Have you been considering getting into video content but not sure where to start? Many personal trainers, especially online fitness coaches, toy with the idea of publishing videos to their audience, but many get stuck on where to start or whether they need it?
Well, statistics from the 2021 wyzowl report called "The State of Video Marketing" shows that the viewers of explainer videos (94%) have increased significantly in the past year to learn more about services or products and 84% admits videos play a significant part in making a purchase decision.
So, that answers why personal trainers can benefit from starting to use video content in their marketing. However, if you have never made a video before, you may feel like you don't know where to begin.
Fear not, as we have you covered. This article aims to discuss how you can get started. We'll discuss workout videos specifically because they're a great way to position yourself as the expert in your field for your audience and new leads as well.
Whether that's a short video of you demonstrating one specific exercise or a longer video for a follow-along workout, the practical and technical steps will be the same. So let's dig in.
Create a Script
The script here means that you design a framework and talking points you'd like to include in the video, and you organise them in the order you want to present them. It's OK to deviate slightly from the script, add thoughts that come to mind while in the middle of it, but having a clear framework will allow you to stick to a reasonable length and substance and keep your audience's focus.Example: Let's say your video is a 10-minute mobility workout for people to follow daily. A script would look something like this.
1. Introduction - Who you are and what the video will be about.
2. Instructions - Do they need a mat? Can they perform it before a workout, after a workout, every morning, etc.? Any instructions that will make the viewer's life easy on following along
3. Exercises - List all the exercises you'll want to go through and add the critical cues to each as well.
4. Recap of Instructions
5. Call to Action - feel free to ask the viewer to subscribe to your channel for more, send you feedback via your social media, etc.
Pro Tip: Memorise your plan before you step in front of the camera and have bullet points written up near it so you can peek at them whenever you need to.
Be Mindful of Copyright Laws
You may want to use music in your video. However, it is not your divine right to use any available music, sadly. Video platforms like YouTube or Facebook continuously monitor sound in video content, block the sound, or even ask you to remove your video if you use copyright music. The best you can do is either not use music at all or choose royalty-free music.You can always use Google to find a provider for this, or if you have friends in the music industry, you might even find someone who can introduce you to an aspiring musician who'd be happy to write a tune for you. A few examples of services you can use are Soundstripe, Mixkit or Bensound.
Keep The Design Simple
There is no denying that this is one of the biggest mistakes that we see personal trainers make in their video marketing in general, not just workout videos. They are presented with all of these cool graphics, and they want to use them. There is a time and place for everything, though. Adding in graphics and sound effects purely for the sake of it is not advised. It may steer the viewer's focus from the content.Practice Your Camera Attitude
If you've never been in front of a camera, you likely won't look like you were born to be on it the first time you tried. Don't let it scare you away, though, but you might want to keep practising.You want to look and sound professional, energetic while your personality also needs to come through. Articulating is also crucial so the viewers can easily hear what you're saying. It's not easy to strike the right balance straight away, but there are a few things you can do to improve your camera personality.
If you have a partner or a close friend you trust, have them sit and watch you while presenting your ideas. If not, you can still practice in front of a mirror. This is going to feel super awkward but will be well worth it. Practising your camera attitude is vital in any case but will become crucial if you plan to go live and stream a workout. There are no second, third or tenth takes there for sure.
Turn Off Any Extraneous Noises
If you are not going to be using a microphone, this is even more important. Many noises can be picked up in the background of a video, so do keep this in mind. Such noises tend to be more noticeable when watching a video back than they are within that present moment.For example, even your computer drive running in the background can be annoying and distracting. This is why it is good to invest in some quality recording equipment and make sure you assess your surroundings carefully before the workout videos commence.
Figure Out Your Ideal Set-Up
Your set-up includes the camera, microphone you use and even the lighting around you. Using mobile phones and laptops might work for some time, but if you'd like to release quality videos regularly and long-term, investing in the kit will do a lot for professional-looking videos.- Camera
Even just a higher-end conference webcam can make a huge difference in the video quality, so look around and see what's out there.
- Sound
A noise-cancelling microphone will do a great job in helping your audience hear you clearly and not be distracted by an aeroplane that flies by or someone shouting outside your window.
- Lighting
You will get washed out if you have too much lighting. However, if you don't have enough lighting, the video will look unprofessional, and it will be hard for people to see what you do. Photography lights are a worthy investment if your budget will allow it.
