If you haven’t tried using videos to market your book or build your brand yet, maybe it’s time to consider it! On social media, videos get more engagement than other types of posts. On Twitter alone, videos gets 10 times more engagement, according to Hootsuite. And the huge popularity of platforms like TikTok are proof that people love video content.
You don’t have to be an expert or even use TikTok to take advantage of video’s higher engagement rates, though. Below, I’ll tell you how you can start using videos to market your book and build your brand on your existing social media platforms.
Using Videos to Market Your Book or Build Your Brand is Easier than You Think!
You don’t need a production crew or fancy equipment, contrary to what you might expect based on the content of some Instagram accounts. You can just use your phone to create your videos!
Some caveats:
- Use a higher quality phone with a decent camera—it doesn’t even have to be an iPhone 12 Pro.
- Always have good lighting—natural lighting is free and it looks lovely.
- Make sure the sound is clear—your phone’s microphone works best with very little secondary noise. If it’s windy out or you’re in a place with a lot of background noise, you’ll be drowned out.
Another plus about making video content for social media is that most only need to be between thirty seconds and three minutes long. In fact, shorter videos are ideal. Most viewers check out past the three minute mark anyway, and a lot of social media platforms cut you off at that point(unless you’re live).
Oh, and you don’t need to worry about putting energy into editing and other time consuming efforts. Just make a quick clip and upload it! Or go live if you’re feeling especially confident, or have something timely to share.
Video Marketing Doesn’t Need to Be Fancy
You don’t have to direct an Oscar worthy video and it doesn’t even have to have professional quality to get engagement. Truth be told, most social media users these days are looking for authenticity over perfection anyway. Plus, using videos to market your book or build your brand isn’t the same as advertising a product. It’s about building trust with your audience.
When they see you or what you’re doing on video, it builds a closer connection. It’s a little peek into your world. We all know this feeling after the last year, right? Doesn’t talking to your loved one’s over video chat make you feel closer to them than a phone call does?
Perfection is not the goal. Connection is. As mentioned above, you still want to have good sound and lighting, so your audience can see and hear you well. And if you do want to get a bit fancy there’s some affordable ways to do that.
You can:
- Purchase a ring light—this is especially good if you plan on doing a lot of front-facing videos or at times when natural light is limited or non-existent.
- Get a tripod—for the same reasons above. A lot of things are easier with your hands free, and it allows for a different vantage point.
- Use a microphone or headset—again, nothing fancy. It depends on how you’ll be recording your videos. And if most of them are via your laptop or computer, it could be worth the investment.
A bonus to having this optional equipment is that you can use it in your future podcast interviews, video webinars, and any online forums you host or attend!
Don’t Be Shy!
But if you are shy, you can just shoot a short video of the scene at the bookstore, or your walk in the park. The pie you made. Your pets! Anything that seems true to you or your brand that you may normally share as a photo.
If you’re less shy, go ahead and talk to your audience directly. You can share tips. A favorite recipe. Walk them through your morning routine or your writing process. Anything you feel comfortable sharing.
The thing is, once you start uploading videos and seeing the engagement and reactions(and maybe even a boost in followers) you’ll probably get more excited about it. Also, with time, you’ll be more comfortable with it and less shy about it.
Remember, you don’t have to be Martin Scorsese, or even Kim Kardashian(they have whole teams of people, AND giant bank accounts) to share your content in video form. If it helps, think about your own engagement with, and reaction to, videos you see on social media. If those quick little snippets into that world intrigue you, that means yours will intrigue others. And speaking of short videos—think about how popular the above mentioned TikTok is! If you’ve seen some of the content on TikTok, you’ll realize you don’t have to be an expert, you just have to create and have fun.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on creating videos to market your book or build your brand! You can leave a comment on the original post to join the conversation, or start one!
