What are some of the easiest ways to make and use videos for business you ask?
Awesome question and that’s something that I struggle with every day and hence I am always looking for ways to actually make videos easily create an impact so that it adds value to my business and I’m sure you I love you are on the same page as well.
Let’s get a few things out of the way first: Videos don’t have to be professionally produced. You don’t have to launch the next Netflix or a Hollywood movie.
All that you need to do is to show up on video. How you do that is really up to you. Video can help you grow your business, brand, and more. That’s for sure.
There are several video creation tools available to help, of course. There are tools for growing your business with video, there tools for video prospecting for sales, there are video tools to do screen share recordings, and there are tools to help you make videos a big part of your marketing and sales (including ways to generate leads from videos) such as Vimeo and Wistia.
Tools are useless if you aren’t ready to jump.
Here are some easy ways to make videos, use videos, or just start getting ready for your video strategy:
Jump Into Video Conversations, Live Streams, & Groups
Send Personalized & Short Videos
Create Short Videos for Social Media
Start with voice
If you are intimidated with videos, a great way to start is with your voice. Several social media networks already have audio as a big thing for them.
On Twitter, for example, you could use Twitter voice to send out a tweet in the voice format answer of a regular tweet.
There’s TwitterSpaces, if you’d like to start one. If you feel you are not ready to create a community with Twitter voices, you could also join other TwitterSpaces (on topics you like) and listen (to get a feel for how these things run).
You can also opt to speak in several TwitterSpaces as well. Madlyn Sklar’s TwitterSpace does regular Twitter Profile Audits — so you could tune in and look for insights on how to make your Twitter profile better. Speak up if you like.
If you are active on LinkedIn, there’s also a feature where you can record and send personalized LinkedIn audio memos (say it, instead of typing it).
Go to your LinkedIn messaging window and look for the little microphone icon. Click, speak, and send.
LinkedIn audio is coming soon.
Do Screen Sharing Videos
For a lot of people, the very thought of a “talking head” video — where you actually show up on the video — can be intimidating if they aren’t used to it. I know I am. Most of my own videos on my YouTube Channel are screen share videos [I would love it if you subscribe]
That’s when you start the easier way: don’t show your face; just show your scree.
If the topics you talk about have anything to do with “How tos” and tutorials, screen shares are an awesome video format. In several cases, your face is only a distraction.
With some tools like Dubb, HippoVideo, Drift, Loom, Vimeo, and many other screen sharing tools, you also have the option of showing your face (or a static picture)at the left bottom corner of your screen.
Jump Into Video Conversations, Live Streams & Groups
If you are on LinkedIn (and even if you are not), there are certain kinds of live streams that are more like friends hanging out to chat. Michael O Connor of SPN (Service Professionals Network) and Ira Bowman, founder of Bowman Digital Media, do #SpeedNetworking for instance.
They’d not only deliver value bombs while the session is on but they also bring in people listening or watching the show so that you can introduce yourself, talk about yourself (or your business), and just chill.
You showing up is optional.
Show up when you feel comfortable and ready (again: don’t overthink).
Or you could check out live streams on LinkedIn by Gillian Whitney and Brian Schulman — warm, supportive, and incredibly friendly folks who’ll support you (regardless).
Jump in, have conversations, and get that fear of video out of your head.
Send personalized & short videos
If showing up on a video that the whole world would watch is intimidating, try “private” and personalized videos that you could send out to specific people — say those you already know, existing clients, close friends on social media networks, and others.
If you use Dubb (and if you use the chrome extension), you’ll see Dubb icon showing right where you have the option to message, comment, or when you interact with someone on LinkedIn for instance.
Or, use loom for quick asynchronous messaging. Shoot a quick video. Send — these videos won’t be seen by as many people but you’ll do well with the practice.
Create Short Videos for Social Media
The average shelf-life for typical social media posts is ridiculously short at just about 3.5 hours or so. Any video you might post directly on social networks won’t live forever (it actually does, but it’ll get buried sooner than you think).
Further, shorter videos do well on networks like LinkedIn and Twitter. YouTube is great for both short form and long-form video content.
Start creating ultra-short videos exclusive for social networks, if you can. Or, you can also create a long-form video and then pick apart a few clips (repurpose your content) and share them on social media.
Do live streaming
Doing live streams is like jumping into the deep end of the swimming pool — you just learn swimming faster this way.
With live streams, there’s not much for you to doubt yourself, second-guess, fiddle your thumbs, or edit out much. It’s the best form of “taking action” there is.
Read more:
Simple Tips for Live Streaming
How to Live Stream For Your Business
When you think you can (just don’t think too much), go live. There are several live streaming apps that make it easy for you to do live streaming.
Want to learn more about Live Streaming? Gabe Leal is an expert on LinkedIn Live Streams. You can learn a lot by digging into the archives a bit or attending any of his upcoming live streams. Or watch any of those people I mentioned (above) to see how it’s done.
Want more? Follow Restream’s video channel; Ecamm’s video channel, and more.
Apart from all the good stuff that live streaming itself gives you (and your brand), it also cuts your learning curve, makes you more comfortable on camera, and speeds up your video game tremendously.
One single livestream and you’ll feel like you can take on the world — I know because I am just one livestream old.
My absolute favorite live streaming tool is Restream.
But, you can use any. I also use OBS sometimes.
Which of these easy ways to create videos will you embrace? Tell me all about it on my LinkedIn company page.
If you already create videos, share them there as well.
