Posts

Why Are Micro-Influencers a Better Bet Than Fake Famous Influencers?

/in , , , , , , , , /by

Check out my new TikTok video below (follow me on TikTok here) and then scroll down for a whole bunch of Luscious Links relating to this important marketing trend: 

Micro-Influencers!

@joncombridges

Micro-Influencers are what’s hot! #digitalmarketing #businessmarketing #videomarketing #socialmediamarketing #greenscreen

♬ dance(256762) – TimTaj

Because TikTok is literally re-defining user-generated content (UGC), it has become the breeding ground for a new wave of audience-specific, Micro-Influencers. For example, here’s a TikTok video that explains this trend.

The Forbes article that’s at the beginning of that TikTok clip is called, “How Marketers Can Leverage Partnerships In The World Of Paid Fan Content.” Authentic Fans = Micro-Influencers. They are loyal and, well, authentic. Read more.

Micro-Influencers are NOT “Fake Famous.” That’s what “influencers” used to be. 

For a sharp indictment of what most people think about when they think about “influencers,” check out the documentary, “Fake Famous” on HBO Max.

Thanks to the Fake Famous documentary, I found NYTimes tech journalist, Taylor Lorenz. Then, via Instagram, she showed me “granfluencers,” a particular flavor of Micro-Influencers. So much for the lame concept “TikTok is just a bunch of teenagers dancing.” NY Post got this.

The source itself TikTok calls this trend, “Community Commerce.” i.e. commerce that’s being done within communities which are micro-spheres of influence: Read their article.

Bonus, Free Resource: I created this 20-minute video mini-workshop, “Why TikTok is Important for Business Marketing.” It includes 4 illustrative video clips. Check it out.

Short-Form Social Media Videos: Learn How TikTok & Others Are The Next Big Thing in Marketing

/in , , , , , , , , /by

TikTok is the leading example of one of the most important trends in social media marketing: Short-Form Social Media Videos. Please check out this quickie, one-minute video to learn more and the two videos mentioned are also below:

As a joyful explorer of this new video frontier, this week in my Luscious Links email blast, I featured two illuminating videos:

1. One is a virtual TED talk by a young, Chinese principal at Boston Consulting Group. It’s packed with research and examples.

2. The second drills down even deeper and uses #FilmTikTok to brilliantly explain and SHOW how TikTok works, and that’s something good to know if you care about where social media is going. In fact, if you are in business, in any form, this matters! Short-Form Social Media Videos are our future!

Like or Follow to get more Luscious Links, and you can get the emails by subscribing here.

Thanks for watching and I hope to hear from you.

The Next Big Thing in TV: How OTT like Roku, Apple TV, & Smart TVs Are Game Changers

/in , , , , , , , /by

The video landscape is ever changing. From user-generated content like on TikTok and Instagram to the high-end streamers like Netflix, Amazon, and HBO, just to name a few, there are more and more kinds of video.

OTT or over-the-top TV is often overlooked despite the fact that it offers amazing opportunities for producers of quality programs.

In this episode of Video Mojo, Jon Leland speaks with OTT innovator, Jonathon Barbato co-CEO of Best Ever Channels – http://besteverchannels.com – and they provide a valuable roadmap for what it takes to take advantage of these important new distribution channels.

Video Mojo welcomes your questions and comments in real time during Video Mojo LIVE! which streams on Fridays at 10am PT / 1pm ET on our YouTube channel: ​http://www.youtube.com/jonleland and via our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/combridges.fb/live​.

Please mark your calendar and join us.

IN THIS EPISODE

Time markers/Table of contents:

  • Tee it up: How ELSE to Distribute – 2:20
  • Collaborative Conversation: Jonathan Barbato – 3:23
  • Community Campfire: Your Questions – 15:29
  • Lucious Links – 24:00

RESOURCE LINKS:

LUSCIOUS LINKS:

I’d love to hear from you with any feedback, suggestions, or reviews.
Please join us and/or post a review or comment via any of the links on this page:

https://play.combridges.com/links

Thanks!

Why TIKTOK is an Important BUSINESS MARKETING Opportunity & A “Fast Track” to More Video Visibility

/in , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Looking for the biggest possible “bang” for your social media, video marketing time & money?

One word: TikTok!

It’s not just for kids. With the pandemic, more and more businesses are finding that—not only are adults spending time on TikTok—it has distinct advantages for business marketing. Who knew?

In this special edition, “mini-webinar” episode of Video Mojo, video below, I spell out four solid reasons why TikTok is heads and shoulders above other social media marketing platforms. (And the fact that TikTok is “all video, all the time” is not even one of them.)

Despite the fact that many marketers don’t take it seriously, in many ways, TikTok represents the future of social media communications and video marketing in particular. And, it’s also a strategic fact that you can gain more visibility on TikTok faster, in an organic way, than on any other social media platform. The value for your future in marketing and the visibility opportunity are just TWO of the reasons that TikTok is an important business marketing opportunity.

