Uploading Videos

You have three primary ways to get videos into your customer’s hands:

The following sections explore each of these options in detail.

Uploading to Your Facebook Page

To upload a video, log in to Facebook and go to your company Profile page. Click Video at the top of the Wall (see Figure 12.1).

Choose one of the following options:

The first option is fine if you want to create a short, casual message. It will be super-casual, though, so we recommend knowing your audience very well before taking that route. You’ll need a webcam-enabled computer. Some computers, like the higher-end Macs, have a built-in webcam, but you can also buy a decent webcam for less than $100 that you can plug in to your USB outlet.

When you’re ready, click on the link and Facebook will begin recording through your webcam.

Uploading your video from your drive is a much safer and, perhaps, wiser choice. With this option, you record the video with a digital recorder, edit it as you see fit, and then upload the file straight from your computer.

WATCH OUT

People are sometimes compelled to record directly onto Facebook to keep the casual look, but the same feel can be done using a handheld device or even a webcam recording onto your computer instead of onto Facebook. You then have the ability to edit or scrap the video instead of having the pressure to post it after you record it on the website.

When you upload a video to your Facebook page, a link appears in the News Feed of people who already Like your Facebook page. People who visit your Facebook page will easily be able to share it with others.

Sending Video as a Message

You can also send out the video as an attachment to a Facebook message. This way works with Facebook Groups (see Chapter 8).

Your group members receive the email at the same time, and they can view the video within Facebook—even if it’s a YouTube-based recording. This works particularly well for infrequent Facebook users. Facebook gives them a notification in their regular email with the Facebook message attached. They can click and view the video from their email or log back in to Facebook and watch it from there.

Posting Video on Someone’s Wall

A riskier but potentially more fulfilling way to share video is to post it on a customer’s Wall. Imagine someone Liking your page and mentioning your product in passing, so in turn you post on his or her Facebook Wall the latest viral video.

There are several downsides here:

All that said, a well-placed video could make someone’s day. Damon is really into food and, as his Facebook friends know, he talks about it a lot. He adores certain brands and, if those companies posted a cool video on his Wall, he would be both excited and flattered. But that’s just him.

WATCH OUT

Before you dive into viral media, be sure to check out our later discussion on Facebook policies. Some maneuvers are actually illegal in Facebook’s code of conduct. Check out Chapter 15 to get a good overview of what you can and can’t do.

Integrating YouTube with Facebook

Alternatively, you can upload your movie to a video site, like YouTube (www.youtube.com) or Daily Motion (www.dailymotion.com), and post the link to the video on your Facebook business page.

Here’s what you do:

One of the biggest challenges with video is keeping a steady hand. The lighter the device, the harder it is to keep balanced while recording. Consider keeping the device on a flat surface or using a tripod.