Free Book Marketing Tip #5 – Use Video
YouTube is a gigantic search engine. YouTube has over 1 BILLION subscribers. Millions of people are viewing videos every day. (YouTube Statistics)
You Can Make a Video
You probably already have everything you need to make a video. If you have a smart phone, you can make a video. If you have a computer with a built-in camera, you can make a video. There are upgrades too: you can get a web cam (Logitech makes several models, some are under $100), a dedicated video camera, or use an SLR camera that also takes video.
You Don’t Have To Appear On Camera
If you are camera-shy, consider adding narration to photos or slides. Demonstrate how to do something. People love how-to videos. There are a variety of ways to make videos. You can record your actions with a camera or use software to follow your actions on the computer.
Movie Making Software
When it comes to making movies, there are a lot of choices. Some software can help you turn your images, slides, or pdf’s into a movie. Some of the tools are free, some for fee. Many software developers let you try before you buy. Here is a sampling of some of the apps/software you can use to make a video that you share with others:
- Animoto
- Storyo
- Photoshop (yes Photoshop has the ability to edit photos and create animations and video)
- Wondershare makes a variety of tools that converts your assets into video
- Magisto – Magical Video Editor (available in from iTunes – iPhone and iPad)
- Camtasia (you can try it free)
- Screenflow
- Blab (you can record your live streaming event) using an app from bebo
- Google Hangouts (you can record your hangout)
- Splice
- iMovie
- Adobe Premiere
- Final Cut Pro
- Windows Movie Maker
- Keynote
- Powerpoint
I’m sure there are other tools out there, and if I left out one that you love, please let me know.
Movies and Videos are Another Way to Tell a Story
Here a few ideas to get you started:
- Interviews
- How did you come to write your book?
- What did you learn in the process of publishing your book?
- Why you wrote the book
- Who your book is for (your intended audience)
- How your readers can best use the material contained in your book
- A guide to the characters
- A guide to the setting(s) in the book
- Create a book trailer that pumps up excitement about your book
Where to Share Your Videos
- Your website
- Youtube
- Vimeo
- Goodreads (your author profile for instance)
- Amazon
- Twiter
- Your newsletter
- Slideshare
- Vine
Are You Ready for Your Close-up?
I hope this has informed, entertained and inspired you to create your own videos. Some final tips:
- Keep your videos short (90 seconds to 5 minutes)
- Do a series of short videos rather than one long video
- Make an outline of what you want to cover before you start
- Search for top videos and see what they are doing
- Be sure your audio is crisp
- If you are working indoors, use enough light to show your subjects clearly
- Include a call to action (what is the next thing you want your audience to do)
- Have fun
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