Let's start with COVID

Well, actually let's go a little further back than that, to 2007. Back then Facebook was only a baby (born 2004) and YouTube was barely out of nappies (2005) but when Apple launched the first iPhone, everything changed.

Why?

We had access to a video camera, right there in our pockets, 24 hours a day. You could instantly record a video and share it with anyone. OK, admittedly the quality wasn't up to much but it was there and from that moment on something big shifted.

We all became video makers.

As a result, purely because it was easy, video started to grow. Then as the social media giants grew alongside it (and others were born) video became an easier choice for interacting on social.

Back to COVID

When COVID- 19 enveloped the world and forced us all into our homes, video became the obvious choice for communication. Apps like Zoom, Teams and many others grew at an explosive rate. So too did recorded video.

Now, people are watching an average of 16 hours online video every week. That's a staggering 52% increase since 2020. Plus a whopping 82% of people would much rather watch a video than read a social media post. (wordstream.com)

Then in June 2022, Instagram boss, Adam Mosseri announced a big shift for the platform by stating that Insta was going to become even more video friendly in the coming 6 to 12 months. He stuck to his word too. Their short video format, Reels, are now the biggest thing on the platform reaching at least double the amount of people vs a static post. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg even predicted pre-covid that within 5 years most of what people consume online would be video.

What should you do about it?

Promoting your business on social media is now a must. It's where your customers live, where they make a lot of buying decisions and where they are increasingly likely to go shopping. With video only set to grow even more, businesses of every size must face the fact that they need to be making videos and doing it well.

But understanding how to do this stuff can be a bit of a minefield and there are a lot of skills needed to get a great video on any platform.

You need to be good at:

• Videography
• Presenting
• Sound design
• Editing
• Adding graphics
• Marketing

Having a handle on all this stuff is daunting but essential. You would think nothing of investing money to learn the latest techniques within your field to increase your earning potential. Well, the same goes for video. To be ahead of the curve and stand out on social media you will need to be doing this stuff now and be great at doing it.

How to stand out using video

The golden rules to making great video content that gets noticed are pretty much the same for any platform. Here are three of the biggest rocks that you will need to understand before setting up the tripod and hitting the red button.

Who is it for?

In order for your ideal customer to see your videos and ultimately spend some money with you, you will need to make a video that specifically resonates with them. This is the golden rule of marketing and it applies to video as much as anything else.

So before you hit record stop and think about who you want to engage with. The more you know about them the better chance you'll have of getting them to stop and watch your stuff.

I tend to use Christmas as a good way to illustrate this. If you want to buy someone something special, you will do a little research first. The more you know about them the easier it will be to find the right gift. Then when they open it on Christmas Day that present is all the more special because you’ve taken the time to learn about them and pick the perfect gift for them. I'm sure you have received a gift like that before. Feels good doesn't it? In contrast the worst gifts are the ones where someone has bought something they like and just hope that you will like it too.

Making video (and all marketing content) is a bit like that. Your videos will be more special if you do that leg work first and find out what your audience loves to see.

Be fabulous but be real

If people are buying a service they will need to be sure they can trust you. You’re in luck because video is the perfect platform for doing just that. Showing people who you are, why you are fab and how great you are at what you do. However to get all that stuff across on camera you need to be good on camera.

Anyone can make a video but for yours to make people stop and look you need to be saying the right things to the right people (see point 1). You also need to look at sound great saying them.

Understanding how to operate a camera and be great in front of one are now essential skills for any business owner. But just like any skill they can be taught.

Say what you want

In marketing circles we call it the call to action. Use your videos to promote what you want. Want more followers? Ask for them. Want more people coming in your shop? Give them a good reason to visit.

Without this call to action you are missing out on a valuable opportunity. If someone has discovered you for the first time I'm guessing you don't want it to be the last. People won't always connect with you unless you ask. So be clear about what you want to make sure you get it.

Learn the skills you need to make great video

It's clear that now is the time to invest in some new skills. Learning all this stuff is the only way you are going to stand out on social media and that's where all the online buying power is.

We can teach you everything you need in just one day. We can do this 1 to 1 or if you'd like to spread the cost, why not get together with some friends or co-workers and we can all make great videos together.

We can also make the videos for you. You can choose to do the posting and interaction yourself, let us manage the whole process or our mentor programmes make it easy for you to learn as you grow.

To find out more and start making great video, hit the button below.