I’m a former search engine engineer trying to adapt to TikTok, Instagram, and all these other social networks. I tell everyone that I don’t have the time– and that singing and dancing are not something I want to do. I just turned 47 years old, which is more than double the average TikTik user.
Here’s how you and I don’t get left behind, like our parents who were befuddled by VCRs that blink 12:00 forever, unfixed since the last power outage…
PROBLEM 1) Don’t have time– the most common excuse.
You know, it takes more time to make the excuse about why you’re too busy to make a 15 second video than to just do it. Procrastinating is just another way of saying you don’t want to do it, as you and I well know.
SOLUTION: record always.
When you’re in a Zoom call, just hit the record button: whether you’re the client, coach, or attendee, record those meetings! You’ll be able to repurpose the video into social media snippets, transcribe into blog posts, and so forth. Zero extra time required by you, clients, or partners. Use the steps in the “Content Factory” and your team of virtual assistants will process the content, just like Tesla factories crank out Model Y’s down the assembly line.
Just pretend the camera isn’t even on and you’ll get the most natural video snippets. Of course, watch your language (unless you’re GaryVee) and don’t say anything that could get you in trouble later!
PROBLEM 2) I don’t like how I look or sound.
Hey, I’m bald and embarrassingly 50 pounds over my ideal body weight. But you know what I’ve learned from seeing thousands of successful entrepreneurs who have grown their business via video marketing?
SOLUTION: YOLO.
They realize that nobody actually cares. Cell phone screens are so small and people scroll so fast– nobody is stopping to zoom into the pimple on your face or mock your stuttered phrases. I was once in a video shoot with a celebrity (who shall remain nameless). She was so obsessed with her make-up and getting the lighting just right that we filmed for only 3 minutes after spending a whole day on camera placement. The cell phone video we made after the official shoot had more “authentic” and believable content. And it performed better in our marketing campaigns than the one which clearly looked like a TV commercial.
Not everyone is as spunky and well-spoken as Mary Henderson. Welton Hong doesn’t even speak English as his first language, but he’s making a one minute video every day– whether he’s traveling, in the office, with clients, or at a restaurant. And it’s been critical to his growth into the top digital marketing firm for funeral homes (cue the dead jokes).
PROBLEM 3) I don’t have the fancy equipment or pro-level skills.
The iPhone is replacing the amateur videographer. And you’ll see videos on YouTube where an expert videographer with a cell phone competes with a novice that has a $100K RED camera. Guess who makes the better videos?
SOLUTION: Your phone is your best camera, because the best video is the one you actually make.
The big shift in 2022 is professional videographers who are switching to iPhones to film most of their content, especially when traveling. Who wants to lug around all that gear,
anyway? A proper camera weighs nearly 10 pounds, which will tire even those of us with muscles. It takes me 10 minutes to set up my gear– and by then, I probably will have missed the moment or been too bothered to pull out a giant camera with various accessories.
My gear of choice is an iPhone with a Rode Wireless Go 2, which has two microphones. Perfect for interviews. And the pros all know the #1 thing that ruins video is bad sound– so get a mic as your top consideration when filming.
With social media increasingly telling stories in 15 second increments on cell phones (vertical, not landscape), a professional video camera is out of place
I hope you take these tips to dominate your marketing with video in 2022!
The irony of writing about video is like dancing about architecture. But if you follow me on the social networks, you’ll see that I practice what I preach. And I’d love to hear how you’re doing!