Are you thinking of using Web video to promote your business?

According to one expert, it could hurt your brand.

Loren Feldman of 1938media and idiot puppet fame gave a presentation at a recent conference on his tips for doing Web video.

If you don’t have time to watch it all, skip down to my summary of his main points below.

Online video chat by Ustream

Why Video?

1. It can set you apart from your competition.
2. It’s a powerful communication medium (“nothing tells a story like video”)
3. Tends to rank well in Google.
4. It’s not for everyone. If you haven’t got the right personality, maybe you should skip it. Bad video could hurt your brand. That said, you can get better with practice.

Style

1. Web video is intimate. Talk as though you’re talking to a friend.
2. Look straight into the lens (imagine the camera is the person you’re speaking to.
3. Talk about things that interest you. Your passion (or lack of it) will show through.
4. Find your own style. Be yourself.
5. Keep it short. 2-4 minutes is good.

Technical Considerations

1. Shooting: You don’t need expensive equipment (Loren shoots 99% with his Mac’s built-in camera, the rest with a $120 Casio camera). Audio is very important, but the built-in microphones of the Mac and Casio are fine.
2. Editing: look to cut on audio (not necessarily video). Loren recommends iMovie for basic editing and FinalCut for more advanced editing (both on Mac).
3. Distribution: YouTube has the vast majority of the audience. Use relevant tags and titles. If possible, make sure the image that gets used to represent your video is a good one.

Have you experimented with using Web video to promote your small business? Let us know how you’ve got on.