video content - Express Writers

#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Create Amazing Online Video Content for Your Brand

February 25, 2024February 16, 2018 by Rachel Moffett

It’s was our monthly Community Chat during this week’s #ContentWritingChat! That means we gave our audience the chance to vote on which topic they were most interested in dicussing. And the one that came out on top? Video creation tips! It’s no surprise this was the chosen topic, considering video continues to be the HOT content format for brands across the web. So, if you want to step-up your YouTube and live streaming game, this recap is for you! #ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Create Amazing Online Video Content for Your Brand You voted! ✅ And now you just need to join us for #ContentWritingChat on Tuesday, February 13th to talk all about creating video content for your brand! ? The fun starts at 10 AM Central, so mark your calendars. ? pic.twitter.com/ZypfoeQP2b — Express Writers (@ExpWriters) February 9, 2018 Our chat discussed video platforms to focus on, how to create captivating videos people want to watch, and more. Now, let’s dive into this recap! Q1: Do you currently create video content for your brand? If not, do you plan to start using video in 2018? To kick off the chat, we decided to gauge just how many people were currently using some form of video and how many were ready to get in on the game. Here are some of the responses we received: A1 Yes! I am slowly building my YouTube presence (https://t.co/h58NSDbzEa). I just hired a post-production video editor for some cool effects! My #truth: I’ve found it NOT schedule filming, and only do it when I’m inspired. WAY easier for me!#ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/bkFPkuOd00 — Julia McCoy | CEO, Author, Content Educator (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 13, 2018 Here at Express Writers, our CEO is working to build her presence on YouTube. She recognizes it’s a valuable platform to be on, as video content provides an amazing way to connect with your audience. A1: Absolutely! We create both edited & live video content as a part of our Digital Media Marketing strategy across all of our Social Media platforms #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/H0rKwxam2I — Eddie Garrison #FacebookLive ? (@EddieGarrison) February 13, 2018 Eddie focuses on both edited and live video, which is a great way to reach your audience. Plus, live video adds that element of real-time engagement, which is always nice. A1 I pretty much only use video. My blog, Facebook Live discussions are a big part of my growing my brand. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/wdIu1Yp4YV — Jade Alberts Consulting (@Jade_A_Consult) February 13, 2018 Jade is all about video content, which is pretty awesome! A1. Yes, I record my podcast every week when I have guest via live streaming on facebook #ContentWritingChat — Cheval John (@chevd80) February 13, 2018 For Cheval, he records his podcast every week when he has a guest live streaming on Facebook. It’s a great way to repurpose your live stream. A1: Yes. I started making Youtube videos on a bi-weekly basis in 2013. For a little time I reduced that to once a month before in 2017 committing myself to one video a week. #ContentWritingChat — Zachary Fenell (@zacharyfenell) February 13, 2018 Zachary stepped up his video presence by uploading one video a week to his YouTube channel last year. Very impressive! A1 Yes! Different content – short video, long-form and some livevideo in between ? I think video is such change-maker, you can brisge the gap woth your audience so much easier & connect 1:1 #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/5z8cf3GXAs — Zala Bricelj #SMMW18 here I come (@ZalkaB) February 13, 2018 Zala knows video is where it’s at! She’s created short videos, long videos, and even live videos. This is a great way to make sure you’re creating content that resonates with your audience. A1. I create videos for my clients, not for my own brand. That’s something I want to do in 2018. Getting there slowly.. #ContentWritingChat — Ankitaa G Dalmia (@Anki_Live) February 13, 2018 Ankitaa creates videos for her clients, but she hasn’t branched out to do it for herself yet. Hopefully 2018 is the year she makes it happen! A1: I made one “promo” video for our online magazine and haven’t produced anything since. Would love more time (more team) to do so. #contentwritingchat — Paul Haluszczak (@expertlypaul) February 13, 2018 Paul has only done one promo video so far, but he’d love to create more this year. A1) Currently no, but it’s something I’d like to incorporate into my strategy later in the year. I think video can be a great accompaniment to a social strategy #contentwritingchat — Iain G. Scott (@IainGScott) February 13, 2018 Iain hasn’t gotten started with video either, but he’s planning to later in 2018. Q2: What types of video are you most focused on this year? (YouTube, Facebook Live, etc.) With so many platforms where you can utilize video, it can be difficult to determine where to direct your attention. These are the types of video some of our chat participants will be focused on: A2: YouTube. Facebook Live and Instagram are cool, yes. But I think there’s something so basic and so vital about nailing YouTube videos. It’s another search engine altogether and I want to get that right. #ContentWritingChat — Narmadhaa (@s_narmadhaa) February 13, 2018 As Narmadhaa said, YouTube is a search engine itself. It’s a worthwhile platform to be on if you want your content to be discovered. A2 YouTube first and foremost. The evergreen/organic ranking reach of creating quality channel videos is undeniably powerful. Secondly, FB Lives! The reach of a Live video is also unquestionably at the top for FB right now. #ContentWritingChat — Julia McCoy | CEO, Author, Content Educator (@JuliaEMcCoy) February 13, 2018 For Julia, it’s mostly about YouTube because she knows it’s beneficial to get videos ranking there. However, she also recognizes the power of Facebook Live. Being able to do those and connect with your audience in the moment is very special. A2: Facebook Live! It offers such a unique positioning to better humanize your brand to your audience. It also offers … Read more

