The Beginners Guide to Video Content Creation
It’s true.
Growing your brand with video is by far the most challenging, and time-consuming way to make content.
But it’s not as hard as you may think…
If you want to crush the attention-grabbing game and 10x your online presence in a relatively short time span, then you have little choice but to get into the video content creation game.
In just the past year I’ve uploaded over 365 videos with a mixture of long-form videos plus tons of shorts.
Combined, these videos have racked up well over 700 hours of total watch time.
We’ll get to what this means and why it’s been the biggest driver of my brand’s success thus far…
But first, let’s address the obvious (and not-so-obvious) hurdles that you will inevitably face when getting into the video game.
not video games… 🎮
but like.. the game of video content creation.
The Hurdles of Video Creation
There are several major reasons why people never try, or give up too soon on creating video content:
Seems too hard
Tried it before, took way too long → not enough ‘results’
Scared to be in front of the camera because you don’t want to look dumb
Whatever your reason(s) may be, it’s ridiculously proven that…
By not doing more video, there’s a lot you’re missing out on.
You see, our minds are naturally wired to quickly process visual information. In fact, studies have shown that the human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text.
As a result, video content not only connects with audiences on a deeper level but also does so much more quickly than text.
This is why video is the best format for a fast-paced world with shorter attention spans.
And to add…
92% of the social media posts that people choose to share with their friends... are videos.
To put that into context, that means that videos get shared 1200% (or 12x) more often than text-based or image-based content combined.
Your videos are 12 times more likely to be shared than anything else you could possibly post!
6 Reasons Why You Just Can’t Beat Video
You may be great at writing up perfectly crafted text posts for LinkedIn or X… You may be a pro at digital design and post amazing images, graphics, and carousels…
And that’s amazing. Truly.
But video content still takes the cake in a handful of ways.
1. Video Feels More Real
To the viewer, video content feels so much more authentic and personal. This leads to new viewers being able to more quickly decide whether they like you or not.
You won’t win everyone over, but that’s not the point...
The point is to put yourself and your brand out there in the most honest and authentic way so that people get a more accurate impression of who you are, and what you’re all about.
2. You Build Audience Trust Way Quicker
Ever stumble across a new YouTube channel and feel like you already know, like, and trust them before the first video is even over? Exactly.
The reason for this is, that when you record a video and post it online, you’re capturing a lot more than the just message of the video.
You’re also sharing your body language, your tone of voice, your facial expressions, the environment you’re in, etc.
And with all of these additional data points (of which there are a lot), the viewer gathers a MUCH more detailed impression of you.
This really lends itself well to people becoming familiar with you, your style, your vibe, and if they're into it… You’ll gain their trust very quickly - something text, or images, simply can’t compete with.
3. Videos Require Less Mental Calories than other media formats
Piggybacking off the other points, video content is often binged for one key reason… It’s incredibly easy to consume.
Whether it’s more entertaining like Mr. Beast or more information-dense like Jordan Peterson or Andrew Huberman, the fact is most people tend to spend their extra moments throughout the day taking in video content.
And yes, there are plenty of people who gravitate toward books, online forums like Reddit, or audio podcasts. But as we mentioned before, when you put out content that combines video and audio (and even some text) there’s wayyy more information simultaneously available to the viewer making the required mental effort to grasp the point of what’s being relayed much easier on the viewer.
This is why so many people go to bed and wake up watching stuff on their devices before doing anything else.
4. Video is Ultra-Accessible
If your primary goal is to build your brand and your following then video is a no-brainer because it’s pretty much everywhere now.
Back in the day, YouTube was really the only social media app that offered video. Facebook was still status updates. Instagram and Pinterest were pictures and images. Twitter was text. But now…
You can watch videos within all of these apps and more! And don’t get me started on the whole short-form video craze (I’m all in baby!).
The point is, you can create one video, and post it on literally 5+ platforms, all reaching a different set of users.
5. It’s a Rapidly Growing Market that’s NOT Oversaturated
I don’t need to re-state the statistics around how video is taking over, but the coolest part for all of the new video creators out there is that there’s PLENTY of room for you to jump in and start stacking up attention.
The algorithms used to be built around social metrics such as follower/subscriber counts - making it really hard for new creators to break through and get attention.
But now it’s completely changed.
Most social media algorithms are built around gauging interest as opposed to your current social status. Therefore, as a newbie, your first video could (probably won’t) get over 100,000 views and bring in 1,000’s of subscribers.
We see it happening all the time.
Now granted, when you’re just getting started the chances of going viral are slim, because it takes consistent reps to get good at anything. You’ve gotta practice your free throws, you’ve gotta improve your squat technique, you’ve gotta put in the work before you can expect amazing things to happen.
But the point is… Amazing things will happen.
And now, is the perfect time to get started.
6. Your Videos can be Repurposed into Tons of Additional Content
I’ve talked a lot about this before, but putting out videos in a consistent manner can pretty much be the only content creation you have to do.
Once I put out a video (like the one you’re currently watching), I can usually churn out between 25-50 additional pieces of content, using my pillar/micro content strategy along with the content creation toolbox I built (linked below). From each video, I can parse out tweets, image carousels, shorts and reels, and more.
Now, to let you in on my specific routine…
I write a weekly email newsletter entry, that goes out to my email list, gets turned into a blog on my site, and becomes the loose script for videos like this.
So essentially all I have to focus on is writing a weekly medium-long form entry and everything comes from that.
With this, I’ve eliminated the stress around coming up with topics to speak on and the never-ending need for something new to post on social media.
This is one of my favorite reasons for creating video content.
There’s lots of juice to squeeze from it.
…making video content not only effective but efficient as well.
Now that I’ve given you all the reason in the world to start making video content… Let’s get into the very next steps!
Action Items:
If you're just getting started,
Rip the band-aid and commit to one video per week for 3 months
it doesn’t have to be amazing (it probably won’t) I’m still trying to dial this in for myself
it doesn’t have to be long
Pick your spot to film from and make it as frictionless to hit record as possible
next to a window
in a quiet space
pre-production is so under-rated. Capture good audio and video and you won't need much else.
Get your notes together
Record
Use Loom for webcam + screensharing
Or use your Iphone - for non-techy type videos
Post
Take a deep breath
Do it
Now I know what you’re probably thinking…
I don’t know what topics to record on
How do I edit my video
I don’t want to look dumb
I don’t want my amateur video to hurt my brand reputation
Fair enough. I totally get it - I wrestle with these same mental dilemmas too!
That’s why you should subscribe to my YouTube channel to ensure you get the upcoming videos that will help you succeed on your path to building your brand, your business, and your content.
Whatever potential roadblocks floating around in your head right now as it relates to making videos are either due to a temporary, but current…
Lack of Skill
Self-limiting Belief
Neither of which goes away without pressing record, and then uploading.
Embrace the nerves.
Embrace the cringe.
Embrace the process.
This is how you create the next best chapter in your story - using video.
It will work. Trust me.
