Embracing Video and What It Can Do For Your Business
By Guest Blogger, Arianne Bellizaire, Baton Rouge-based designer and TDN Star
When I attended the Design Bloggers Conference in Atlanta this past March, there was a recurring theme in many of the training segments. The theme was this: Video is the future of design.
To be more accurate, video is the PRESENT and FUTURE of design.
As I listened to the speakers, I started jotting down notes. Ideas about the kinds of videos I’d like to produce and what types of content I wanted to provide for my readers/viewers. In my excitement, I took out my iPad, walked into the exhibitor hall and began interviewing my favorite vendors. The irony of THIS interview is not lost on me…
When I returned home from the conference, I uploaded these
videos to my blog, slapped them on YouTube and then thought… now what?
A few months later, while attending a dinner party with a few Houston-based bloggers I was invited by one of the other attendees to participate in a focus group. Apparently, The Design Network was launching a new “viewer populated” channel tool.
Essentially, this feature would be HGTV meets YouTube. A place where designers and home enthusiasts could share tips and inspiration about all things home. Remembering my interview with Karen LeBlanc, host of TDN’s Design Tourist, I accepted the invitation to participate in the focus group.
Needless to say, I was fascinated as I listened to TDN founder Jason Harris talk about his vision for TDN channels. He was so passionate about his goal for this new medium, and he mentioned that he would be asking members of the design community to sign-on to help launch this new resource.
Firmly believing in the mission of TDN and eager to finally have a place to share my design videos, I agreed to start a channel… but then life happened.
In the weeks following that call, I got bogged down in the details of my big move from Texas to Louisiana, the completion of the build of our dream home and wrapping up my design project work load.
I also struggled with “analysis paralysis.” I kept overthinking what this whole video thing should be, and I wasn’t sure what to put on my channel. All I knew was that I needed to put my best foot forward.
After procrastinating for a few weeks, I decided that the best course of action was ACTION. I created an explainer video to let the viewers know what kind of content they could expect from my channel.
A few months later, while attending a dinner party with a few Houston-based bloggers I was invited by one of the other attendees to participate in a focus group. Apparently, The Design Network was launching a new “viewer populated” channel tool.
Essentially, this feature would be HGTV meets YouTube. A place where designers and home enthusiasts could share tips and inspiration about all things home. Remembering my interview with Karen LeBlanc, host of TDN’s Design Tourist, I accepted the invitation to participate in the focus group.
Needless to say, I was fascinated as I listened to TDN founder Jason Harris talk about his vision for TDN channels. He was so passionate about his goal for this new medium, and he mentioned that he would be asking members of the design community to sign-on to help launch this new resource.
Firmly believing in the mission of TDN and eager to finally have a place to share my design videos, I agreed to start a channel… but then life happened.
In the weeks following that call, I got bogged down in the details of my big move from Texas to Louisiana, the completion of the build of our dream home and wrapping up my design project work load.
I also struggled with “analysis paralysis.” I kept overthinking what this whole video thing should be, and I wasn’t sure what to put on my channel. All I knew was that I needed to put my best foot forward.
After procrastinating for a few weeks, I decided that the best course of action was ACTION. I created an explainer video to let the viewers know what kind of content they could expect from my channel.
I launched my channel on June 17 and the initial reception was AMAZING. I shared the video on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, and I asked everyone to support this new medium as a way for me to share what inspires me most about design.
And boy did they rise to the occasion!
They subscribed! They commented! They SHARED! All good things!
Since the launch of my channel, I have consistently posted a new video just about every week. This has required some time, effort and focus on my part, but the results have been well worth it!
New clients see my videos as a living, breathing portfolio of my work. Potential clients get to know my personality (and we all know that this is essential to the decision making process when someone is hiring a design professional.)
I have honed and developed my video recording and editing skills with the help of my DSLR camera and iMovie, and I feel that my videos are a great representation of me and my work…something I can truly be proud of!
As a working professional who has a growing business (in part thanks to the exposure my collaboration with The Design Network has given me), I can tell you from experience that managing a channel can be done! You just need to take the first step---create a channel!
It’s as easy as logging in, adding your information and uploading a few photos or videos that help tell your story. Now is the time to jump right in with both feet!
In fact, the design network is giving you a REALLY big incentive to do it!
Check out this video for more information about the contest.
So I hope you’ll take the plunge. I promise it will be worth
it. If you’d like some helpful tips on
how to make easy (but polished) videos leave a message in the comments below,
and I’ll write a follow up post! I’d also love to hear if you are planning on
launching a channel!
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