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Advice for Setting Up Your Home or Mobile Video Studio

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, Advice for Setting Up Your Home or Mobile Video StudioNot too long ago, producing and broadcasting videos could only be done from a professional film or television studio and required a lot of expensive, specialized equipment. Nowadays, though, anyone with access to a few items of modern technology can make and transmit videos over the internet, and even arrange permanent home studios of their own. Follow these tips to set up yours for the first time.

Consider Your Situation

The first step to setting up your mobile or home broadcasting studio is to think about what you’ll be doing with it. There are a few pieces of equipment that everyone making video feeds needs, such as video and audio recording equipment and lighting, but many of the options are geared towards specific roles. Will you be sitting inside at a desk doing a video podcast, standing up doing a task for an instructional video, playing an instrument for a music video, or moving around outdoors? Will you be broadcasting or streaming live, or will the video be edited and uploaded to a website later?

You should also consider your environment. What kind of lighting do you have, and will it be difficult to make you look your best or even be seen? Is there noise pollution from outside, or is the room full of echoes?

Write down specifically what you’ll be doing and where you’re going to do it so you can plan for what equipment you need to accomplish your goals.

Purchase Your First Equipment

When purchasing your initial equipment, if any, your budget is a huge factor in determining what you need now and what you can get later. If money is not an issue you can set up your entire studio all at once, or you can choose to purchase items one by one. Either way, everyone who intends to make videos needs five basic things: a way to record video, a way to record audio, a source of light, a tripod to hold the video device so it doesn’t shake (and your hands are free), and finally, a way to upload that video to the website or social media of your choice.

With lighting sources, keep in mind that you should ideally have three sources of light pointing at you at different angles for viewers to see you at your best.

As far as video goes, many people including professional broadcasters use a smartphone or tablet to record both video and audio and upload it, because they already own one and don’t have to purchase extra equipment. Smartphones and tablets are also extremely portable, so you don’t have to lug around expensive or heavy items if you’re broadcasting on the go. Alternatively, you can purchase a dedicated camera, usually a DSLR or broadcast camera, if you want to go really pro and don’t mind spending a lot on your equipment.

If you’re looking to set up a home broadcasting studio, either to interface with television or to stream live events, you may also need some sort of teleprompter. This can be either a smartphone app or a device that hooks up to your phone or tablet to show your cues and lines.

If you’re not using a smartphone or tablet, you’ll need a microphone, especially for video podcasting. Some mics can link directly to the camera or computer, while others must go through a mixing device that syncs the audio and video.

Finally, you can certainly upload your videos directly from your mobile device. However, if you want to do any serious editing, a laptop or PC is necessary, and you’ll need one with a fast processor, high-performance video card and a large hard drive. A fast internet connection is also useful for uploading large files or streaming high-quality video.

These days you don’t have to break the bank to set up your own home video studio. With the right modern equipment, you can start producing professional-looking videos to post or stream anywhere online.

How 3D visualization can be a key marketing strategy

StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article | How 3D visualization can be a key marketing strategyMarketing is one of the top ways in which you can promote your business. Being able to create an effective marketing strategy can make or break your brand: a good one can bring in new customers, while a bad one can mean you’re being spoken about for all the wrong reasons.

You want to stand out from the crowd and also from your competitors, which can be tricky in itself. How can you do this? You could consider using the techniques that some of your rivals might not have, such as 3D vizualisation. This may become more common as technology evolves, so get ahead of the curve and see why you may want to use 3D visualization in your marketing strategy.

It’s a bit different

Although the novelty factor that is linked to an application will wear off over time, people will try to get the most out of it until then – and can end up with great results. This technology may still be relatively new, but more innovation will follow in time. So, start using this now and you will benefit from it in the long term.

It can help with 3D thinking

Your marketing may have been displayed as a two-dimensional interface – but now you can take this to a new level. People can now visualize your marketing in 3D, rather than just in 2D, and you will get a significant benefit from this. This could even include realistic 3D property CGI images.

You can use it in virtual tours and demonstrations

You have the chance to use new ways to engage, connect with and delight your customers by using 3D environments. With virtual tours, you have the opportunity to use immersive video experiences, especially in areas such as real estate, and other industries.

