Stefania and I have spoken a lot about presenting your brand, and one of the best ways to boost people’s awareness is to get yourself out there on video. Even though we’re all excited about getting back out into the world, many business owners have seen how video has helped them over the past year so they will continue to use them as part of their marketing.
Audiences have responded too, with 81% of people saying they want to see more videos from brands. People are watching videos more than ever, on their mobile, on their tablet, sitting at home or on the go. So even with people moving around - they’ll still be watching your videos on the Tube, on the bus or in the park.
I understand that making videos makes some people feel nervous, but I’m here to make your life easier, I promise. In order to get you out of your head and make videos to increase your visibility and boost brand awareness, I propose you follow the three T’s.
What are the three T’s? Technology, Technique, Technicalities. Easy to remember, and even easier to implement, I promise.
EXPLAINING THE THREE T’S
1) Technology
If you want to create short videos for social media, your blog or vlog – you already have the technology, probably in your hand right now: your mobile phone. You don’t even need a fancy app, just your camera. Position it correctly and press record.
When you get deeper into technology, you can play around with the lens, but until you have mastered the basics, don’t worry about it.
The other thing that is vital when it comes to technology is your lighting. This is probably the single most important piece of advice when it comes to video: lighting can make or break your video. It needs to be bright yet not wash you out, and you can easily buy an inexpensive light to get the right effect. That’s if you don’t have much access to daylight.
The position of the light is important too – make sure that you’re not backlit or getting light from above you, especially if you’re concerned about looking pale or tired. Light yourself from the front and you’ll get the right effect, making you look your best.
2) Technique
The right technique will ensure that you connect with your audience, which is the aim of the game here. You want to capture their attention, deliver your message and begin building trust with your audience. How do you do that? A couple of little tricks make this possible:
a) Position the camera around arm’s length away to ensure that your whole face can be seen. This is a great distance as it gives the impression that you are standing in front of your potential customer as if they were having a conversation with you.
b) Another trick is to put the camera at eye level, using a tripod, or even propping it up with some books! When you’re speaking to them at eye level, it creates the illusion that you are face to face, which makes people forget the screen a little.
Don’t record when looking up or down at a camera, it’s distracting, can give a wrong impression and will draw away from your message.
3) Technicalities
When I talk about technicalities, I mean the little details. Your style is important at communicating who you are, but remember so is everything else that the viewer can see. Have you props to support your message, or do you think they will be distracting? What’s going on in the background – remember anything that can draw the eye of your audience will become part of what they think of you. It can also become an extra distraction that will have their attention as opposed to looking at you and listening carefully to what you have to say.
Essentially what I’m saying is to keep it simple. You only have a short window of time to make an impression, so ensure that it’s the right one. Here are some tips on how to do that:
a) What you’re wearing: I suggest to only wear one or two colours at most, especially if your features are on the fairer side. Bright colours are great in person, but on video they can be distracting – pulling the attention from you and your message. As Stefania has said before, a bright scarf or hairpiece can be very effective.
b) Your background: Position yourself somewhere that has a plain or simple background. Much like your clothes, bright colours behind you simply create something else for the viewer to look at. Don’t choose a park with children playing in the background – unless that’s part of your story and brand.
Hopefully knowing these three T’s will boost your confidence and improve your video-making skills. You can find out more on my blog, or book a 1-2-1 chat with me to discuss your video strategy and goals.
Blog link: https://ufocuspro.com/in-the-spotlight/
Let’s chat video link: https://bookme.name/eugeniaz/lets-chat-video
