I’m in love with my new FlipCamera and like a little kid, am carrying it around everywhere I go. 

Unleash your inner James Cameron

Video is becoming a common communication tool.  These inexpensive and very portable cameras have made video production a snap.  But there are a lot of horrible and ineffective videos out there. Video is best suited for product demos, intensive discussion, interviews, client testimonials, or establishing thought leadership.  Here are 10 tips that will help you create excellent footage – not just add to the visual clutter:

• Format is important. Keep it short — 3-5 minutes will hold your audience’s attention.
• Commit to some frequency — a weekly or bi-monthly series will build momentum.
• Use established third-party sites and services for delivery (examples: YouTube,  blinkx.com, Vimeo and others) along with posting videos on your own site.
• Test for compatibility with all Web browsers, plug-ins, and operating-systems.
• Record several takes and edit the best parts of each one into a single video.
• Smile!
• Vary the tone and pitch of your voice — do not speak in a monotone.
• Move your head when speaking to help emphasize your words. Use subtle movements of your head when speaking to help emphasize what you say, along with eyebrow movements, widening their eyes, pursing their lips, and other facial “punctuation marks.”
• Look at yourself in the mirror beforehand and make sure you look good, that your hair is in place, and that you don’t have a collar or a tag turned up or worse. Don’t trust the image on the screen — use a mirror and look at yourself closely.
• Learn your editing software and be reasonably proficient in it. You should be able to:
  • Cut and rearrange clips
  • Add titles, transitions, and effects
  • Blend or overlap scenes
  • Add separate audio tracks
  • Modify audio levels

If you haven’t introduced video into your marketing activites by now, run out and buy one of these tiny gems.  You may be surprised at your own creativity!

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by the very smart Zoya Fallah at Cisco for their service provider blog called SP360, on the topic of the use of Social Media. Cisco continues to lead the charge in using Social Media to reach out to their customers and has multiple blogs, YouTube channels, promotional campaigns and on and on for connecting to their very diverse audiences. Hats off to Cisco — one of the earliest adopters of Social Media.

My BFF Daisy Whitney will be presenting to the Silicon Valley American Marketing Association (SVAMA) Morning Forum in September 2009. She has kindly agreed to get up at an ungodly hour and appear pre-coffee…or close to it, to enlighten us all about the best use of online video. Here are the details:

SVAMA Presents: “The Seven Secrets to Success with Online Video”

Who’s watching video online? What are they watching? Where are they going to see videos? Do they watch alone or with friends and family? And, most important, do they pay attention to the ads? Learn about the new consumer behavior online, how viewers are shifting to the Web and to see what, and which kinds of ads are following consumers online. This presentation will also detail new initiatives by brands to market themselves through the Web, either in developing their own Web shows or by sponsoring existing online-video projects and TV shows.

SPEAKER: DAISY WHITNEY, writer, producer, on-air correspondent

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept 22, 2009; 8:30 – 10:00 am

WHERE: Scott’s Seafood Restaurant and Grill, 855 El Camino Real (Town and Country Shopping Center, at Embarcadero and El Camino Real), Palo Alto, CA 94301; Tel. (650) 323-1555

COST: Currently $5 for SVAMA members, $15 for non-members

NOTE: Venue requires breakfast be purchased

RSVP: info@elymedia.com

Don’t miss this! Daisy is a whirlwind of information — and tons of fun.

— Elyse Tager