#ContentWritingChat April 12 2016 Recap: How to Create Your Most Engaging Brand Videos

August 4, 2022April 15, 2016 by Rachel Moffett

If you missed #ContentWritingChat this week, then you missed an amazing conversation all about online video creation and marketing techniques. Video content continues to grow in popularity online, with more brands joining YouTube or using live streaming apps. If you want to learn how to best utilize video content for your brand, read on for a full recap of this week’s chat! #ContentWritingChat April 12 2016 Recap: How to Create Your Most Engaging Brand Videos Join us Tuesday, April 12th for #ContentWritingChat at 10 AM CDT. Guest host: @michaelkinney. pic.twitter.com/K4l8g7iGAK — Express Writers (@ExpWriters) April 5, 2016 Award winning broadcaster and video expert, Michael Kinney, joined us as our guest host this week. Michael has been a regular at #ContentWritingChat and we were thrilled to have him share his expertise with us. He has over 25 years of professional television production experience and he shared some fantastic insight throughout the chat. Q1: How can you tell your brand’s story through video? Telling your brand story is the best way to connect with your audience and allow them to get to know you and what you do. But how can you tell your story more effectively through video? Check out these tips: A1: Do video interviews with people behind the brand to discover their WHY, their motivations, beyond profit. #ContentWritingChat — Michael Kinney (@michaelkinney) April 12, 2016 A1: AUTHENTICALLY SHOW how the brand affects customers and fans using video case studies, profiles, testimonials. #ContentWritingChat — Michael Kinney (@michaelkinney) April 12, 2016 Michael suggests doing video interviews with the people behind the brand. This gives your audience the opportunity to get to know you better and also help them understand WHY you do what you do. Be sure to show how your brand is impacting customers and fans. Case studies, profiles, and testimonials are great for this. A1. Give people an inside look at you/your team and show them how passionate you are! #contentwritingchat — Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) April 12, 2016 Kristen agrees that giving your audience an inside look into your brand is a must. It’s the best way to show them how passionate you are! A1: Show your personality and who you are. People want to see you #ContentWritingChat — Searcy Sledge (@SearcySledge) April 12, 2016 As Searcy said, show your personality. Don’t be afraid to just be yourself. Your audience wants to get to know the real you. A1) Like all storytelling, best to show instead of tell. Video can focus not on you but on the characters of your story. #ContentWritingChat — Jeremy Bond (@JeremyDBond) April 12, 2016 Jeremy said to turn the focus to the characters of the story instead of making it all about you. .@ExpWriters #ContentWritingChat A1. Videos work well in establishing a strong emotional connection with the brand in consumers’ minds. — Pratik Mohapatra (@mohapatrapratik) April 12, 2016 One important thing to remember about videos, as Pratik mentioned: Establish a strong emotional connection. Build that connection with your audience and they’ll be sure to stick around. A1. Know it well, tell it better. Clear communication of your message is key. Touch hearts, not wallets. #ContentWritingChat @ExpWriters — Co-op Social (@co_opsocial) April 12, 2016 Co-op Social said it best: Touch hearts, not wallets. Q2: What are best practices for writing/developing engaging, outstanding video scripts? When it comes to video content, you need to make sure you’re grabbing the attention of your audience right off the bat. Creating a script ahead of time can really help with this. Here’s how to engage your audience with amazing video: A2: Write for the ear, not the eye. Use simple, concrete, active, conversational language. #ContentWritingChat — Michael Kinney (@michaelkinney) April 12, 2016 As Michael said, you need to write for the ear, not the eye. Speak in a way that is natural and conversational. Your words show flow easily. A) Be concise, both in terms of the content and the length of the video. Nobody will watch a video that drags on. #contentwritingchat — Kyle Murray (@TheKyleMurray) April 12, 2016 Kyle said to keep it concise when considering your content and the length of your video. Your audience will not stick around for a video where you’re rambling on. Stay focused and get to the point! A2. Speak your audience’s language, get to the point and let the visuals do the legwork. #contentwritingchat — Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) April 12, 2016 A2 Short and crisp, speak in your #Demographics language #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/NJIk90T6Z2 — Varun Kumar (@varunkr842) April 12, 2016 Kristen and Varun remind us to consider our audience when creating video content. You need to speak in language that your audience will relate to. A2: Don’t use jargon and corporate-speak. #contentwritingchat — Laura Powell (@dailysuitcase) April 12, 2016 Laura says to ditch the jargon and corporate-speak. This all goes back to knowing and understanding your audience. You need to speak in a way they will understand. A1b) Captions/subtitles in video. Not all will want or be able to hear your video with the sound (i.e. in an office) #ContentWritingChat — Jim Carter (@MSLJim) April 12, 2016 A great tip from Jim: Don’t forget to include captions/subtitles in your videos. Keep in mind that some people may not be able to listen due to their location. Having subtitles allows them to get your content without hearing the sound. Also, this helps you cater to hearing-impaired audiences as well. Q3: What are the ideal video formats and lengths for your audience? When you’re creating video content you need to consider the format and the length. How do you know what will work for your audience? A3: “Formats” can also mean the way you deliver your video: live-action, on-camera, PPT, Screencast #ContentWritingChat — Michael Kinney (@michaelkinney) April 12, 2016 A3: Can also mean the genre of video production: vlog, interview, instructional, demo, documentary, news-style. #ContentWritingChat — Michael Kinney (@michaelkinney) April 12, 2016 As Michael knows, video formats can vary. You can go for live-action, screencast, vlogs, interviews, documentaries, etc. There are so … Read more

