I have been vocal about my resolve to integrate video into my blogging efforts and the last time I wrote about this quest, many of you were, too. I met Steve Garfield last year at Jeff Pulver’s 140Characters Conference in LA and we’ve been friends ever since. Mostly (private joke). Oh, and when Newsweek calls a guy “one of the web’s more beloved video bloggers,” I’m thinking that I’m not the only one who thinks he’s peachy.
Steve’s new book ‘Get Seen: Online Video Secrets to Building Your Business’ recently came out and if, like me, you want to do more with video, you need to quit fooling around, buy the book and dive in.
Garfield’s book is filled with tips and information that is valuable to both veterans in the world of video and newbies like me. And, for marketing your small business online, there’s really not a better tool out there. It’s down-to-earth, easy to digest and a quick read. I’m not done with it yet, and when I am, I’ll write more. What I can tell you is that it contains tips and tactics on subjects like what cameras to buy, best practices when it comes to lighting, recording and shooting and editing (which was the hardest part for me), and much, much more. Trust me on this one. Follow Steve on Twitter, buy his book, once you buy it read it (always the hard part for me!) and get going.
And my own personal message when it comes to vlogging – get over being perfect. Few of us are perfect in real life, so why expect that you will be on video? My necklace is crooked, my hair could always use a good brushing, and I’ll always look and sound goofy. But then, aren’t we all our own harshest critics? So get over that, buy Steve’s book, read it and send us both a link to your first vlog post – I can’t wait!
Shelly Kramer is a Principal Analyst and Founding Partner at Futurum Research. A serial entrepreneur with a technology centric focus, she has worked alongside some of the world’s largest brands to embrace disruption and spur innovation, understand and address the realities of the connected customer, and help navigate the process of digital transformation. She brings 20 years’ experience as a brand strategist to her work at Futurum, and has deep experience helping global companies with marketing challenges, GTM strategies, messaging develoment, and driving strategy and digital transformation for B2B brands across multiple verticals. Shelly’s coverage areas include Collaboration/CX/SaaS, platforms, ESG, and Cybersecurity, as well as topics and trends related to the Future of Work, the transformation of the workplace and how people and technology are driving that transformation. A transplanted New Yorker, she has learned to love life in the Midwest, and has firsthand experience that some of the most innovative minds and most successful companies in the world also happen to live in “flyover country.”
