What Netflix is Telling You

What Netflix is telling you through its 36 million subscribers is that video is important. Video fills the need for non-stop entertainment online. New, better different content is added constantly for viewers who can’t stop watching.

Netflix has sold $9 memberships so that people may binge-watch an endless stream of videos one after the other. It’s VOD (video on demand) and people love it because they may watch anywhere on any device: Smart TV, iPad, iPhone, Android, Tablet, X-Box.

Netflix content is provided by movies, producers, and television program who can’t get into the full-time streaming for profit business. Sources turn content over to Netflix who sells the content to the masses for consumption. So what is the Netflix generation telling you?

Net Takeaway From Netflix?

Netflix proves that people want video and non-stop new, better, different information to consume. What business owners should take from Netflix success is that video is imperative to the success of your firm and constant content about a range of topics.

Obviously your website isn’t producing movies, or TV shows, but it should be producing content all the time. Updates, pictures, new blog posts, new video through YouTube.

Video on Your Website

Load video onto YouTube
Share video on website home page through YouTube
Use common sense for length of video
Keep it interesting and conversational

The formatting and streaming capabilities should go through Google product YouTube. YouTube allows you to share a video that is hosted on their website. But do so in limited quantities.

If you put too much video, large photos on your website, the load time will slow and the visitors will leave. Don’t upload video to your website because your formatting, size, load speed will be an issue on the many, many devices that people view websites on. Build your YouTube channel and fill it with content that keeps your viewers interested in what you know and what you can do. Your video should tell people why they should work with you.

Your Introduction Video

Your website should have video on its front page with a story that to the naked eye explains who you are and what you do. It should share, not sell and demonstrate your skill.

Video Tips:

Hire a professional
Practice your performance
Don’t read off cue cards
Know your topic
Talk with your audience
Watch timing

Quality video should do many things for many people so please, whatever you do, skip the DIY video where you turn your webcam towards you on the desk and start talking. No one wants to watch that. The angle is never flattering and you look like you’re unprepared and just chatting away. It’s not professional. Have someone shoot you, please.

The backend of the video is that it should be focusing on your Unique Selling Point: what separates you from your competition? What is the reason you’re a better lawyer or most adept at providing a certain medical practice or financial service?

But you can’t SAY that you’re better. Your message and information should prove that you know your field without bragging, putting down the competition or telling people what they should not be doing. Keep it positive.

A Note About Viral Videos

Videos should be professional, positive, pleasing to the eye. If you want a viral video, do something that’s viral-worthy, that usually means newsworthy, compelling to the general public.

However, if you’ve watched enough viral video, you’ll know that most viral videos are unintentionally shot, they’re silly, funny, goofy or shocking. Is that what you want in your business repertoire?

But if you don’t practice your video, working off of a very clear message that you’ve created based on your strategy, you’re just blabbing about yourself.

No one likes to be sold and no one likes to be told what they’re doing wrong. People want to be informed and shown on video what kind of person you are. Be engaging with interesting topics that teach.

Visuals Matter in Video

Business is particularly personal in law, medicine, real estate and finance. When a prospective visitor hits your website they want to watch a video that shows them that you’re the right choice for the service that they need.

Video Tips:

Brainstorm, research topics
Follow strategy
Showcase your USP
Build a set
Write a script
Practice
Shoot

You should have a set behind you that is professional and within your office. You should be dressed as you would be when a client visits.

You should be standing, not sitting. You should have a comfort level on video that reflects that you’re very able and very clear on the information that you provide. If you don’t like to appear on video, you’ve got to get over it.

YouTube: Your No. 2 Online Asset

YouTube, your next most important location after your website. Your YouTube channel should have regular content because what clients explain is that they watch all the videos or many videos on YouTube to find out all they can about expertise.

Clients of The Marketing Square get new clients that come to law firms, financial companies, real estate and medical firms. The clients tell them that they watched a video, read the blogs and looked at the website before deciding to call them for business. They chose The Marketing Square clients because their content was the best and the client clearly understood the practice, service and topic better than the competition.

The Marketing Square Produces All Client Videos

Clients working with The Marketing Square don’t lift a finger when it comes to the video that’s produced on the website. The Marketing Square produces all client video and provides:

Research
Topics
Scripts
Talk points
Media training
Direction
Video shoot
Editing
Production
Posting to YouTube and sharing online
Coding

Netflix is ahead of the online game and this week its CFO reported that it’s responsible for up to 50% of online activity in the U.S. Well, who knows how they’re measuring that because those harnessing the Internet can’t know and see all. But 36 million Netflix viewers can’t be wrong.