Uses of Online Video INFOGRAPHIC

7 Tips for Creating Online Video

When shooting an online video, there are a few keys steps you will need to take to make sure your online video is as successful as possible:

1. Try to keep your video short:

As online video watching continues to grow the trend of short-term videos continue to reign as king. This is because many online video audiences prefer fast and quick information and, in order to keep their attention, it is best not to go over the three-minute mark: keep this in mind when deciding on the type of video you want to produce.

2. Don’t ramble on:

For online video, it is important to get the point of your message across as quickly as possible so to keep your audience engaged. To make sure you do this, write a script outline before you shoot and include an introduction, 3 key points of your message, and a closing statement.

3. Ensure your sound is audible:

Many online audiences will forgive distorted frames to a certain extent but bad audio is not as easily forgiven. Test your sound before you shoot to see if you will need additional microphone support.

4. Make sure your shot is lit well:

Simply putting a lamp beside you will result in shadows on the camera. If you don't have the professional lighting equipment one suggestion could be to get in front of a window to allow sunlight and put a light fabric over the window. This will diffuse the light somewhat, creating a nice light. It will be flat light, but it will be way better than having shadows across your face.

5. Practice before you shoot:

In order to ensure a good, clear delivery of your key messages, you will require practice so make sure you do a few trial runs before shooting your final video and stay away from the use of em’s and ah’s.

6. Introduce yourself:

When shooting online video, always introduce yourself, first name and last, and state the point of your message at the start of your video. This will ensure your audience identifies with you and your message from the very beginning and can make an informed decision to keep watching.

7. Stay focused on your camera:

In order to ensure a professional delivery and that your audience stays engaged, try not to get distracted yourself. What this means is keep your focus on the camera, don’t look off screen and don’t fix you hair or touch your face.

- Rozlyn Gibson

4 basics to consider when creating your online video

Creating an online video? As with most things, it is always important to make sure you cover the basics to ensure its success.

Here are some suggestions on how to make sure your video is at its best:

1. Decide on your content

When creating an online video remember that the aim is to inform and keep your audience engaged. To do this, think hard on whom your audience is, what it is you want to say and also the tone you are going to deliver your message in.

2. Include call to actions

You have gotten your audience to watch your online video, then what? Make clear call to actions in the beginning, middle and end of your video, which tell your audience what to do next. These call to actions can be to check out your new product, browse through your website or to contact you for more information.

3. Set your stage

When shooting your video, whether it is shot on a webcam or in a full production, make sure you set your stage. What this means is to make sure you shoot on a clean and neutral background that is lit well, check your audio is audible with no background noise and dress appropriately.

4. Timing

As you are looking for your audience to be fully engaged, try keep your video short and concise as doing so will mean your will be more likely to watch your video to the very end. This will then increase the chances of them understanding your message.

I hope you have found the above tips useful and feel free to check us out at www.videobio.com, follow us on twitter @videobio or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/videobio

Until next time,

Rozlyn Gibson

What's in a startup brand?

I recently attended the GROW conference in Vancouver, Canada. It was a terrific full day session jam packed full of startup entrepreneurs and expert speakers sharing great ideas on how to grow your business, raise financing, build brand and succeed.

It was very inspiring to be in a room full of like-minded people. Founders like myself who were at the same stage of business, challenged with the same things.

One of the panel sessions was on brand. While some of the panel conversation was relevant, I was surprised that so much time was spent on the conventional ‘what is a brand and how do you build one?’ and less on how a brand is valued.

There are still some burning questions that I have as it relates to brand, and I have spent my career building brands. Yet, in this new world of tech startups, many of the conventional brand principles do not apply.

So here it is-- brand valuation— in first and second stage financing, how does brand factor into valuation and how does the Founders brand play into this?

When I asked the question to the panel, the concentrated on the current state of brand awareness. In my view there are really three factors to look at in early stage brands; 1) The Founder brand, 2) Early stage brand awareness (within category) and 3) Brand potential (the quality, current and future value of the brand assets and trademarks).

The brand is ultimately in the eye of the beholder and, therefore, its value is subjective. Steve Jobs is an interesting case in point with his personal brand value pegged at 15% of Apple’s market value. And this is not purely because of his legacy and accrued brilliance but is very much related to his operational focus in how we actively micromanaged every aspect of his business.

Where do you think the value lives in a startup brand?

How To Make the Best First Impression

Within the first few moments of meeting you, people have already begun to form their opinions about you. They’re analyzing your appearance, your demeanor, your body language, and any other cues you might be transmitting. This is equally true of your online presence. You need to send the right signals from the get-go in order to make a positive and lasting impression!

Whether you’re presenting communicating through video or in person, here are 5 things you can do today to ensure that you put your best foot forward:

1) Make eye contact

Maintaining eye contact tells others that you are interested in them, and shows that you have nothing to hide.

2) Be genuine and true to yourself

People can sense when you’re trying to be something you’re not. Rather than put on a mask, let the real you shine! After all, you’ve gotten yourself this far, why stop now?

