In 2010, Cisco pointed out that 30 percent of online traffic was video. At the same time, Cisco boldly proclaimed that video would account for 90 percent of online traffic by 2013. Well, here we are. 2013 is upon us, and video is hotter than ever.
When is the last time you heard about an article going viral? Not very recent, most likely. Now, that isn't to say there isn't the occasional article that still goes viral. The point is that typically there is only one thing that goes viral these days-video.
And not only is video the way to virally capture an audience, but it is also the medium through which most users engage on the internet. With this thought in mind, there has never been a better time to start your own web show. People love videos. Entertainment, instructional, informative-as long as there is value provided, there is a market that can be captured.
How To Get Started
The technical side of starting your own web show is not nearly as scary as it might sound. And we will get there in a minute, but first the most important part of getting started is to nail down the "vibe" of the show. What product are you marketing? How do you want to brand the show? Is it serious? Light-hearted? Comical? Informative? These are questions that need to be deeply considered.
The most famous web show of all time is Gary Vaynerchuck's Wine Library. Gary did a short video every day tasting new wines and providing his reviews. He did this in a New Jersey Jets uniform and talked in a manner completely opposite of "old-school" wine critics. Users fell in love with Gary because he was real, transparent, and his information was high quality.
If you have any sort of product where customers and potential customers want to gain knowledge (ie. financial products, wine, etc), then it is quite easy to develop endless show ideas. If you are selling a product that is not so exciting, like kitchen brooms, then it may be a bit more challenging, but all it takes is a bit of creativity and ideas will come.
The Technical Side
Starting your own web show may sound like a daunting task on the technical side. In fact, most marketers and business owners feel quite confident with their product and believe they can speak about it at length for a long, long time. The actual content is not typically what scares folks off. It's the technical side. The good news is that it is actually pretty easy.
All you really need to get started is a high quality HD webcam. These run about $100. If you really want to step it up to immediate "production-level quality," then consider a Canon t2i. You can often find a used one on eBay or Craigslist for $350.
Once you have your camera equipment, then all you need is a microphone. A quality podcast mic is only about $50. That puts your total startup costs at about $150 if you go with the webcam. The final piece is basic video editing software. There are many options out there, both free and paid.
The only step left is to start shooting video, doing rough edits, and then publishing them on your website and directing all of your traffic to the videos. If you are offering high quality information, a loyal viewership will definitely develop over time, and this will end up being one of your most effective distribution channels.