How To Use Podcasts and Video Content To Promote Your Home Business
The growing popularity of podcasts and video services, like YouTube, has made reaching out to new clients and customers easier and more fun! YouTube is the largest search engine second only to Google. There are many home-based entrepreneurs who make the majority of their income solely on Youtube or a podcast.
You might think you need a lot of tech know-how and tools, but the reality is, you probably have everything you need already in your computer and/or smartphone. We asked these experts to share how they get the most bang for their buck by utilizing podcasts and videos!
Nate Masterson
Maple Holistics
@mapleholistics
1. Two birds one stone– If you’re going to do a podcast and you want to create video content and you want to do a podcast, why not kill two birds with one stone and do a video podcast. You can edit it later to be an audio podcast and cut your podcast to serve as clips for your YouTube channel. You’ll need a camera that can give you HD (1080p), a tripod, and a mic for sound quality.
2. Write what you know– If you’re working on a podcast you’ll need a script or template to work from and from there your podcast will flow nicely. The podcast should be about whatever specialized information you know. There’s a high demand for podcasts so make sure you know what you’re talking about.
3. Experience is everything– If you’re worried about the podcasts quality, don’t be worried, but also know that it’s going to take a while. You‘ll slowly begin to see what works, what doesn’t, and how to keep the topics short for cutting into shorter content.
Stacy Caprio
I started by doing keyword research for my target market then writing, filming and uploading a few videos to get feedback from viewers and see which were going in the right direction.
As long as you have a clean room as a background it will work fine. You’ll want to make sure you’re facing natural light through a window and/or some strong industrial or photography lights for the best skin and video quality.
Jake McKenzie
Auto Accessories Garage
@AAGarage
Create Youtube Videos about Topics You Want to Rank in Google– Since Google shows some video results even in general search results, to have your video appear at the top of a results page can be a huge leg up. The user may not have been looking for a video to begin with, but the thumbnail will likely grab their attention and persuade them to open your video. From there you can provide ample links to your site and product pages.
Peggy Farren
Understand Photography
@understandphoto
How did I get started? I learned that many of the big name photographers come to south Florida in the winter. I knew meeting them and attaching my name to theirs would be good for business. Facebook Live was just budding so I decided to use that format, and also uploading the recording to Youtube and as a podcast for more exposure.
What sort of set up? My set was pretty simple to start. I used my living room with some nice continuous lights. You can now buy a three light kit for about $100. The microphones were expensive but I bought them refurbished to save money. My second set just had a world map tapestry behind us, which cost $60. I use Camtasia for editing video and audio.
The toughest part of what I did was the live streaming of the video. I would not recommend doing it the way I did. I spent a lot of money and time on a fancy computer, software and video cameras. I think using the iPhone is fine, as long as you have good lighting and sound.
Tips for getting started:
- The simpler you keep it, the easier it will be to keep up with.
- Put it on your schedule and be consistent.
- What questions or problems do your customers have? Those are your topics. Cover the first ten and then your mind will kick in with more ideas. Just get started!
- One of the reasons for my slow growth was that I didn’t pay enough attention to the details. Things that are really important: The title of your video, keywords, the first sentence in your description and your picture thumbnail for each show. It’s not enough to have a high quality video; people need to find it.
- Systematize and document your processes so that you can delegate some of the work. I have an assistant who now finds and schedules guests, comes up with the interview questions, and after the show, types up the show notes. I can pay her by the job since we systemized the process and we know how long each activity takes.
Note from Leslie:
I ran a podcast for seven years, and really enjoyed it. I met a ton of great people, many of whom I’m still in touch with now. Plus I learned a lot from them. At the time I ended my podcast, I was recording using Skype, a Skype recorder, and an audio editing software.
The same was true of video. While I’m still not doing as much video as I’d like, it’s easy to do through your webcam or smart phone.
There are several ways you can benefit from podcasting and video casting, including:
- Reach people beyond your normal marketing efforts
- Show off your expertise to build trust
- If you interview others, you get added promotion because they share with their social networks and audience
- Additional income opportunities such as through YouTube’s ad program.
Many successful video and podcasters have flashy shows, but you don’t need that to start. With great content, you can begin taping great shows right away.
I have considered the idea that Nate shared of doing both, which is easy. My video editing software allows me to save as an MP3 (audio only), so I can have a video (MP4) for YouTube and audio for a podcast (I did this for the WAHS Virtual Summit when I offered both the video and audio-only interviews).
But like all content creation, to make the most of your podcast and video, you need to focus on what your market wants. How can your show help them solve a problem? Like blogging, consistency is important too. While I was regular in my weekly podcast, I haven’t been as good in regular videos.
Do you have tips for successful video and podcasting in home business? I’d love to hear about them.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Home business experts share their tips on how to use podcast and videocast content to promote your home business. @mapleholistics @stacy4startups @AAGarage @understandphoto #podcasttips #videomarketing #homebiz” quote=”Home business experts share their tips on how to use podcast and videocast content to promote your home business. @mapleholistics @stacy4startups @AAGarage @understandphoto #podcasttips #videomarketing #homebiz”]
The Internet and the advance of the communication technologies have made it possible for people to watch high quality videos wherever they are, whenever they want. And given how comfortable, direct and simple video actually is, people have fully embraced the format.
Yes, video is much easier and affordable than ever. Thank you Austin!
Rather than reading the text information from pages to pages or simply scrolling down a web page to gather necessary information, video content appeals to even the most dismissive buyers.
People can engage, embed, share and comment on video content. Later they will be able to retain the information conveyed in the video. Video content delivers information effectively than any other medium could do.
Hi Suganya, I agree that video offers an alternative to text in delivering information. I will say, sometimes I think video takes to long to get to the point, and for that, text is easier as you can scroll through it to get to the right info. I think using both gives you great reach and appeal. Thanks for commenting!