The Hidden Powers Of Video Communications
Video is the most powerful way to showcase your abilities and connect with others. It’s not just for entertainment, but for building your thought leadership. People want to work, hire, and partner with people who they feel a connection to. Video is the strongest medium that can do that. The great thing is, chances are, you have already been communicating on video (at least a lot more since the year 2020), so starting now shouldn’t feel as intimidating.
Our CEO and Founder, Jessica Chen, recently hosted a special LinkedIn Soulcast Media | LIVE event where she interviewed Corporate Trainer and Senior Contributor at Forbes, Dana Brownlee.
They shared key tips and personal experiences on how to effectively utilize video. This Soulcast Media| LIVE event is brought to you by our amazing sponsors at NeedThat™
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1. When To use Video
During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Jessica asked Dana how does someone utilize video? Dana said the most important thing to think about before diving into every single social media platform is to ask yourself –
what is going to work best for you and your business model?
In other words, you need to think about your business and your purpose for posting your message via video.
Things to consider about your business
- Who is your audience?
- What platform is your audience using?
- How will your message translate on different platforms?
- Will your video message serve your audience or only sell to your audience?
Once you’ve thought about each of these questions, you’ll be able to narrow down where you will use video for your business.
Dana emphasized the importance of not getting caught up in what other people are doing – it’s easy to do, but resist the urge! You need to look at the opportunities and find what is going to work for you. There are many different ways you can incorporate video. A trick that Jessica and Dana gave was to repurpose your video content.
You can repurpose your video content in the following ways:
- Social Media – You can edit your video to fit several different social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. One video that you shoot can be spliced into several 30-second videos.
- Blog Post – Embed your video within a blog post! At Soulcast Media, we utilize this in many different blog posts, like this one here!
- Newsletter – If you have a mailing list, you can easily embed a video into your weekly newsletter.
- Presentation Deck – Depending on your video, you may want to include it in your presentation or pitch deck.
Remember, your audience consumes media differently. So by repurposing your video, you are able to target all of your audience members in the way they like to view your message.
The key to knowing when to use video is to do what is going to work best for you and your business. Stay in your lane and don’t be overwhelmed by what everyone else is doing.
2. Four Different Ways To Use Video
During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Jessica and Dana shared the 4 different ways they use video to send their messages to become thought leaders in their space.
Webcam – Your webcam is the video recorder that comes with your computer or laptop. If you are just starting out with video, your webcam is a perfect tool. You really don’t have to get too fancy!
Videographer – Sometimes you aren’t able to capture your own video, which is why hiring a videographer might be something you should consider. This is especially true if you are speaking at an event and would like to get certain shots that a phone recording won’t capture.
Animated Whiteboard – If you don’t feel comfortable being on camera, a great alternative is to make animated whiteboard videos. These are videos where you would do a voice-over, and then you or someone else would draw as you speak. Here are a few examples of what this would look like. During the Live, Dana said that she uses these videos quite a bit for her business.
Live Streaming – If you saw our Soulcast Media | LIVE then you have seen a Live Stream! Live streaming is available on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram as well as other social platforms. Jessica likes to use Live Streaming as a way to interact with her audience.
The way in which you use video will largely depend on how it works for your business. As you plan your content strategy, keep in mind the different ways you can utilize video to effectively share your message.
3. Why You Should Utilize Video
Video is a powerful tool that you can utilize to not only promote your business, but also be seen as a leader within your industry. Remember that if you are creating engaging and relevant videos, employers will also be paying attention to you and your capabilities.
This means your videos are not only tools to help spread your message and content, but they can also help you get that next promotion.
Thought Leadership. Utilizing video can help increase your thought leadership. You are able to get your ideas out to a broader audience that you’ve never worked with before. People feel like they get to know you. They get to see your expressions and mannerisms and hear your voice. And that is one of the strongest forms of connection.
Expert In Your Field – Just because you don’t have your own business or brand doesn’t mean that you can’t utilize video. You can utilize video to share your expertise. The more you are able to share your expertise, the more you will be seen as an expert and leader within that field.
Polished Presentations – Are you pitching your ideas to a group of potential investors? Videos can evoke emotions that words simply can’t.
Video is such a powerful tool and the more comfortable you are using it, the more platforms you can use to send your message and engage your audience.
If you would like to see the full LIVE version of Jessica and Dana’s conversation, check out Jessica’s Youtube Channel.
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