Nowadays, it seems like everyone’s doing it, and doing it more and more. Twitter.  Facebook.  YouTube.  Podcasting has become a convenient way to receive a daily dose of news, advice and entertainment. Blogs are used to share ideas with the rest of the world. Videos can be easily posted to sharing sites using just a few simple tools. Social media has made the world feel a little smaller while at the same time, opened doors to a more global market.

With all this information floating around and instantly available, businesses have the opportunity to not only embrace the movement, but get creative in how they incorporate it into their business strategies.

Online video is one of the most engaging, powerful and influential social media tools available today. It can create realism and build credibility to your brand. Better yet, it is easily shared. Videos that engage users can to become viral almost instantly. 

To be the most effective, videos should support a businesses overall market strategy. A well thought out and executed online video will reflect positively on your business, whatever the message.

Whether you create your video in-house, or hire it out, keep these few basic pointers in mind:

2. • Have personality. No matter what the purpose or intent, the most important part of web video is personality. Viewers want to be engaged.  If they like it, they'll come back for more.  Get creative and make it interesting to look at and interesting to listen to.
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4. • Be prepared. Scripts, lighting, camera angles, sound, edits – all of this can make or break your video. Be sure you have a plan, shoot enough video to accomplish the goal (plus a little extra), and use the right tools and equipment to pull it all together.
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6. • Keep producing.  Whether you do it yourself or hire a design or production house, keep producing.  Once you engage your consumers you'll need to keep it up to keep them coming back. The more you do it, the easier and more focused your online videos will become.
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8. • Listen.  Pay attention to what online users are saying.  Track it.  YouTube it. Twitter it.  Facebook it.  Podcast it.  SEO tag it.  Then use the feedback to tweak your marketing strategies and maximize your return on investment.
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If you don’t have the technical skills in-house to carry out a video initiative, don’t let it prevent you from being part of the action  – find a design or production house that can do it for you. The growing online community is buzzing about videos. By actively participating, you'll be able to grab a piece of the conversation .