Just by looking at the popularity of Instagram or YouTube, it’s no secret online visual content is booming. A great tool for a business to generate leads while capturing the attention of their audience is through video blogging, or 'vlogging'.
Simply put, video blogging is creating and distributing a series of videos. They can be informative or simply entertaining, but either way, videos are a smart, simple (and even inexpensive) way to promote your brand.
Does My Business Need A Video Blog?
Without a written or video blog, your website will remain static and boring. A video blog is an enhancement to your written marketing strategy that can help attract potential customers to your site. It is no secret that business blogging is all about lead generation, and in the current atmosphere, videos are one of the best visual tools you can employ to make your blog posts more memorable and convert those highly coveted leads.
Tips for starting your own video blog:
- Know your equipment: Know how your camera and editing equipment work. Start by making a few mock video blogs. Find a well-lit area and try to minimize the noise.
- Know your audience: Now that you are an audio/visual expert, you need to figure out who your audience is and gear your “vlog” to them. Are your customers executives? Then, you should dress accordingly in business attire and keep your vlog professional and cordial. Or are your customers skateboard enthusiasts? Remember that you are producing these videos for your audience. A great way to start formulating ideas is to look at your most popular written blog posts and create your video blog around that.
- Keep it short and exciting: Keep your video length to about 3 to 5 minutes. If you have 20 minutes worth of content, consider cutting it down into segments and making it a part of a series. Remember your goal is to keep your audience entertained to ultimately create leads. If you bore them with a 30-minute video, that will most likely be the last time they visit your page or watch any of your videos.
- Don't be a pushy salesman: While it is acceptable to highlight your prices, customer service, or features, remember that this is a video blog and not a commercial. You are trying to turn this traffic into leads and you need their attention to do so. Odds are they will stop watching if they feel they have stumbled into an infomercial.
- Think outside of the box: Think about the most popular videos that 'went viral.' They were all unique and fascinating in some way, shape, or form. While you do not have to go all out on every “vlog” post, you should try and create unique and fascinating content that will make your viewers want to share your video. More shares lead to a bigger audience and in turn, generate more leads for your business.
Does Video Blogging Really Work?
A video blog is an excellent visual enhancement to your online marketing strategy and is a fantastic way to find and connect to a bigger audience. A video blog also won't cost you an arm and a leg to produce. Audio and video equipment are very affordable and you can even get professional-grade equipment at consumer prices. If you don’t want to purchase equipment, use your iPad or even your iPhone. Even without expensive equipment, by following the tips listed above you can start creating a successful and entertaining vlog for your business and turn that traffic into leads.
If you really want your video blog to succeed, you must first determine your buyer personas. To help discover your business’s target audience, download our free Buyer Personas eBook!
