I can’t think of one single thing that has become more prevalent in internet marketing than the use of video and audio as a tool to increase conversions and stick rate.
What is “Flair”? Simply put… it’s that added touch of professionalism to your media that separates your websites and products apart from the amateurish competition.
We’ve learned that you don’t need to have a “Guru” budget to achieve professional media flair. As a matter of fact, it’s typically the simple things that most people miss which have a devastating effect in the quality of video and audio production.
We are going to sum it up with a walk through of the resources that you can use to make your flair come together. I’ve seen so many people in forums and blogs make excuses about the poor quality of their recordings. Some of them are justified but ALL of them are easily solvable with some effort and creativity. Do any of these apply to you?
- “I don’t have a Mac so all my videos suck”
- “I don’t own any fancy video production or capturing software”
- “I can’t sound good cause my computer microphone is crap!”
- “Good camera’s are just way too expensive”
- “The “Guru’s” have recording studios and I don’t”
- “I have a terrible accent so people don’t understand me.”
- “I have a face for radio so my videos look terrible!” <– LOL (My favorite)
Generally speaking, these 7 excuses appeared to recur in one form or another throughout the forums and blogs I researched so, I’m going to address them for you with the solution and tools that I personally use to overcome these challenges.
1- First things first – it’s no secret that I’m in fact a “Mac man” (like they say… once you go Mac you don’t ever go back) HOWEVER, the notion that one can’t create amazing looking videos on a Windows based PC or laptop is just not true. As a matter of fact, Vista and Win7 both come with “Windows Movie Maker” built in. WMM, is a very simple to use software and you may not even know that you already have it on your computer! WMM allows you to create a movie file out of assorted clips, images and text that you can easily edit together in the time-line. It even enables you to add music and audio narration to your video. You can work on your file, add/delete segments, insert transitions and images etc. Once your happy with the production you can render and export the project as a movie file and upload it to your website for people to see.
The Mac alternative for WMM would be I-Movie, and yes it does have a few extra bells and whistles on it than WMM. For example, it has a pretty exhaustive library of audio clips, music and sound effects. It also has a few extra layering and text overlay features. For the most part, it works the same… you import your video clips,images, crop, clip, copy, paste and stream together your production until your heart’s content. Then export it on a website. I-Movie even has a feature that lets you publish directly to YouTube. Now that’s cool!
2- As far as needing additional software, well depending on what you are trying to do you may need several applications to arrive at your final masterpiece. Most of what you will need is readily available online for free (or practically free.) For example, did you know that Tech-smith has a product called “Jing” that enables you to create 5 minute screen capture recordings for free? Jing is a pretty cool alternative to the elaborate “Camtasia Studio Suite” and Jing allows you to save the screen capture to your desk top which you can then import into WMM or I-Movie for further editing and splicing. An open source alternative is Camstudio.org and you can download it free at Camstudio.org
Additionally, you’ll find that a Google search for the term “Free Video Editing Software” will turn up thousands upon thousands of results for you to try. Most of these will offer 30 day trials of their software so you can check it out before you actually buy the product. You’ll also find some “open source” video editors out there that will put a watermark advertisement on your final production. This may take away from the overall video quality so I would advise you to stay away from those.
3- Audio quality is very important whether it’s narration of a video or a straight up MP3 that you are delivering. Computer microphones typically leave a lot to be desired on playback because they are inherently over-sensitive. I would advise you to invest in a lavaliere microphone for the audio portion of your recording. Lavaliere mics are specifically designed for live narration applications and will cancel out most unwanted noise. You don’t particularly need an expensive wireless lavy… you can get a wired, battery powered lavaliere on eBay for as low as twenty bucks and the sound quality will be better than a computer mic by leaps and bounds. Regardless of the mic you choose, always remember to keep it in a fixed location during recording so that it doesn’t pick up motion noises that take away from your production quality. Also, if you are unhappy with the sound, you may consider importing your recorded audio into Audacity (another free program that you can download) and use the Equalization features to tweak the sound quality and edit out unwanted noises.
4- It’s no secret that a professional camera can be expensive, and the lower priced ones will typically call on you to compromise one thing or another in your production quality. If you’re really trying to get that “Pro Flair” I would advise against built in computer cameras and webcams. You’re better off going with a USB Flip by Mino or a Vado by Creative. These are very fairly priced on Amazon and Ebay as you can get one for under a hundred bucks. Unfortunately, the compromise is that they have no mic input for your lavaliere so you will have to be very conscious of ambient environment noises. Regardless of which camera you use, always – ALWAYS remember to put the camera on a tripod.
