How to Get Started in Online Video Marketing
There are several benefits to online video marketing. This short article discusses what one needs to get started.
To begin with there needs to be a reason for making a video. Advertising a business online is an excellent one to get started in online video marketing. Spending a while on YouTube will make it apparent that there are different kinds of videos.
1. You will come across silent videos teaching how to go about using specific software with the odd sentence added as text to make it clearer.
2. In addition to text, others include voice, music, or both, to make them more interesting.
3. Others are reality style videos where a topic searched for is talked about.
The above are the more usual examples. One’s imagination and skills dictate how the videos will turn out. The depth of one’s knowledge in the subject adds to the former.
Once the reason for making a video has been established, it is time to look at what is required to make one. A computer is the most obvious piece of equipment required. It is more convenient to own one, rather than to depend on someone else’s. Most computers come equipped with basic video making software, e.g. Windows Movie Maker.
It is possible to produce different kinds of videos without having to invest in a video camera with a computer. There is a short learning curve to get familiar with this software; however this can be done fairly quickly. To save time, search for what you want to learn about on YouTube, e.g. “How to Use PowerPoint” as this will accelerate your learning process.
If one decides to employ one’s voice on the videos, it would be beneficial to invest in a good quality USB connectable microphone. $40/20 would buy a very reasonable one for one’s needs at this stage.
Music adds to the enjoyment of videos. Be aware that there are strict legal aspects relating to the use of music. Play it safe by making use of royalty free music until it becomes necessary to investigate other sources of music.
On the same note this applies to images used in videos. It is straightforward to use one’s own pictures. They add colour and so make videos more eye-pleasing. However in the lack of appropriate pictures for a certain theme, they can be bought through various sources on the Internet. Permission is required for the use of pictures without getting into legal issues.
Aim to keep the content engaging. The more interesting and/or informative your video, the more likely it is to attract a sizeable audience, as the message about it gets spread.
If you cannot produce a high-definition video, then go for the next best option. The higher the quality, the better the sharpness and visual clarity of the video particularly in full screen mode.
Employ SEO to the best of your knowledge wherever possible, e.g. in the tags. Everybody wants their videos to be easily accessible. So if it is about ‘the best guitar for beginners’, make sure you use appropriate keywords.
It is logical to start at the beginning. Build a solid foundation on which skills can be added with relative ease. In a not too distant future when you start mixing and combining various styles into one video, all previous knowledge will become essential.
Although in this discussion reference has been made to computers running Windows when advertising with video, similar software can be found in Macs. The same ideas apply to both Windows and Macintosh computers.
New to online marketing? Visit Marketing a Business Online to get an idea of what it involves before immersing yourself fully in it. Melodia Kaine believes in thorough research before taking up any new activity in order to save time.. Free reprint available from: How to Get Started in Online Video Marketing.
