You want to see your YouTube Channel or account as more than a place to show your business videos. Begin to see this account as a social media site so you can add more of your footprints to the world wide web. Here’s a short video that explain how to turn your YouTube account into a social media site.
www.butterscotch.com/tutorials
As a professional social media site, Linkedin has not been as video friendly as sites like Facebook, My Space and Twitter. However, as Sean Nelson shows, there are ways to get your videos on to your Linkedin site. Enjoy and prosper
There are two ways to do this; both using applications. I’m going to explain how to do so using the Google Presentation application. I’m going to assume that you have already added the Google Presentation application to your profile. If you would like to see a tutorial on posting a video with SlideShare go to Nathan Kievman’sprofile and he discusses doing so in a video.
1. Sign into LinkedIn and on the left you have your side navigation links. At the bottom is the link for “Applications” and you want to click on it.
2. On the applications page you want to click on “Google Presentation”.
3. On the Google Presentation page…at the top right… is a text link: “Go to application”. Click on it.
4. On the next page (Headline is “How will You Present Yourself) you’ll see an empty white box on the left side and text above. In the text is a text link “create your presentation”. Click on this link.
5. This takes you to Google Docs and has started an untitled presentation document. You want to click on the Insert Tab and select “Video”
6. This will open a pop up window that allows you to search You Tube for videos. Once you find your video click on it and that will activate the “Select Video” button below. Click on the button.
7. This adds the video to your presentation. If you notice a lot of white space around the video you want to resize it. Simply click on the white boxes at the corners of the video and drag them to fill in the white space.
8. Next click on the File Tab and chose “Rename” to rename your video.
9. Next click on the File Tab and choose “Save and Close”.
10. This will take you back to the Google Docs page and your presentation will be shown. Click on the check box next to your video. Next click on the More Actions Tab and choose “Publish”.
11. This opens up another page and you want to click on the “Publish Document” button. You can then close this browser page.
12. Go back to the original page that you clicked on “create your presentation”. Refresh the screen and your new presentation should be visible in the left box. There should be an ad in the right box.
Your presentation will be underlined and look like a hypertext link. Click on your presentation and this activates the blue “Post to Profile” button. There is a check box next to it to notify your network that you have posted a new presentation. Click on the blue button.
13. If you see your video in the right box you’ve now posted the video presentation to your profile.
14. Go to your public profile to double check that your video is there.
It looks a lot more complicated than it is if you follow the steps outlined above. If your video is not on YouTube you will need to create a YouTube account and load your video there first.
To view the article http://socialmediasonar.com/the-top-5-mistakes-on-linkedin&urlhash=uNmH
Recommended by Sean Nelson in Social Media Today
To be continued, your comments are welcomed…
Al Hanzal
You have created your video. You have saved it on your website. You have created a description for YouTube to get it found by search engines. Now it’s time to put your video on your website or blog. You have three options to connect your marketing video with your blog or website.
I will not go into details here about uploading your video to YouTube. Go to your account on YouTube and follow the simple instructions for uploading your video.
Option One
The first option is easiest but least attractive from a marketing perspective. You can simply copy the URL of your video on YouTube and paste it into you blog or website text. Like any hyperlinked URL, when the person clicks on it, they go to your video on YouTube where they can click and play it.
This is a simply option. It works well for those who don’t feel comfortable dealing with html code. It will work with most email programs. The downside is that when a person clicks on your video URL, they are taken away from your site and may have a difficult time returning to it. They will also see other YouTube videos in your same category. Maybe even your competition!
Option Two—Embedded Code
Embedded code is the most popular option. YouTube has made it easy. When you uploaded your video, it supplies the code you need to embed the video player along with your video on your website or blog. Here are the steps involved from the YouTube instructions:
1. You’ll need to edit the HTML of your blog entry or page—this should be relatively straightforward. In Wordpress click on the HTML option. In Blogger, just click the “Edit HTML” tab.
2. Next, go to the video that you want on YouTube and look for the ‘Embed’ box in the “About This Video” section. Copying the HTML code that’s there into your website will create an embedded player; the video will play within your site when the user clicks on the ‘Play’ button.
3. You can resize the player by editing the object width=”425″ and height=”350″ fields at both the beginning and end of the embedded player code. Make sure that the sizes you choose have the same ratio as the default numbers, so that the video doesn’t get stretched—just multiply the width by 0.8235 to get the height.
You use the same process for embedded the code on to your website. You do need access to the html code on your web page. Once you have access, you can place the embedded code between the <body> codes so that you have the video player and your video.
Third Option
A third option is to connect the video you made to a video player other than a Youtube video player. You have seen these on various websites. In these situations, your video has been uploaded to your server of your website using a FTP program.
