145. Amy Porterfield Video Strategies

Common mistakes around Video Creation

Video creation isn’t for the faint-hearted.

In my experience, creating useful video content has taken a combination of careful planning, good scripting, and a healthy dose of courage.

Just to make sure I’m not a dribbling mess of umms and aaas (for which my editor is deeply grateful I’m sure) I have to make sure I have my thoughts clearly set out on a piece of paper.

My point is this: a good video requires a good script. And that’s just the beginning!

Here are 5 common mistakes I’ve seen when it comes to video presentations:

1. Lack of Preparation: Way too many people ad-lib and think they’re going to get away with it. The result is always the same. Disaster! Dastardly awful, mind-numbing monologues that meander endlessly and leave the viewer begging for a lobotomy.  Solution: Start preparing early and practice practice practice. Your audience will thank you for it and will reward you with their undivided attention.
2. Not researching your audience: Creating an incredible presentation on the most recent obstetric procedures for a room full of farmers isn’t likely to be well received. Admittedly, I’m not a farmer and I haven’t had to sit through a presentation on the most recent obstetric procedures. But I can tell you this: I’ve sat through umpteen presentations where the presenter hasn’t researched his audience and has delivered content that offers little or no value to me (or most other people in the room). As far as preparation and content creation goes, the audience is everything. You’ve got to be clear on who is going to be watching your video and what specific problem your video is going to solve for them. Solution: Think deeply about what result you want your viewer to get after they’ve watched the video. What do you want him or her to feel? And then start working on your content.
3. Too many words on slides: If you’re presenting content using slides then please don’t slap a wall of text on there. Your viewers will either switch off or try and read the content. Either way, they won’t be listening to you. Solution: Use only images where possible and if you have to use text, try to avoid a wall of text on each slide. Use one word or phrase. If you want to make several points related to each slide (and I hope you do) use the presenter notes as a prompt for each point. Be the entertaining and engaging presenter of the ideas behind that image.
4. Not being entertaining enough: It’s 2019 and we’re constantly bombarded with information. We’ve got various screens and devices vying for our attention. How do you get your message across to your viewer when his/her attention is constantly under attack? Solution: Be a showman/woman! Information is no longer enough. You’ve got to be entertaining too! Welcome to the new world … of infotainment. Try and do face to camera videos and wave your hands around enthusiastically as you speak. It can be a bit daunting to do this when you’ve got an unblinking camera staring back at you, but you’ve gotta imagine the thousands of people who will be watching that video (because your video’s going to be that engaging!).
5. Using too many words: It’s common for presenters to associate a long time on screen with success in terms of video content. In my experience, the opposite is true. Too much incoherent waffling is frustrating to watch. Solution: See point 1. Prepare your content well in advance, make your points concisely and get outta there.