The fun thing about the online video marketing extravaganza is that you get to be your own ad agency, creating videos to promote any aspect of your business.
And it’s so cost effective, compared to TV ads! Once you have the basics, you can adapt video for any purpose, very easily.
For example, I made a video to promote a talk I am giving at the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce’s Tech Talk Tuesday on “How to make Quick & Easy Youtube Videos.”
This is a local event, as opposed to a virtual event and is intended to get people to show up in person, rather than online– which is how I’m used to using video. So my video is acting like a promo or flyer to get local business owners to come to the talk.
The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce is emailing their large list of members this video, which is definitely going to be far more ‘magnetic’ than a written blurb- don’t you think?
To hold my viewers’ attention and deliver all the details effectively, I’ve done a few things.
Watch the video and see if you can list all 8 engagement techniques. I’ve listed them below so you can see how many you noticed.
8 Engagement Techniques:
1) Titles over black to introduce the video and identify the talk, as well as at the end to reiterate date, time and location
2) Music at the beginning and ending, that is fun and funky
3) Titles that give information: eg. identifying my name and website
4) Titles that move on the screen and fade out eg. announcing the date, which uses 2 different colors!
5) I deliberately shot myself at different places in the frame- to the right and left in the Wide Shots, Medium shots and Close ups, so that I could jumpcut myself and make it looks like I am jumping forward and backward in the screen between different thoughts
6) I included a few ‘props’
7) I turned a Medium shot into a Closeup by cropping it to punch up the line: “Boost your business”
8) Titles that add humor (not just information)
How many did you notice? Are there any that I didn’t list? Do share in the comments below!
Do you notice a common theme among these engagement techniques?
Most of them are done in the editing process! Right? In fact, only the use of props is done solely during the shooting. And there are more ‘editing tricks’ you can do in the editing process, which I will go over in another blog. So no fancy shooting required. Just a little ‘fancy’ editing- which is very easy to do.
Why did I use so much editing? Cuz I like to edit?
Well, yes, that’s true. I like to make my low-tech shooting look as high-tech as it can. And the truth is, a promo isn’t really that attention-grabbing as there isn’t a lot of scintillating information being given- simply details for the upcoming event. So I wanted to deliver those details in as memorable and interesting a way as I could, so I used all those editing tricks.
No matter what the topic is about, video with a little video editing is an engaging way to promote the event. In fact, I think it would be a really fun way to promote a birthday party, a wedding, an art opening, a jewelry show etc…! Right?
The sky’s the limit! Does this inspire you to use more video? I can’t wait to see!!
To your expanded visibility,
Michelle
P.S. So if you want to register for Tech Talk Tuesday: “How to Make Quick & Easy Youtube Videos” go to http://members.smchamber.com/events/details/tech-talk-tuesday-11-12-2013-2145
Michelle, this is SO helpful…videos and especially editing are new to me and, to be honest, still a little bit daunting so I totally appreciate your expertise in making the process so much more approachable!
I’m so glad this was helpful and that it makes editing more approachable Katie! Editing can definitely be daunting on top of video already! But you only have to learn one editing trick at a time and build your editing palette slowly. Celebrate and savor each one you learn and use!
I really enjoyed reading this post, Michelle! I love how you included so much info in a way that feels engaging and easeful to read. It is awesome to have some direction in the area of video editing. Makes it feel much more accessible.
Thank you!
So glad it was more than palatable to you, Carrie! Delighted to hear editing feels more accessible to you!!
Great video and thanks for the tips Michelle! I was I was more tech-curious like you!
Glad you enjoyed it, Angela! I love “tech-curious”!
The past week has been stressful for me, in regards to video. It’s refreshing to remember that it can be simple and painless — filming is comfortable for me, but editing has been challenging. My next video, I’m using this checklist. 🙂
Best of luck editing, Erin! Just a few of these engagement techniques is all you need as I know you’re VERY engaging already! Can’t wait to see your next video!
Great video and tips Michelle! The engagement techniques are really helpful. Do you use imovie to edit? I use imovie on my ipad and I don’t think I can make the text move like that or have them in color either (maybe the ipad version has less functionality?).
Thanks so much, Liz! So glad the engagement techniques are helpful, Liz! I do use iMovie to edit. I want to find out how iMovie is on the iPad, so I’ll investigate if there is reduced functionality- my guess is that that makes sense. I’ll find out and let you know! That would be a great video idea for me- so thank you for your question!
Loved your video and the TIPS Michelle! Wish I were closer, I would come and see you LIVE. time for me to get behind the camera again and start filming and “editing” YAY! You’ve lit the fire gorgeous!!
So glad this lit the fire under the igniter herself!! Looking forward to seeing what you create, my dear!!! Please tag me!!
Great stuff in here u learned sooo much! It was fun to read too. I love all your different video styles. It is playful and gets your point across really well!
Thanks Katherine! Great reflection! Playfulness can also be Clear!