A video blog, or “vlog”, is a simple extension of the traditional blog format to include video. The use of video blogging can have many benefits for a business: they can be easier to share than their textual counterparts since the files can be saved on a smart phone to be brought up and viewed with little effort. They also add another informative dimension that can be taken in many directions. Here are the five T’s of video blogging – things you should take into consideration if you’re interested in using video blogs for your own business:
1. Theme. While a video blog being run for a business is presumably going to be business themed, there are a number of different options within that field that could be expounded upon. For instance, you could do a series of How-To videos in relation to your product or service. It could be testimonials from customers and employees, a documentary-style approach to office life or a number of other things. Using a variety of different themes add an intriguing dynamic to your series of videos.
2. Tech. Most computers and laptops nowadays have built in webcams that can be used for basic filming from a focal point. A digital video camera can be used as well but usually will involve more complicated editing techniques and software. Another important factor is having a website that you can use to host your videos – there are many free websites that can be used to host videos, the best known being Youtube – which can be found just by using an internet search.
3. Topic. Just as it goes with textual blogs, video blogs have to pertain to the interests of the people that you want to view them. One way to get a higher number of views is to alternate between specialized and broader topics – a video with a broader topic can attract numbers which can spread word and that action can help to attract those who may be interested in more specialized topics.
4. Trademark. With your video blogs, try and add something that stays consistent through all the videos – this “trademark”, or signature, can make your videos more memorable and thus, help you gain more views. It could be a consistent person speaking in all the videos, a certain approach or style of filming, or you could think of a trademark that is more pertinent to your company or field.
5. Tenacity. Determination and consistency are important if you want to keep a successful blog of any sort, including a video blog. Pick a consistent day of the week to update or a certain amount of days between entries to make sure that potential viewers will come back to view your videos without getting tired of randomly checking to not find any updates. Letting viewers know when they will be able to find an update will make said viewers more likely to keep up with your updates.
Video blogging is a new and interesting form of expression in business which means new approaches are developing all the time. To stay at the edge of issues on HR and staffing, be sure to subscribe to the Human Capital Supply Chain Blog.
