[IMC Insider] Video -- not a big production anymore

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The IMC Insider Helping Real People create wealth and freedom with Internet businesses since 1996 June 15, 2008 Issue #203 How Online Video Can Heat Up Your Marketing By Derek Gehl Want to see me sweat? Stick me in the IMC video studio under hot lights, with no air conditioning. It's like being under a broiler! But it's worth it. Video is just a fantastic way to communicate because it makes it so easy for people to visualize and understand information. So it can add a LOT of value to your business. Take my recent BeBiz Challenge, for example. If you caught this four-part video series, you'll remember how I started my own Internet business from scratch -- in just four days! Those videos were a huge hit! OK, so they won't win any Emmy Awards... but they contained as much information about starting business as HUNDREDS of pages of text. And they also got people really excited about BeBiz -- because they saw how easy this tool is to use. They could picture themselves using it! There's no way we could have created the same amount of interest in BeBiz if I'd just written a few blog posts about my challenge. Online video gives you the power to connect with your customers in ways words and pictures never can. And although IMC has a studio, editing suite, and production guy to create our videos... YOU don't need any flashy equipment to start making video work for YOUR business. So why should you bother? 1. It's cheap! Like I said, I'm not aiming for an Emmy with my videos -- and neither should you! People will watch your videos on YouTube, not the big screen... so you don't need a Hollywood-sized production budget. A simple digital camera is good enough and you can edit your videos using the free software on your computer (Windows Movie Maker for PCs or iMovie for Macs). (If you do want some more professional edit software, Pinnacle Studio 12 Plus is a great option for $99.99.) 2. It's easy! The good news about using a standard digital camera and YouTube is that you don't have to be a technical whiz! Simply create your video, upload it to YouTube, and paste the HTML code for your video on the page of your website where you want it to appear. You should consider publishing it to other video sites, too. For a detailed list of these, visit: www.lightreading.com/videoshare. But before you worry about how much time this will take, here's a great tool that will do all the hard work for you: www.tubemogul.com TubeMogul is a free service that will automatically distribute your videos to multiple video-sharing sites from just one upload -- so you don't have spend hours doing it manually! 3. You can get GREAT search engine rankings with video! Google loves video content! (It does own YouTube, after all.) So if you create an interesting, informative video based on one of your main long-tail keywords, you can easily get a top ranking in Google for your efforts. Just make sure you: Target only one keyword phrase per video Create a Google video sitemap that tells the search engine how to index your videos Make your video useful, unique, and short (less than five minutes) Include a call to action that motivates people to buy from you... opt in to your email list... or at least visit your website! Don't just create a video for its own sake, though -- make sure you have a specific purpose in mind. Here are some ideas: You can demonstrate how to do something - especially if you put the spotlight on your product or service at the same time. You can show your work, or the benefits of your product. You can build your credibility by offering high-quality advice on your industry... or create excitement about a new product launch. You can even make video information products to sell as DVDs or downloads. And you should definitely consider using video testimonials. Video can't do everything, but if it's on your site, people will watch it. So test it out and see if video can heat up YOUR business. Check out my latest video here. Four Writing Myths That Stand Between You and Your Sales... How to Write RIGHT for the Web Does the thought of writing make you want to dive for cover? If so, there's a good chance you're being held captive by memories of rigid grammar rules and a ruthless red pen. Hey... it's time to let go. When you're writing for the Web, there's only one hard and fast rule you need to remember... Write how you talk. That's right. Forget all the nit-picky rules your English teacher told you about. It's okay to end your sentences in a preposition... or start them with "And" or "But." Because on the Web, people read differently. Hyper-correct formal writing actually STOPS people from reading... and if they're not reading, they're not buying. Let's take a look at four writing myths you can toss out the window when you sit down to write your next content article or salesletter... Myth #1: Sentence structure has to be sophisticated Reality Check: Simple sentences rule in the online world. On the Web, people want information -- and they want it fast! And they DON'T want to have to work at deciphering it. So... Keep your sentences short. They're ALWAYS easier to read than longer ones. Avoid complex sentence constructions. On the Web, "ing" words are the enemy! Don't say, "By following this program carefully, taking supplements religiously, and drinking lots of water every day, you will recover."... ... say "Follow this program carefully. Take supplements religiously. And drink lots of water every day. You WILL recover." Remember, you're not writing an academic thesis or applying for a government grant. You want your readers to be able to grasp your main point quickly... whether it's why they should sign up for your newsletter, trust your opinion over Joe Blow's... or buy YOUR product. Check here for the rest of the myths. Do you have a question or comment for me and my team? Drop us a line at questionsforderek@marketingtips.com -- and you may see your question answered in an upcoming issue of The IMC Insider! Click here to visit our blog - we add new articles daily covering subjects that offer something for everyone. To contact us... If you have any questions, email info@marketingtips.com To unsubscribe, click here To change your email address, click here Or, if you would prefer to use postal mail, please contact us at: The Internet Marketing Center Attn: Newsletter Subscription Dept. 400 - 1155 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC Canada V6E 2P4

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