How to Use Hangouts on Air to Reach & Engage Customers Online
1. YouTube Success Stories for Marketers
#SMX #34D
October 2, 2014
Grant Tilus
CollegisEducation.com
@GrantTilus
1
How to Use Hangouts on Air to Reach
& Engage Customers Online
2. Grant Tilus
• Associate Inbound Marketing Manager
Collegis Education
• Director of Content Marketing
MnSearch.org
• @GrantTilus
• Plus.Google.com/+GrantTilus
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@GrantTilus #SMX #34D
3. YouTube
• YouTube reaches more US adults ages 18-34 than any cable network
• More than 1 billion unique users visit YouTube each month
• Over 6 billion hours of video are watched each month
• World’s second largest search engine
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4. Video Can Be Intimidating
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12. We’re Trying New Things
Early Childhood Literacy Activities: How to Incorporate Books and Extended Activities into ECE Curriculum
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13. To See What Works
Baby Safety Tips From ECE Experts
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14. And How We Use Them
Marketing Career Advice
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25. Brainstorm Concepts
• Interviews
• Panel discussions
• Fashion shows
• How to’s
• Q&A
• Product showcase and faq
• Industry news
• Demonstrations
• Match your organizations mission/culture
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26. Utilize Keyword Topics
• Gain organic search
traffic
• Become known as a
subject matter expert
• Helps make finding
topics easier
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27. Create a Program Outline
• Outline the topic of
conversation
• Makes participation
easier
• Keeps the conversation
moving
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29. Provide Real Value
• Entertain
• Educate
• Persuade/Inform
• Inspire
• Always deliver on what
you promise
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
- Nelson Mandela
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30. Display Authority
• Internal or external
• Individual or
organization
• Authority through
information
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31. Promote Audience Engagement
• Take questions via
social media
• Pre-event surveys
• Take questions live
• Predetermine any FAQs
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36. 36
Get Them Back to Your Site
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37. • Viewers
– Event views
– Overall views
• Audience engagement
– Comments
– Questions
– Social shares
– Annotation clicks
– Watch time
– Audience retention
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Have a Measurement Plan
@GrantTilus #SMX #34D
38. 1. Content Strategy Recap
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• Develop and test ideas for hangout on
air content
• Understand the audience you are
targeting
• Create a plan, follow it and measure it
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39. Part 2: Video Production
Content
Strategy
Video
Production
Content
Promotion
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40. 40
Get The Right Equipment
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42. • Things to consider:
– Content
expectations
– Time available
– Reason for watching
– Viewing quality
– View count
validation
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Think Like a Viewer
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44. • Common Issues:
– Audio/video lag
– Screen flashing
– Camera jumping
– Echoing
– Point of view
• Test your network
• Become a hangout
production expert
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Quality Matters…To a Point
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46. 46
Be Aware of Audience Retention
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47. • Create a conversation
outline not a script
• Preplan any screen shares
• Focus on key points
• Helps everyone understand
the conversation flow
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Practice Makes (Almost) Perfect
@GrantTilus #SMX #34D
48. • Interruptions
• Internet connections
• Technology fails
• Have a backup plan
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Be Prepared for Anything
@GrantTilus #SMX #34D
49. 2. Video Production Recap
• Select the right equipment
• Get familiar with the technology
• Understand how to identify areas
to improve
• It takes practice
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50. Part 3: Content Promotion
Content
Strategy
Video
Production
Content
Promotion
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51. 51
You Need a Plan
http://bit.ly/AdriaSearchLoveSD
@GrantTilus #SMX #34D
52. • Event page
• Email
• Social media
– Hashtags
• Online communities
• Website content
• Video content
• Organic Search
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Pre-Event Promotions
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53. 53
Utilize an Event Page
http://rasmussen.co/babysafetyhangout
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56. • Conversation
organization & tracking
• Works across networks
• Excellent use of topical
keywords
• Create a branded
hashtag or take
advantage of one
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Use a #Hashtag
@GrantTilus #SMX #34D
65. • Blog content
– Event recap
– Expert tips
– Quotes
• Paid promotions
• Outreach
• Database
• Create a viewers circle
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Post Event Promotion
@GrantTilus #SMX #34D
66. • Develop a well-thought out video content strategy
– Show format
– Messaging
– Goals/KPIs
• Become an expert in the production process
– Practice
– Test new features
• Pre-event & post publishing promotion
– Don’t forget to do both of them
– Get creative
66
Final Recap
@GrantTilus #SMX #34D
67. • This presentation is online here:
bit.ly/GrantTilusSMXEast2014
Follow:
• @GrantTilus
• Plus.Google.com/+GrantTilus
67
Thanks!
