Nine Things I learned about YouTube
Nine Things I learned about YouTube
Article by Dale R Schmeltzle, CPA
A few weeks ago, having recently published Highly Visible Marketing, I had a guilt-stricken moment. You know the experience, the one where you suddenly realize you’re not following the very advice you so freely give to others. In my case, it was driven by having advocated YouTube as a free marketing tool in your social media arsenal, something I had yet to do myself. Having resolved to “practice what I preach” I published my first YouTube video yesterday. The experience was so cathartic that I decided to write about it.
Frankly, my video has yet to snag an Academy Award nomination for best cinematography or sound editing. I am especially disappointed at being ignored for Best Costume, given that I wore a freshly laundered shirt. However, I did learn a few things in the process that might save you time and money, and might encourage readers to “take the plunge” into producing their own YouTube videos. Here is the list:
1.I began my YouTube adventure expecting to spend several hundred dollars to get the hardware and software I’d need. That did not prove to be necessary. I initially explored several software packages that would provide basic editing capabilities. Each had a price tag of around 0. It turns out my Windows operating system already had two pieces of software that provide all the functionality I need. Unless you fancy yourself as the Steven Spielberg of social media, so does yours! They are Windows Live Movie Maker (“WLMM”) and Sound Recorder.
2.Although most computers have a built in microphone, the audio from mine sounded muffled and distant. I invested in a basic headset (available at any big-box store that sells computers or audio equipment), which although far from perfect, greatly enhanced the sound quality.
3.You will need a video camera to complete the full range of input options you’ll want. Almost any digital camera or cell phone will work, but video quality and ease of uploading to your computer can be issues. I initially planned to buy a Cisco Flip video camera, the preferred camera of most people I know who are active on YouTube. I quickly learned this brand has been discontinued. Instead, I bought a comparable Sony Bloggie camera for 9. One word of advice is to make sure your camera has a tripod mount.
4.I also bought a mid-range web camera, which was on sale for . This tool could replace the need for a microphone and a video camera. However, I found the sound and video quality both somewhat lacking. More significantly, I would be forever tied to filming in front of my computer. With a son in the military and the free availability of Skype (an awesome product I plan to discuss at length in my next book), the money was still well spent.
5.WLMM allows you to import entire PowerPoint presentations or individual slides. This is useful if your video subject matter is technical and requires visual aids. It is far more professional than writing on a flipchart with your back to the camera. The trick is to save documents as png or tif files, rather than in PowerPoint. The software also imports pictures. You can then narrate off-screen, or just use them to spice up your video.
6.Whether you import videos, slides or pictures, MLMM presents a plethora of editing options. I found the ability to end videos before that awkward moment when I walk off-screen to stop the camera is especially helpful. For that reason, stand motionless and silent for one or two seconds before you end a video or slide. It will make for a cleaner break as you transition into the next slide. The standard length of a slide will be 7 seconds, but that is easily changed to accommodate your need. There are also countless video and animation special effects, which I have yet to explore. One feature that I do plan to incorporate into my next video is captions. I might, as an example, include my web address or contact information in the presentation.
7.You can record narrations with Sound Recorder, and match them with the appropriate slide. If you are a type-A person as I am, concentrate on speaking at a moderate pace. Again, you can edit the duration, adjust the volume and fade in and out of the audio. You can also import music.
8.One feature of WLMM did surprise and disappoint me. Perhaps I missed something, but my computer saved the videos into something called a wlmp file format. YouTube supports a wide variety of formats, but wlmp is not among them. After a little research and experimentation, I discovered some good news. You can upload directly from WLMM to YouTube by simply clicking the appropriate “Share Button” in the upper right Toolbar. I found a technical explanation of why this works, but who cares? Problem solved!
9.Finally, once you have successfully uploaded your finished video, keep in mind that YouTube allows you to do some basic Search Engine Optimization or SEO. It allows a description and tags. As always, make them keyword rich. Fred Campos, the founder of FunCitySocialMedia, suggests you include your company’s name in video titles. Since the end game is to have people locate and watch you videos, do not over-look this important step.
Well, that’s my list. I hope you will find something of use here, and more importantly that it will encourage you to pursue more of the low-cost marketing experimentation I talked so much about in my book. If you would like to see CFO America ShiningStar Studio’s (a wholly owned subsidiary of just plain old CFO America) premiere video, please visit http://bit.ly/lx8ard.
About the Author
Dale R. Schmeltzle, CPA is the Managing Partner of CFO America, LLC, a professional consulting organization dedicated to helping small business owners define, implement and monitor the strategic and tactical elements necessary to bring financial and operational success to their business. CFO America provides fractional CFO management expertise not available on an in-house basis. For more information, please visit: http://www.CFOAmerica.biz
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