Theresa is a 42-year-old entrepreneur who is currently building up the digital presence for her second business. She knows she wants to do video, but she really doesn’t want to be on-camera or be the face of her brand.
Theresa read our recent article on how to get over anxiety about video blogging and considered our five steps to put herself on-camera (#VideoChallenge, Start Small, Capture/Create, Interview, and Imperfection). Still, she has her reservations.
Theresa is not alone: camera shyness is incredibly common, particularly among women. International research conducted by Dove revealed that three-quarters of women (77%) feel self-conscious when someone takes their picture, while more than half (55%) say that they feel more camera-shy than they did a decade ago. Fundamentally, though, camera-shyness is based more on personality than gender.
If you are like Theresa and still feel uncertain about facing the camera, there’s no need to worry. Try these six strategies to keep yourself off-camera while still building your brand with video:
1. Testimonials / Case Studies
When more than 50,000 LinkedIn B2B technology marketers were asked what they considered to be the most effective content marketing types, the two that rated the highest were testimonials (89%) and case studies (88%). By leveraging these formats, you can lead with your customers’ personal accounts and reports on their successes.
2. Actors
Like most other aspects of business, you can call on professionals to perform tasks you are less comfortable with. In this case, hiring an actor could lend your videos a more polished, practiced feel. Actors can help you create fictitious characters that build your brand identity in creative new directions; think Flo from Progressive or The Most Interesting Man in the World from Dos Equis.
3. Voiceover
If you still want to introduce yourself to your audience but don’t want to appear on-screen, you can narrate a voiceover to accompany live-action shots or animation. Voiceovers can also be performed by hired professionals. When you work with outside talent, quality is key. Be skeptical about finding the right voice for your brand on sites like Fiverr.
4. Explainer
An explainer video is typically animated. In fact, the explainer is perhaps one of the simplest videos that does not require you to be on-screen. These short, fun, and informative videos convey your product or service entertainingly, in 60-90 seconds.
5. Screenshare
With a screenshare video, you show your customers how to complete a certain task on their own computers by walking them through a step-by-step process. This tactic is often used to answer frequently asked questions. Ideally, you would want to use a well-versed member of your support team to connect with your customers in this manner.
6. Slideshare
Lastly, you can make a video that shows slides instead of your screen. This method basically creates the video equivalent of an in-person PowerPoint presentation. Again, as you are off-screen, your slideshare video would likely require a voiceover component as well.
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Want to move forward with one of these options or get advice on strategic production and distribution of your videos? At Golden Arm Media, our content inspires higher customer conversions with value-driven videos that truly tell your brand’s story.
