Video is a Social Media phenomenon. Have you noticed Youtube has been ranking as the Number Two search engine? Not only can you find out how to do literally anything, you can start building a library of videos that create a conversation with your prospects. Avoid selling. Instead, your goal is to “inform and entertain.” A topical video will get more play. This results in increased distribution and greater visibility. Video allows you to take advantage of the viral nature of the web. Those who find it interesting will recommend your video and send it to others. Most importantly, it promotes you as an expert and thought leader in your area.
A good example on how to use video comes from an agent who had the following in her email signature:
“View my listings on YouTube. Click here”
On her YouTube account, she had loaded videos of all of her listings. This alone was quite impressive. In addition, she also had videos of her company, of the communities where she works, and testimonials from past clients. She engages the consumer by letting them know who she is through her video.
If you do this, track your results. Tracking provides insight into your prospects. It also helps you develop better content as you go.
Videos can enhance your search engine optimization. One of the best places to post your video is on YouTube.
Why YouTube? YouTube will give your video the most exposure. This is sometimes called “eyeballs.” In addition to YouTube, here are some other sites to consider:
Would you like to upload your videos to all of these sites? You can, with a free service like that from TubeMogul.com. Simply upload your video to the TubeMogul site and select the other sites where you would like to send your video. TubeMogul then sends it to the sites you have selected.
CAVEAT: Avoid violating the TOS (Terms of service). If you add music, make sure it is royalty free. Sites such as Vimeo allow only non-commercial videos. If they deem that any of your videos are commercial, they will delete your account.
When you upload your video to these sites, make sure you give the video a title, a description, and tags (these are metatags). Set the privacy levels and indicate whether you are willing to accept comments. I recommend you turn comments off on your videos.
You can also Geotag the video. “Geotagging” is the process of adding geographical identification metadata to various media such as photographs and video. Simply put, this means putting the address on the video. This allows search engines to include your video when people do an online search for your geographical region. This is becoming increasingly more important as Google finds additional ways to deliver relevant content.
Use Tracking Features to Analyze Results
Can you track your video results? Depending on the host you can. TubeMogul has wonderful analytics. YouTube has a feature called “Insight” that includes the demographic information for everyone who looks at your video.
Final advice
Don’t be afraid of the camera. Get out and do it. While nobody really likes the way they look and sound on camera, get over it! Be human, be real, and let your personality show!