The next step up from a USB camera would be a digital camcorder WITH a microphone input. These tend to cost a bit more money but the overall production quality of the video AND audio is well worth it in my opinion. Whether it’s a small desktop tripod or a full stand this is a VERY important part of the video quality.
5- You don’t need a studio to produce a quality video or audio recording and that’s a fact. It all comes down to planning and preparation. Being mindful of lighting and using multiple house lamps to cancel out shadows will help dramatically. Also using household items like throw rugs, comforters and cushions as sound dampeners will remove unwanted reverb from your audio. Ultimately, practice preparation, research, creativity and your calculated effort will make up for the lack of a “pro” studio environment.
6- Ok, now lets address the whole accent thing. This is a tough one so I won’t beat around the bush about it and I’m just going to come at it head on for you. The general rule in all types of sales and marketing presentations is to “Appeal To The Masses”. In order to accomplish that, you will want to sound as clear and comprehensible for your viewers as you possibly can. If you feel that your accent is precluding you from making sales then I would have you consider these options. First, you can try outsourcing the narration to a professional by using pre-recorded clips from VoxFlair.com or ordering a custom audio. Another option would be to use sub-captions in your video or text slides. This way the viewer can follow along by reading what you are saying.
7- So you have a face for radio! Ok, if for any reason you’d prefer not to be on camera yourself the quick and easy alternative would be to create a powerpoint presentation or slideshow and just narrate it. Many marketers do this and they add a photograph of themselves to the slideshow so that the viewer can at least see a picture of who they are listening to. You can also outsource this “on screen” work to a trained actor/actress through various live presenter services that you can find through a Google query.
In conclusion I’ll stress the importance of planning and preparing before recording a video or audio project. Put it ALL down on paper first, not just the script… but rather the entire process. You may consider drawing out a flow chart or process map for yourself first. This will keep you focused and give rise to potential challenges on paper first.
Omar Martin is an internet marketing and sales expert. Omar & his partner J.I. Starr help internet marketers succeed online by adding multi-media to their websites. You can get 22 FREE audio flairs by going to http://www.voxflair.com
Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources
Flair Phenomenon For Audio & Video
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Flair Phenomenon For Audio & Video
Do you ever find yourself staring at a blank screen or a blank sheet of paper when you’re supposed to be writing articles for your blog, for your ezine or newsletter and for article submission so you can promote your books, products or services?
How would you like to find ways to tap into a limitless supply of article ideas?
Yes, our imaginations run thin every now and then, and no, it isn’t easy to come up with article ideas sometimes. But, I promise you that there are ways to tap into a limitless supply of article ideas. No matter what your expertise lies in, you can always generate new and interesting ideas for articles IF you follow these guidelines…
5 Ways to Never Run Out of Article Ideas
1) Get inspiration from magazines covers.
Find a magazine that is as close as you can get to your niche and look at the titles on the magazine cover. Look at the titles that jump out at you and make you say, “That looks like it would be a good article–I want to read that!”
Many times you can bounce an article off of a title you see on a magazine cover. Can you convert that title to apply to something in your specific niche?
Now, notice I’m saying, “find a magazine that is somewhat in your niche.” Many of us have websites that are in niches that do not have their own magazines. For example, there is no magazine that I know of about Article Marketing.
But I sashay a short distance from my specific niche and look in related niches, such as Writing, Creativity, Productivity, and possibly even SEO. These are all issues that lie at the heart of article marketing, so they work as inspiration launching pads.
2) Don’t forget about the newbies.
When we’re writing on our area of expertise, sometimes we can overlook the obvious. We want to write helpful, educational articles, and our minds quite often go to topics that are more advanced.
Have you ever considered that someone reading your article might not even understand the basics of what you’re talking about?
I have to remind myself of this all the time–not everyone knows what article marketing is, and not everyone even knows the reasons why it’s a popular online marketing tool.
Could the same thing be true in your niche?
Think about it–although our articles are not sales oriented or promotional in any way, when we educate our readers on some aspect of our niche, we are increasing the likelihood that they will one day be our customers.
So, don’t forget about the newbies who are in your target market but aren’t knowledgeable about what you do. Try to think back to questions you had when you were first starting out. Think about what confused you. Think about the very basic things that you wish someone had explained to you before you became the expert.
3) Think about: “What are the 10 questions that my customers (or potential customers) most frequently ask me?”
Write those questions down and address each one of them in a separate article.
By completing this writing exercise, you’re letting your target market tell you what to write about. This makes perfect sense since you’re trying to appeal to them anyway.
4) Use template titles and fill in the blanks.