Having a 3D experience can help you put a customer inside or outside of a virtual sphere. Again, you have a great chance to demonstrate how a product can work or to show its benefits.

Use it in sales presentations

Sales teams are relying more and more on using items such as tablets and other mobile devices when presenting to customers. So, by using the capabilities of these items and 3D technology, you can help to present complex information in new ways. If you want, you also have the opportunity to make promotional games that give audiences a realistic experience of a product or service.

Avoid costly errors

In industries such as real estate, for example, you can use 3D visualization to help you to check any flaws on a model before you finalize any details. This means that you can view the result before the product is created, and any issues can be solved beforehand. You’ll be able to save money, resources and time by doing this.

You keep your clients happy

Being able to present a client with a virtual tour of their item will please them. They have the opportunity to see the interactive visual product before the structure is built. Designers can also benefit, as they can show customized building designs, and they can easily make changes at no extra cost.

Going Digital in Real Estate: How to Do It Right

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, Going Digital in Real Estate: How to Do It Right

The real estate industry is experiencing massive changes in the digital era. With new online technologies, businesses are improving the overall customer experience while also being more competitive. This means that it is increasingly important to stay up to date and find out things like what a title company does in Florida. In this article, we’ll talk about some of the ways real estate businesses can go digital and reap large rewards!

1. A New Education Landscape

Anyone interested in venturing into the real estate industry needs to be educated. This does not mean that you have to go to school and take a series of courses and get a degree. In this digital era, education is more affordable and accessible. For instance, you can take a commercial real estate course online to become more knowledgeable. Through online modules, you can learn at your pace while completing assignments on deadline.

2. Build a Website

Being digital in real estate is also possible by creating a website, which will help establish your online presence. This is an opportunity to promote the properties that you are selling and to build brand awareness. To build a great business website, start by having a simple, catchy, and easy-to-remember domain name. Make the website intuitive, user-friendly, and relevant. Offer something valuable to the visitors.

3. Use Search Engine Optimization Techniques

It is not enough that your business has a website. Many real estate agents probably have their websites as well. To stand out, pay attention to your search engine optimization strategies. For instance, you need to conduct keyword research to know the search queries your target market is using. This will make it easier to conquer the top Google search results.

4. Start an Email Campaign

Your online marketing strategies will not be complete without tapping the power of email. It is a valuable tool to connect with new leads and to nurture a relationship with your existing client pool. The open rate can be low, which is one of the biggest challenges for real estate companies. Find a way to make emails more interesting and engaging. One of the best ways to do this is through personalization.

5. Tap Social Media

Social media marketing is another good way to use digital trends to promote your real estate business. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are some of the best platforms that you can use. Consider the target audience to decide which channel is most effective in getting your message across. It is also crucial to ensure that you have engaging content for your social media strategies to be effective.

6. Host a Virtual Tour

Gone are the days when giving prospects a tour of the property you are selling could be done personally. Nowadays, you can do it virtually. By using digital technologies, it is easier to give your clients an idea of the property that you are selling. Using 360-degree cameras and 3D rendering are some of the best things that can help.

Digital technologies are changing the real estate industry. As mentioned above, from training and education to hosting a virtual tour, there are plenty of ways you can use the power of digital platforms to succeed in the real estate world.

Internet Marketing Failing? Let’s Take a Look at What You’re Doing Wrong

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, Internet Marketing Failing? Let's Take a Look at What You're Doing Wrong

Even the strongest businesses in the world have had their weak moments. Maybe things aren’t going so well with your business at the moment. Perhaps it’s just one factor of your business that isn’t performing as well as it should be. If we look at the most common elements that come into play when things aren’t going amazingly for any given business, it quite often has to do with poor Internet marketing.

Many business owners are becoming cognizant of just how important Internet marketing is. But a lot of them are making a bunch of mistakes. One of those mistakes was assuming that Internet marketing would bring them immediate success and riches. This sort of attitude betrays a sort of ignorance about how Internet marketing really works and how it should be approached. This can cause a lot of errors when it comes to the marketing campaign as a whole.

So perhaps it’s time that you took a serious look at your Internet marketing campaign! If your marketing hasn’t brought you the return you were hoping for, then it’s crucial that you take a close look at things and perhaps rethink your approach. After all, most digital marketing methods out there aren’t exactly cheap. And that’s fine, as long as it can actually bring results, right?