13 Ways to Optimize Video Content

January 1, 2021March 14, 2014 by Adam Oakley

Optimizing written content for people and search engines is relatively simple when compared to video content optimization. After all, you usually only have a limited amount of space or words to use in conjunction with the video. And, let’s be honest, if you open the “About” section on a YouTube video and see more than a few hundred words it quickly dives into “tl;dr” area and you might find yourself thinking “I came here to watch a three minute video, not read War and Peace That’s the bad news. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to optimize your video to get the results you want whether it’s encouraging your customers to purchase something, getting shares, getting noticed by search engines, or simply getting views. 13: Know The Goals This is just good advice for any time in life, but it also applies to marketing your video content. Knowing goals doesn’t just mean knowing your goals. You obviously know your goals. It’s important to know the goals of your customers. Keep them in mind and you’ll be able to make great video content that truly connects with them. This means that you should know how your customers feel at the moment, know what you want your customers to feel, and evoke those feelings. If you are evoking a negative emotion (like fear) then your video content should lead your customer to a remedy for that feeling. If you are going for a positive emotion (like joy) then you should let your customers know how you can help them continue that feeling. Let’s be clear: evoking a negative emotion doesn’t always mean making them paranoid or generally unhappy. Allstate’s Mayhem commercials do a great job striking the balance between raising their awareness of certain concerns while having a sense of humor about it. 12: Create a Call to Action Making sure that you have actionable content is absolutely necessary for any type of success with your video content. There are several different ways to do this. One of them is obvious: put a call to action somewhere in the video. Another, less obvious tactic, is to put a call to action in the description of the video (for example “Buy the album here” with a link following). The call to action that falls in the description is frequently used by musicians, although this particular video features both types of call to action: 11: Know Where to Host Your Video Content Now, when most people think of optimized video hosting they think of sites like Metacafe, YouTube, or Veoh. They’re quick, easy, and cheap. What’s more is that they have a built in audience that might accidentally stumble onto your videos while looking for something else, allowing you to passively build a crowd. It’s like being the opening act for The Rolling Stones (if there were 3 million other bands playing at the same time). While that sort of video hosting does have a lot of merits and is very tempting, it won’t necessarily keep people coming back to your site. If you want to do that then it might be better to host it yourself on your own site (or host it through a major hosting site but only have it viewable on your website). But what if you don’t have any frequent visitors but you want them? Then it might be nice to give them a taste of what you have on YouTube and then direct them to your site for more frequently updated video content. One example is how the Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen uses this strategy to bring people to additional content on the Food Network website as well as tuning in for the shows (although Alton Brown does the call to action in a very… Alton Brown-y sort of way): 10: Analytics, Analytics, Analytics This is a ridiculously obvious tip but it likely has a place in every blog post on this site. Use your analytics to their full potential. They’re not there for no reason. If you’re an American from Nevada and you find out that a strange amount of your views are coming from Iceland, it’s probably important to find out why. Maybe your views are peaking in mid-October. Knowing why a lot of your viewers are coming from a certain region or at a certain time can help you ask specific questions that you need to know to expand your market and keep the viewers you have. 9: Use Better Meta According to Kissmetrics.com, metadata is an interesting little background figure because it has such an impact on our content but kind of blends into the background. It’s like a really good bassist in a band. You may not notice that they are there, plucking away during your favorite songs, but you’d notice if the instrument were gone from the mix. Basically, metadata is the data that describes the data. It’s the text portion of the dating profile that is your content. “I am your YouTube video on how to properly iron your socks. My keywords are: How to, laundry, ironing, housekeeping. I enjoy walks at dusk on a sandy beach but am paradoxically annoyed by sand between my toes.” You’re only fighting half the battle if you just know what it is. Using metadata properly is another beast entirely. For an example of high-quality metadata, check out the title and description of this TED talk about tying your shoes. It mentions the name of the speaker and a concise, accurate description in the title (that doesn’t have unintentional ellipsis at the end) and describes the talk and the speaker, including the date, in the description. It will also tell you how you’ve been doing a basic skill slightly wrong for your whole life, which is always humbling. 8: Amusing or How To Videos People love funny videos and how to videos is usually one of the … Read more