HOW SMALL BUSINESSES CAN GET STARTED WITH VIDEO
Over the weekend, Mashable posted an article about this very topic. The article was originally included on the American Express OPEN Forum and outlines four innovative ways to use web video for a small business.
The four methods that they mention are:
- Request User Submissions
- Replace Content
- Teach Them and They Will Come
- Make Some Face Time
For this blog entry, I wanted to focus on “replacing content.” If you are a business owner and are trying to determine where you should start with web video, it may be helpful to look at existing content. For example, ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the first question customers ask me? If you find that your potential customers often come to you with the same first question, then this may be a great topic for a video.
- What is the most visited page on my website? If you find that your customers are consistently navigating to a particular area in your website, then you may want to create a video that includes this information.
- Do I have an “FAQ” area on my website? If you find yourself answering the same questions over and over, it could be very helpful to bundle these answers together in a single video or multiple videos. This way, customers get an opportunity to see how you handle their concerns and how easy it is to find a solution.
- How do customers remember me? If you frequently give presentations, what do you give your potential clients after the meeting is over? What do they takeaway? It would be helpful if you included a video on your website that summarizes your presentation.
So, these are just a few examples of ways to get started with web video. At the end of the day, customers just expect a more dynamic mix of information and video is a great way to reach your target audience.