Short-form videos have become a popular marketing tool because they are fast and easy to watch on phones. 

Alex Minor is a top voice in podcasting and videography and has been building a personal brand through both mediums for years. 

He has generated $500K in revenue as a 1-man agency in the last 3 years. Alex has launched podcasts for SAAS, service, and coaching brands. You likely have already seen his work on the web, on television, and in movie theaters. Alex stopped by to talk about short-form video strategy and the future of content creation:

Short videos have become really important now. They help people find your content more easily online and on social media. Understanding how to use short videos well can help marketers reach more people.

Here are some tips on how to create short form video that actually helps you grow your business: 

Create High Volume Content

Alex's assertion that producing a significant volume of content leads to improved quality is a concept that many content creators resonate with. In the realm of short form video, this principle holds true for several reasons:

1. Skill Refinement through Repetition:

Short form videos, by nature, challenge creators to convey a message or tell a story in a limited timeframe. The more videos one produces, the better they become at concise storytelling, editing, and optimizing the viewer's experience. Over time, creators can refine their techniques, adopt new strategies, and perfect their craft.

2. Diverse Content Exploration:

Producing a high volume of videos allows creators to experiment with various themes, styles, and formats. Whether it's comedy sketches, how-to guides, animations, or documentaries, creating diverse content can help identify niche areas that resonate with viewers and can be further explored.

3. Real-time Audience Feedback:

Digital platforms provide instant feedback in the form of likes, shares, comments, and views. By producing content in volume, creators can quickly gauge which topics or styles are trending, what the audience prefers, and what might not be working. This real-time data is invaluable for adapting and tailoring future content.

4. Building a Loyal Fanbase:

Consistency in content production can lead to a consistent viewer base. When audiences know they can expect regular content from a creator, it builds trust and loyalty. Over time, this can lead to a community of dedicated followers who actively engage with the content, share it, and even provide suggestions for future videos.

5. Capitalizing on Trends:

The digital landscape is ever-evolving, with trends coming and going rapidly. High volume content production ensures that creators can swiftly jump on trending topics, memes, or challenges, keeping their content relevant and engaging.

6. Streamlining Production:

The more videos one creates, the more efficient their production process becomes. From brainstorming ideas to post-production edits, repetition leads to the development of a streamlined workflow. This not only speeds up the content creation process but also improves the overall quality of the videos.

7. Compounding Visibility:

Platforms often reward creators who produce content consistently. The algorithmic benefits of regular uploads can lead to increased visibility, pushing the videos to a broader audience and potentially leading to viral moments.

While the initial emphasis on quantity might seem counterintuitive, the long-term benefits are undeniable. 

As Alex pointed out, quantity eventually leads to quality. Marketers and content creators should embrace this approach, not just in short form video but across all content mediums, to hone their skills, understand their audience, and produce top-tier content.

Invest in Short-Form Videos

Alex's insights into the potency of short videos are spot on, especially in today's fast-paced digital environment. 

As marketers become more attuned to user behaviors and preferences, the prominence of short videos has become undeniable. For the advanced marketer, leveraging these videos goes beyond mere content creation. 

Here's a deeper dive into crafting compelling short-form videos:

1. Understand the Medium:

Before diving in, marketers must comprehend the nuances of short videos. While they're brief, their brevity is their strength. The constraint challenges marketers to distill their message, ensuring only the most impactful content is shared.

2. Define Clear Objectives:

Every video should have a clear purpose, whether it's brand awareness, product showcasing, education, or entertainment. Without a clear objective, even the most well-produced video can miss its mark.

3. Engage from the Get-Go:

With limited time, the first few seconds are crucial. Capture attention immediately with a hook, be it a surprising fact, a question, or visually appealing imagery.

4. Prioritize Value:

It's tempting to prioritize style over substance, but in a constrained timeframe, value is king. Ensure your content is informative, insightful, or solves a problem for the viewer.

5. Optimize for Mobile Viewing:

Given that a significant portion of short videos is consumed on mobile devices, ensure your videos are optimized for smaller screens, both in terms of visual content and sound.

6. Include a Call-to-Action (CTA):

Every video should guide the viewer to the next step, whether it's visiting a website, signing up for a newsletter, or exploring more content.

7. Analyze and Iterate:

Once your video is out, gather data. Analyze view counts, engagement rates, and other relevant metrics to refine your approach for future content.

In essence, while short-form videos offer a unique avenue for marketers, their effectiveness lies in intentionality and strategy. 

By understanding the medium, setting clear objectives, and continuously iterating based on feedback and data, marketers can unlock the true potential of short videos, making them an invaluable tool in the digital marketing toolkit.

Re-purpose Long-Form Content

It's a good idea to reuse long videos and podcasts to make short clips. 

For example, take parts from a podcast episode to post on social media. This introduces new people to your bigger content.

When you have a long podcast or video, you can chop it into smaller pieces. Find the best parts that give value. Turn those into 1-minute social media videos. 

Putting clips on Instagram or TikTok means more folks will see your content. They may then check out your full podcast or video.

Repurposing long-form content as short clips helps you reach new audiences. People who see the short video might become interested in your core content. 

Short clips give a preview that leads viewers back to the full podcast or video. Reusing content is the smart way to give it more exposure.

Utilize Video Podcasts

Alex said video podcasts are getting very popular now. People today want to watch videos whenever they want, like on their phones. 

So adding video to podcasts helps them get found and keeps people more engaged.

Podcasts with video are becoming normal and expected. People like being able to watch a podcast on demand, not just listen. 

Having a video helps podcasts stand out and get discovered more on sites like YouTube. The video also keeps viewers interested so they watch for longer.

Alex recommends making podcast episodes with video versions. The video helps people find the podcast and subscribe. It also helps keep them paying attention to each episode. 

Adding video to podcasts improves how many people discover them and listen to them. Video podcasts are the future as people want to watch on-demand content.

Summary

Alex Minor gave some useful tips about video strategy and content. The main things he talked about were:

• Making a lot of videos improves quality and shows what works best. High volume leads to better content.
• Be thoughtful and add value when making short videos. Don't just make random clips.
• Turn long podcasts and videos into short social media clips. This exposes more people to your content.
• Add video versions of podcasts. Video helps more people find and engage with podcasts.
  

Following his advice can help marketers get their content seen by more people. It can also make their videos and podcasts more interesting and entertaining. Using video effectively helps boost discovery and engagement.

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