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• Tweet

The other day, I was brainstorming new ways to leverage Twitter, with the goal of better connecting with my followers.  After discussing a number of ideas, it hit me.  Why not use web video in my Tweets?  It’s a good idea.  Right?

Here’s What You’ll Need:

Webcam or Digital Camcorder – Without one, it will be hard to record a video!  I use a Flip Mino HD, which is awesome by the way.  If you haven’t used one, you should check them out.  It’s surprising how good the video quality is on this little portable and inexpensive camera!

Video Uploading Service – There are plenty of free services out there that you can use.  YouTube or Vimeo will work.  Basically, you just need to find a site that allows you to upload a video and then generate a link to view it.  You can also do this using our video email and web video service.

Link Shortening Service—Depending on the length of your video link and how much text you want in your tweet, you may need to use a link shortening service, such as bit.ly or tinyURL.  In this way, you’ll be able to fit the maximum amount of info into your tweets.  These services are free and it takes seconds to acquire a shortened link.

Twitter Autoresponder [Optional] – There are a number of programs available that allow you to automate messages you send through Twitter.  Services like TweetAdder and CoTweet can facilitate automated Tweets.  You can even setup automatic responses to direct messages.  Of course, you can always pre-author tweets with a shortened link included in the text and manually send them.

Armed with your webcam, using the above information you can: record a video, upload it to the internet, shorten the link, and incorporate it into a tweet.  Now that you know how to use video in your tweets, let’s talk about some of the videos you could create.

Videos to Tweet:

There are 2 main types of videos you can create.  The first is a video that you make on-the-fly to answer or address a specific person or group.  These videos are great for making a connection, but you can only use them once. “Hi Sandy, thanks for the follow.” The second is a reusable video,  which we like to call an ‘evergreen video‘.  Evergreen videos allow you to convey a seemingly personalized message, without limiting your ability to reuse it.  Instead of using Sandy’s name, say “I just wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and thank you for the follow.” See the difference?  You can send that video to everyone who follows you, from now until the end of time.  Here are 2 examples of videos you might want to Tweet.  These can be made on-the-fly or evergreen.  The choice is yours!

Intro Video—Let your followers know more about you, and your company.  The goal of an intro video is to communicate who you are and start building a connection with each person that watches it.  Nothing more; nothing less!

Informational Videos— The perfect way to create trust and build rapport.  Create videos that are helpful and this will ensure that you capture their attention and keep it.  The key is to understand what your followers want to learn. Your videos need to offer a solution for the pain they are suffering from or provide a solution to a problem they are facing. informative.

A Few Pointers for Making Spectacular Videos:

Video is a powerful method of communication, but there are a few key steps to bear in mind to ensure your videos look  professional.  Be mindful of the lighting and sound.  If you’re shooting outside, is the sun casting a shadow over you face?  Is the wind muffling your voice?  Think about the scenery around you.  I am not saying your videos need to be perfect.  However, a even a few short minutes of observation of your surroundings can yield significant improvements.

Always remember though, it is not the details that make your web videos powerful, it’s you!

If you would like to learn more about creating the right impression through video, you could read a post I made last month entitled 5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Videos Today.