Nicola Moras (main photo) is an online visibility expert and author of Visible, a guide for business owners on how to generate financial results from social media and digital marketing. In this guest post, Moras says video on social is a winner and offers her expert tips on how you can get it right…

Video is becoming more and more needed by business owners if you want to maximise the reach you can get from social media platforms. With engagement increasing and a wider organic reach of their non-video posts reaching more people as well. For instance, we’ve seen Chris Hemsworth promoting his at-home workouts while working out in his garage leading into the purchase of his workout app.

With social media giants like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube prioritising original video content, you need to create your own videos rather than sharing videos that others have created.Facebook and Instagram each have their own ‘tabs’ for video content as a standalone icon, which is huge and adds weight to their commitment to video. In Facebook it’s called “Watch” and in Instagram it’s called “IGTV”.

On average, more than 60 per cent of people are either visual or auditory information consumers. By creating video content, you are going to get the biggest bang for your airtime and appealing to a huge segment of the population.

What do you need to do to make it happen? Let’s check it out.

1. Start with why

When you start with the end in mind, in this instance being ‘why you’re doing your video’ it gives you a very clear goal for your video. If it’s about adding value, then have an idea about what you’re wanting to share. If it’s about making sales, have the product or service in mind that you’re going to talk about on the video.

2. Prepare your content

As with all content, a well thought out structure is helpful before hitting record. Many business owners have a fear of getting on camera, so it’s important that you’ve got your structure ready, so you know what you’re going to say and how.

Have some simple things ready to go such as the main headline for the video, the story you’re going to share and the steps you’re going to help your audience. Remember what your goal was, from point 1. Once you have these clear, you can get into the next step.

3. Prepare the background and equipment

We’ve seen a lot of fails online recently, with news reporters caught out with a suit jacket and no pants on. Through to children and animals running in on the background of videos and interviews. Even though most people are understanding of these things happening now and again, your audience may not be receptive to this as an ongoing concern.

Get your space and your background prepared. Are you going to have a ‘set’ where you film your videos or are you going to be on a plain wall? Whatever you choose is fine. Make sure you have a spotlight for your face so we can see you shine. If you’re using a tripod, have it set up and test the camera view so that you can frame it well.

In the era of smartphones, you can have this set up on a tripod and film straight on there. You don’t need fancy equipment or video cameras these days, which is a lot friendlier on the hip pocket.

4. To teleprompt or not to teleprompt

There’s an argument for and against teleprompting. The fact is that most people struggle with teleprompting and don’t know how to follow them. If you are going to use one, make sure you practice using it. You can download an app for your iPad and set up a teleprompter using that. There are some great teleprompt set ups that you can purchase as well.

Don’t use a teleprompter all the time. You want to appear as natural as you can when you’re creating videos and teleprompters can take away from that.

5. Live video versus pre-recorded

Live videos on Facebook tend to get more than 6X more engagement than pre-recorded videos! It’s a pretty good reason to go ‘live’ rather than upload a pre-recorded video. When you’re doing ‘Livestreams’ it gives you the ability to interact with the viewers. This goes a long way towards you building trust and helps you come across as approachable to your audience.

6. Get yourself prepped and ready

Before you hit ‘go live’ or ‘record’ on your camera, make sure you have your ‘best face on’. Test how your skin looks on camera. Check your hair on camera. See what outfit you’ve got on and make sure you’re happy with it all.

7. Lights! Camera! Action! And keep practicing

It’s time to hit record or ‘go live’. You can do this. You’ve done the preparation and you have the background sorted. Give it a go! The worst possible thing that can happen, is you end up deleting the video.

Everyone has to start somewhere and social media is calling more and more for video content. So get yourself sorted and make it happen.