Internet marketing isn’t the magic wand that a lot of businesses seem to think it is. It needs to be done properly. You can throw all the money you want at your campaign, but if it’s going in the wrong direction then you might as well be throwing your cash into a black hole. We’re going to take a look at some of the most common and severe fundamental problems that many modern businesses have with their digital marketing approach. If you start to get feelings of recognition as you read through this article, then it might be time for you to make some serious changes to your marketing techniques!

Overestimation

I made a brief mention of this above, but it’s worth going into a little more detail. Essentially, a lot of businesses out there massively overestimate the power of Internet marketing. Yes, if done right, it can be very powerful. But the fact of the matter is that Internet marketing is vulnerable to many of the same sort of flaws you see in any other medium.

StrategyDriven Internet Marketing Article
Photo courtesy of Infusionsoft Sales & Marketing via flickr

Internet marketing isn’t going to guarantee you a truckload of new customers. A lot of people understand this when it comes to working with advertising in other media, because they’re more used to have ineffective, say, a television advert or a newspaper advert can be. Most people will probably overlook those sorts of ads, right? Well, the same goes for most kinds of Internet marketing. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t invest in them! It just means that you have to be careful not to commit one of the most common mistakes in this field: that of overestimating the results you’re going to get.

Temper your expectations! You may even have started reading this article because you thought you would get hundreds of thousands of new customers from your campaign. This sort of thinking may have given you a false impression of the success of your campaign: it might be that it’s working as good as it can – it’s just that your expectations are unrealistic!

The DIY approach

A lot of business owners seem to be working under the assumption that Internet marketing is easy. They’re also looking for any way they can find to save some money. Well, it’s true that it’s possible to do your own Internet marketing. And, with that in mind, you can cut a lot of costs if you do take this approach. But the fact is that Internet marketing is much more complex than many of these business owners realize.

StrategyDriven Internet Marketing Article

If you want to take on this task by yourself, then you should really be an expert at this sort of thing. If you’re not, you could be wasting a lot of time with ineffective marketing techniques. Remember that the right Internet marketing company has a lot of connections in the marketing industry, whereas you’re likely to have none at all. If you do want to take this approach, then you should make sure you really know what you’re doing. Look into taking an online course in digital marketing to boost your skills and knowledge.

The substandard marketing company

Having said all of this, working with a bad marketing company could be even worse than taking the reigns yourself! While there’s a lot to be said about the many problems that overconfidence in your own abilities can bring, there is also much to be said about putting too much confidence in the hands of those who claim to be experts. Just as in any other industry, there are companies in this field that simply don’t know what they’re doing. Not every Internet marketing business is some angel that will be able to save your business.

StrategyDriven Internet Marketing Article

You need to make sure that you’re signing up to work with an incredibly good Internet marketing company. These guys don’t come cheap, after all! You need to keep an eye out when it comes to these companies, because there are a bunch of potential problems that could really put a spanner in the works. What if their customer service is terrible? What if the methods they use to get results work only in the short term? And what if they’re using ‘black’ techniques? (More on that in just a moment!) You should ensure that you’re checking the online reputation of these companies, as well as the feedback they’ve received from previous clients.

Villainous techniques

Perhaps you’ve heard the term “black hat” before when you’ve explored the realm of Internet marketing. You may even know that it’s bad, though you’re not entirely sure why exactly that is. As clichéd as it may be, “black” Internet marketing techniques are bad and “white” Internet marketing techniques are good – or, perhaps, to be more accurate, “black” is illegal and “white” is legal. (And we’re talking in terms of search engine rules, not the actual judiciary reality of the real world!)

StrategyDriven Internet Marketing Article
Photo courtesy of freezelight via flickr

Essentially, “black hat” or “black label” Internet marketing methods (and they’re usually SEO-based) actively use the sort of techniques that spam search engine algorithms with the sort of content that used to provide shortcuts to the very top of search engine rankings. Keyword stuffing, false leads, and unethical link sharing and selling are all parts of this game. Of course, black hat and black label SEO don’t often produce results, because companies like Google are very wise to their games these days. So you need to ensure that you’re looking into white hat and white label SEO if you want your campaign to go anywhere in the long-term.

