High-resolution video cameras are becoming ubiquitous on everyday portable electronics - even eyeglasses and watches. The latest tablets have sensors that surpass resolutions that were considered cutting edge only four years ago. Its never been easier to make decent-quality HD video anywhere your phone travels. Add inexpensive or (as in the case of iMovie) free editing software, and home movies become small cinematic presentations.
With all these tools accessible to the small- or medium-sized business owner in pocket-size convenience, does it makes sense to start making "selfie" marketing videos for internet distribution and website promotions?
The short answer is no. Your professional image is too critical to the success of your business, no matter the venue.
Would you try to build your own neon sign, tailor your own business suit, or repair your smile when you chip a tooth? Unless you actually work in these professions, probably not. That's because its vital to portray your brand with the highest attention paid to professional detail, whether it's your shingle, your suit, or your smile. Unless, of course, you don't want to harness the most powerful small-business tool for captivating potential clients.
The power of the world wide web as a marketing tool is a subject for another day. Suffice it to say that when potential customers are using search engines to find the goods you sell or services you provide, they are already a highly targeted audience ready to buy - its just a matter of convincing them your brand is superior. That is an impossible task to do with distracting, meandering, sub-par homemade videos.
Its shocking how many business owners fail to recognize the importance web videos play in attracting new customers. This is especially true in the service industry, where people use the internet to research each competitor before making their choice. For that comparison, its imperative you have the right video tools to separate and elevate your brand against all comers.
A static website can explain your services, give pricing, show photos of your practice, facilities, bios and certifications - all of which are important to convey. But it's passive. Video is not only engaging, but it has three lives - it can be incorporated into a website, sits in YouTube's domain, and has an organic life in search engines. Its like getting a three-for-one bonus for every video you include that is compelling enough to get viewers. But that little edge in content aggregation and search indexing can be lost if your videos aren't engaging enough for people to watch.
These videos also wind up serving as a more powerful calling card than the webpage that hosts it. A client-in-waiting will remember your brand from a video with more emotional content and connection than with the slickest-looking website. Customers don't digest information through "cool"; it's conveyed best through accessible, easily understood, professional looking videos that make sure nothing distracts from your message.
The best way to unleash this potential is by using a professional company to handle your video needs as turnkey production. Do-it-yourself is fine for doing decks or installing a new toilet, but iPad video production can't replace the years of experience and know-how that producers and technicians can lend to your brand. What technology has done is make high-end production more accessible for the small business owner. Gone are the expenses of film production, with smaller, more agile crews and less expensive professional HD systems opening the door for affordable, end-to-end broadcast-quality video production.
Dimestore Studio Productions is about to launch special web promotional packages that lets small businesses cash in on web-video marketing by providing multiple, targeted methods of using media to positively impact your brand while attracting a larger audience to your business. For a reasonable entry-level cost, with a la carte options and more extensive package options available, Dimestore Studio will develop a campaign for you, including end-to-end production that covers development, scripting, production, editing, custom graphics, animation, and royalty-free music, all in full HD (so it may be leveraged for use in conferences/sales meetings or even cable TV commercials) and delivered via YouTube for embedding and furthering your brand among indexed searches.
Next up: Elements of a solid web campaign
