Should You Use VideosTto Market Your Publishing Brand?

When it comes to marketing anything, let alone a book, an author, or a publisher, it takes many hours to execute and many other hours to create a plan. I just came across an excerpt from Video Marketing for Dummies, and it inspired me to share some thoughts as to the role video plays in one’s marketing efforts.

Video, like any marketing tool, has value if done properly. It’s a piece of the vast, ever-growing marketing puzzle and for most people, it is rightfully a small but relevant piece.

The ones who should use video extensively are those who:

·        Have really good content that is worth sharing with others.

·        Offer a great visual – beautiful people, gorgeous nature scenes, spectacular animals, something rarely seen.

·        Film something really funny, emotionally moving, or is so unique that one feels compelled to tune in.

·        Can shoot and video in such a creative way that it is artful.

·        Have video on something topical or newsy.

·        Use video in a manner one cannot otherwise use typed or spoken words or photos to get a point across.

·        Have a following of people who will share the video.

·        Will post the video all over the place and not just stop after posting it on the obvious places: your blog, Web site, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, You Tube.

Here is what the book said about going viral with video:

“1. Create and post a video that has the ‘WOW!” factor.

“2. Transmit, via email and social media, to friends and mailing lists.

“3. Ask people to repost your video and email it to their friends.

“4. Identify bloggers and news media who may find your video unique and will promote it even more.

“5. Look for your video to take off on You Tube.”

The book’s table of contents features chapters on:

·        Measuring results and improving your video

·        Top 10 marketing resources

·        Using search engine optimization and paid ads

·        Using video-sharing platforms such as Vimeo, Viddler, and Dailymotion

·        Adding titles, music, visual effects, audio, and narration

Lastly, it has some good words of advice, including:

“Don’t let your message be vague.”

“Don’t put too many messages in the video.”

“Don’t make only one video.”

I invite you to send me your best video (send one link per person please) for promoting a book, author, or publisher. I will be glad to share a few. Please send them to me by June 20^th. You can send them to: brianfeinblum@gmail.com

Have You Seen This Past Week’s Posts?

What The Bestseller List Sales Numbers Reveal

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/reading-between-numbers-of-bestseller.html

How Promoters, Authors & Publishers Get Others to Say YES

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-to-get-yes-out-of-others.html

Shrinking Newspaper Industry Hurts Authors, Publishers, Publicists, & Citizens

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/all-news-that-is-fit-to-print-just.html

The Appeal & Necessity Of Fiction

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/when-fiction-is-our-reality.html

The Appeal & Importance Of Audiobooks http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/listen-up-audiobooks-speak-louder-than.html

Don’t Make Me Like You!

http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/its-ok-if-you-dont-like-me.html

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person.