I highly doubt Bob Dylan had online videos in mind when he sang “the times, they are a-changing.” Nonetheless, his words are particularly apt in this case. Not too long ago, few people had access to the sort of affordable, high-speed internet services that made watching online videos practical. For most us, it was a hair-tearing, frustrating experience.
Not anymore. High speed access is now so commonplace, that video is taking the Internet by storm. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Our love affair with television suggests it. The YouTube phenomenon proves it…
Many people prefer to watch than to read.
Of course, given the nature of the ‘Net, and the way Search Engines process information, text-based material will always be important (that’s not to say you won’t see YouTube videos showing in top 10 keyword searches; frankly, I’ve seen more and more lately).
But how do you leverage video effectively? How do you add it effectively into your current content mix? And most effectively, how do you actually create videos – especially if you’re not technically minded and you don’t even have a video camera? (It’s the latter question that I intend to focus on in this article).
These are all questions I’ve been asking myself lately, as I determine how to best create and use video on UltimateFatBurner.com. And while I own a video camera now (although I haven’t yet taken it out of the box), I did not when I tackled my first video.
When it comes to video, you have two options…
1) Use a video camera to record your message, optimize it for the web, and upload it to your web site, and other popular video hosting services like YouTube, Yahoo! Video, Google Video, Vimeo, etc. (If you don’t have a camera there are hundreds of options. Try to select a camera that offers a “one touch upload to YouTube” feature. This will make your life a lot easier – I bought a JVC with this option).
2) Use a series of still photos with an audio track, and combine them together using software (like Camtasia or Windows Movie Maker) into video format. This is the format I used when I made my first video which you can view here. Although it’s a little more work than simply recording yourself in front of a camera, I think it’s probably the best option for a newbie video-creator.
Why?
Well, your background images will provide constantly changing visual stimulation, which can have a lot to do with visitors actually sticking around to watch your video. Speaking in front of a camera may be easier from a technical point of view, but there’s a real knack to communicating effectively via camera, and keeping your visitor glued to the screen. I was pretty sure this wasn’t the way I wanted to go… at least initially.
If you decide to go this route, you’ll need a few things…
1) A microphone: For my first project, I used a cheap mic I purchased at Staples, but I wasn’t really pleased with the sound quality, so I upgraded to a Samson Recording/Podcasting pack.
2) Audio software: I use the free Audacity software, which seems to work well enough for my needs.
3) Software: I managed to snag a copy of Camtasia 3 from Techsmith – they were offering V3 of the software available for free, with a significant discount to upgrade to the newest version. Alas, this offer no longer seems to be valid, but you can still download a 30-day free trial of the software if you like. As previously mentioned, Windows MovieMaker is also an option; if you’re running Windows, it’s likely already on your computer.
If the idea of purchasing or having to learn the intricacies of a new piece of software is unappealing to you, there are low-tech options. Ganesh and the guys over at Article Video Robot have a option that allows you to convert articles (or any text based information you like) into videos – really, really, easily.
This service has been marketed fairly aggressively lately, so I signed up for the free trial to give it a “go.” I’ll have to say that although I think the service is pretty decent and the customer support is superb (I sent tech support an e-mail and received a response in an hour) I wasn’t able to create the sort of video I had in mind.
Since I already have the necessary software and tools, and have mastered the most intense part of the software learning curve, I’m going to stay the course with Camtasia. Nonetheless, it costs nothing to sign up for the free trial of the Article Video Robot – go ahead and do so and make your own judgment call (one suggestion; record your own voice over and do not use the computer voices provided by the service… you’ll see what I mean).
| By the way, another “plug and play” video service worth investigating is Animoto. It’s dead simple to use, but it has much more limited functionality. It does offer a free option, although you’ll have to pay the $30/year upgrade fee to create videos longer than 30 seconds. It’s not something I will use, but what it does, it does very well.
If you do decide to investigate this option, check out Kevin Riley’s ” Recipe For Quick and Easy Production of Hot Promo Videos“, which walks you through the proper “creating videos with Animoto” process. |
Of course, the biggest issue I had when I began my first video project was finding a complete “A-B-C, here’s how to create your own video” tutorial in a step by step format . I have WAY too much to do (and no inclination) to spend ages trying to learn the complexities of a new piece of software. It’s always easier and more cost effective if you can find a tutorial-type document that will walk you through the entire process.
After some digging, I finally found exactly what I needed in Kevin Riley’s Video Creation products (which documents the video creation process using the Camtasia software).
I’ve purchased about 3 of them in total (my first video was created following the process outlined in his books) and I would recommend any of them to anyone looking for a step-by-step, easy to understand documented means to create your first video.
So here’s the process I’d suggest if you would like to try the hands-on video creation process.
1) Download the free trial of Camtasia (I’ll explain why in a minute).
2) Download the free Audacity audio software.
3) Buy a cheap microphone from your local office supply store (Office Place, Staples, etc).
4) Purchase one of Kevin Riley’s video creation products. Kevin uses the Camtasia software in his video creation demonstrations, which is why I suggested you download the software. Use the free trial to create a video or two, and then, once you’re familiar with the process, switch to the free Windows Movie Maker (most video / movie creating software is similar, so you should be able to make the jump from applications fairly seamlessly). Or, you can purchase the full version of Camtasia, if you like.
Whatever you decide, I highly recommend you make an investment into a product that will show you how to create your video properly. There’s a lot more to creating a great video than the technical aspect. Your video will need to be story-boarded, optimized, and properly distributed. Kevin’s products show you how to do all this and more – I’ve actually found them much more helpful than the several books I’ve bought from Amazon on the subject.
I’ll be talking more about leveraging video effectively in the near future.
Good luck!
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