Here are some of mine:
- 10 Great Reasons Why ____
- How To ____ in 7 Easy Steps
- 3 Secret Tricks For _____
- How To Conquer ______
- The Top 10 Mistakes People Make When ____
- Reader Question: “[insert question here]“
You may notice that these titles are all List articles (any article that has a 1,2,3 etc list in it), How-To articles, and Question articles (articles that answer a question that is stated in the title).
These are my go-to article topic stimulators. Just seeing the format for the title gets the wheels of my brain moving (which helps creativity!)
Try filling in the blanks for the template titles listed above, and I bet you can come up with a compelling title to base a new article on.
5) Use Instant Article Writing Templates
You want to model proven article writing formats, such as those found in my Instant Article Writing Templates Kit. I did the hard work for you and identified more than 40 different formulas that will help you write your articles in 30 minutes or less – even if you think you can’t write articles.
Here are some of the article-writing templates that will help you…
- Myth Buster
- Top 10…
- How-To…
- Quiz
- Failure to Success
- Timeline
- 7 Things You Need
- What’s Hot, What’s Not
- 3 Stages
- Problem/Solution
- Differentiate Yourself – this template made PR Leads more than $10,000
- Plus many, many more
You can try three (3) of my favorite instant article writing templates at: http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com <= Click this link
By following the five strategies above, you will:
Gain the confidence to write articles whenever you want
Banish writer’s block forever
Remove all the frustration out of writing articles
Develop ALL THE CONTENT you will ever need for your website, for your blog, for your newsletter and for article submission
So, are you ready to start writing your articles faster so you can get maximum exposure for your books, products and services?
Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for Internet marketers, small business owners, authors, entrepreneurs and speakers who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, you can get his instant article writing templates that will help you write your articles in 30 minutes or less. Get 3 of his favorite article writing templates for free at: http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com
Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources
%%Article Writing Secrets & Strategies – 5 Ways to Never Run Out of Stuff to Say in Your Articles%%
Article Writing Secrets & Strategies – 5 Ways to Never Run Out of Stuff to Say in Your Articles
I’ve actually created about 2 dozen ebooks that use this strategy, and I offer them in numerous niches.
The way my gentler system works is that after they’ve read my free ebook, when they close it they get a popup requesting that they join my list.
The popup contains my standard subscribe form that feeds right into my autoresponders. A very large number of people fill in these forms and join my lists everyday.
Since they voluntarily joined my list, instead of being squeezed into doing it, we start the relationship off on friendlier terms, and provided I deliver quality information, they stay longer.
You can see a video demonstration of how I set my PDF’s up at: http://HowToAddAPDFPopup.com
I still have squeeze pages on many sites, but as I watch the results from this process, I’m beginning to see that it’s a much more productive approach.
It respects the future subscriber more.
It doesn’t force people on your list who don’t want to be there and can’t wait to get off of it.
You don’t get your database polluted with fake email addresses, or email addresses that are never checked.
Think about it. If you hate being “squeezed” should you really be doing it to your new clients?
Willie Crawford has been teaching proven effective internet marketing techniques for 12 years. To learn more of Willie’s tactics and tips, just drop by his frequently updated blog at: http://WillieCrawford.com/blog/
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Hate Squeeze Pages? A PDF Popup Is More Polite
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Hate Squeeze Pages? A PDF Popup Is More Polite
Untruths: If it does not work, don’t sell it. Don’t say it’s in perfect condition when it has a defect of any lind. Honesty will be rewarded.
Your auctions end anytime: If your auction ends say during the middle of the night, how many potential bidders do you think will be around to create that bidding frenzy? How many will be around to ensure that they are the winner?. Ensure your eBay auction finishes at a “profitable” time.
Why would you ever sell rubbish?: If you would not be prepared to sell it elsewhere else, don’t expect a rush of bidders just because it is eBay. If you think that you can make good money selling anything that you can pick up then think again. eBay buyers are just as discerning as any other buyers. And they won’t buy rubbish either!
Never give discounts: Ever considered that a special deal might just seal a sale to a very happy and grateful customer that will make them return to your site to buy again. eBay is still like the real world, discounts and special deals are always good incentives to make sales. Don’t ignore their power.
Unattractive listings: The easiest way to make a potential bidder click the back button is to have your listing full of noise, clutter, colour, capital letters, wrong font. You get the answer. Just because it is eBay, does not mean you can be bold and brash with your listing. What listings are professional and successful? Look at them and copy their ideas.