“SEO” and “social media” are just buzzwords, right?

An alarmingly common problem is that business owners often find themselves trying a little too hard to go against the grain. Yes, you should be unique in your approach. But it’s possible to take that too far. If you’re of the opinion that SEO and social media are mere buzzwords as opposed to things that can actually help your marketing in big ways, then you’ve definitely gone a little too far from the beaten track!

StrategyDriven Internet Marketing Article

Without the use of SEO and social media, you’re throttling the efficacy of your digital marketing campaign. And I mean really throttling. Like, Homer-Simpson-choking-Bart-Simpson level throttling. SEO and social media are what help your digital marketing breathe and expand to new corners of the Internet. Don’t try to be so unconventional that you don’t use these at all.

Problems with your business

And so we come to the least fun possibility of the lot. The one that’s probably the hardest the solve of all of them. Let’s say your marketing isn’t actually flawed. Perhaps you’re working with the best Internet marketing company in the business. You’ve invested in all the correct tools and employees, and at a reasonable price, too. You have all the data you need to make the right decisions. But business still doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. An SEO audit didn’t reveal any problems with your marketing approach, so what could the problem be?

StrategyDriven Internet Marketing Article

Unfortunately, it could very well be the case that the problem is with your business. After all, all the great marketing in the world simply isn’t going to help you out that much if your website, product, or service really isn’t that up to scratch.

But how exactly can you tell if this is the problem? Well, this is why you need powerful analytics for your website and Internet marketing campaign. If people are being directed to your business in droves, then you should be able to tell. If they are, but not enough people are actually clicking through to complete a purchase, then this is a sign that something is wrong with what you’re offering, or how you’re offering it, as opposed to something being wrong with the marketing itself. In this case, you’re going to have to do some market and customer research in order to pinpoint the problems you’re having!

Why UX Is Essential for your Website

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, Why UX Is Essential for your Website

There are so many aspects that go into a successful website, but the user experience is undoubtedly one of the most important. When we’re looking to rank our websites, it’s easy to pay attention to what we think the search engines want and forget that it’s real-life humans who are actually going to be using our website.

Poor user experience can impact your website in many different ways. We’ve all been on a terrible website, which makes the simplest things so difficult, and it can be seriously irritating. However, frustrating your users is only one example of the many problems a poor user experience can cause.

Whether it’s conversion rates, ability to rank, or advertising costs, a poor UX can have serious consequences for your website. To find out if you need a UX revamp, get an audit from someone who offers affordable SEO services.

Ability to Rank

The reason so many people keep going to Google to get their information is because they trust it to give them the best results to answer their queries. If Google suddenly started sending you to websites with a poor UX, then it wouldn’t be long before you tried out a different search engine.

Consequently, Google does all it can to not send its users to websites with poor UX. There are many aspects that enter into Google’s algorithms, and some of them correlate closely with user experience.

For example, if your website doesn’t load properly, then people are going to leave your page without interacting with it, increasing your bounce rate. A high bounce rate signals to Google that users don’t find your page useful, and as a result, you’re less likely to rank well.

Conversion Rates

So, the chances are, you’re already getting less organic traffic because of a poor UX, but the problems don’t stop there.

Converting your website visitors into customers is about building a relationship, and if you have bad UX, this relationship is going to get off on the wrong foot. If you can’t put together a website that works for your users, why would they expect that your products can?

UX problems vary in size, but whether they’re having a small effect on your conversion rates or a big one, that’s money that you’re losing out on. Earning a sale is hard enough, so don’t let a UX problem make it even more difficult.

Advertising Costs

Whichever way you look at it, UX problems are going to make your advertising more expensive. If you’re judging it by cost per conversion, then you’re still going to be paying for the same amount of clicks, but as previously mentioned, you’re less likely to convert those clicks, bringing your cost up.

It’s possible a poor user experience can also mean you pay more for every click you get. Search engines use a quality score to judge how relevant your advert is, and a poor UX can lead to a lower quality score. This means Google is less likely to show your ad, and you can end up paying more when they do.

Whichever way you look at it, user experience is something you want to keep a close eye on, because it can make a huge difference to your website.