Every business owner desires their monetary expense for advertising to accomplish several things for them. We want it to provide enough information to draw traffic to our site, increase interest in our business, give us credibility and ultimately create a momentous “buzz” about what we're marketing. In the past year there has been a strong response by potential consumers to video marketing which in-effect accomplishes all of those objectives and more.

By doing a brief or “quick hit” well planned video, you are able to establish instant credibility because the prospect can easily relate to you. It puts a face and even better, a personality they can trust. This is something that text and article advertising labors to do but can be easily accomplished within seconds through a video. Videos are easy to load on the internet, easy to distribute and search engines love them. It's also been found that you can more easily rise to the front page of a keyword search through video advertising. Unlike text or written advertising, you are able to gain the reputation as an expert or trusted adviser on a video that can be seen at any time over and over again. It's the marketing gift that keeps on giving and here's the biggest payoff - its absolutely free! The question that naturally begs to be answered is how does one create a video that will effectively accomplish those objectives when I've never done it before. Well having been asked that question by home-business entrepreneurs on a multitude of occasions, let me tell you what I tell them; it's easier than you think.

The first task is deciding what material to use. If you're not comfortable with long productions don't worry about it. This can be just as effective if created as a quick commercial or “teaser” to get them to go to your site and boost your credibility. One of the easiest things to do is to write down the top 10 questions that people ask you about your business and make a video answering each one. Another great idea is to do a quick commercial that introduces a product or even better, that references an article that you wrote on your website or blog. At that point you merely have to state the question or problem that you are proposing to solve and hit the top two or three points in your written piece. Close by letting them know that if they want to read about the topic in greater detail, they should go to your website. It's a great credibility booster not to mention a traffic booster to your site.

The second task is planning where the video will be shot. I can't tell you how many videos I've seen done by someone who wants you to believe that they can show you how to make money, with a bedspread as a backdrop. If the background is not congruent with the image you are trying to project then find one that does. Don't promote financial freedom in a video when anyone can clearly see that you live in a shanty. The great thing about video is that its all about perception and you truly only need one wall if you're inside so just make it the best looking one. Another great idea is being outside in a beautiful setting. This is ideal only if you can obtain acceptable conditions. Make sure it's not windy, that there's no dog barking in the background as a distraction or a mother scolding her child behind you while you're trying to communicate something you feel strongly about (yes I've seen them all done on a video). You want nothing to distract the listener from focusing on you and soaking up the message you're enthusiastically attempting to convey.

Always bear in mind that your first video will be your worst and no one has to see it which is the great thing about video. When you're on the phone trying to connect with a prospect or customer and you give a bad performance you cant take it back. You cant go back and make another first impression and there are no re-do's in real life…but there are re-takes in video. If you make a claim that you can shoot an NBA 3-pointer with ease. You only have to make a video where you hit the shot once and say “see I told ya” as you walk away, even if it took you 20 takes which were later deleted. No one knows nor do they care because seeing is believing and perception is everything and nothing allows you to control both of those variables better. You can immediately load your finished product onto You-Tube and post it everywhere. There are also companies that will actually create a distribution list, take your video and plaster it on 40 or 50 video sites for maximum exposure. I found the cost range to be between $100-$150 and you can use their services for the entire month. Some even have free trials to prove their effectiveness, which is always ideal in my book.

But what about dominating a keyword search? Well that's easier than you think because Google loves promoting videos, especially if they match a search word or phrase. If you think of a topic or phrase that you would like your video to appear in, have the video material pertain to it, title your video as such and as it begins to be seen and played you will move up the rankings. Also, make sure you mention the phrase a few times in your video because you'll get extra credit. How you ask? Well Google has a new program in its algorithm that actually translates your video and plugs the key works into its formula so that it factors into your score. That's pretty cool because not many people know about it because it's only been recently that they implemented it. So use that for your advantage to keep your video, title and even the article in line with a nice congruent marketing flow to maximize your ranking.

The bottom line is that if you get over a fear of doing something you've never done before and make a short video then you've already set yourself apart from most other entrepreneurs out there. If you control the background, the topic and the keyword marketing flow you seriously cant go wrong. I'm not kidding when I tell you that millionaires have been created by effectively using this method of advertising alone. It's very effective and most business owners are costing themselves money if they don't take advantage of this inexpensive and powerful marketing tool.

Good luck and happy video marketing!