Once it is on your website/server level, you can place video playing code onto your webpage or blog that finds the address of your video on your server. In short, your video is stored on your website server and you are not going outside of your “system” to get the video played. (Videos take large amounts of band width. If you have a lot of videos, your server may have a limited amount of bandwidth available to you).
Here is a source for free code to get an alternative video player. It takes only a minute to determine how you want your video player to look and play. You can get the free code here; follow the instruction on this site: http://www.freevideocoding.com/
Go here to see the sample of this video player, how it looks and operates from a client of mine. http://site.mawebcenters.com/stpaulflatbreadco/Flatbreadtraditions.html. Below is the actual code I copied and embedded on the webpage to use this alternative video player.
<!– START FreeVideoCoding.com –>
<embed src=”StPaul_Flatbread_Holidays.wmv” width=”320″ height=”283″ autostart=”0″ showcontrols=”1″ type=”application/x-mplayer2″ pluginspage=”http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/”> </embed>
<!– END FreeVideoCoding.com –>
Conclusion
Now you have your video on your blog or webpage.
To be continued, your comments are welcomed…
Al Hanzal
Before you actually upload your video to Youtube, there’s an important marketing step you must complete. Youtube asks for three description areas about each video, the Title, the Description of the video and the Tags. The way you complete these three descriptions will make a significant difference in the marketing power of your video. For this reason, I suggest you complete the descriptions before you upload your video.
Here are suggestions for completing these three descriptions:
Title
Your title should capture the content of the video. It is the heading that attracts a viewer’s attention. It should contain your business’s key words. Think of a person doing a Google search. What terms would they type in the search box? When your Title key words match those search words, Google finds your video as one option for the searcher.
If you need help with key word searches
Description
This should be a concise description of your video content in 2-3 sentences. Always, start this description with the URL address of your website or blog. (http://www. your site.com.) This creates the link back from Youtube to sites.. Your description should also include key words that match the content of your video.
Tags
These are the actual list of your key words separated by commas. You can list as many as you want. For sure you should list the top five that are being used in key word searches.
Conclusion
These descriptions can be added while you upload your video. They can be added later in an edit. Because of the importance of these descriptions in your actual marketing efforts, you videos will have more marketing power if you do them before you start the uploading of your video. With one billion hits per day, you need to as much marketing power as possible for your videos.
To be continued, your comments are welcomed…
Al Hanzal
Most of your videos will probably use the audio tract that was created while you made the actual video shoot. There maybe times when you want to do a voice narrative over or add other audio pieces to your video.
This can be done with Windows Movie Maker (WMM). I made it a personal challenge to learn the process. I will share it with you. I will take the video from my last blog entry which showed video editing techniques and add the before and after so you can see the difference audio can bring to the quality of your videos.
First you need a source for your outside audio or music clips. If you are going to do a voice over the video, you will need a microphone to record your narrative while the video is playing. One source of music is www.shockwave-sound.com. Here you will need to pay for the music or sounds but they will be royalty free. It’s important not to be using other people’s music without their permission.
Like your video clips, you want to import your audio into your movie project. Click on the Import Tab and go to the area where you audio clips are located. Then click on them or drag them into the Collection area. Then you can drag them to the lower part of the page to the audio section of WMM.
It’s important to make your new audio clip the same length as your video clip. So you my need to do some editing with the audio clip.
This is how you separate and add new audio from the video
> In time-line view of WMM (Windows Movie Maker), click the + button beside the Video track in the Time-line view. It turns to -
> Right-click the Audio track and select Mute from the drop-down menu.
> Close the + Button beside the Video track
> Import the audio you want to use with the project
> Drag it into the Audio/Music track
> Click Play in the Preview pane to see the results
Here are some instructions from WMM help desk on doing your own narratives.
Adding Narration to Your Movie (From WMM Help Desk)
With Windows Movie Maker 2.1, you can easily add a voice-over to your home movies. Adding narration lets you use your own words and voice to describe the scene that viewers are seeing.
You can add voice narration to your movie, but first you need to connect a microphone to your computer.
Once you have assembled the elements of your home movie on the timeline, you are ready to start your narration. Mute any existing audio.
The audio narration you capture is imported automatically into the current collection and the narration is added automatically to the point on the Audio/Music track where you started the narration.
Windows Movie Maker 2.1 also includes the ability to tune the volume level of the narration or background audio tracks so you can focus your viewer’s auditory attention. For example, you can set the audio levels so that dialog in your video can be heard over the music that plays in the background of your movie. In this example the background music appears on the Audio/Music track of the storyboard, and the narration appears on the Audio track.
There are times when you may decide that you want to use only the audio from a scene that you shot with your video camera. Windows Movie Maker 2.1 makes it easy to incorporate the audio portion of the scene without displaying the video in your movie. Simply split the section and make sure you un mute this section so you can hear the original audio..
