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

Small Business, Big voice

One of the best things about being a small business is that you have the ability to test new ideas. So much of starting a smaller business is about trial and error. Finding out what works for you, and what draws in the customer you are looking for. One such area is with online video. Video has the ability to help you connect and engage your customers, in a way that text-based websites just cannot do.

As with most small businesses cost can be an issue. Most companies do not have the budgets that the big guys do. But you know what? Adding video to your company is a very cost effective way to grow your business, in fact you really can’t afford NOT to add video! Here are a few ways that video can help you get heard in the industry:

1. CONNECT WITH YOUR CUSTOMER

The great thing about being a small business is the ability to have a personal connection with your consumer. Video enables you to engage your customers on a personal level. For example say you own auto body shop. With video you could have a live record video chat between the mechanics, and the customers. The mechanic could go through the areas that needed attention, and show you the process, through a range of tutorials. Another effective way that the auto body shop could add value to their services is by offering helpful tips on their website, on vehicle maintenance, between visits.

2. VISIBILITY

Video increases your visibility on-line. Universal searches within Google, have proven that 1 in every 4 of the top searches are video. This statistic shows that if someone does a search, all content by video will come up first giving it maximum visibility. Those videos are more likely to get clicked on, than any text based information n the same subject. Linking onto a website with video, will increase the traffic to the site, and also create “sticky” websites. (Video based websites hold people’s attention longer, and keeps them from clicking to another site, causing them to get “stuck” on them)

3. PRODUCTIVITY

Live video conferencing, and collaborating with remote employees or customers can be invaluable. Having a small business sometimes inhibits you from travelling to and from your suppliers, and or colleagues freely. Video allows you to readily converse with your team effectively. This is a great tool, if you want to have a conference call, and need to trouble shoot an issue. Often emails and text can be ineffective in translating the key messages.

4. ACCESSIBILITY

On of the greatest things about video, and how it can be a benefit to small businesses is its availability. Internet video can be viewed anywhere, and everywhere. On your iPhone, blackberry, iPad, laptop. Anywhere that has a network connection.

5. EMPLOYEE FOCUS

What better way to show your team, than have a short video bio created for each member! This personal touch can really set you apart from your competition. People want to trust in their businesses. Having your employee’s showcased on your website, shows them a) That the company values its team, and believes in them, and b) It shows the customer who they will be working with, and helps them feel connected, right away. This makes for a lasting and loyal relationship!

Video is 53x more likely to appear in the 1st page of search engine results, than text related pages with the same topics. On-line video lives forever, it is an effective, affordable way to get your business noticed!

Elle Boutilier

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

The coveted online profile- build online visibility

In the race for securing online 'real estate' and establishing profile, your online visibility is more and more important? Two ways to improve your online visibility is bringing together two great online tools that help you take control of your brand online. Vizibility, one of videoBIO's partner companies is leading the charge when it comes to managing what search engines say about you with their GoogleMe tool. videoBIO and Vizibility have recently announced their partnership to bring a combined service to our customers.

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!

Cool online profile tester

Our partner, Reach Personal Branding has devised a super cool tool to test your online brand 'distinction'. As we all know, it is not all about quantity, it is quality that matters. How distinct and relevant is your brand? Take the Online ID Calculator test.

Your profile: bigger than the sum of its parts

Finding your authentic, niche voice is key to defining your profile online. It will drive what you talk about and define why people want to listen. Your profile is bigger than the sum of its parts but the parts are important. So what goes into a profile?

1. Your personal brand-- the brand called you. What is it at its core that makes you unique? Note- it doesn't matter if you are in a corporate position or are an entrepreneur-- we all have a personal brand.

2. The content, perspective and media that surrounds your brand and builds it every day. You need to keep it alive and fresh. Is it relevant, consistent and unique? The content surrounding your brand is your digital thumbprint online. How many places do you live online? How easy is it to find you and the information surrounding you that we want to know? Articles you have been published in, your professional profiles, your website, your videos and other digital assets?

3. Your community. Those who listen. Those who are your fans. Those who follow. Those who extend your brand. It is your community and network who ultimately will define your profile online.

Your online profile is not your brand

Your online profile is the reflection of your brand as understood by your community and managed by you!

You've heard the expression.... 'she's very high profile'. Well what that means is that she has a high degree of visibility and brand recognition in the market.

This profile comes from how you manage and develop your brand in the social media world. Your online profile is a moving target that takes lots of time, care and nurturing on a day to day basis in order to have it viewed by others in the way you hope it will be. If your online profile is measured by those who know it then we never ultimately be in control of it. But we will be the CEO of its development strategy and 100% accountabile for the consistency of its execution (both on or offline), which most certainly will impact the way it is viewed by others.

The online profile setup

Google, Bing, Yahoo all have one thing in common. They have a lot of power over what people will find out about you when searching on your name.

What they find when going out in a search query against your name is a culmination of all activity you have had online associated with your name. For better or worse, you have an online profile. And once you do it is tough to change. So, the good news is that it can be managed but you have to know what's out there and how it works!

Over the next months I am going to publish a series of posts that will help you to understand how the online profile works and how to take control back and manage your repuatation online before someone or something else does!