@GrantTilus #SMX #34D
Editor's Notes
Message: YouTube – you know should need to be there.
Message: For many of us, we weren’t trained in videography.
Message: While video is a unique medium/type of content, it’s still content. An increasingly popular type of content which is required to reach and engage customers on the web.
Message: Google knows the important of video and when they launched the Hangouts on Air feature in the Spring of 2012
Message: Don’t just sit and watch from the sidelines as your competitors create video content and reach new customers ahead of you.
Message: In a highly regulated industry we were able to ease our compliance departments concerns around live video production and launched two series of Hangouts on Air.
Message: Highlight of the content and strategy of our SME Hangout series.
Message: Highlight of the content and strategy of our Career Chat series.
Message: Highlight of the content and strategy of our Career Chat series.
Message: Discuss the testing of using Hangouts on Air for ‘one off’ video content creation. Examples: Both ECE Hangouts and Marketing Career Interview. And finding success. Many of our videos received several hundred to several thousands of views and continue to grow.
Message: Discuss the testing of using Hangouts on Air for ‘one off’ video content creation. Examples: Both ECE Hangouts and Marketing Career Interview. And finding success. Many of our videos received several hundred to several thousands of views and continue to grow.
Message: Anyone can use Hangouts on Air to engage customers and broaden your brands online reach. Hangouts on Air are great for reach your current and prospective audience and engaging with them a way that provide value and a positive brand experience. Poll: How has tested or currently using HOA to create video content?
Message: Discuss how these 3 focus areas are critical for creating HOA content that will reach and engage with new and larger audiences. Content Strategy, Video Production, Content Promotion
Message: Discuss how these 3 focus areas are critical for creating HOA content that will reach and engage with new and larger audiences. Content Strategy, Video Production, Content Promotion
Message: Don’t forget to build a brand presence and experience on the YouTube and Google+ Platforms. Explain how we did this.
Message:
Message: Describe the different types of hangouts (live public, live invite only, non-live) Explain how and why we did this.
Message: In order to stand out from the crowd you either need to be 10 times better than everyone else or completely different. SERP Differentiation. Explain how we did this.
Message: It’s important to understand your consumers desires. What are they searching for, what will they enjoy, etc. Explain how we did this.
Message: It’s difficult to strategize and brainstorm ideas for new content when you are focus on the medium. Create the idea and then determine if it can works as a video. Explain how we did this.
Message: Describe the different types of hangouts (live public, live invite only, non-live) Explain how we did this.
Message: Wrap your discussion around keyword phrases to help ensure organic views and increase exposure. This is especially important as you get started and build up your own authority. Organic search is a very strong signal of intent. Viewers can find new, related videos, but this is not as strong of a signal as organic search. Name your hangout appropriate to take advantage of this. Explain how we did this.
Message: The importance of following the promise of your headline, staying on topic, keeping the conversation moving hooking their attention and holding onto it. Explain how we did this.
Message: Highlight a few of the interesting features within HOA and how they can impact the type of content that you produce. Explain how we did this.
Message: It’s important to be honest with yourself and ask if the content you are producing it actually valuable to your audience. It must have a purpose. Entertain, Educate, Validation, Controversy, Inspire. Explain how we did this.
Message: Discuss how large, small (B2B or B2C) organizations can use their own or borrowed authority in order to gain attention and increase brand exposure. Use a host, guests and other participants to help. How we do it.
Message: There are multiple ways that you can promoting audience engagement within your HOA. Include the Q&A app, pre event surveys to address key questions, receive questions of social media networks, invite users to join in for questions. (these could all be new slides) Explain how we did this.
Message: There are tools that you can use to gain a question feed directly into the hangout. But typically for starting off it’s easiest to ask to receive questions ahead of time on the social platforms where your customers/audience already may be.
