Why is an internet provider writing blog posts like “3 Ways To Make Your New Brand Bloom” or uploading videos called “3 Tips and 1 Must-Do From (Marketing Expert) Ann Handley”?
With Cox Blue, Cox Communications wants to be a resource for marketing know-how, not just a company that will hook up your wifi. Ever checked out Amex’s Open Forum? It’s a similar concept but Cox hopes to take the content to the next level with more multimedia and a particular focus on small to medium-sized business managers.
I found out about Cox Blue when they asked to interview me about the future of video at New Media Expo in January. I was impressed by their very professional and efficient setup at the 3-day conference: they filmed 26 interviews with “thought leaders” and are using the edited versions to launch an aggressive YouTube strategy.
I spoke in more detail with Martin Jones, Cox’s Social Media Marketing Manager on the interactive video platform Spreecast. He told me Cox saw its business grow once it started providing small business with social media resources.
Here are 3 KEY TIPS to making great video at conferences:
1. Quality Matters
Cox’s Martin Turner invested in a small video team that shot beautiful interviews with great lighting and audio. They even used the RED video camera, the same one used by Peter Jackson to shoot The Hobbit. Their high-quality videos stand out.
2. Do “Thought Leader” Interviews to Create Content…and Guide Your Own Strategy
Conferences are great places to make a lot of video. The key players in your industry are gathered and want to look important, so invite them for an interview, network, and get some free advice. They’ll also play an important role in publicizing your content later.
3. Humanize Your Brand and Theirs
When you interview people, ask them to tell their own story on camera, don’t just ask them to pontificate on a subject. Intimate, personal details make a boring subject come alive and makes every topic more accessible and memorable.
Have you created any great video at a conference recently? I’d love to see it.
Author:
Manoush Zomorodi is the host of WNYC’s New Tech City and the author of Camera Ready: How to Present Yourself and Ideas On Air or Online. Download the show on iTunes, get the book on Amazon or iBooks, and follow her on Twitter @manoushz. She also blogs at manoushz.com/blog and for The Huffington Post.
