few simple questions about their experiences with you. You'll be surprised at how many customers are eager to be part of your marketing campaign. 6. Try to go viral. This is the ultimate goal. The more views your video gets, the more awareness, the more leads, and the more revenue for your business. But creating a video that goes viral isn't easy. Viral videos fall into three categories: funny, heart-warming, or shocking. They revolve around situations featuring kids, animals, or mishaps. Find out what videos are going viral, and study them to find out why. Create a response piece if you can make it relevant to your business. Response videos often go viral too. Focus on coming up with something unique and, above all, entertaining. But don't let your wild viral idea undercut the business image you're striving to create. Video marketing is a powerful strategy that any business can afford. Just take advantage of the low-cost tools available, and think of things your target audience would like to see or find out about. Here's to your continued success creating videos that sell, and maybe even go viral, as you keep putting together your best year ever... Enjoy a great month!