Tips for Informational Video Interviews By Mark E Goodman www.e-conversation.com October 15, 2009 Informational videos on YouTube and other internet video services have become widespread. If you are doing a video, consider these tips. Before you go on the air, review your questions with your guest. A review will insure : Your guest answers the question that you ask When on camera, your guest responds quickly with a well thought out answer You avoid a question that your guest does not want to answer
At the beginning of the interview establish the expertise of the guest on the topic. Introduce the guest and the company that the guest represents. Then ask the guest to explain their expertise. “I am Director of Internet Services for BigCo. In that job I am responsible for the management of our Twitter, YouTube, etc…) If you think a guest comment is unclear, restate it for the audience and make sure that the guest is in agreement. It’s OK, if it needs to be clarified.
Importance of Good Sound Once you get past the basics, there are some production values to consider. While viewers will put up with almost anything when it comes to cute pets or babies, for information, they are more critical. It is important to think about your video and audio quality. Cameras today can record under almost any conditions, however, if it is hard to see and hear, your viewer will give up, no matter how good the content is. Be especially careful about background audio. A convention hall, or shopping area may be a good place for a conversation, but it can be a poor place for an interview. If you are at a convention, try to find an empty meeting room. Avoid at all costs, the “man on the street”. Nothing will kill an interview faster than having a bus go by. You can help your video by simple editing. Here is a tip to make your editing easier. “Pause for a few seconds in between questions.” If you don’t edit, your viewer won’t notice, but if you do want to edit, it will give you an easy point to make the cut. If you are changing the topic, for example moving from a current view to a future view, announce the transition. “Now, let’s take a look at the future”. The transition can be an edit, or a start of a new video. Multiple videos can be helpful. Suppose your guest talked about social media for customer prospecting, and then discussed social media for customer service. It could be one posting, but it could be two. Search engines give you extra points if most viewers watch your video all the way through. The longer your video, the less of a chance you have of your viewer watching the whole piece. Lastly, to get the best benefit from video, you need to commit to continual content. Viewers (and search engines) are looking for trusted sources. The more clips and views you have, the more likely you are to be found and viewed.
Mark Goodman has a varied work experience. He was an educational television producer/director and a film buyer for a national theatre chain. Following that experience, Mark spent many years working for Motorola. He was one of the first business people in the cell phone group, rising to positions in distribution, marketing, and business management. Mark also developed and implemented internet strategies. Then he went on to manage service, parts and major account business opportunities . Subsequent to his experience at Motorola, Mark worked in sales management for a Silicon Valley company. He currently has a consulting business focused around using video and social media to create an e-conversation. www.e-conversation.com He is also a volunteer for SCORE Chicago, where he serves as Workshop Chair. Mark has an MBA and an MA in Radio/TV/Film More from Mark Goodman How to Get maximum reach with your video. How to use YouTube, BlipTV and cable TV to increase the brand awareness of your organization |
