Tag Archives: Cincinnati Business Video Testimonials

For People Who HATE Being On Video

Behind The Scenes, DIY ?, Video As Content, Video Web Series, , , ,


I produce video for small business. Sometimes I have to be on camera myself, but I don’t really like it.
I meet a lot of folks in the same boat.
That’s why I’m offering a new series: A masterclass for people who hate being on video.
It’s a series with multiple parts, so watch each one (new ones are added on a regular basis) and see if these techniques help you feel more comfortable and help your performance.
Let me know what you think. Here’s the link to the YouTube playlist where all episodes will be added:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIm6yWYuxCfE1x7VCUjCanKzznQ3VvQad

–That’s a wrap.

I KNOW A GUY

Behind The Scenes, DIY ?, Video As Content, Who Uses Video, , , ,

I know a guy
One of my website partners referred a longtime client to me. Of course, he wanted a video, BUT he was having a friend put something together for his business.

Then, he sent that to me.

In the entire video, his business name wasn’t even mentioned. There was also no call to action – the video simply ended. To top it off, his friend had found some stock footage of a man searching for something on his laptop. In that piece of stock footage, you could see – reflected in the man’s glasses – what he was searching for. It had nothing to do with the client’s business.

One of my products, #NoContact Video, Uses stock footage along with client-supplied photos to create a compelling 60 second video. The price is ultra affordable, so I sell a lot of those to companies where I can’t travel to shoot.

While my client had sent me some photos, I used those in a montage instead of inserting them directly into the video. Then, after a couple of hours searching for other footage I could use for his very specific industry, I rolled that in with some animated graphics that spoke to his features and benefits. Finally, I added a directed call to action.

My small business client loved it, and wanted to use it immediately. We’ll keep track of the number of views it gets and the amount of business it generates.

So just because you “know a guy”, it always pays to check in with a professional. The savings in time and hassles could be worth it.

–That’s a wrap.
Ron Harper is the founder of Videos On Your Website, a Cincinnati digital marketing firm specializing in video web content for businesses. Read more at Videos ON Your Website.

Marketing Is Not A Pinata

copywriting, Uncategorized, Video As Content, , , ,

hitting a pinata
Marketing is not a pinata. You don’t just keep swinging until you hit something.

Your message has to be targeted. If you’re selling more than one thing, or more than one service, your message must be about ONE thing. Otherwise, it will get lost.

Tell a story about that one thing. Show how your customer has benefited. Get away from talking about yourself. Stories sell. Granted, targeting a message can be hard. I once read an excerpt in a marketing book for entrepreneurs that said, “You should always write your own advertising. No one knows your product like you do.” But time and time again, I’ve seen small business owners completely miss the story they are trying to tell. They miss the emotional connection to their prospects.

Once, in a networking meeting, I was listening to a business owner talk about his concierge services, and all the different things he could do…book and pick up event tickets, find dinner reservations,etc. so that his customers wouldn’t have to spend hours in their car or on the phone. Afterward, I told him, “Just say you sell free time.” His mouth dropped open. He completely got it, and used that line from then on.

Often, someone outside your business can cut thru the fluff, and give you a message that will resonate with your audience.

I do that with video. I may talk to a client for an hour about his business, but the magic comes in the video editing, and constructing the story.
Are you just swinging and hoping you’ll hit someone with your marketing message? How’s that working for you?

–That’s a wrap.

Should You Embed Videos From Other Companies?

DIY ?, Video As Content, Video SEO and Optimization, You Tube for Business, , , , ,

Embedding Videos
Problems with embedding videos from other companies

If you can’t produce your own videos for your website, why not just find some others and embed them? Simple, right? Well, not exactly.

Many businesses have a dedicated “Videos” tab on their site for relevant content. Often, someone will curate video content from other sources and believe this is a valuable practice. But just as often it is fraught with problems. The image above is taken from a company website that has many videos embedded from YouTube under their “Videos” tab.

Can you see what’s wrong?

Somewhere along the way, the original content creator has removed the video, leaving blank spots with no content on the page.
Here’s why it’s not a good idea to use other folks’ videos:

    1. You have no control over their content. And if their videos are monetized on YouTube, they could be showing an ad that is counter-productive to your business.
    2. The videos may have a call to action or a link that takes visitors away from your website.
    3. The practice really does nothing to help your Search Engine Optimization and get you found more often.
    4. The best course of optimizing with videos is to have relevant content on all of your pages, especially on your About Us page. Videos under a dedicated tab may be overlooked by your visitors.
    5. Google loves original content. That means videos specific to your business and your message with a few lines of text that compel the viewer to click and watch.

