Hey Reader—

You know by now that I am all in on LinkedIn video. Since I started about a month ago, I’ve only done 2 posts without video and that’s because I pre-scheduled a couple of LinkedIn polls while I was away on vacation.

I shared the details of this experiment here, but just to recap, in just my first week, I saw:

• A 40% increase in engagement
• A 90% increase in impressions
• A 218% increase in follows

Not freaking bad, huh?

As a result, I’ve been getting a ton of people asking for tips, tricks, and advice on how to make LinkedIn video work for them. Especially on how to get started.

So this newsletter is the first in an ongoing series about how to leverage video for LinkedIn.

My planned outline for this series is:

• Basics to get you started
• Optimizing for engagement and impact
• Content creation strategies
• Recommended tech

But if you have specific questions, I want to hear them! Send them my way and I’ll make sure to include them in my series.

Now let’s dive in.

LinkedIn Video Basics

First, why is video so powerful? Why should I even care?

The value of video goes a lot further than just increasing impressions, though that’s pretty great.

It is one step closer to an IRL connection.

With video, you skip a few steps in relationship building because people feel like they know you.

Plus, LinkedIn is, supposedly, testing a beta Video-only mobile feed and is heavily promoting video content. So it's the fastest way to improve your reach on the platform.

LinkedIn video represents a rare opportunity to be ahead of the curve and see faster growth in know, like, and trust.

But creating short-form video content is both an art and a science. One which most people struggle with—at first. And I want to help you avoid some of the common pitfalls, so you can see quick progress with it.

Let’s cover the most common mistakes I see:

• A video that takes way too long to get to the point (no hook)
• A rambling video that doesn’t really say anything
• Poor sound or video quality
• Plain old boring

Now let’s talk about how ensure you can create a simple, but effective video without a lot of confusion or stress involved.

Keep in mind, I will not be going into more advanced or technical strategies for these. I’ll save those for future lessons. I want to focus on simplicity here.

#1 Write the post first

Too many of you are used to just riffing in real life and think the same will work here. It won’t.

You need a plan of what you’re going to say, the point you’re going to hit, and the takeaway you’re going to give to viewers. You wouldn’t publish a text post of you just rambling, so why would you do it in a video?

I highly recommend writing the text post first to give you a clearer idea of what the video should be all about.

A few things to keep in mind though:

• Don’t read it like a script. Reading a script is an art and most people just sound like robots when they try.
• Let it guide the overall structure and then make it your own
• Don’t be afraid to re-record a few times

If you follow this advice, your video will be more engaging, more impactful, and more likely to elicit a strong response.

#2 Post the written content too

In the data I’ve gathered so far, only about 30-50% of my impressions will actually watch the video. Let's take a recent video of mine.

This has been my most successful video post so far. Lots of impressions, reactions, comments, and reposts.

Now look at the video analytics for the post.

This means only about 42% of people who saw my post actually watched the video. If I didn't include a detailed and engaging written post along with the video, I highly doubt the metrics would be nearly that high.

To be honest, even I will rarely watch videos. 😬 I’m busy and can read far faster than someone can speak the same message.

But, if the written post is really freaking good, I’m 2-3x more likely to then watch the video too.

This means that if you aren’t including a high quality, engaging written post along with your video, you are WASTING impressions.

I am seeing this far too often. And it’s a waste of time and energy.

#3 Go low tech to start

I’ll share some recommendations of tools and tech that you can use to optimize your videos, but I don’t think you need to start there.

BUT! You do need to make sure you nail a few things.

• Good lighting. Sit somewhere bright and make sure you can be seen.
• Good sound. Most smart phones or airpods have pretty decent microphones. Start there.

LinkedIn will automatically add captions, so no need to start with fancy editing for captions.

The first video of mine that ever went viral on LinkedIn (this was in 2016) was recorded in my 1 person WeWork office, with my iPhone sitting on a stack of post-its and leaning against my monitor.

No microphone. No fancy lighting. No captions.

#4 Pick a topic that you’re passionate about

You already know that the posts you write when you’re fired up are bound to do better because people can feel that passion and they find it contagious.

This is doubly true with video.

Bring the energy, the excitement, and the give-a-shit to your video. Then, when you record, imagine that your telling this story to a friend. Make it feel intimate and personal.

This should get you started. Keep coming back to learn:

• How to optimize for engagement and impact — video recording and editing strategies, tech recommendations,
• Content creation strategies — getting over your fears, learning to batch create, simplifying the recording process
• Recommended tech — microphones, lights, editing, and everything else you might want or need

And I just want to prepare you.

If you’re new to video, you will feel awkward—at first. It’s a new skill! But it will get easier and you will learn to have more fun over time.

And please, tag me in your first attempts at video! I want to cheer you on.

In love and growth,
Kasey

P.S. I'll be announcing it in more detail this week, but the new Power Your Platform is launching in 2 weeks. If you're ready to finally make LinkedIn work for you and your business, consider joining us. Learn more here and then book time to talk with me.

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