How to create a video knowledge bank for your business

Regardless of the type of business you are in, retail, restaurant, B2B sales, or a professional services provider, we answer the “same questions” week after week. And I’m sure you have become excellent at providing answers to your customers and prospects. But this isn’t scalable; there is no multiplier effect! If you want to provide knowledge and value to a greater number of customers and prospects we should leverage video technology.

For years, my advice to businesses has been to create short engaging videos that deal with key questions you are asked by customers and prospects. Years ago, when bandwidth was an issue, websites were primarily populated with text and low-resolution pictures. Nowadays with what feels like unlimited bandwidth, consumers are choosing to engage with video content as their preferred medium. Below is an outline of how to get started with creating a Video Knowledge Bank for your business.

What equipment do I need?

A simple DSLR camera is a good choice for getting started. You’ll want to make sure it has an auto focus feature, so you won’t have to be worrying about adjustments when you are getting started. Smart phone cameras keep improving in their video quality but can sometimes be a bit awkward to work with.

It is essential that you have access to a quality microphone. In fact, it could quite possibly be one of the most important tools you need for making videos! People watching need to hear you clearly. A lavalier or a shotgun microphone are your best options. Smart Phone microphones just don’t cut it. I like to use a lavalier microphone that I hook onto my shirt and its’ cord attaches to my iPhone. It provides clear sound even with a noisy background.

No matter what type of camera you’re shooting with, you don’t want to have “shaky” footage. Tripods allow you to film yourself without needing someone else to operate the camera (which is handy in these COVID times). You can also go all out and purchase a gyro stabiliser which will allow you to record while walking and moving around. The effects are great, but it takes some time to get the hang of balancing the gyro and using it effectively.

How do I choose topics?

If you already have a FAQ section on your website this is a good place to start! If not, you can poll your staff on the most common questions they are asked repetitively. With some businesses there may be a seasonality effect on the type of questions you receive so be conscious of creating the right content for the season.

Once you get going on your video knowledge bank you can reach out to your regular customers and start asking them for topics on what they would like you to create more videos on.

Remember, knowledge-based videos shouldn’t sound “salesy”. You will have a greater following of existing customers and attract more new customers if you lead with providing “value” in your videos.

How do I edit and organize my videos?

You’ll need editing software if you are going to piece together video clips and add text/images and background music. There are a few free editing programs out there, but if you plan to consistently make videos for your business I’d recommend investing in one of the many choices of inexpensive video editing software programs online. I personally enjoy using Adobe Premiere Pro.

Adding background music can take out some of the hollow/echo sounds in the room you may be filming in. The right music can greatly enhance the viewers experience. There are numerous free background music sights on the internet.

A business YouTube channel is a great place to organize your videos. Make sure you take advantage of customizing the look of your channel. YouTube offers free tutorials on how to do this. You can organize your video content into “Playlists”. This allows you to group videos together of similar content making it easier for your customers/prospects to consume more of your video content.

Once on YouTube it is easy to imbed your videos into the appropriate pages on your website and of course you can share these out on your social network feeds.

Remember that YouTube is a search engine just like Google and similar SEO tactics can be used. Consider having your video transcribed (this can be done with free software) and then paste the text into the description portion of the video making it easier for your videos to be found by those searching specific keywords or topics.

How to get comfortable on camera

When you are getting started try not to memorize a “script”.This will only lead to frustration. Consider beginning with topics that you can speak passionately about. Start by creating videos that are more conversational and have the camera “rolling” off to the side while you are talking about your product or service to a friend / co-worker / willing customer. Try not to position the camera lens directly at you to begin with. I’m not sure about the science behind it, but it can make most people lose their memory of what they were going to say!

Don’t judge yourself too harshly. It takes a bit to get accustomed to seeing yourself on video. The more you do it the easier it becomes.

Want to dive into specifics for your business?

Feel free to reach out if you want to discuss in more detail about how to get started using videos as part of your business strategy. We’ve worked with a wide range of businesses from high tech to forestry and trucking. CONTACT US. to explore how Zubak & Associates can add value to your business!

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