Because video blogging is one of the top trends in Internet marketing strategies for 2011, plenty of bloggers are starting to use video more frequently on their blogs. Simply put, the average website visitor is more likely to watch a video than read a chunk of text.
While the idea is sound and many of your blog visitors will prefer video to text, there are some aspects to consider before you ditch TextPad for a webcam altogether.
Not everyone likes videos:
– Yes, surprising but not everyone likes videos. Or at least not as an only option. Most people will watch something that interests them, but it’s still a good idea to use text for the majority of your posts unless you proclaim yours to be a 100 percent video blog (VLOG).
It’s extra work, but your blog might benefit from transcriptions of your video blogs. That way those who are for some reason unable to view video, either due to their environment or technical constraints, can still have access to your content.
Be yourself, don’t overact:
– When you do use video, be yourself. Don’t try to be something you’re not. You’ll either come off appearing arrogant, or idiotic, neither of which are a good option if your goal is to attract blog visitors. Just be you. And give folks a chance to get to know you, quirks and all. The advantage of a video blog over traditional text is that you can be more intimate with your audience.
Don’t compromise on video quality:
– Do not undervalue the importance of your recording quality, especially audio. The video itself can be of varying quality, since the importance of seeing you talk is what you make of it, but the audio must be crystal clear. Otherwise the viewer won’t hear what you have to say, which is the very point of video blogs. With that said, a good image always gives your vlog an extra boost of professionalism.
Keep It Simple Silly (KISS):
The KISS ( Keep it Simple Silly) principle works well for videos, keep your videos short and interesting. While the Energizer Bunny may be a great concept for batteries, a video that keeps going, and going, and going will turn more people away than it will attract. Three to four minutes is a safe zone for web video running time. In three to four minutes you can convey a decent amount of information in a short sequence of time.
Use Humor:
Use various styles in your videos. Humor is great, but you probably want to keep it clean. Interviews with interesting guests are good. Tutorials for something your followers want to learn are always helpful. You can also offer tips and hints, review products and more. Mix it up and you’ll find you’ve created a much more exciting, passionate, and popular blog.
Be a Good Listener:
Listen to what your visitors have to say. If most of your followers prefer videos to text, go for it. If, on the other hand, the majority are readers, you may want to limit your video posts considerably. Either way, ask your audience what they prefer and give them want they want as often as possible.
Video blogging is an effective Internet marketing strategy. Just learn to do it well, like you do anything else associated with your online business, and you can’t go wrong.
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