How to Use Video to Cash In On the Rapidly Changing World Wide Web

Fact: The Web is changing. In case you haven’t noticed, over the last couple years it has gotten much faster. As a result, the Internet experience is changing for millions of users. Today, I’d like to show you how to cash in on this important development…

Broadband high-speed access is finally reaching critical mass. More people now have high-speed access than those who are still stuck on slow dial-up. This means new technology and information delivery methods are finally becoming mainstream.

The rapid growth of high-speed Internet connections has given birth to one technology in particular that you need to be focused on: Video.

The businesses adopting video in this still-early stage are cashing in big-time. Even small mom and pop Web shops and affiliate marketers are seeing amazing results.

So exactly how do you cash in on this rapidly advancing technology?

As entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk has shown, all it takes is having a niche and a little creativity. You may have seen one of his wine videos. In just a few short years, they have helped him gain widespread recognition as the world’s “informal” wine expert. Gary ‘s videos are simple, yet effective. He sits on his couch, turns on his camera, and tastes wine. He then answers questions submitted via his Facebook application.

Perhaps you could become the next Gary Vaynerchuk in your niche. You have to admit, it sure would be a fun way to make a living. If you’d like to explore the possibilities, the following crash course on how to leverage video for profit will help you get started…

1. Use Video to Inform.

Video makes great content. More and more people are watching video online to learn new things.

For example, when visitors arrive at my new website for aspiring affiliate marketers, a video near the top of the page introduces them to the profit potential of affiliate marketing.

At another site, I invite visitors to watch a video featuring one of my clients. It shows them what it is really like to earn a living from the Internet, and provides some genuine insider advice on how to achieve this goal.

You no longer need expensive equipment to create videos and upload them to the Web. Any video camera from any electronics retailer will work just fine. If you have a video camera that you purchased within two or three years, its resolution will be good enough. Though, of course, any new camera will be far superior.

You can also use your computer to make “screen capture recordings.” That’s how I created the training videos for my ezWebBusinessBuilder program. I started by putting my lessons in PowerPoint format. I used a program called VoxProxy to create an animated narrator for them. Then I simply ran the PowerPoint presentation and recorded it using Camtasia (the best software for this). The result was a CD with a series of video lessons on how to build a Web business from scratch.

By the way, if the idea of creating your own videos doesn’t appeal to you, not a problem. There are lots of video-sharing sites where you can find informative videos that you can post at your site. Then all you have to do is paste the video’s “embed code” into your Web page. (I’ll give you a list of some video-sharing sites later in this article.)

2. Use Video to Grow Your Opt-In E-Mail List.

Developing an opt-in e-mail list is still one of the most powerful ways to expand a business online. It’s a process that you can set up once and then watch it grow.

The best way to use video to grow your subscriber list is with a “squeeze page”- a single Web page that has an informative video on it. After watching the video, your visitor can request more information about the subject – maybe in the form of a digital book or special report – through your autoresponder opt-in form.

Then, once the new subscriber has opted in to receive that information – as well as additional information they might be interested in – your autoresponder can (and should) follow up with relevant offers on a regular, pre-determined schedule. This makes sales for you literally while you sleep.

3. Use Video to “Pre-Sell.”

Whether you are selling your own products/services or you’re selling as an affiliate, there are several ways to use video to pre-sell.

For example, when I sell my software, I show my visitors a video review from one of my customers. I also show them a sample training video from the software itself. From the day I added those videos to my site, I saw an increase in sales.

A good way to get traffic to your “pre-selling videos” is to e-mail subscribers who’ve opted in at one of your squeeze page videos. Remember, these people have asked you to contact them when you have information they might be interested in.

One client of mine recently sold thousands of dollars’ worth of guitar lessons with a video about his emergency plumbing nightmare. It was hilarious… and it got people to buy. (You can find it at RockGuitarTechniques.com.)

No matter what you are selling, you can use video to increase sales. Make a video of your product or service being used. Ask one of your best customers to do a video testimonial. Search YouTube.com for existing customer reviews or demonstrations of the products or services you sell. You may be surprised to find something you can use right away.

4. Use Video to Generate Website Traffic.

There are many ways to get traffic using video. A simple way is to post videos about your product or service at the Web’s popular video-sharing sites. You simply create a free account… then upload the video. Make sure you put your website address in your video description, as well as in the video itself. That will help route traffic from the video to your site.

Here’s a list of the top video-sharing sites…

YouTube.com
Video.Google.com
Blip.tv
Revver.com
Jumpcut.com

After posting a video at one of these sites, don’t stop there. Continue sharing it at several social-networking (Web 2.0) sites. When done tactfully, this can create a nice flow of viral traffic that can actually be hard to slow down… even if you wanted to!

Top social-networking sites include…

Digg.com
Del.icio.us
Furl.com
Twango.com
Vsocial.com

The goal is to have your video create a buzz and be spread virally via these networks. Only the most entertaining (and even quirky) videos go viral, so try to think outside the box when creating yours for these sites.

I hope these ideas get you thinking about how you can use video to make money online – even if you’re brand-new to the Web.

In fact, I spoke with someone today who’s been using the video marketing strategy outlined above for just a couple months… and he’s already made $6,000. And he started from scratch by promoting affiliate products. So, yes, you can do it too!

[Ed. Note: Jim Daniels has been helping people earn their living online since 1996.

Learn how to profit from the video revolution here. Use coupon code “april2008” and save $20 per month. Be sure to check out Jim’s site for examples of how you can use video in your Internet business. And learn how to set up an autoresponder here.]