As I get set up and prepared to start podcasting professionally, which will include video podcasts in addition to audio, a brand new free report just happened to cross my screen. The title: Rapid Video Blogging
by Gideon Shalwick. Perfect timing!
I should tell you now that Gideon is giving away 3 iPads - because there is only ONE left. When you download the free guide you'll find 3 free videos on the next page. Two of the iPads have already been given away, and the 2nd one went to our very own Lain Ehmann of 30minutemartha.com (she's an Elite Member of my Private Brainstorming Group). Congrats Lain!!
The 3rd iPad is still up for grabs (or still was at the time this post was published). All you have to do is download your guide and comment on the 3rd video post for a chance to win that last iPad. 😉
First: Who is Gideon Shalwick?
Besides the guy giving away iPads (this week) and the author of Rapid Video Blogging, who is this Gideon Shalwick anyway?? Personally, hearing about this report is the first I've heard of Gideon himself. But the more digging I do, the more I realize he's been around for awhile now. And that he is very well-liked and trusted among people in the industry that I know and respect.
His report is free, and it does go into detail about his history online and in video marketing, and you'll also hear from some of his peers. But to give you a sneak peek: he runs a 6-figure business online doing niche video blogging. His guide is a detailed look at the exact formula he's using to achieve that success.
Gideon is from New Zealand, but now lives in Australia. Oh - and he's been using/refining this video marketing + blogging strategy for 4 years now...
Rapid Video Blogging Review
I sat down today and read all 92 pages of Rapid Video Blogging. I read the Table of Contents. The Foreword by Darren Rowse (aka Problogger). The testimonials by professional bloggers such as Yaro Starak, Maria Andros, Paul Colligan, Chris Garrett & many more. All the way through to the 7-step Action Plan at the end.
It's good. Really good. The "Rapid Video Blogging" system is simple, yet brilliant. It's very well presented, Gideon has a great writing style - and it's a fun read. You'll enjoy it, for sure. He started out like most of us: learning through trial & error with a variety of ideas and methods. And then he landed on one that really worked, and tweaked it until it was a working formula.
There are 7 steps. First he tells you what they are, then he goes into the how-to detail for each step, and he wraps it up with a checklist and Action Plan.
"Inside this report I want to show you the exact same system I developed over the last 4 years. A video marketing system that you can easily implement to help you drive insane amounts of traffic to your site, help grow your email list at a phenomenal rate, and turn your video views into cold hard cash!" Page 19
And guess where it starts? With choosing the right niche (or topic) - so this is even a great guide for beginners. But by Step 2 he appeals to ALL of us by getting into the meat of it.
There are 2 potential negatives. The first is that the Step 2 section is lacking some detail. Not a major deal because it does give you a resource for more information, but I finished that section feeling like it was missing something. The second is that his experience with this strategy comes from two major projects. One a JV with a major player, where he refined his formula. The other in an obscure niche where they were unknown - which is the interesting part (to me, at least).
I said obscure. I meant a niche outside of Internet Marketing or "make money online". It's actually a very popular topic.
That 2nd project has resulted in almost 2 million video views, and 100 new newsletter sign-ups every day - so far! Pretty impressive. Enough so to keep me reading. 😉
I was impressed by the amount of detail Gideon shared in the report. I actually learned quite a bit from it. There was a connection he made about video marketing and list building that really hit home with me. A no brainer, but not something I've personally implemented. (make that a big fat: YET -lol)
He gave detailed Video Optimization strategies to help your videos rank better in both YouTube AND Google. He teaches how to get natural backlinks to your YouTube channel. He talks about YouTube Joint Ventures. Why you should embed your website address IN your video. He gives a working example on YouTube of his Viral Competition Method. And of course, in Step 7 he goes into how to monetize.
It's all very simple and straightforward, and something that anyone can do - which is what I loved about it. But it's not something I *have* been doing, or would have even thought to try necessarily. It was definitely worth the quick read.
Grab a copy if you haven't already: Download Rapid Video Blogging (Free). Be prepared to jot down some notes, and print out the Action Plan at the end...
Enjoy! 😀
Best,
p.s. Gideon is launching a product on Wednesday, so I'm not sure how long this Free Report will be available. Hopefully he will continue to offer it. But just in case, make sure you go ahead and get your copy today.
About Lynn Terry
I love seeingyour review of this here - I just read through it yesterday and was equally impressed.
Two additional things I liked is that - based on his 'obsure niche" project he and his partner have beenin the trenches walking their video making talk for over a year cranking out tons of videos in the niche. 9of which I watched several)
And he also does a great job of delivering additional great video making tips videos over on his own Youtube channel. I especially liked the one where he shows you how to create a video that appears to be a two person interview even when you are the only one int he room...very clever and convincing!
Keep rockin' it Lynn!
I agree Amy - great stuff! Really glad I stumbled across this little gem, and very much looking forward to more from Gideon. 😉
Lynn,
When you mentioned that you were doing this review on Twitter, I was excited to see what you would say.
