Brands used to think of mobile as the “second screen”, but now with 34% of video minutes being watched while people are out and about, it’s clear that people are paying more attention to what’s on their small screen than ever. Big brands are pursuing video marketing with renewed vigour in 2021, because the results are tangible: companies such as Land Rover gained 15% of their leads online last year.
The same can be true for smaller brands – videos let people get to know you, so you should be posting regularly.
THE THREE C’S
In the last blog, part 1 of “How to Capture Great Videos on Your Mobile Phone”, I introduced the three C’s that are integral to producing your own business videos on your mobile phone.
These are Copy, Capture and Cut. If you missed the first one, you can find it here, where I explained about Copy and provided helpful tips to approach the copy for your mobile videos.
Today, we’re going to look at the second C, “Capture”. Let’s look at how you can Capture your brand best on video.
BE CONFIDENT & CAPTURE YOUR MESSAGE
The ‘capture’ part of the video process is where you create the most impact on your audience. The way you capture your video is critical, as this will influence the perceptions of those watching. All the subtle details that you may not be aware of will be picked up, even subconsciously, by your audience.
As human beings, we are hardwired to recognize and respond to faces, even when it’s not in person. Think of how you feel when you see a face on your newsfeed. Firstly, you’ll automatically stop to have a look who it is – and if you feel good about the person, you’ll have more trust for their brand, right? Even in a split second, we have a response – make that time count.
Of course, when you’re starting out, it’s common (and absolutely normal) to feel uncomfortable about shooting yourself on video. Most people don’t feel confident about filming themselves, but this is something you can overcome (if you need extra help, see my Visibility Matters course).
Remember that how you perceive yourself is not what other people see, and that hearing your own voice from within is not the same sound that people hear when they hear your voice on a recording.
It is normal to have doubts and that’s why I have put together some tips to guide you through capturing your video.
TECHNOLOGY, TECHNIQUE, TECHNICALITIES
In order to create the right image and promote a positive perception of your brand, I advise you to follow the three T’s – technology, technique, technicalities.
1) Technology
So we’ve got this bit sorted before – I strongly encourage people to use mobile phones to record videos for blogs, vlogs and social media.
However, apart from your mobile phone, the other thing you need to think about is lighting. It makes all the difference to the shot. Lighting can make you look fantastic, or it can make you look washed out, so make sure you get it right.
Don’t try and shoot your video if the light isn’t good, if people can’t see your face, or are peering through trying to see you – it’s not going to create a good impression. Wrong lighting can also add you some years, wrinkles and a simply wrong look – like as if you were tired or slept very few hours a few weeks in a row.
2) Technique
The point is to connect with your audience. Grab their attention, deliver the right message and build their trust in you. Much of this is psychological, but using the right techniques will improve your chances of making a positive impression.
Keep the camera around arm’s length away so that your whole face can be seen. If the camera is around eye level, it creates the illusion that you are in face-to-face contact with your viewer. Make sure you’re not looking up or down at the camera, as it’s distracting.
3) Technicalities
When we talk about technicalities, I mean the little details. What are you wearing? What is in the background? Are you using any props?
The fundamental point here is to keep it simple. Don’t bring too much into the video – remember you don’t have much time to make an impression and adding too much will only distract the viewer.
For clothing, I suggest wearing only one or two colours, and don’t go too bright, especially if your features are fair. If you are wearing something with many bright colours or patterns, that’s where their focus will be drawn to.
Stand or sit somewhere that has a plain background. Just like clothing, if you have too many colours behind you, then their eyes will be drawn to it. This also applies if there’s something else going on behind you – don’t film in a park with a game of tag rugby happening in the background.
So, there are your three T’s, which should make the capture part go smoothly. Let me know how you find it!
OVERCOME YOUR MIND BLOCKS WITH VISIBILITY MATTERS
Perhaps you can grasp the technical elements well, but can’t seem to move forward with shooting videos for your social media? Sometimes your main block is psychological. I work through this with you, developing strategies alongside technical ability, on my Visibility Matters course.
You’ll also build a video strategy for 3+ months and complete at least 5 videos that you can post on your channels!
Overcome your blocks and become confident in your video marketing.
If you’d prefer more one-to-one advice, simply book a free 30-minute consultation here.
In the next blog, we’ll focus on the CUT, so you’ll have all the best tips to film quick videos to share on your social media and boost your audience.