You’ve developed your brand, identified your values, and researched your audience. Your website has launched your social platforms are already gaining traction. Now it’s time to ignite your efforts by creating a personal brand video that will showcase who you are in a way that’s authentic, engaging, and relevant to your audience.
So, why video and not just blogs and Instagram photos? First, video is the most engaged content on the web and has long been referenced as the preferred medium for Gen Z and millennial consumers. However, due to the increased amount of time spent at home this past year and a half, it’s now the most effective medium to use to connect with audiences from all age demographics with 90% of all consumers watching video on their mobile devices and 9 out of 10 saying they want even more video content from brands in 2024.
First things first
When it comes to launching yourself as a personal brand,it’s important to have a strong understanding of of yourself, your product, your values, and what key messages you want to convey. Once you have a good idea of the content and structure, focus on creating a high-quality short-form video that captures what makes you unique and the problem your product or service solves in three minutes or less. You can do this by hiring a professional (just make sure you properly vet the person to ensure your approach, vision, and outlook are aligned) or by investing in decent lighting, camera, and audio kit to do it yourself.
Let’s talk about content
When it comes to creating meaningful and memorable content, it’s important to take a multi-asset point of view that will help you tell a holistic story and hit various targets. The whole point of your video is to showcase the unique value of your specific product in supporting your audience as they work to overcome various challenges, so take some time to really think about what you need to say to do this in a way that is clear, concise and compelling. Don’t just ‘wing it’, think about your target audience and the message you want to get across, and then create a storyboard and script with a clear beginning (introduction, interest pique), middle (value add), and end (call to action). Getting this right can have a serious impact on your bottom line. 87% of video marketers reported that video gives them a positive ROI — this is a significant jump from the 33% who felt that way in 2015.
Authenticity matters
When it comes to building a successful brand, authenticity matters and consumers are quick to move away from brands they perceive as ‘fake’. in fact, 86% of consumers say that authenticity is important when deciding which brands to support. The best way to attract loyal consumers is to combine your passion with experience, knowledge, and consistency. In doing this, you are able to show a high level of value alignment which can make a real impact on your ROI as consumers are 6 times more likely to purchase from purpose-driven brands.
Research your competition
While it’s important to focus on industry trends and what you can offer, paying close attention to what your competitors are saying and doing – and what consumers are saying about them – is key when determining your next move. The idea that your competitors are just going to slink away in the face of your better product, service, or brand collateral is naive at best. That said, it’s important to know the difference between remaining competitive and copying someone.
Pinpoint your USP and highlight it quickly
When it comes to building a strong personal brand (through video or otherwise), it is essential to fully understand your USP and why you are the expert in this specific area; otherwise, it’s just more noise. Your USP should be identified within the first 15 seconds of your video and should highlight why you are the expert in this area and how you are the only person who can fix a specific problem.
Research relevant subjects and publish regularly
One of the biggest mistakes brand owners make is thinking they will pick colors, write a few blogs, create a few videos, and be done with it. We live in a world with a 24-hour news cycle and consumers who research before they buy. This means it’s essential to stay abreast of the latest industry trends and in the conversation by publishing topical and informative content on a consistent basis. The easiest way to do this is to set aside a few hours a month to do a high-level overview for the months to come. This will include products and services you want to highlight, topical industry news, and cultural insights to showcase your company values. Once you have done this, decide how many times you will publish content each week, and on which days and times. If publishing on a website, publish at the same time every time (Monday at 11:00 AM, for example) to gain recognition from Google Crawlers. This will help with optimization.
Contemplate branding beyond YouTube
Good personal branding is about alignment and consistency, not just in the output of your content, but also in the look and feel of every platform and piece of collateral that is associated with you and your business. The great thing about video is that it is universal and can be shared everywhere from your website and Twitter platform to TikTok and Instagram. It can even be embedded into your Newsletter and emails. Long-form videos can be cut down to teasers for cross-promotional purposes and combining footage for themed reels and playlists can help to keep your followers engaged as you create more content.
Analyze your performance
So, how do you know if a campaign has been successful? Take a holistic look at the numbers. Here are a few key metrics to pay attention to:
– Viewer Demographics
– Traffic sources
– Watch time
– Average View Duration
– Engagement (and playlist engagement)
– Audience Retention
– Impressions click-through rate/ Card click-through rate
– Unique views (and views by those unique viewers)
– Growth of subscribers
Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t stress. There are a ton of inexpensive tools out there that are easy and effective for beginners (here are four we love).
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