I agree with you about being excited that he shared the information/strategies Gideon from uses for a non-IM niche. (Especially since I'm personally not in an IM niche.)
I admit to knowing that I needed to make video part of what I was doing, but hadn't because I felt it was beyond my expertise. I'm still trying to figure out a dslr camera for crying out loud and thought that adding video would kill me. After reading Gideon's report and watching the videos, I've changed my mind. I even filmed a video and have begun the process of editing.
Therein lies one of the "missing links" of Rapid Video Blogging, at least for me; not enough information on the editing process, but I'm finding the information.
There are also challenges if you don't have the exact same equipment that Gideon uses, which I don't and purchasing it isn't currently an option. Those are easily solved with a little help from Google and tutorials.
All in all though, I loved the report enough to have read it through twice and am looking forward to making more videos (once I figure out how to stop the laptop from crashing during the rendering process).
On the editing - right, but for a free report I didn't expect it to be a detailed video editing guide. I ended up getting a Macbook Pro with iMovie for video editing, and am finding it great fun so far. Just learning now, but the Mac guides and of course Google offer tons to keep me busy on it.
I already had most of the equipment/software, and I do like that he shares free alternatives - that was a nice addition. On cameras, I just bought the Canon Vixia HF S20. I have used the "flip style" cameras up to this point with no problem, but was ready to upgrade for higher quality and low-light performance. But even Gary Vaynerchuk uses a Flip video camera most of the time.
What kind of laptop do you have - PC or Mac? I ask because I had a hard time editing HD video on my PC, which is why I switched to Mac for that specifically. That said, I think it's a matter of the bit rate or refresh rate or some such thing - a simple enough fix I believe.
Thanks Lynn, for sharing this. I was just thinking that I was going to add video as my next new tool.
Awesome!
It was an excellent book and the free videos he uses to walk you through the process are very well done.
I agree it does lack some detail but the report is free 😉 He never said he was giving away everything. I am sure his upcoming product will cover all of the questions you may have.
He uses another example in Video 3 of a young lady who is in the non-IM world as well who is doing very well selling affiliate products.
Video is already huge and as broadband gets faster and iPads get more common, learning how to create and utilize it will be key.
Beautiful people like Lynn were meant for video. Some of us have a face for radio and podcasting 🙂
LOL- there is more to video than just "talking head" style! 😉
I am really looking forward to kicking off my audio/video podcast, and also studying more from Gideon. I haven't made it to Video 3 (the third free video with the report) yet so I'm off to check that out...
Impressive review Lynn, this one is pretty much comprehensive and I do think it did summarize what was covered from Gideon's free ebook. By the way, I've visited the given link to try that one out, but I'm not expecting to win the remaining iPad prize 🙂
Video blogging seems to be more catchy these days, that's why I'm really interested to know more about it. Really glad you've posted this one.
Regards,
Jason
Thank you Jason. I thought it was an awesome follow-up to Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk - which was one of the more recent books I read and really enjoyed. Gary sees video blogging (aka vlogging) as the future and really pushes the idea of the timing being NOW to get in on it and ride that wave...
I've been video blogging for many months now, but this report pointed out all types of things that I should be doing that I'm not doing, especially collecting those names. It's tempting to see other video and want to add fancy music or editing, but this really hit home for me that I need to optimize my video blog and integrate more fully between YouTube and my vlog before I worry about creating fancier videos.
Smart move to implement those strategies before improving your video production or editing. That way you'll get the most out of your videos when you do invest that time in them. Like you I took quite a few notes and plan to put them into action right away!
I first heard of Gideon when he started assisting Yaro Starek with some video work a few years ago. then they did the "Become a Blogger" membership course--which is the only course I've done online-but found it well worth the cost. So Gideon moving out on his own is a great progression.
But the best part is how he boiled it all down to very basic equipment and processes. Of course, if you have older equipment, there will be more time spent in converting, etc, but the principles remain the same. It is truly a very low-cost way to get some massive, multi-channel exposure!
I agree Pat. I look forward to putting some of his tips in action on my own videos & channel. It really doesn't take much of an investment at all - cameras have come way down in price (particularly the "flip" type models). I'm anxious to try out my new Canon Vixia and give that a whirl!
I've been following Gideon Shalwick for some time now and I'm impressed, not only because he knows video marketing, but also because he's such a nice, down-to-earth guy. He's the real deal!
His Rapid Video Blogging report is so thorough that an intermediate Internet marketer could take the info and get good results just by following the steps there.
I'm certainly looking forward to doing more video marketing, following Gideon's Rapid Video Blogging method.
All the best on your podcast, Lynn! I can't wait to subscribe 😀
Lexi
Thank you Lexi - setting up the podcast has been a really fun learning experience! I'm hoping to get the first episode recorded this week.
I agree too - so far I've been very impressed with Gideon on a personal level. I look forward to checking out more of his stuff!
Reading this post is giving me an idea for my own video marketing guide as that is my specialty. I love reading what other people have written about the topic and then coming up with my own thing.