Message: Use surveys to help you filter through lots of questions to discuss the truly hot topics for the audience you are hoping to reach.
Message: Highlight a few of the interesting features within HOA and how they can impact the type of content that you produce. Explain how we did this.
Message: Discuss the importance of highlighting visuals within your hangout and not just telling them about things. Use visual to validate your points. Explain how we did this.
Message: start planning how to drive them from video to website
Message: Discuss the importance of highlighting visuals within your hangout and not just telling them about things. Use visual to validate your points. Explain how we did this.
Message: Discuss how these 3 focus areas are critical for creating HOA content that will reach and engage with new and larger audiences. Content Strategy, Video Production, Content Promotion
Message: Discuss how important it is to fine quality equipment that fits your budget. Remember that high quality equipment doesn’t automatically create high quality content. Explain how we did this.
Message: Discuss the important of learning the G+ and HOA technology so that you can produce a quality show and train others how to use the platform.
Message: Discuss how important it is to be aware of the viewers experience. What are you showing them, discussing, time, etc. What would you want to see? Explain how we did this.
Message: Discuss how you need to plan your live events at the right time (if attracting a large amount of live viewers is your goal) think about your audience and what they are doing and when they would be available. Explain how we do this.
Message: Discuss how good quality is important because the deliver helps validate your credibility. But you don’t need to worry about going crazy. There is a bell curve of quality. Explain how we did this.
Message: Discuss which lengths of videos are most consumed and what tips you should consider. Explain how we did this.
Message: Discuss the importance of reviewing video retention to find opportunities for improvement. Explain how we did this.
A rise in the Absolute Retention graph means viewers are re-watching that part of the video; a dip signifies that viewers are skipping forward or abandoning the video altogether.
Absolute Retention - Shows which parts of your video people are watching and/or abandoning.
Relative Retention - Shows audience engagement compared to other videos of similar length.
Message: Discuss the importance of how practicing the conversation flow and production can really help calm nerves and iron out any wrinkles in your conversation points. Explain how we do this.
Message: Discuss the important of thinking about the different scenarios that can happen during a live broadcast. Explain how we do this.
Message: Discuss the importance of highlighting visuals within your hangout and not just telling them about things. Use visual to validate your points. Explain how we did this.
Message: Discuss how these 3 focus areas are critical for creating HOA content that will reach and engage with new and larger audiences. Content Strategy, Video Production, Content Promotion
Message: Promotion/Outreach is often a forgotten or skipped step. But it’s really important.
Message: Discuss the different ways to promote your live events. Database, social media, blog content, etc. Explain how we do this.
Message: Discuss the importance of building an event page to create a landing page/ hub to drive traffic to for driving RSVPs. Provide a description that describes the conversation, the authority, why then should attend/engage/view and how.
Message: Discuss the different ways to promote your live events. Database, social media, blog content, etc. Explain how we do this.
Message: Discuss the different ways to promote your live events via social media. Share to the right people. Explain how we do this and why.
Message: Discuss how hashtags are used across all the major social media networks. Adding a hashtag will allow your post to live on within the topic areas so that they can further be found organically within the social media platforms. This is best done with an existing hashtag not a new one. Explain how we do this.
Message: Promote on platform where your customers/audience already is as well as other communities that share similar interests in your topic of conversation. Explain how we do this.
Message: Message: On your blog or guest post. go to your audience. Promote on platform where your customers are already. Use video embeds to gain RSVPs, Views and Referral traffic.
Message: Discuss how trailers a great way to promote your event that not many people are doing. Explain how we have used hype my hangout tool to create an 11 second video.
Message: Discuss how trailers a great way to promote your event that not many people are doing. Explain how we have used hype my hangout tool to create an 11 second video.
Message: Discuss how you can take advantage of other events/holidays/etc by tying in your event with something that matters at that specific moment. Explain how we do this.
Message: use borrowed authority of participants and use partnerships to increase your reach
Message: Use this for both before and after your hangout. FB, Twitter and Page Post Ads. Promote to where your current audience may be or where the audience you want to reach is. Explain how we do this.
Message: use borrowed authority of participants and use partnerships to increase your reach
Message: blog post, social media, outreach, etc. Gain organic site traffic