How to Deliver a Message
of your face, not behind you. You can use natural light or artificial light; inexpensive lights called a ring light or selfie ring light are great options. The light source should be a bit above the height of your head, not below. (I use a couple of stacks of books at home to get the desk light to the optimal height.)
Sound: A quiet room is always important, and I recommend getting an inexpensive microphone to help direct the sound. There are some that attach to a tripod. If you are using one, connect directly to the device you are using to record.
Length: Effective videos are brief. About 1 to 2 minutes in length is the goal. You can effectively focus on a specific topic or update within that time frame, or even have a customer do a video testimonial. A video interview with an industry expert can be up to about 5 minutes.
There is no hard-and-fast rule, but remember that people’s attention spans are short. The video can be just you, or, as we discussed above, it can be you talking with someone else who has something to say that your audience will value.
Podcasts
Podcasts are longer than videos, but make sure you keep them interesting and moving at a good pace to keep people engaged as they are driving, working out, or doing whatever they like to do when they listen to their favorite podcasts. Also, to keep people coming back, make sure you create consistent timing for when you’re going to do your next podcast.
Podcast recording follows many of the same steps as video recording. When you record a video from Zoom, you will receive an .m4a file that is sound only, along with the video file. You can also record from Skype. You can keep it simple and record a sound file on your phone, or use a native app like Garage Band on the Mac if simply recording yourself. Regardless of what app you use to record, always use that external microphone you purchased for your videos.
There are several free and low-cost podcast tools and players for hosting and sharing your podcast. When you’re getting started, worry less about syndicating your podcast. Just make it accessible to your targeted audience through your marketing channels. As you find your rhythm, tone and consistency, you may find you want to expand your reach.
Once you’ve figured out your message, consider experimenting with mediums for getting that message out. Often these alternate delivery methods end up being faster than simply writing articles; they can be engaging, and they can enable you to partner with peers and customers to lift all boats and build your brands together.
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