I didn't know video marketing was your specialty! Very cool 🙂
I'm reading and liking it too. On my part the only problem is that I don't know whether my voice and less than perfect English skills would be an obstacle to succeeding in video blogging. Anyhow, I got very excited about the report!
I have done a few slideshow videos and posted them to Youtube etc, and I usually just try to avoid thinking how they are received, or else I would die of shame! 🙂
I believe I saw one of your videos recently - a challenge entry perhaps? It was good!! I loved getting to see you "in real life" and put a personality to your username!
Love this report - and I think I have a crush on Gideon! ha ha ha Just kidding - sort of!
Oh Gina! 😛 LOL
Just downloaded it, now off to read it. I have followed Gideon for some time now and I do like that he is so real so I'm sure everything he will offer will be exceptional.
When I think of doing any type of video is makes me so nervous. Maybe one day I'll just get over the nerves.
Still? I thought you were so over that 😉
Seriously - you have such a fun personality and contagious smile. You will be awesome on video! Just think how much MORE you can motivate and inspire others with video vs plain text...
I agree. I saw Angie with Scott Tousignant and I did not notice anything amiss! 😀
Wait - are you sure nothing was amiss, because Scott is known to forget his shirt! But Angie, I totally agree with Lynn on your awesome personality and contagious smile. Go for it!
Oh boy GINA LOL And yes ladies, I'm not sure what my problem is but I do need to just get over it. Thanks for the vote of confidence!
I really enjoyed your review Lynn. Thank you. I feel this is going to be big in helping to increase traffic and revenue. I have not gotten to doing this yet, camera shy I guess. But I am definitely going to be looking more into doing it now.
Haggard
Great review Lynn! Reading the report just now...and loving it! Have all the technical tools required on hand, and must now go through the "fear barrier" to make it all happen. Hum, easier said then done...
All the best!
"fear barrier" and "camera shy" - you two are not alone (just read up ^ 😉 lol). I think that's typical really. You might start with screencasting or presentations instead of "talking head video" as a start. Those can be very valuable in some niches - particularly any kind of how-to.
Wow, I have seen tons of emails and blog posts about this during the past week but yours is the first that really compelled me to take the plunge and invest in the time to read a 92 page report. Thanks Lynn. You're the best!
I'm glad, Jodi - it really is a quick read and a very enjoyable one at that. Hope you got lots out of it!
wow great!! Unfortunately, I guess i am quite late for that matter so I just want to say congratulation to all those three who get the chance to win those freebies...
Ditto that - congrats to all 3 winners! 😉
I found this report incredibly helpful, especially the detail that he goes into regarding the marketing aspects of YouTube. It's really amazing how fast you can rank high in search results, particularly in LOCAL marketing. It's helped me tremendously and I've only made a handful of local videos, without implementing Gideon's insights. I can't wait to go back to my vids and optimize them 🙂
I do think filming yourself is pretty easy, downloading to computer, pretty easy, uploading to youtube, also pretty easy...the issue comes from the large media files that you WILL compile. I have a 2006 Macbook. It has 2GB of RAM and a 500 GB HD. I have soooooo much media on there. The HD footage really accumulates, plus I also work with audio. iMovie is sooooo slow. I just edited a 5 minute video which took me about 25 min, BUT encoding time 30 minutes! So the rapid part is rapid if you have optimized gear. I'm not in a position to get myself another computer. The process of getting various external HDs and easing my current Macbook is pain in the behind, I tell ya. Just food for thought 😉
I know what you mean, Elsie - and good point. I have a base Macbook Pro which will only upgrade to 4 gigs of RAM (came with 2). So I am upgrading the memory to double - the max - and will be storing raw files somewhere else when I am done with them for the current project. I really like iMovie though. Awesome software. Especially the ability to crop videos!
Good luck with the podcasting. You should be great at it. I started podcasting on a whim a few months back. Got listed on iTunes and was surprised by the response.
I have 871 plays so far on only 14 podcasts. The majority of them coming from iTunes probably. I also applied to Zune, but have had no response yet (several months). I'm told they are quite slow over there. Good luck!
Lynn - thanks for the heads up on this FREE report -a pleasant thing to wake up to in my inbox on a Monday morning!
I love Video and have 4 different camera set up systems from super easy (the FLIP video) to a tad more investment and work (wireless lavier with Canon Vixia HF11 and know it has increased my 'herd', and conversions!
You'll laugh - I'm still using my PC to edit videos (or outsource) yet I bought a MAC at xmas - just haven't had the time to 'learn' it and I know it produces hot easy super cool videos!!! LOL
Anyway - I'm devouring that free report right now and thanks again.
Cheers, Maria Gudelis
ps - Ford modeling agency increase their sales over 140% (in INc magazine) just by using 'reality' style FREE video on their youtube channel!
Gideon held a FREE Q&A on Video Blogging & YouTube Marketing the other day. You can now download the entire replay in either video or audio format - at no cost:
> http://bit.ly/d4nReR
Enjoy! 😀
Hi there:) Thanks for sharing info about the video marketing guide 🙂 I will surely view the video thanks to your review. Thanks.