HINT: It’s not with fancy equipment.
Today on the podcast we’re talking about video again – continuing on from our chat last week. Last week I spoke about why everyones harping on about it, how you can get over the fear of creating them, and what it can do for your brand, your business and your sales.
This week we’ll go into structuring your video, where to shoot it, what equipment you need, when to do it and go into LIVES and STORIES … the more scary stuff than pre-recorded videos.
OK so let’s get into it.
Video structure
What’s the structure of a good video?
- Intro
- Content
- Close
In your Intro, you want to tell them who you are. Yes, every time. Get this personal branding message in there.
Then you need to tell them what you’re going to tell them. You need to get their attention. Hook them in with a juicy line about stating very clearly what they’re going to get out of it. You want them to keep watching, so you’re going to have to give them good reason to do so.
Video content
Then comes your content.
You want to engage your audience. Make the content something that adds value to them. Make it interesting. Listen to last week’s episode for ways to generate ideas here.
Within this, overarchingly, you basically have one job here.
That is to create intimacy.
Be yourself. You don’t need fancy hair and make up and lights. That doesn’t make you relatable and likable. Make each member of the audience feel like you’re talking just to them.
Make them feel like you’re talking to a friend.
You don’t need to increase your vocab, or script weird words or any of that nonsense. Just be you.
Yes, have dot points or an outline you can see off camera.Yes, even write the whole thing out before you start if that’s going to help get your thoughts clear in your mind. But don’t read it. Don’t try and remember it word for word. You don’t need to. Talk about things that you care about. That are near and dear to you. That you’re passionate about, and you won’t have to memorise a script.
This is not about being perfect. It’s about showing your audience who you are, and that you have value to add to their lives. The more ‘perfect’ you try to make it. The less engagement you’re going to get. The less people are going to connect with the ‘real you’ because they can’t. You’re not being the real you!
You also want to seed your offer here. I said SEED. Not, sell. Talk about what it is that you do, but not in a way that opens up an invitation to buy. You’re just casually letting them know about your program or product or service – so they know what you do – and to seed some interest that you can nurture in future content.
It typically takes 16 touches to get an action. That means, 16 bits of content. They’re going to unfollow you before then if you’re not adding enough value, or if you’re being salesy and annoying.
Alright, then the close. This is where you want to incite action. What’s one thing you want your audience to do. Like the video? Share the video? Text you for a PDF download? Join your Facebook group.
Oh hey – if you’re NOT already in the BUSINESS MUMMA Facebook group – you should totally get on in there. If you can’t find it – check out the show notes at mumma.digital or send me a message on social and I’ll send it on over.
Back to the close. Here you just want to recap everything, and do your call to action that we talked about.
Video Location
Alright. Next is where are you going to record?? The short answer is – it doesn’t matter too much. The preference is definitely for something pretty minimal, and clean. But outside of that, wherever is FINE. You don’t need a fancy backdrop. You can be in the car, or at the park, or your kitchen.
Just be somewhere quiet, and not too distracting, and somewhere that’s authentic and on brand for you. For me, I’m usually in my office, standing, with just a white wall behind me. I do this so I can add captions easily and it’s the same every time. Also I share an office with my home husband, and it’s small, and it’s also home to my exercise bike, and my surfboard, and my bookshelf – so it’s pretty object heavy. Which doesn’t make for a ‘non-distracting’ ‘clear space’ background. So I just pick the one free wall next to the window and use that. But when I do ‘LIVES’ I’m wherever I am. In the car, in my office seat, in a client’s office lobby … the quietest place I can get to within 5 mins of 11am on Tuesdays.
So pick your version of that. You can be surrounded by kids mess chaos, but pull a dining chair into the corner and no one will ever know! Unless you want them too. Which is totally cool too if that makes sense for your brand.
Equipment
So what do you need to go on video? Just. Your. Phone.
Yep. No fancy equipment needed. Please don’t go and buy any to get started. You don’t need it. Really truly hear me here. You. Don’t. Need. It.
If you really want to up the vibe a bit, buy a ring light. You can get a tripod and ring light set up for less than $100 on eBay. I use one sometimes. Mostly for my more formal teaching Marketing Monday videos for my agency. I normally forget for the others.
That’s all you need. No need to worry about anything else.
When to do it
Alright let’s talk about WHEN to do it. Well, you can record anytime you like. I recommend batch recording. Just have a pile of tops next to you and swap them after each video if you want a different look.
As for when you post – this one depends on your insights. Take a look at when your audience are online and engaging with you. If you havn’t been posting at all – go back to thinking about your ideal client. What is their schedule like? When do they have to time to scroll? First thing in the morning? After school drop off? On their lunch break – or After dinner? When is it?
That’s when you need to post, to ensure max engagement.
OK let’s chat about going LIVE.
To be entirely honest, this one’s pretty new for me too. I’ve only started going live weekly for the past few months. And you know what, it’s still nerve wracking when you see the names pop up of who’s listening.
But you know what? Feel the fear and DO IT ANYWAY. Why not? There’s not going to be any massive lasting consequences unless maybe you start a striptease or start saying really offensive things out of the blue.
And guess what else? You dont have to publish it! If you’re mortified at how it went (I promise you your audience won’t be mortified even if you are) you dont have to hit save. You can delete it. And it’s forgotten about in the tsunami of other content whooshing through peoples feeds.
Just prepare, make sure you have some dot points about what you’re going to say – and own it.
My big tip here too, as with everything related to organic content is BE CONSISTENT. If you’re going to go live once a week on Tuesdays at 11am (like I do in my BM FB group .. hop on over in there!!!) then make sure you’re LIVE when ou say you will be.
OK that’s me done for video for now.
I really hope you loved this episode and that it helped simplify the concept of video for you. I hope you feel challenged and inspired. If you did, please take a screenshot and tag me on your socials. And tag me in your videos!
Have a great week mummas.
Annelise xx