Five Video Trends to Stop Right Now (And What to Do Instead)

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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

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There’s a fine line between creating interesting videos with great content and creating videos that feel forced, awkward, or salesy.

A lot of experts THINK they are making compelling videos, but are falling into bad trends and traps of self-promotion.?

Here’s a side-by-side list of the biggest mistakes and best solutions when producing your own videos.

MISTAKE 1) Using video ONLY to sell.

To be clear, using video to sell a product can boost your sales numbers. However, the biggest issue happening with entrepreneurs is that they’re using video ONLY when they want to sell some big ticket item. It starts to become a little disingenuous.?

(And frankly a little annoying.)

SOLUTION 1) Consistently be of service with high-quality content.

If you only hear from a friend when she’s in the middle of a breakup and needs something from you, it gets old fast. Right??

No one likes to be used. And your potential clients are exactly the same.?

When I was a senior producer at Fox News Channel I received hundreds of pitches a day. I only heard from those experts when they wanted to be on TV. That’s it.?

The ones who made a real effort to connect with me and have a relationship were the ones who got my attention – and in the end – a segment. They reached out to me even when they weren’t trying to get on TV, but to see what they could do to make my job easier.

Consistently share high-quality content with them to be helpful and change their lives.?

That’s what this is all about.?

You should be using your expertise to change people, not just fill your pockets with cash. (Although let’s be serious – that’s nice too!)

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Want more tips on creating high quality content? Check out my virtual workshop, “Become a Video Star” for a crash course in content creation.

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MISTAKE 2) Stop looking at yourself!

This drives me insane. Whenever I media train a client it’s one of the first points I go over. Stop looking at yourself in selfie mode when you’re recording a video!?

What you’re doing is showing the audience that you aren’t connected with them.?

You are only looking at yourself. It’s like they don’t even matter.?

If you are looking down or off to the side it’s easy to lose interest and click to a different video where the expert is more engaged.

SOLUTION 2) Look directly into the camera.

Whether you’re recording a video on your iPhone or on your computer, look directly into the CAMERA.?

It feels awkward to not be looking at the person on the other end of the Zoom or Skype connection if you’re doing an interview, but trust me, it looks so much better if you’re looking into the camera.?

And that goes for any time you’re producing videos on your own and not interviewing someone too.

MISTAKE 3) You go on and on and on and on and on....

If I had a dollar for every wasted minute of video I’d be a billionaire.?

Many of the videos I watch are simply too long. Do you know how many makeup tutorials are out there which feature 10+ minutes of talking before they even start showing you how to apply anything?

Without true intention and planning, your video will just seem like a video diary. This might be fun for you but for the viewer it gets tired fast.?

Your videos should be showcasing your expertise in a fun and engaging way. I teach media-training clients how to use the Accordion Method that I developed. If you need 1:1 help with your videos - fill out this questionnaire.?

SOLUTION 3) Be concise, clear and compelling.

Practice and plan out your videos before you push “record.”?

I know a lot of you are thinking, “Oh I’m great off the cuff.” Everyone thinks that. Very few people actually are.

It took seasoned anchors and reporters consistent practice to be great “off the cuff.” Plus, unless it’s breaking news, those reporters and anchors have rehearsed what they’re going to say and are most likely reading off a TelePrompTer.

Intention is key when producing videos.?

Make sure you know why you’re doing it and what the audience will take away from investing a few minutes with you.

Shorter is always better. Like two minutes long. There are exceptions to that rule. Like if you have to break that rule to get the message across and teach something.?

For instance, if you’re doing a cooking demo or showing how to use a piece of software it might take more than two minutes and that’s OK.

MISTAKE 4) Don’t hold your phone vertically.

Okay, before all the social media gurus freak out here – yes there are exceptions to this rule.?

When you’re shooting videos for InstagramTV and Facebook Live using your iPhone you should hold the camera vertically. But that’s it!?

Otherwise your video has black bars on the side and you aren’t filling up the whole screen as you should be. It’s distracting and looks like poor quality.

SOLUTION 4) Hold the phone horizontally.

Whenever you’re producing a video for YouTube or to upload to LinkedIn, etc. you should hold your iPhone horizontally with the home button to the right if you have the front of the phone pointing at you.?

This will allow your image to fill up the entire screen. It looks best when people view this video on their phone horizontally.?

(It also gives your audience a better view if you're trying to demonstrate something.)

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Interested in learning more ways to produce great videos? Check out the episode of my live-streaming show, Inside Scoop, about “Shooting Compelling Videos for Your Business” with special guest video producer, cameraman, and editor, Kristian Golick.

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MISTAKE 5) Using the camera’s built-in microphone.

In a pinch, the camera’s microphone is fine. But I wouldn’t make a habit of it.??

When you skip using a microphone to amplify your message you lose intimacy with an audience. There’s a richness and closeness to audio that is projected correctly.

It’s the same concept I mentioned before with looking into the camera directly so look at your audience.

SOLUTION 5) ?Invest in a quality microphone to amplify your message.

Always use a microphone whenever possible. If you’re recording videos or podcasts on your computer, this is the microphone that I use. It works really well. It’s moderately priced and is easy to set up.?

(I also add what’s called a pop-filter to the top of it in case you pop your p’s like I do! It will help to soften the harsh sounds.)

If you’re producing videos using your iPhone you can use a clip-on lav microphone. This is the one I have and use for most of my videos.?

If you avoid these common mistakes with these helpful solutions, you’ll create a connection with your audience that will be hard to resist.

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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”

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