Conclusion
Now check out the before and after video below. The first shows the editing techniques using the original audio tract. In the second video, I muted the original audio and added Lori Line’s Nights in White Satin song as background music. You will immediate see how this new audio improved the quality of the video. You can do these techniques with your marketing videos.
To be continued, your comments are welcomed…
Al Hanzal
Now comes the fun step in making your marketing videos—the editing. Here is where you can unleash your creativity. Maybe inside of you is the next Steven Spielberg.
There are many editing tools on the market. Sony’s Vegas is a good one for Windows users. Final Cut is a good one for MAC users. In these next two posts I will show you how to use Windows Movie Market (WMM) since most likely you already have this tool on your computer as part of your Microsoft package. When you get more sophisticated you can graduate to most expensive tools.
Step One
Locate the place where you original video was saved. In the case of the Flip Video, I connect the flip video to my computer and find the video I saved. A web cam will save the videos in a different place. When you upload from your cell phone, you may wish to save the video on your Desktop so that it is easy to find.
Step Two
Open the Windows Movie Maker program.
Step Three
You need to import the video into WMM. Click on the File Tab and Import into Collection. Browse your computer to find your saved file. Click on it or drag it into the collection area. Bringing your saved video into the Ccollection area, brings the video into a format that can be used by WMM. Depending on the length of your video this may take a few minutes.
Step Four
Once your video is loaded into WMM in the Window’s formate, you are ready to start the editing process. Click and drag your video to the Time line near the bottom of the WMM page. On the left you will see a displace screen. All of the editing for the video, transitions, or outside audio you may want to add will be done on this Time Line. (Instead of the TimeLine version of your video, you can work in the ShowTime mode which is a frame by frame mode.)
I usually play the raw video several times to get a feel for how I want to edit the video. The follow are the main Tools you will use in WMM to edit your video:
The Clip Tool
The Clip tools include cutting off the beginning part and the end part of a video that you want to discard. With this tool you also create a Split in the video. You can move the tool called the Scrubber along the Timeline and stop it anyplace. You can Split the video at that point by selecting the Split tool. If you want to discard parts of the video, Split the part at each end and then delete the middle part you want to discard. The Split is also used to create a point in the video where you insert Transitions, Special Effects, Titles or Chapter heading.
Tools
The second category is called Tools and it has a drop down menu that includes Titles and Credits you can create to insert in your video. It also has Transitions and Special Effects you can insert in your video. Click on Titles and Credits to see the various options you can use. Within each of these choices, you have many options for sizes, colors, and effects. These are very easy to learn.
Transitions serve a useful purpose to transition from one point in your video to another. They are a great way to cover or disguise poor video parts or a script that could use some help. These are also easy to insert. Create a Split in the video and drag the Transition option to where you have made the split. You do the same for any Special Effects you want in your video.
Conclusion
I realize these steps maybe difficult to image. Trust me. They are not hard to master. You can always reverse any process you do in the editing mode.
To learn more about the these editing steps, I suggest you view Gideon’s fifth free video in his series. He shows screen captures for each of these steps. Go to http://getyourvideoonline.com/confirm-success.html. I have also create a short demo video where I show you how I experimented with these editing techniques. Enjoy.
Jive Systems www.jivesystems.com is a paid, closed system for creating and distributing your small business marketing videos. A close system is the opposite of Youtube which is an open public system. As you know if you have a video on Youtube it will be grouped with other Youtube videos in the same category. Often, these other videos may be your competitors.
A close system features access only to your videos and those to whom you want to share these videos with, whether via email, your website or your blog.
Both types of system have their place in small business marketing.
Here are some video tips from a recent Jive System webinar.
1. Be lively and up beat in your video. Sales is the transmission of feelings. (Zig Zigler) Enthusiasm about your product will show well in a video.
2. Introduce yourself this way, “Hi I’m (blank) with XYZ company.” This tip comes from a Hollywood acting coach who says “When you start this way, people see you taking responsibility”. This instills more confidence in you.
3. State your unique selling proposition—USP. (I call this your personal brand). Why are you special? Use different variations of your brand on different videos.
4. Avoid being too close to the camera. This is very uncomfortable for the viewer.
5. Keep your video short and to the point. People don’t want to hear you babble.
6. Always have a call to action. Tell the viewer what you want them to do. Make it as easy as possible. Show them a clear path for getting the action done.
Conclusion
You can see these tips from Jive Systems emphasize the many of the same suggestions I made in an earlier post (http://successfulmarketingtools.com/wordpressblog/727/organizing-your-video-marketing-shoot/). Use these tips and your videos will be more professional and effective.
In the next post, I will share editing tips for the videos you shoot.
Your comments and questions are welcomed…
Al Hanzal
In this video, I share with you two tips you can use to improve the quality of your small business marketing videos. They are mistakes I made and from which I have learned. Enjoy and prosper.