Business websites that use a “Videos” tab are often not updated frequently, so problems like the image above are missed for a long period of time.
Original, professionally produced video content is affordable and gives your business an advantage over the competition. Remember – if you use video, and they don’t: You Win!
–That’s a wrap.

Ron Harper is the founder of Videos On Your Website, a Cincinnati digital marketing firm specializing in video web content for businesses. Get a FREE Video Buying Guide at Videos ON Your Website – Cincinnati and Dayton Video Production Guide.

I’VE STOPPED PRODUCING TESTIMONIALS

copywriting, testimonials, Video As Content, Who Uses Video, , , , ,


It happened again: A client came to me with the idea of producing a series of customer testimonials. Another video producer had already shot one testimonial with one of his best customers. I watched it.

The testimonial – let’s pretend it was for Fred’s Lawn Service – shares the time when Fred summed up his service in one sentence.

“That’s when I knew that he understood me,” the testimonial says.

With that one sentence, Fred won over a new customer. It’s a golden, pivotal moment, and one that every prospect should hear. So what’s wrong? – That moment occurred more than three-fourths of the way thru the video!

It’s a three minute video, so statistics show that most of the viewers have already stopped watching. It’s called Burying The Lead.

Many video producers don’t take the time to find those golden moments. They shoot the footage, maybe make a few linear edits and they’re done.

Testimonial videos can be one of the most powerful things that you can invest in. But if the message doesn’t get thru, it’s not going to bring you more customers. That’s why I’ve stopped producing them.

I produce YES-timonials.
There’s lots of things that go into making a YES-timonial. The most important one is knowing the stories and the phrases that trigger the buying impulse in prospects. My experience in broadcasting, working with every imaginable category of business, along with nine years of producing successful business videos, is why I can make that claim.

Want to know more about video YES-timonials? Let me send you my FREE e-book. Then, let’s have a conversation about your business.

–that’s a wrap.

Customer Testimonials: Five things to watch for. (and one of them can make all the difference in your video)

DIY ?, Video As Content, Who Uses Video, , , , ,

80 percent of Americans research online before ever hitting the “Buy” button. and reviews as well as customer testimonials are powerful methods to bring the prospect one step closer to buying from you.

I see lots of websites in Cincinnati who have a page of glowing reports of their products and services, features and benefits. Unfortunately, most of those testimonials are signed “S.P.” or “Mary C.” Are they real people? You’re not really sure. Given a company that uses these kinds of customer comments and one that uses video testimonials from customers, guess which one is going to have more engagement? I hope you said video.

Customer testimonials on video are usually the first kind of web content a business owner thinks about. If done well, it’s like your customers are an additional sales force for you. Here’s the difference between doing it yourself and having someone do it for you:

1. Sound and lighting must be perfect. You want the viewer to hear every nuance and not have to strain to listen to something a tiny microphone picks up from 6 feet away. Also, don’t ask your best customers to sit in front of a camera if they don’t look their best. Bad lighting ruins more videos than you think.

2. NEVER ask someone to read a prepared script. Even if the customer himself wrote it, this is not genuine.

3. Ask open ended questions. Find out what was going on before they found the business, what led them to the business, and why they keep returning. If they’re uncomfortable being on camera, get them to talk about their hobbies or kids first. It will warm them up and they will begin to free associate your business with their thoughts.

4. It’s okay for them to ramble as they’re giving their testimonial. Although, this is the spot where all the do-it-yourselfers get in trouble. What if the customer comes up with a gem in the middle of all the other stuff? The viewer watching the video might not stay around that long. In the newspaper industry – it’s called “Burying The Lead”. A skilled video editor can take that gem and form the rest of the testimonial around it. The difference being one is something that might get watched, and the other is one that will create an emotional connection. Which do you think creates more sales?

5. I know there’s a lot of discussion over which is right and which is wrong, but I do not believe a customer should give a testimonial looking directly into the camera. Let the camera be the onlooker while they tell the story to an off-camera interviewer. It’s much more comfortable for the customer, and a lot easier to watch for the viewer.

You wouldn’t allow just anyone with a paintbrush to paint your house. So make sure you have a professional direct and edit your video testimonials for maximum punch and effectiveness in your marketing tool kit. I’d like to be your resource for producing video testimonials that get results. Contact me for details.
— that’s a wrap.