You might not think of yourself as a media mogul, but the idea of having your own video channel is now well within your reach.
Creating and posting videos can help you build you business by engaging your audience with dynamic, accessible content, says Sara Gilbert, founder of Strategist in Montreal.
Building your own channel can take your video project a step further, making it a key pillar in your branding strategy.
Creating a video channel is a way of cataloging your videos on a hosting site such as YouTube or Vimeo. Visitors or subscribers to your channel will have easy access to all your videos, and will be more likely to view more of your content.
You don’t have to be a “techie” to create your own channel. It is a simple matter of following user-friendly prompts on the hosting site.
What’s important is to have a strategy that builds your brand. Gilbert explains how:
> Know your purpose
Just as each video should have a goal, your channel should have an overall purpose, too.
Do you want to use the channel as a way to introduce your business to prospects? Or do you want to use it to help position yourself as an expert in your field?
Knowing the purpose of the channel will help you determine the kind of content you will post. It will also help you give your channel a theme, such as “John Doe’s Retirement Lifestyle Planning Channel.”
If you are still not sure how to proceed, Gilbert suggests, look at video channels you feel are effective, for some ideas.
> Make it your own
When you set up your channel, you will have the option of adding visual elements to your channel. Make sure your channel corresponds visually with your other marketing materials. Your audience should be able to recognize your channel as another branch of your communications.
“You want to give your audience that ‘wow’ effect,” Gilbert says. “But at the same time, they should be able to identify that it is distinctly yours.”
Leverage your channel by promoting it across your other chosen social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
> Establish a call to action
Many advisors neglect the crucial step of including a call to action in their videos and on their video channels, Gilbert says. As a result, they miss out on an opportunity to convert their video campaign into new business.
To take advantage of your newfound status as a “video star,” be sure to have your call to action visible on your channel page as well as in your videos.
For example, you might want to encourage viewers to download your white paper, enabling you to follow up by email.
Says Gilbert: “The call to action is where the money is.”
Tomorrow: Using your videos as a calling card.