How To Create Awesome Online Videos to Promote Your Dance Studio Through Social Media

kinerenterprisesinc | Jul 24, 2010 | 1

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Day 62 in our 90-Day Social Media Success Challenge for Dance Studios...

A friend of mine, who I met through the wonderful world of social media, asked me the other day, "how do you create all of those great YouTube videos?" She wants to begin integrating video marketing into her company's social media marketing campaign, and she's interested in a step-by-step plan for how to create great online videos. So, I decided to write about it, in order to help her, and all of you as well.

If you read this blog regularly, you already know that I am a strong believer in the power of online videos to connect with your customers, make your brand (dance studio) more personal and tangible, and create a powerful online presence. I even suggested 5 ways that you can use videos to promote your dance studio through social media, in a previous blog post, and in a video (http://youtube.com/dancestudiosuccess).

But for today, I will give you the 5 essentials to creating great online videos.

1) An HD Camera - A good camera is the first, and probably most important step to creating quality online videos. My husband happens to be a producer, so I get to use his really cool HD (high-definition) camera. However, you can get a very basic Flip video camera, with a mini tripod, for less than $200, and get really great results.

2) Good Lighting - Good lighting is the second most important part of making a great video. Natural sunlight is always the best light. I actually sit in front of a window when I record my videos. However, you will probably need to add more lighting as well. As I sit in front of the window, I also have another light, pointed directly at my face, and other lamps on in the room. So, you definitely want to make sure that your video location is well-lit, and that you have good lighting on your face.

3) Good Sound Quality - This may seem pretty obvious, but, if the sound is bad in your video, and people are struggling to hear you, then it probably won't get too many views. I actually wear a little mini microphone in my videos (not visible). But, even if you don't have a mic, just make sure that the room that you are in doesn't have all kinds of background noise that will be distracting during your video. Also, speak loudly, and clearly. Be sure to turn off your Skype notifications, put your cell phone on vibrate, and turn off any other alarms or things that might go off during your video.

4) Video Editing Software - First let me say, don't be afraid of the words "video editing". If you don't have a lot of experience with video editing (like me), it may sound a little scary, or overwhelming, but I promise, it's really not. If you can use iTunes and an iPod, then trust me, you can edit a video. I think it's all about which software you use, and how many effects you'd like to incorporate into the video. I personally use VideoPad Video Editor. I highly recommend it. It's really, really easy to use. However, there's also iMovie for Macs, and Windows Movie Maker for PC's, among tons of other software. It's really up to you to choose what you're most comfortable with.

5) A Call to Action - It's important that, while you have your viewers' attention, you direct them on what you'd like for them to do after watching the video. This is your call to action. This normally goes at the end of the video. This is when you will ask your viewers to leave a comment, share your video, become a fan of your Facebook page, go to your website, come in and take a free dance class, etc. This is also a very important aspect of a successful video.

Here are a few other quick online video tips for you:

*Include your dance studio's logo, and website address in the video, so people will become familiar with it, and know how to contact you.

*Create a very catchy/interesting title for your video. Be sure to include key words that people might use when doing an online search.

*Share your videos on ALL of your social networks. When sharing on Facebook, tag your students, teachers, etc. who may also be in the video. You can even create a page on your dance studio's website that's dedicated to your videos.

*Use YouTube Search Stories as another video marketing tool. It's awesome! Learn more about it here, http://kinerenterprisesincblog.com/2010/06/30/how-to-use-youtube-search-stories-in-social-media-for-your-dance-studio/.

With all of these tools, you will absolutely be on your way to creating fantastic videos to show the personality of your dance studio, connect with your customers emotionally, and showcase what makes your dance studio unique, through social media.

These 5 steps primarily cater towards videos that involve speaking only. However, if you're creating videos of your students dancing, then you can disregard number 3.

Here's a video that actually involves me speaking, as well as some of my students performing my choreography. So you'll get to see how you can do a combination of the two. Please note: This video was edited by my husband, a professional, and experienced video producer and editor. I can not take credit for this one. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1hkGXd5NLI

If you liked this blog post, and found it helpful, please leave me a comment, and feel free to click on the "share" button to share it with your friends.

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