If you aren’t making videos or podcasts for your business yet, we hear you — it can be an intimidating project to get started.

That’s why we talked to a few experts for advice and ideas on how to create these assets and boost your Marketing efforts. Here’s what they had to say.

“Integrating video into your PR campaign is a fantastic way to bring your brand or story to life and create social engagement. When creating a video, think about what your audiences will enjoy watching while bringing them closer to your brand.

People are more receptive to content that is snappy and easy to digest. Statistics show that the average browser will stay on a webpage with video for up to five-and-a-half minutes compared to 43 seconds on a text-only page.

There are a variety of ways to showcase your business via video – here’s a quick list:

• Tell an emotive or funny story – weaving in your brand very subtly
• Provide expert advice
• Share discoveries, such as research and technological advances
• Demonstrate your product or service
• Pull off an amazing stunt or feat
• Pre-publicize an event or launch
• Showcase a successful event
• Create behind-the-scenes videos that show what your company is all about

Take advantage of video platforms such as YouTube or Instagram to upload quick, real-life videos, or use a live streaming platform to give people a glimpse into your business.”

– Althea Taylor-Salmon, FortunePR

“With the rapid acceleration of smart-phone hardware and technology, creating high-quality video is within reach for everyone. Even though the fanatics about video say that it will replace written content, I have yet to see this coming true.

While video is incredibly important in your marketing mix, it should be part of your holistic content strategy. I asked Russell Brunson from Clickfunnels about the importance of video in marketing two years ago at a small roundtable discussion, and he believed the same thing.

With this in mind, use video to:

• Save time. If you’re the leader of your company, you have a huge opportunity to influence your audience and internal team. Get in the habit of creating short, one- to three-minute videos that share your vision. Your team (or an outsourced copywriting service, like we provide) can then take the video and write a short blog post so you have the best of both worlds and you only had to spend a few minutes creating the content.
• Reach a new demographic. Leaders and decision makers are always reading a lot, but they can’t read as much as they want to in many cases. Using video and audio, you can reach them when they’re relaxing, driving, or taking a break on Facebook or Youtube.

Just like a blog, video and audio content only work if you’re consistent. Start by doing a video a week and build your consistency from there. And don’t overthink it! You don’t need perfect equipment or fancy editing tools to get started.

Take action now, and your process and quality will improve over time. Watch other people who are in your industry and take cues for your audio and video content from them. Don’t be hard on yourself, and don’t take criticism from someone who isn’t already where you want to be (doing daily videos that are high quality).

Again — just get started with video, and you’ve beat half your competitors!”

– Gabe Arnold, Business Marketing Engine

“Video marketing is emerging as one of the most valuable tools available for social media marketing, with statistics indicating that 43% of people want to see more video content.

It makes sense to use video in your paid promotions, too. When using video, ensure the content is clear, visually engaging, and adds value to your message. For example, content might include paraphrasing a blog post or giving people a how-to explainer. Remember: It has to be attractive to the viewer and provide information they can engage with.

A host of simple and affordable video tools exist, like Lumen5. Ensure your video is subtitled using an SRT file to allow your content to attain the greatest reach when the sound is off.”

– Linda Reed-Enever, Founder, Thoughtspot PR – Media Connections – Business Business Business

“Podcasting, while getting more competitive, is still easier to break into than blogging. It also gives you a more intimate relationship with your Audience.

The efficient way to produce podcast and video content is to record your podcast simultaneously on audio and video. This process enables you to hit two sets of audiences.

YouTube also nicely balances out your podcast audience peaks and troughs, as it tends to drip-feed views.

The simplest way to do it is to record each episode as a video, then turn that into an audio podcast. I also have my audio editor turn that recording into show notes for the blog. That way, I reach audiences on iTunes, YouTube, and my blog. Start simple — but this is a great next step.

The main challenge of podcasting is that the audience falls off quickly after each new episode airs. So it’s vital to create a publishing schedule. Two more tips:

Interview guests — it means no more content worries (just add good questions!)
Get several episodes recorded before launch. You’re being judged by iTunes from day one.”

– Michael Veazy, AmazingFBA.com

“Incorporating video into your Marketing Mix is easier than ever, and there are lots of options available. The type of videos you choose to produce will mostly depend upon your budget.

One option is to shoot an informational video and post it on social media or your website. Keep it short (under 3 minutes if possible). You can even try shooting videos yourself, using your iPhone if you don’t the budget for a film crew. Supplement your lighting to enhance the look of your video.

Another option is to hire a professional film/video company to produce a high-end 30- or 60-second commercial, which can be broadcast on television, used as pre-roll ad online, or posted and shared on social media. You can edit different lengths and versions depending on your final use.

If you have the budget for it, hire a producer or consultant to work with the film/video company to ensure you’re getting what you need out of your video shoot. Live videos are another option, using Facebook Live or Instagram Stories. Hubspot has shared some statistics and options to keep in mind.”

– Mary Negrotto, Mary Negrotto Media, L.L.C.

“In today’s market, video is the preferred media for consumers. And branded video is just as important a lever of engagement as advertising video. Therefore, not integrating it into your marketing mix would be a mistake.

As an online printer, enriching the browsing experience with video is essential for us to ensure a good conversion rate. Video allows us to recreate a complete, real and unique sensory experience, which also makes it intimate and personalized.

It also lets us highlight our strengths, which further highlights the quality of our printing, the diversity of our finishes, products, and more.”

– Ludmilla Bowen, exagroup.biz

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