5 x tips on how to best use video in 2023

Mi Elfverson, Video producer and vlog teacher

I’ve been working in the film and video industry for over 30 years now, and never has creativity been more alive!

 

Each and every one of us can design, create videos and share stories with people all over the world, instantly. To me: heaven!

 

But you might feel differently – for some people, social media and creativity can be overwhelming and quite foreign.

As a business owner, you need to take your marketing seriously of course to grow your business, and you need to know what actually works for YOU –  what to prioritise and what will bring a return on the time and money you invest – because there’s a lot of nonsense out there.

Video has been the top performing content type for several years now, and it doesn’t look like it’s peaked yet.

All the social media platforms favour video – which means that when you post videos, your content will be seen by more people and spread quicker thank anything else.

That’s why I still love video, and I believe you can learn to love video too.

So below are my 5 x top tips for getting better at using video to raise your brand profile, reach more people and gain more clients this year – and a few lovely examples for you to enjoy!

Mi, Founder of The Vlog Academy

If you have questions or want to learn how to create your videos yourself without a crew, check out my online courses or book in a free 15min chat.

1 DOUBLE YOUR ENERGY

If you’re reluctant to go on video and don’t feel at home in front of the camera, it’s easy to slow down and fall back into a timid and shivering rabbit state, but please remember that someone out there really needs you! ❤️

Your customers don’t care what you look like if you’re giving them excellent advice, they want your expertise and they want to see how passionate you are about it! So don’t hold back.

We want uplifting, positive videos that resonate with us and makes us feel drawn into a continued journey with you.

Just make sure you feel your best self, whatever that means to you. It’s not about being a super model or wearing trendy clothes and makeup, but feeling good will help you feel more confident inside.

Then build up your most uplifting energy before you speak and look straight into the camera lens to make stable eye-contact with your viewer- and the rest will follow!

2 BATCH SHOOT

Plan in your shoot, block it out in the calendar.

If you’re booking a film crew or if it’s just you in your living room, ensure you are prepared with plenty of time for filming, and also that it’s your best time to shoot during the week.

For me, Tuesday mornings are good, not Friday afternoons.

Then shoot as many videos as you can, and then drip-feed them out over time. The more you practice and get used to your setup, the more confident you’ll feel and the less you’ll think that Mercury is in Retrograde every time you film…

3 USE VIDEO CAMPAIGNS

Planning out a short video campaign for social media is a great way to draw people into your brand, product and services. 

You know that important Like – Know – Trust – Buy ladder? 

You need to get people to like your brand first, get to know you to trust you before they buy into what you do. It doesn’t have to be a full-blown costly Facebook campaign, it can be very simple, yet effective, like a three part series on an interesting topic.

4 ALWAYS TALK TO YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER

Because video is so big on social media right now, we see a lot of nonsense, fake videos, inauthentic sales messages, and also click bait. 

Always find out what your target audience needs right now, so you know they’ll listen up when you share your expertise.

Draw them into your world and let them see what you’re up to, share behind the scenes, guide them to the essence of your brand.

And – you don’t have to feature!

Here’s one of my local brands, Lucy & Jak showing off their pattern design in a very simple way, gaining them 233,000 views.

5 USE SHORTS

The strongest type of video content at the moment is Shorts.
This is a vertical format employed in Stories, Reels, YouTube Shorts, TikTok etc. These are short, snappy videos or – it can be still photos – with enticing or emotive content. 

You can definitely shoot them on your smartphone and upload clips directly to the Reel editor in the app.

Shorts are quick to shoot and you can quickly reach thousands of people in no time. Plan them out, give advice, and – please – before you dance… think. Is that really the best way of selling your services? Stay on brand baby!

Use captions and popular music within the apps, don’t forget your hashtags.

How about 94,000 views for 8 seconds of blueberry swirl…? 

AND – BONUS – USE HUMOUR:

Nothing goes down better than a message with humour. Your customers will love you and your video will spread quicker. 

If you want to grow your social media accounts and gain more followers, the most important thing is Engagement. So comments, likes and shares. And humour gains more of this than anything else.

Your video can be quirky, silly, funny – whatever works best for you. Just stay within decency limits and don’t get into trouble, like the Innocent Conker Campaign… Find out more here: Conquer Campaign

I look forward to seeing your videos!