Getting in front of the camera to tell your story or to showcase your products can seem daunting or even nerve-wracking, but it doesn’t have to be. Today’s featured expert teaches us that if you’re a pro at what you do and truly want to provide value to your audience, video can be an amazing marketing tool.
Meet Kathleen Celmins, the co-founder and CEO of AmplifiedNOW, a content marketing agency that helps small businesses, creators, and experts craft and execute a content marketing strategy that drives leads and sales.
AmplifiedNOW helps clients with various aspects of content marketing, but most of the company’s expertise lies in video.
We caught up with Kathleen and asked her to share her best advice for merchants who want to succeed at video marketing. Let’s dive in.
What makes video marketing special?
When asked about what sets video apart from other marketing tools, Kathleen states that video has an unparalleled ability to connect and convert audiences.
“Nothing converts better than video because it allows you to speak directly to your audience. When you're talking to someone, you do a better job telling your story, talking about your products, and communicating why people should shop with you,” she says.
Kathleen adds that video is ideal for people who have a hard time conveying their style or tone through writing.
She explains that some entrepreneurs may find it difficult to produce written content because they have to think about tone and delivery.
“But when you’re on video, you’re talking to the camera, answering questions, and letting your expertise shine through naturally. You don’t have to think too much about tone and delivery because you’re speaking to the camera like you would when talking to a real audience.”
She continues, “Video is a huge help for people who want to get content done but don’t have the time to produce blog posts all day.”
Feeling convinced? Here's how to get started with video marketing.
Start by answering your audience’s top questions
If you’re just getting started with video marketing and need content inspiration, Kathleen says the best place to start is your customers’ FAQs.
“Think about all of the questions that you get from people in the sales process then answer them through video. You could create one video response for each question,” she says.
“This can be done through product shots or talking through the different items you have. How do you use a product? Who is it best for? Those are the kinds of questions to answer. The more specific you are, the better your conversions will be.”
Use your existing promotional platforms
Contrary to what some might think, you don’t necessarily have to adopt new platforms when getting your videos out there. Pretty much every social network or marketing channel supports video these days, so when you want to get your messages across, you can start with the networks or sites where you have an existing audience.
“You could talk about setting up something on TikTok or somewhere else, but if you haven’t established yourself on those platforms, it just becomes a bigger barrier. That’s why you should start with the platforms where you already have a presence,” she explains.
Recognize that you don’t have to be perfect
According to Kathleen, one of the biggest mistakes that people make when embarking on video is waiting until they’re perfect.
She stresses the importance of being yourself and staying authentic.
This is especially true for artists selling their work.
“If you’re an artist and you have people visiting your site or social media accounts, they’re on your page to see you. They’re not going to a generic site like ArtPosters.com. They’re there to connect with you, the artist. So watching your process and seeing you in action through video can go a long way in helping them feel connected and ultimately buying your prints.”
Speaking of perfectionism, don’t wait until you have the perfect equipment to get started.
“Some people, when they think about video, they envision big productions or B-rolls and fancy cameras or whatever. But technology has made it so that we have 4k cameras in our phones,” Kathleen says.
The takeaway? Don’t let a lack of high-end equipment stop you from getting in front of the camera. Be resourceful and find ways to leverage the tools you already have, and start connecting with your audience!