6 Steps to Build Your Personal Brand with Video
When you’re working to gain prominence in your field, video is one of your biggest allies. A strong video campaign will build your personal brand and help you become widely known and respected.
Think about these facts: 45 percent of people watch over an hour of video on Facebook and YouTube each week, and 40 percent of viewers take some type of action after seeing an online video ad, says Social Media Today. According to one study 75 percent of mobile traffic will come from video by 2020*.
Video also appeals to business leaders as much as the average consumer – 59 percent of senior executives will choose video over text when given the option.
That’s why it’s time to make video a cornerstone of your LinkedIn marketing strategy – it’s where you’ll reach the most promising new leads, and video will get their attention.
Video Marketing Puts the Spotlight on You
Video is such a successful way to market yourself because it has the distinct ability to do all of the following:
Highlight your personality.
Build a rapport with followers through interactive content.
Make your message more memorable for viewers – according to Forbes, 80 percent of people can recall a video ad they’ve seen in the past 30 days.
For these reasons, video plays a vital role in influencer marketing, and a great video campaign will position you as an influencer.
After one year of video use, I have achieved views ranging from 5K to 50K on a single video, with one particular video reaching a whopping 200K views. I have made many close friends and business contacts and found several important new clients who bring in steady business. Over a thousand people have signed up for my webinars due to video outreach. All of this has played a tremendous role in building my personal brand.
You don’t need a lot of equipment to do this – all you really need is your cell phone and a quiet space with decent lighting.
Make Your Video Stand Out
Putting yourself on camera can feel daunting at first. But take these six simple steps, and you’ll be well on your way to LinkedIn stardom.
1. Just start talking
Scripts are boring, and they always feel rehearsed. You’re never going to sound as good reading from a script as you will just speaking off the cuff. You can always crop out the best segment and eliminate everything else.
2. Ask viewers questions
Spark a dialogue by prompting readers to answer burning questions that are on your mind. Solicit their experience. Give them a forum in which to share their input. By making it a conversation, you’ll keep it engaged – and you’ll subtly demonstrate leadership by drawing others out.
3. Keep it short and sweet
The Digital Marketing Institute provides some handy guidelines for how long to run your video on different platforms:
Instagram: 30 seconds
Twitter: 45 seconds
Facebook: 1 minute
YouTube: 2 minutes
Things are a bit more nuanced with LinkedIn video. If your goal is brand awareness, under 30 seconds is best. However, slightly longer can be better for building your personal brand. “Videos that meet upper-funnel marketing goals should stick to a 30-90 second video length,” says Hootsuite. That gives you time to showcase your expertise by sharing a story or insights.
4. Add captions & keep it brief
If possible, add captions to your video. A large percentage of viewers on LinkedIn will have the sound off, so closed captions will make your message more accessible.
Keeping your videos at the right length will ensure viewers get the message, instead of getting bored.
Think of some key points you want to cover before you start recording. This will allow you to make your message concise. While it doesn’t need to be ultra-polished, you don’t want to ramble.
5. Be upbeat, but don’t force it
If you’re naturally funny, let your humorous side shine. If that’s not your strong suit, just strive to be personable and approachable. Don’t force humor – that never works well. Let it come out organically as you share stories about what you do, because these key moments feel much better unrehearsed.
If it helps, have someone with whom you have a good rapport ask you questions as prompts. Mention the topic you want to speak about, and have them fire away. As you focus on them rather than the camera, magic might just happen.
6. Respond to others’ videos
Participate in conversations that colleagues have started. Commenting on popular videos on LinkedIn and other platforms is a great way to draw attention to your personal brand. You can also send a private message to colleagues who produce videos and ask them for feedback.
Apply these tips and you’ll be on your way to becoming a competitive force in the realm of video marketing!
*Click here to view a variety of 2020 video marketing stats.