Let’s say that you already have a webvideo that you want to promote, or you are planning to produce one. If you follow these 5 steps, it will be easier to:
- Optimize your video metadata (which simply means adding descriptive information to your video)
- Publish your video to the various video channels – all you’ll need to do is copy from this sheet, modify slightly where needed, and go on to the next channel.
- Publish your video podcast: if you are releasing a series, you’ll be able to get the distribution process done faster once this sheet is done.
- Modify the information for your press releases and email newsletters.
- Use the title and subtitle in your email signature file, with a link to your video’s landing page.
When you finish this process, you’ll have all of the basic items you need to promote the video:
- Title
- Thumbnail image
- Subtitle (short description)
- Description (long description)
- Keywords (tags)
Ready? Here we go:
1. Who will love your video and what do you want them to do about it? (Target Audience/Call to Action)
Question: What is the major emotion you want your viewer to feel when they’ve finished watching the video? And, what do you want to them to do once they’ve seen it?
Action:
Visualize the ideal person responding to the video. See the scene as they watch their (mobile phone? PC? TV?). Are they: Exhilarated? Solemn? Frightened? Motivated? Curious? Angry?
Do you want them to: rate it, share it, comment on it, make a phone call, send an email, fill out a form, donate, buy a product/service, do more research, etc. Is your video landing page ready for them to do that?
When you answer this question, you’ll know 2 key elements of your project:
The person you’re talking to.
What you want them to feel/do at the end (the call to action).
Bonus element: you also know how they’ll view the video, which means you know how to encode it for optimum viewing when you’re done.
2. What will you call your video? Consider this video title: ‘Black and White People Furniture’ (Main title)
Question: What kind of title will capture the attention of your target audience?
There really is a video with that title. Watch it here. It is everything you read in the title, and more. If you have a quirky project like this, a straight descriptive title may be all you need: the quirkiness alone will make people curious. If you have a more straightforward corporate project, still you can humanize it.
Action:
Think of the effect of the news/opinion/theme of the video on your target audience. If it’s about a breakthrough solution to a problem, maybe your title should help them visualize the problem solved. Or, the title can ask them to solve the problem by taking the action you’ll describe.
Video thumbnail: as part of the process of figuring out the title, take a screenshot of the video’s title shot, or a representative image that you can add the title to. This is your video’s thumbnail image: it’s the still image you see on many video distribution sites, that’s like the video’s ‘book cover’. This set, the video title and the thumbnail, are the copy and image you’ll need to brand your video as strongly as possible.
3. Elevator Speech (Subtitle)
Question: What statement or question will reinforce the message of the title?
Visualize this: You’re alone in a ritzy elevator, heading up at great speed. You know that, when you get to the top, Bill and Melinda Gates will be standing there waiting to take the elevator back down. You’ve planned this once in a lifetime opportunity to tell them about your project and your video and get their support. They have no time because they’re very busy saving the world. While the elevator is empty, you have 20 seconds to practice describing the video story in a way that makes the Gates’ want hear more.
You can take up to 25 words to tell that story. What will you say? (hint: think like a journalist: who – what – when – where- why- how-)
4. Long description (Complete Story)
Now that you know who you’re talking to, and you know how to describe the project quickly, take the time to luxuriate: write the full story. Visualize this: You’re sitting over coffee with an old friend you haven’t seen in 15 years. They heard that you’re doing something with video, and they’re curious, although they aren’t in the same field. It’s hard for them to visualize the person they knew 15 years ago actually producing a video. Now is your chance to share your excitement about the project, tell them what it is and why you’re doing it.
Questions:
What’s the main theme?
Why is it in the format it’s in (documentary, fiction, interpretive, interview, etc)?
What’s compelling about the main character (be it person, place, thing or concept)?
Who do you believe the video is for and what benefit will they get from it?
When is(was) it published online or via mobile device?
Any reactions from the target audience?
Got it? Okay. Now, stand up, and read the whole thing out loud. Eliminate the parts that don’t read well. Keep it conversational. Repeat this step until you have the summary down to a paragraph. Ask a friend to read it as well. Get the feedback you need to tell the story without meandering.
5. Words are the key (keywords/tags)
Question: how will your ideal target audience find your video if they search for it online (and they will!)
You want to create a list of 25 words/phrases that people could use to search for information on the main theme. As you distribute the video to various formats, and in the meta data for the video itself, you’ll probably be limited to a certain amount of keywords (or tags) you can list for the video. So, you want to make sure that the most important words/phrases are included. When you blog or post press releases about the video, you can use these keywords in the post or press release.
Quick and easy ways to find that first set of 25:
a. Look at other sites in the field to see what keywords and phrases they use. Use your browser’s ‘View Source’ and look at the site meta data. To do this, you can use your browser’s ‘Find’ command, and look in the Source page for ‘Meta’) to see the keywords they’re using. Be creative – you don’t need to use exactly the same terms, only to understand what’s possible and customize for your project.
b. Use the terms in your Title, Elevator Pitch, Long Description: your writing should naturally be full of key words and phrases that describe the subject. Remember, you need keywords not only for the video, but for the subject itself. Your target audience may not even know there is a video, but if they are searching for information on the subject, we want them to find you.
c. Use the Google Keywords Tool to get more ideas about searchable terms you can use. Enter the keyword or phrase you’d like to use, and learn to generate keywords and phrases and see whether they are terms that people use when they search.
d. Use Google’s Wonderwheel tool to as a fast way to come up with terms that people are searching for now. Follow the link for instructions on how to use it – it’s an easy, fast way to find relevant search terms.
Okay, now type your finished copy into a format that’s easy for you to copy and paste, make sure your thumbnail is in the same folder and you’re ready to publish your video!
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