You don’t need to go viral and have a million viewers or even followers. Those are “vanity metrics”. I.E. it may be cool to be able to say your post got one thousand likes but that won’t pay the mortgage.
What you really need is a smaller, more targeted audience of people who need what you have to offer, know that they need it and are actually motivated to get a result and are ready to pay for the help to achieve that goal.
Why your website should be your home base on the internet
When using your website to grow your business you need to make your website your marketing hub – your home on the internet.
Social media is great for marketing but you don’t actually own your Facebook or LinkedIn profiles. The platforms do. But you own your website. The social media platforms can change the rules so that one day you’re getting tons of reach and the next, crickets. Even worse, they can ban you for arbitrary reasons with little or no recourse.
In this conversation with SEO expert Lori Osborne we talk about why your website is so important to growing your business and making sure you get found on Google. You can watch our conversation here or read the summary below.
People expect you to have a website
When people are looking for you or what you offer, they’re going to search the web first. They Google it. And people expect to find a website. It proves you’re a real business. Your website is a place to showcase your professionalism and build relationships with potential customers. While social media is great for connecting with people, a website takes it to the next level.
Live videos are a great way to increase your visibility while building the know, like & trust factor with your audience. But how long should these videos be?
I get asked that question every time I speak to coaches, course creators and any groups of entrepreneurs thinking about making videos.
The answer is “it depends”. There is no one-size-fits-all answer for how long your live videos should be. I know people who regularly go live for an hour or more and their audience stays to the end. I know others who are getting amazing results with five minute videos. There are several factors to consider when figuring out what’s the best option for you.
Your Audience Matters
Your audience is an important factor in deciding how long to make your videos. Why they’re watching plus their expectations makes a difference.
Going live helps you gain visibility, show off your expertise and generate leads for your business.
But only if people actually watch your videos!
It’s important to remember that video marketing (and in fact all marketing) is not a get rich quick scheme. It’s the difference between farming and hunting. You plant sees today and harvest them down the road.
However, if you are making these live video intro mistakes they are costing you views.
While content is the most important part, choosing the right background for your videos makes a big difference. The goal is to make YOU, not your background, the star of your videos.
If you’re a coach, consultant or other small business owner making occasional videos as part of your marketing, you probably don’t have the space to set up a dedicated home studio, nor do you need one.
You also don’t want a complicated setup that takes a lot of time to put up and take down each time you want to record a video. When you have the inspiration or the time to record a video, you want to be ready to go at a moment’s notice. Anything that slows you down (like a complicated backdrop) will decrease your chances of actually getting to the point of hitting record.