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You have a number of options for creating video content, and each one has its own strengths, weaknesses, and needs in terms of hardware and software.
Things to Consider
- Considering the examples provided here, is there a type of video that would make sense for your company?
- How could you use video to showcase your work if you design or produce websites? Apps?
- Do you have clients or customers with success stories worth sharing? Have you considered putting them on camera?
- Do you have employees with great public speaking or presentation skills? Have you considered putting them on camera?
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So, you've decided you want to create a video
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or series of videos to help market your company,
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but exactly what kind of videos?
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You have a few options
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as each one has its own strengths and weaknesses,
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and needs in terms of hardware and software.
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Screencasts are videos created by using footage
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from a computer screen or other device.
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Screencasts are great if you want to demonstrate
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how an app or program works
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using the full screen.
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Most screencast programs allow you to narrate the video
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while you record,
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and some let you highlight areas of the screen
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to emphasize different points.
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Normally, you'd like videos to be shorter,
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so potential customers can get a flavor for what you offer,
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but screencasts can also be nice for more detailed explorations
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of how specific features work
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and can be very helpful for power users.
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Camtasia is one example of a program that can help you produce a screencast,
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allowing you to edit and export the video.
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Another is Screencast-O-Matic,
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which offers similar features along with a free version
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and includes video file hosting.
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Demo reels are videos that show highlights of your work.
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They're meant to demonstrate your abilities,
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experience, and expertise
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at a certain skill.
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Whether you're a designer, developer,
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or even a company that produces sites and apps,
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you can put together a collection of clips
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that show the various projects you've worked on.
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Depending on your business and what you want to emphasize,
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you could show how your company dominates
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in a particular industry or niche,
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or you can display the variety of projects
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you've worked on.
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These videos are meant to generate contacts
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and new business,
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so they should always end with information
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on how to get in touch with you.
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First-person videos are produced using the tiny cameras
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embedded in your laptop or mobile device.
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Webcam videos are very easy to produce
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because all the technology you need
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can be in the palm of your hand or your laptop.
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However, they can also suffer from poor quality,
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and if you're using a video like this to promote your business,
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you have to consider how the amateur look
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will affect the impression potential customers might have.
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Still, if you can ensure the production quality
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of your lighting and sound are in good shape,
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they can be a very convenient,
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cost-effective option for marketers.
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The types of videos I've mentioned thus far
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require less production resources than others,
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but if you're looking to make a bigger impression,
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consider the following marketing videos as well.
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Presentations can also be effective videos,
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especially when demonstrating your expertise about a certain topic.
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These videos can actually be 1 of 2 types.
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It can be a presentation you give to the camera
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or a recording of you giving a talk to a crowd
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at an important event.
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In either case, you want to make sure that your presentation
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materials are clear and legible,
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especially if you use slides to make important points.
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Testimonials feature real people
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providing personal experience about a person,
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company, product, service, or event.
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These can be quite compelling if the subjects offer honest feedback
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and help answer questions that potential customers might have.
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They could be done in a talking-head style
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or as an interview, but either way
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your hope is that the subjects will be influential
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to help bring in new customers.
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And, finally, commercials
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are classic-style videos
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that advertise basic information about your company,
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much like the commercials you've seen for years on television.
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A lot of companies produce a commercial for local television
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and then feature it on their homepage.
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Commercials usually require more resources to produce
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including editing, music, graphics, and other elements
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to make them appealing.
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Keep in mind that most users only have time
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or the attention to watch something short.
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Think in terms of seconds, not minutes.
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A 30, 60, or 90-second video
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might not sound like much,
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but if the video is focused and delivers quality content,
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it can make a powerful impression.
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If it's effective, you can always produce more videos
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later on to focus on other topics
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and at the same time create more reasons
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for users to follow you.
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