To be continued, your comments are always welcomed…
Al Hanzal
Many details go into an effective video. Don’t let the details deter you. You will not be perfect the first couple of times. Gradually you will develop a system, your own style and a format that works for you. Expect some trial and error. It’s part of the learning curve.
Key Ingredients for Your Video Shoot
Let the camera frame you. You’ve taken photography shots of family members. When you did this, you made sure the people fit into the frame so all could be included in the picture. Let your video camera frame you. This should be your head and upper shoulders.
How close should you be to the camera? Make it the same distance as if you were talking to a friend. With a friend you would never be nose to nose.
Check out your background. Your clothes should be brighter than your background. Make sure your background is not cluttered or distracting. Some shoot videos against a plain white wall. You want to avoid making the background more interesting than you.
Microphones. This is not an issue with video cameras with built-in microphones. These do a fair job of picking up sound. If you are using a free standing microphone, make sure isn’ seen by the camera framing. Do not place it too close so that any movement you make, such as moving papers on your desk, is picked up by microphone.
Stabilize the camera. Nothing is more distracting than someone constanantly moving the camera. Using a tripod will eliminate this distraction.
Look the part. You want your viewers to instantly recognize your credibility. Wear clothes that support what you do. If you are a doctor, wearing a white smock would give you instant credibility.
Be yourself. Oscar Wilde said, “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.’’ You will need to experiment with your video voice. It should be a mixture of energy, vocal quality, authentic, authoritative a dash of humor and a dose of salesmanship. In professional circles this is call your stage presence.
Lighting. As I indicated in an earlier post, (http://budurl.com/VideoLighting) this is something overlooked in most small business videos. Sunlight is your best light. If you need to add light, use indirect light.
Here’s a secret. You want to catch the sparkle in your eyes. Your eyes open wider when this is more light. Your eyes add interest. The eyes have been called the window of the soul. There is a reason professional photographers learn how to capture the sparkle and depth in people’s eyes.
Conclusion
Don’t let the details overcome you. Have some fun with your videos. Do you remember as a child, dressing up and playing house? This is your opportunity to return to some childhood playfulness. Have fun and it will show in your videos.
In the next video, I will add some additional tips and suggestions for your shooting your marketing videos. Your comments are always welcomed…
Al Hanzal
Writing a good script for your video may be the most important ingredient in your video marketing efforts. A good script will keep you on task; make your video look more professional; and help your influence viewers to take action.
In this post I will provide you with a simple formula you can use to quickly prepare a marketing video.
One Sentence Purpose
Before you start writing your script, write one sentence about your video. This sentence includes what you are going to do, why you are doing it and the action you want your audience to take. This one sentence will give your video the framework it needs to be an effective marketing video.
Example: In this post I will provide you with a simple formula you can use to quickly prepare a marketing video.
Formula for Video Marketing Scripts
Your Video will be divided into three parts;
1. Introduction
The purpose of video’s introduction is to get the attention of your audience. Think of this introduction as the Headlines that must grab the attention of your viewer so they will want to watch the rest of the video.
Be relevant to your audience. Grab their attention by stating a problem, giving a fact, asking a question. Want examples of attractive selling headlines? Look at the landing page of good websites and see the techniques they use to grab people’s attention.
Once you grab their attention, you need to take it one step further. Intensity the problem or pain, talk about the consequences of your headline. Do what it takes to draw them further into the video.
Think about a good story you heard. A good story starts with a problem or tension that needs resolving by the rest of the story. You are creating the tension in your introduction.
Then, you can personally introduce yourself. Next tell people what you are going to do in the video. You might say something like, “In this video I will show three solutions to this problem.” Or “By the end of this video, you will have XYZ.”
The total time on this Introductory Part should be less than one minute. This is your 60 second commercial for your video.
2. The Body of Your Video
The body of your video should contain the main point of your one sentence purpose statement. For this point you will have several sub points that explain the main point of your video.
A good formula to follow is …
State, explain, example.
3. Conclusion—Call to Action
Use some form of signal to indicate to your viewers that you are concluding your video. You can say something like, “Before I go.” “In conclusion or in summary…”
The summary is a simplified version of what you have just told your audience in the body of your video. Use the same words you used when you introduced the topic of your video.
The most important part of your conclusion is a call to action. Why did you create your video in the first place? Do you want them to do? Click someplace? Call you? Email you? Read more? What do you want them to do?
As part of the conclusion, thank them for taking the time to watch your video.
Conclusion
You can see by this formula, it is not difficult to create a script for your marketing video. Be clear in your own head what you want to accomplished. Once you have your purpose and a call to action, follow the formula to fill in the remaining pieces.
You will find it helpful to view Gideon Shalwick’s free video series. In his second video, he provides the script writing formula he uses with his videos. http://getyourvideoonline.com/confirm-success.html
To be continued, your comments are welcomed…
Al Hanzal
