Most people, when given the option of reading a story or viewing a video…will watch the video. Videos tell a story with images, movement and sound. Video is exciting and video is good.

Before high speed internet hit the market, the idea of a video playing on a website was not something anyone of us wanted to deal with (especially with slow dial up connections). Today, fast internet speeds and websites like YouTube have made video the norm and not the exception.

Web videos are effective marketing tools. Using video to promote yourself is simply smart marketing. Video can be a great way for you to increase your brand awareness and expose yourself to users who may have otherwise not been familiar with your services.

Market Yourself As The Expert In Your Field
Create educational videos that explain and simplify the loan process. You have to remember that you sell mortgages for a living and often times the process can still be confusing to you. Imagine how the borrowers must feel. Explain the process in a simplified manner and make yourself available via online video 24/7.
By presenting yourself as an expert in your field you are:

•    Helping Your Customers Understand A Confusing Process

•    Answering Questions Your Customers May Be Afraid To Ask

•    Creating Credibility

•    Multiplying Yourself

•    Making Yourself Available Online 24/7

•    Creating A Following That Will Lead To More Referrals And Ultimately More Sales

Making the video
There are a few options you have when it comes to creating your content.

1.    Create the video yourself.
This is the most affordable way to go. All you need is a video camera or a web cam and editing software (PCs and MACs both come with free editing software). It is best to edit your video to cut sections that may not be relevant to your topic. Keep your video under 2 minutes and get to the point to keep viewers engaged.

It is important to note that if your video looks amateur you may be presenting yourself in an unfavorable image. Saving money should not take precedence over your public image, be careful.

2.    Hire a production company.
If your budget allows you to hire a production company, do it. Many production companies will assist with writing and editing the script. A reputable production company will always also come up with the best options to maximize your budget and make sure your video will be a true representation of who you are.  A production company is a great addition to your marketing team and may be more cost effective than you think.
But how do you choose a production company?  Here is a short list of things to consider when hiring a production company. The answers to these questions will determine the price of your project.

•    Will I appear in the video?

•    Will we be using an actor(s) in my video?

•    Where will we be shooting video?

•    Is this a graphics with music video?

•    Should we create a video with graphics, stock footage and a voice over?

3.    Use pre-edited semi-customized videos.
The demand for videos for the web by individuals and small business has grown tremendously, due to the face that often times small business owners did not have the budget for a full production.  But, there still options.  Consider a pre-edited, semi-customized video, such as a Vertical Market Sales Video (VMSV).
These are videos that are pre edited with specific messages which can then be customized specifically for you.  Your logo, phone number, website address, watermarks and even a personalized voice over can be added. Because the videos are already recorded and edited, you get a professional production with your branding for a fraction of the cost of a full production.

Posting Your Videos On Your Website
Once you have your video recorded and edited, the next step is to get your video online. Today you have a lot of options available with the biggest and most popular being YouTube. YouTube will allow you to create your own channel so you can use videos to promote yourself even if you do not have a website.

Once you have signed up for your YouTube account you simply upload your video, name it and tag it. Your video will now appear on your YouTube channel. You will have the option to embed YouTube’s code into your website by simply copying and pasting it. There are many other video websites where you can post your videos. Some of these include Vimeo.com, DailyMotion.com, MetaCafe.com, Revver.com and the list goes on and on.

Other Reasons To Use Videos
You can now expect to see more and more video results occupying the search engine results. This is important to you because if you are an originator wanting to brand yourself in your community, Video-SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is extremely effective and much more affordable than traditional SEO.

We have clients that are now being found on the first page of Google results because of video and Video-SEO.  On a local level, Video-SEO will allow you to brand yourself as the “Mortgage Guy or Gal” in your community using video as your marketing tool.

Utilizing videos for the web creates credibility and it humanizes your business and what it is that you do. Don’t be intimidated by video, embrace it and make video for the web your digital promotional vehicle.

Posted from: http://brokerbanker.com/using-video-to-promote-yourself-is-simply-smart-marketing