Going Native: Lucy Bingle shares her top tips for creating killer video content and why putting herself ‘out there’ has paid dividends.
When LinkedIn recently rolled out its new video function, it was only natural that digital marketing specialist Lucy Bingle jumped in feet first. Find out what Lucy has to say about her foray into the world of native video for LinkedIn.
How has your experience been so far?
To be honest, I find the whole process utterly nerve-wracking. Monday or Tuesday is ‘record and upload’ day, and it’s by far the most uncomfortable part of my week. However, the benefits far outweigh my pre-video jitters, and the response has been exceptional with my last upload exceeding 1000 views and receiving over 30 likes and comments.
What mistakes have you made along the way?
It’s early days and mostly experimental so no mistakes per se, but there’s always room for improvement! While still relatively new territory, the space is becoming increasingly crowded as users are catching on that they don’t have to be a NIDA graduate to prep and record their videos.
Why do you think it has been so successful?
Video really does allow us to 'find our voice' - it gives you the opportunity to connect with your audience quickly - You need to be authentic, intelligent and insightful. Video also gives the perception of activity and clients love this. It’s another way of putting rhythm into your marketing strategy, but for it to be effective, it can’t be a one-hit wonder, and it’s important to remain consistent. Think of it as a long-term project and a super effective way ofreinforcing your brand. Success lies in staying true to your message and aligning the process with an overall marketing strategy.
Keys to Video Success:
The aim of native video is to appear as though you have just recorded and uploaded on the fly, but I advise going the extra mile and putting effort into your location and presentation. I certainly don’t recommend uploading straight to the platform (unless you really are a NIDA graduate). These are my top 5 tips for a great LinkedIn video experience.
Trim and edit: Always, always play your recording back and use the editing tools so your uploaded video starts and ends with finesse. Avoid embarrassing “up the nose” angles or frozen stills of you with your mouth wide open.
Presentation is paramount: It may seem obvious, but good personal presentation is a must. Even in the few videos I have posted, I have noticed that the better I present, the higher the engagement. I’m all for spontaneity, but my rules include looking neat and tidy, and making sure you look at the camera and SMILE!
Write a script: Killer content means making every word count whether it be your blog, social media posts or webinars, and the same goes for video.
Keep it under three minutes: In theory, you can record and upload up to ten minutes of footage but my advice is to start small and keep it snappy. No-one has time to watch long, drawn-out videos. Plus, you want them to get to that all-important call to action which is usually best left to the end of the video.
Don’t be afraid of the filter: Whilst authenticity is super important, like many gals I do love a good filter. Once I have perfected my script and message and finished editing, it’s easy to style things up a little by choosing one of the iPhone filters to ‘enhance’ the footage.
How to Upload Your Video
Head over to the LinkedIn mobile app, look for the share box at the top of the feed (iOS) or the post button (Android) and tap on the video icon. Whilst you can record a video straight to the app, again I would strongly recommend uploading video that has has been pre-recorded on your iPhone (or android).
Useful Insights
One of my favourite aspects of this tool is the ability to obtain audience insights such as, how many people have watched your video, what their titles are and where they live. You can also monitor how many views, likes, and comments your videos are receiving. To locate audience insights, click into the dashboard section of your LinkedIn profile which can be viewed on either mobile or desktop.
Need more help? Contact Us - LinkedIn Marketing is what we do, all day, every day :-)