The Advisor’s Guide to Videos, Podcasts and Webinars

Would you rather: read an article or watch a video?

If you’re like 72% of people – the vast majority – you chose video!

While blogs play an essential role in building search rank and offering value to your audience, there’s no denying that most people prefer video. Videos and podcasts are faster, more engaging and allow viewers/listeners to consume them while doing other tasks.

Let’s explore how you can create poppin’ videos, podcasts and webinars in your firm’s marketing and communications.

Videos

Did you know that the brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text? Or that people who watch a video retain 95% of the information, as opposed to just 11% when read in an email? Videos have a special way of capturing audience attention.

And although video production is all about having the right equipment, your best asset in a video is nonverbal communication. Viewers can see your facial expressions, your body language and your hand gestures. If you’re trying to make an impression on prospects or clients, video is a great way to get their attention – just make sure you practice that smile beforehand!

Plus, you don’t have to have the latest and greatest tech to record a great video – in today’s world, an iPhone camera is almost always a solid choice.

Podcasts

There’s a certain magical casualness to podcasts, isn’t there? An audio recording, usually around half an hour long, can make you feel as though you’re having a deeply personal conversation with complete strangers.

I recently attended Hubspot’s annual Inbound Conference for marketers. Between live speakers and endless vendor booths, I had the opportunity to sit in on a podcast recording of The Hustle Daily Show. Even amongst great stars, activists and leaders present for the conference, that podcast recording had perhaps the greatest impact on me as both a marketer and avid podcast listener.

The genius in podcasting is that its main goal isn’t just to entertain, as a video would, but rather to engage the listener. It’s authentic dialogue with none of the pressure of a camera. Its purpose is to be the backdrop of a listener’s life – to keep them company as they commute to work or complete their daily run. A podcast feels like a friend more than any other type of content.

Perhaps that’s why there are 383.7 million podcast listeners globally, a number projected to reach 504.9 million by 2024.

A podcast is a great way to engage with others in the financial services industry through candid conversation. They can be recorded in a single room or even over the internet, with no camerawork required (although you may choose to release a video version as well). They’re easy to create and connect well with audience members.

The downsides to podcasting? The vast majority of podcasts never make it past episode three – perhaps because it can take time before you see any results. In addition, podcasts without a visual counterpart are much harder to repurpose on your social media platforms than videos. If you’re wanting to add that visual element but don’t want to be on-camera, consider using audiograms – which are animations of audio waves and sound frequencies. (I made the one below for free using Audiogram!).

Expert Tip: Did you know that Three Crowns is launching a brand-new podcasts division in January 2023? And with our Black Friday 30% offer, you can lock in your first three months for just $1,400/month. Click here to lock in your savings!

Webinars

A webinar is a live, virtual presentation that can be either interactive or non-participatory. These online events are a great way to showcase a product or service in detail, while also answering common questions your clients/prospects may have.

Although some have declared the webinar dead and gone, a recent study reported that 53% of marketers think webinars are the top-of-funnel format that generates the highest quality leads.

In our experience, webinars are alive and well – several of our clients use webinars as a way to virtually connect with investors and showcase their value-add.

Webinars are also easy and free to schedule through platforms like Zoom. But beware, the live aspect of webinars means there isn’t a chance for a do-over or for stellar editing to remove any mess-ups – your viewers will witness the presentation in real-time.

However, a recording of a successful webinar can easily be repurposed for social media or blog content – or even used as a lead magnet as an on-demand webinar!

How to Get Started with Videos, Podcasts and Webinars

Ready to dive into your next content marketing project? Before you grab your microphone and hit “record,” take a look at these four steps for success.

1. Develop a strategy

Before you dive into creating video-based content, it’s important to set a strategy for your team. Consider the following questions:

• Who is your target audience?

• How often will you produce and publish content?

• What’s your budget?

• What are your goals and how will you measure them?

• Who will be involved in the content creation process?

• Which platforms will you publish your content on?

Keep this document updated and on hand and share it with any team members who will be working on this project.

2. Stay consistent

When it comes to garnering a following, your audience will want to know your schedule. Should they expect to tune in each week? Every month?

Stick to your schedule as much as possible – there’s no feeling worse than logging on to listen to your favorite podcast and realizing they skipped a week.

You may also wish to send out an email or other notification when you publish a podcast or video. Consider setting up automatic push notifications when a new episode drops.

3. Measure your success

Your measurements should be based on your specific goals. For example, if your overall goal of producing video content is to build your email list, you can track how many new subscribers you gain each week. If your goal is to increase brand awareness, you could track overall video views.

Rather than trying to track every aspect of your video analytics, focus in on just the measurements that pertain to your content strategy.

4. Repurpose your content

You’ve put in the hard work of creating your video and podcast, so don’t be afraid to show it off!

Videos and podcasts can be repurposed into blog posts, social media snippets or even added to your email campaigns. If you have a specific episode that is gaining traction and resonating with your audience, push that to the forefront of your other channels to spread the love.

5 Free and Low-Cost Video, Podcast and Webinar Tools for Advisors

Check out these five free and low-cost tools we use to create stellar videos, podcasts and webinars.

 

Create Compelling Content with Three Crowns

We’re here to help you strategize and implement your videos, podcasts and webinars. Click here to connect with a member of the Three Crowns team today.