Is a Financial Video Blog Right For You?

Advisor Websites
Advisor Websites • Posted on Jan 10, 2017

When was the last time you watched a video online? I bet it was last night or in the recent 48 hours of being online. According to Statista.com there are about 167.5M active Youtube users per month in the United States alone.  If you are thinking of improving your online marketing strategy in 2017, online videos for you company should be on your radar. Online videos can help you increase your digital footprint to promote your business. As a Financial Advisor, you should note that 60% of boomers and 40% of seniors say watching online video on sites like YouTube has become an important part of their day. Furthermore, 75% of boomers and 68% of seniors report taking some sort of action after viewing a video.  Is a financial video blog or vlog for short right for you?

If you are interested in learning how to get started here is our 4 step guide:

Step 1: Have proper equipment for quality, audio, and post production:

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  • Camera Equipment: If you have the latest iPhone 7 or the newest android camera this will do. Smartphones generally have top of the line micro-lenses for capturing video and a decent mic for recording sounds. Protip: for clearer audio you can clip a bluetooth mic to your shirt.  If you are looking to purchase a point and shoot camera there are options you can purchase on a budget. According to YouTube’s famous blogger Casey Neistat, the Canon PowerShot S120 is a perfect point and shoot camera for video. It is durable and provides high-quality video without being breaking your wallet.
  • Lighting: Shoot during the daytime, sunlight makes anyone on video look great. Make sure you avoid mixed light situations, and if you are using a light setup, LED lights work best.
  • Post Production and Editing: When it comes to editing your video - any basic editing software should do the trick. If you are a Mac user the iMovie application is the easiest to use and for PC users Windows Movie Maker is your friend. Mobile applications such as Splice by GoPro and iMovie are my recommendations if you are editing your video on your smartphone.

Step 2: What should you vlog about?

  • Interviews: Have members of the team answer your frequently asked questions or invite an influencer to answer questions regarding financial topics.
  • Milestones: Document milestones of your company (current events, birthdays, anniversaries, anything that captures your company culture).
  • Behind the Scenes: This is a great opportunity to showcase your office.
  • Weekly Updates: If you already have a weekly newsletter to your clients, you can turn that content into a video.

Step 3: Decide which platform to use for video hosting:

Your goal is to get people to interact with your video, therefore we suggest hosting your video on the popular hosting platforms such as Youtube.com and Vimeo.com. In order for search engines to find your video on these hosting platforms - include a catchy title, a brief description and meta tags.

Once this video has been uploaded be sure to share your video on your website, email newsletter, and social media.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, vlogging is about what you say and letting people see your true personality on a different medium.  Do you currently vlog? Let us know by sharing your comments below!

This article was written by Lester Tiro

CEO-Graham

About Advisor Websites, A Snappy Kraken Company

Founded in 2012, we specialize in helping financial advisors stand out and grow their business online with conversion-friendly, personalized websites and targeted digital marketing solutions, all of which follow FINRA and SEC guidelines.

Disclaimer: The content of this article is for informational purposes only. If you are planning to implement a new marketing practice and are unsure what the regulations are, always contact your compliance department first.

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