CREATING AUTHENTIC CONNECTIONS THROUGH VIDEO CONTENT

Thanks for joining me again this week - loving the feedback and ideas from everyone who's dropped a line to us - feel free to send me a DM ( Paul Banks ) if you'd like to get involved.

This week saw England kick off their Euro's campaign in football news, and it happened to fall on fathers' day here in the UK, so an added bonus was I got to actually see the match, now that my eldest is big enough (and cares, finally!) to stay up for it.

Lots of folks say the match was a bit worrying - personally, I really enjoyed the family time, and that's all that matters!!

This week, I wanted to share with you an answer to a question I get asked about a lot... what's 'Engagement' for video content look like, and how can I do it well?

Click on the image below for the full video I recorded on the topic, just for you! (Don't forget to subscribe!!)

Boost Engagement with These Simple Video Tips

Hello, and welcome back to this week's Content Classroom! I’m excited to share some valuable insights on how to engage your audience more effectively with your video content. As always, I’m here to help you connect better with your audience and make your content more interactive and engaging.

Stop Chasing Vanity Metrics

First off, I want to reiterate my stance on vanity metrics. Likes, comments, and views are great, but they shouldn’t be your primary focus. Instead, aim for deeper engagement by encouraging your audience to interact with you in more meaningful ways.

Encourage Private Engagement

A great way to foster genuine connections is by inviting your audience to engage with you privately. This could be through direct messages (DMs) or emails. At the end of each video or newsletter, I always ask my audience a question. For example, “If you’re putting this into practice, I’d love to hear from you” or “If you have suggestions for our podcast, let me know.”

By making a simple, non-salesy ask, you open the door for your audience to reach out and start a conversation. This approach is less intimidating for them and can lead to more meaningful interactions.

This week, I spoke to Chief Bee, Ovi Negrean at SocialBee .

As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of SocialBee (Find out why, HERE ) for scheduling content across socials, all from one place - and this week I got the opportunity to talk to Ovi about how they got started, where social media marketing is going, and how AI plays into that.

We even discussed personal AI social media... pretty cool indeed!

If you want to hear the challenges and wins other business owners face in marketing their business, or the expert advice of industry leaders and marketing experts, then you should probably catch our new podcast, MarketPulse!

You can find us on all good podcast directories , and on YouTube

Keep Your Call to Action Simple

When writing your posts or recording videos, aim for one clear call to action. Whether it’s directing viewers to your YouTube channel or asking them to visit your website, simplicity is key. Too many options can overwhelm your audience, leading them to take no action at all.

I’ve made the mistake of including multiple calls to action in my posts, and it didn’t yield the desired results. Now, I focus on one or two actions that I believe will make the biggest impact, test them for a month, and then adjust as needed.

Leverage the Power of Eye Contact

Video content is incredibly powerful because it allows you to make eye contact with your audience, even if it’s through a screen. This visual connection helps to hold their attention and make your message more personal and engaging.

Ask for Engagement, Not Sales

Instead of making a hard sales pitch, invite your audience to engage with you. Ask for their feedback, their thoughts on the content, or suggestions for future topics. This not only shows that you value their input but also fosters a sense of community and genuine conversation.

Wrapping it up

Creating engagement doesn’t have to be complicated. By focusing on private interactions, simplifying your calls to action, leveraging eye contact, and asking for engagement rather than sales, you can turn viewers into active participants.

Remember, the goal is to build relationships and provide value. If you try these tips, I’d love to hear how they work for you. Drop me a DM or an email ([email protected] ) and let’s start a conversation.

Thanks for joining me this week. I look forward to seeing you next time on Content Classroom. Have a great week!

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