Photos. Who needs them?: You do! Never, I repeat, never make an auction listing without the benefit of a photo of the item. All eBay Power Sellers use photos, so make sure you do to. As a customer, you will want to see the item that you are buying, so have the same atitude as a seller. And the more photos the better. Leave no question unanswered by the use of photos.
Only use a short description: Never think that a two line quick description shall do.The more information that you give the potential bidders, the more inclinded they will be to place a bid. eBay is all about giving as much information as possible so an informed decision can be made by the person as to whether they wish to bid or not. Never let a potential bidder click off because they did not have enough information on which to make a decision.
Ignore emails: A potential bidder may want to ask you a specific question about the item. This person could be the winning bidder, they may start what could turn into a bidding frenzy. You don’t know, so don’t restrict your opportunities by giving poor service by ignoring emails. If the customer does not receive a reply from you, how likely is is that they will bid?
Posting at your leisure: An ebay customer will remember, they will post bad feedback and your reputation will suffer, all because your mailing of the itemjwas not efficiently dispatched. A last point, don’t overcharge on the posting. There is fair post charges and there is blatant money making postage charges. Don’t antagonise the customer, here is someone that is liable to buy from you again so treat them well and that will be rewarded.
Michael Tasker operates a successful information marketing business and continues to expand to various websites plus direct marketing channels as well. Discover the secrets to become an Ebay power seller in the new A-Z guide and power yourself into the 2% Ebay elite. The audio and transcript guide shows you everything that the elite use to generate a huge income selling on Ebay. Sign up for a free course at: http://www.goodbyemoneyworries.com/ebaycashpoint/ebaysign.html
Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources
How to Destroy Your eBay Business
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How to Destroy Your eBay Business
If you’re like me, then you’ve probably heard all about article marketing, SEO, video marketing, social bookmarking, press releases, blogging, etc…
They are the cornerstones of Internet Marketing. And they work. But sometimes don’t you just want to read about something new. I know I do. In fact, every time I discover a new traffic technique, it’s like opening a shiny new present on Christmas morning.
And I’m hoping I can give you that feeling with this article, because I’m about to reveal 3 traffic methods that you may not have heard of yet.
1. Download Sites – You can get thousands of visitors with download sites, even if you’ve never programmed a day in your life.
Here’s what I do. I take my articles and turn them into EXE files. This allows me to submit my article to hundreds of software directories, sending me hundreds of one-way links and visitors.
Now, here’s a quick tip on how you can use this technique to build your subscriber list quickly. Require people to register for your software (in this case your ebook is considered software) before they are able to read your ebook. This allows you to grow your list quickly simply by recycling your articles and turning them into EXE files.
You can turn your articles into EXE files using some free software called WebSiteZip Packer. This software will allow you to turn an HTML page into a solid executable file (.exe) with an integreated HTML browser.
Quick Tip: This is an excellent way to get hundreds of one-way backlinks by using those PLR articles you have laying around.
Since you’re converting the articles into software, you don’t have to worry about duplicate content. Just one of your plr articles can now generate you 100’s of one-way backlinks by converting it into software and submitting it to all the different software directories.
Here’s a list of some of the top download sites you can submit to…
Download.com
Tucows.com
Versiontracker.com
Jumbo.com
freedownloadcenter.com
regnow.com
regsoft.com
5star-shareware.com
shareit.com
topshareware.com
passtheshareware.com
sharewarejunkies.com
softpedia.com
shareware.com
Plus, Google loves these authority sites, especially Download.com. I’ve found many of my software titles ranking on the front page of Google with these high-authority download sites.
2. Get your articles into Google News. Google News has become very popular in the past couple years and can send you a ton of traffic. To get your article into Google news, all you have to do is get published on one of the many sites that is syndicated by Google News.
I personally use the American Chronicle.
You can sign up for an author’s account and start submitting articles. Once your article is published, it will be listed on 20 sites owned by the American Chronicle as well as Google News.
This strategy can send you a lot of traffic, especially if you use the right keywords.
3. Webwire.com. I have saved the best for last…
Webwire.com is a hidden gem that I have been using to rank on the front page of Google within 24 hours.
Here’s a quick overview of how I am able to capture front page rankings…
First, I title my press release with the keyword phrase that I want to rank for. I have found that keyword phrases with a competition of less than 30,000 (in quotes) in Google rank really well.
I then make sure to include the phrase and variations in the first and last paragraph. Sprinkle it in but don’t go hog wild.
This simple formula has landed me multiple front page rankings and thousands of visitors.
Kim Roach – For step-by-step videos on how you can get front page rankings within 24 hours, go to http://www.buzzblogger.com/traffic
Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources
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3 Hidden Traffic Tactics