3) Be confident

Having and expressing confidence in yourself tells the world that what you have to contribute is valid and worthwhile. You’ll see others drawn to you, really wanting to hear what you have to say. Just don’t let it go to your head! Over-confidence can turn people away just as fast!

4) Be present

Be fully engaged in whatever it is you are doing at this moment. Try not to think about the pile of “To-Do’s” you have waiting for your attention, or what your next move will be. Whether you’re meeting someone new or addressing your audience with video, being present will allow you to perform at your very best.

5) Smile!

The importance of a smile cannot be understated! When you smile, the world smiles back at you. It shows others that you are happy, and you want them to be happy also. This is one of the most powerful things you can do in your communications.

Stephanie Kittell, videoBIO Producer

Why Video, Why Now? 3 Tips to Make Video Work for You

In this day and age of flashy gizmos, amazing doodads, and countless apps it is becoming increasingly difficult to figure out what a business owner should use to market themselves and their business. Do you jump on twitter, signup for Facebook, or do you start up a blog? Marshall McLuhan once said that the medium is the message. Now that we have so many mediums at our disposal the question remains; what is your message? Although the world is becoming filled with photo and text based blogs and sites, a tried and true way of effectively getting your message across is through the video.

Once your business has committed to adopting video as a communication tool the next question to ask yourself is: “How do I get it seen?”

1. Email: a very simple way of driving traffic to you video is posting it in your email signature. The most effective use of video in your email signature is a video that talks about you, your business, and why people should work with you.
2. Vlog: Don’t be afraid to step up your blogging game by adding video. Take a few minutes to give your thoughts on your topic du jour then toss your embed code onto your blog, and voila! You have created a post that is engaging, shows off your knowledge, and gives the world of potential and existing clients a look into your personality.
3. Social Media Tools: Harness your tools as a method of pushing out your videos. Once you have completed a new vlog entry let the world know that you have a new tidbit of knowledge to share. On twitter you have 140 characters to create a witty caption to drive traffic, on Facebook make sure your friends and “like”ers know what your up to, link it to your LinkedIn, etc… Although this seems like a tedious task it will prove highly rewarding when you look at your analytics and see that you have a growing legion of unique hits!

With all of these helpful hints in mind one question remains: how will you produce the videos to push out to the world? At videoBIO we have several types of video packages available ensuring that you will find the package that best suites your needs.

If you want a video that highlights you, your business, and why you’re amazing to work with, we can create a video that will co-exist well on your main website and in your email signature. Were you thinking of creating a series of short videos for your vlog? Excellent! videoBIO has recently launched a new product called LiveRecord that allows you to record short video messages that can be emailed, posted via embed code, or linked to videoBIO’s brand new videoPAGE; a stand alone mini biography page where you can provide links to your social media tools, have a video message to highlight yourself, and create a small write up about anything you wish.

In short, videoBIO is your one-stop shop to fulfilling your online video needs. Contact us today, let us know what you envision, and we'll connect you with best video products to fit your needs.

Jermaine

What does your package look like?

My eight year old daughter came down for breakfast this morning in an incredibly sophisticated layering and accessorized look that told a story about her eye for fashion. I told her she looked terrific and commented on all of the specific details—the layering of her two shirts, the cute belt, the leggings. She said to me “it is important to think about what you look like mommy!”. This is her 8 (just turned) year old view. Perhaps informed by people around her or from watching her parents head of to work in suits every day.

I recently interviewed someone who came into my office for the interview but left her A game at home. The way she presented herself distracted me from her otherwise stellar resume, chock full of experience. I wondered, if this was the way she showed up for an interview, where would things go from here? Could I put her in front of a client? Could she convincingly lead a team of people? Her presentation said something about her confidence in herself and ultimately my confidence (or lack thereof) in her. Oh, and I would have loved to have seen a video bio of her in advance of the interview-- perhaps she may have given more thought to her presentation in that then in person? Hmmmm.

Personal presentation is important. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Now, it sometimes gets confusing when we are trying to strike that balance between being real and looking overly polished or scripted, but, a professional, well put together presentation of self is critical in convincingly showcasing your whole package.

I spend 90% of my time out there presenting my company to investors and clients--a tough, unforgiving audience who are expecting big things from a CEO. I need to deliver on these expectations both in the way I present myself and in the content I am sharing. If I have great content but don’t present it and myself in a way that knocks their socks off, I won’t be memorable and I may lose an opportunity. In today’s market, the stakes are high and you need every tool in your toolkit to stand out. Make sure the packaging matches contents inside.

Tools for understanding and managing your online profile

What does your online profile look like now? Well, if you are curious, you can try out a couple of great tools that I highly recommend. videoBIO partners with Reach Personal Branding, an innovative company who is creating great tools to help professionals define and develop their personal brands. One of the tools CEO, William Arruda has co-created is called the ID Calculator. This calculator is designed based on the premise that relevance, distinction and quality of brand and profile is more important than quantity. This I agree with wholeheartedly. To check out your online ID go to http://www.onlineidcalculator.com .

There is another cool tool for ego surfers like us.... check out http://www.addictomatic.com

And finally, James Alexander, CEO of cool start up http://www.vizibility.com has created another tool to manage search queries on Google. Take a look!