Don’t miss this video: It might be some of the most valuable and actionable social media marketing insights that you will hear this year. Just sayin’. 😉

Video Mojo welcomes your questions and comments in real time during Video Mojo LIVE! which streams on Fridays at 10am PT / 1pm ET on our YouTube channel: ​http://www.youtube.com/jonleland and via our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/combridges.fb/live​.

Please mark your calendar and join us.

IN THIS EPISODE

Time markers/Table of contents:

  • Tee it up – Video is a Language: 2:44
  • Collaborative Conversation – Mini-Webinar on TikTok: 5:25
  • Community Campfire – Your Questions: 14:47
  • Lucious Links – Throughout, Plus Free Email Course: 19:00

Four Reasons Why TikTok is Important for Business Marketing:

  1. A Creation-Communication Skill with Lasting Value:
    – Gary Vaynerchuk on Why TikTok Matters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjN3pQT6lnY
  2. An Algorithm in a Class by Itself:
    – Scott Galloway on algorithm “signal liquidity”: https://twitter.com/profgalloway/status/1309275991110451201?s=20
  3. An Exceptional Opportunity for Visibility:
    – Web marketer who swears by TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maryannedamarzo/video/6865367741621341445?lang=en
  4. A Media Environment Where Your Humanity Can Shine:
    – Sherwin-Williams Paint Enthusiast Gets Fired & Hired: https://adage.com/article/digital/fired-sherwin-williams-paint-enthusiast-and-tiktok-star-joins-rival-firm-develop-new-paints/2296991
    – https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tanyachen/college-student-behind-a-massively-popular-paint-mixing

LUSCIOUS LINKS:

I’d love to hear from you with any feedback, suggestions, or reviews. Please join us and/or post a review or comment via any of the links on this page:

https://play.combridges.com/

Thanks!

How to Create the Ultimate Content Marketing Mix of Live Streaming, Social Media Video Series, & Podcast

/in , , , , , , , , , /by

When I started my video blog, I didn’t know I would be inventing a combination of live streaming event, social media video series, and podcast that I now call a WebShow™. In this special edition of Video Mojo that I call “The WebShow-WebShow,” I pull back the curtain of what it takes to create what I believe is the ultimate form of content marketing, especially if you leverage the content assets that are created along the way.

I detail “what is a WebShow?” and I also describe the specific software and hardware that I use to produce it. I also include a section on “Program Development” that covers the creative considerations necessary to produce a good show. Please click the video below to watch now.

Video Mojo welcomes your questions and comments in real time during Video Mojo LIVE! which streams on Fridays at 10am PT / 1pm ET on our YouTube channel: ​http://www.youtube.com/jonleland and via our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/combridges.fb/live​.

Please mark your calendar and join us.

IN THIS EPISODE ​

Time markers/Table of contents:
* Tee It Up: The Adventure Continues – 2:10
* Collaborative Conversation: WebShow – Webshow™ – 3:35
* Community Campfire: Q&A – 18:37
* Luscious Links: Throughout the show (see below

RESOURCE LINKS:

Pillar 2 of a Vibrant Video Presence: Technology – http://youtu.be/g__BRLf0BKc​​

Software: ​

Hardware: ​

  • New iMac
  • DSLR: Canon EOS Rebel T7i
  • Rode shotgun mic
  • Apple Airpods Pro (audio monitoring)
  • Lights

I’d love to hear from you with any feedback, suggestions, or reviews. Please join us and/or post a review or comment via any of the links on this page:

​http://play.combridges.com/links​

Thanks!

Storytelling as Wayfinding During Uncharted Times: New Video Mojo with Michael Kass

/in , , , , , , , , , , /by

I admit it. I’m proud of the quality of content that’s coming out weekly via my Video Mojo WebShow™. It’s now much more than a video blog & podcast: It’s a fully-produced live, weekly webcast & formatted 1/2-hour program with awesome guests.

This week’s episode, recorded live last Friday, powerfully illuminates why storytelling is so much more than a “buzzword du jour.” If you understand the power of story, you can create a more engaging and vibrant social media and video presence.

To do that, you have to go beyond storytelling as a formula. Done well, story can open doors to whole other levels of engagement. And, it can help you find your way through the “uncharted times” that we are all living through, while revealing a path to more meaningful media.

If you’re ready to use story as a wayfinding tool (or at least ready to discover what that means), don’t miss this third “Collaborative Conversation” between myself and storytelling expert, Michael Kass.

In addition this “Collaborative Conversation,” every Video Mojo episode includes a quick commentary called “Tee It Up” and “Luscious Links” resource recommendations, as shown below.

Video Mojo welcomes your questions and comments in real time during Video Mojo LIVE! which streams every Friday at 10am PT / 1pm ET on our YouTube channel:
​https://www.youtube.com/jonleland and via our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/combridges.fb/live​. Please join us.

IN LAST WEEK’S EPISODE

Time markers/Table of contents:

  • Tee It Up: Wayfinding vs the Perfectionism Trap – 1:58
  • Collaborative Conversation: Michael Kass (Coach) – 3:11
  • Community Campfire: Q&A – 14:11
  • Luscious Links: The Biggest Bluff – 23:31

RESOURCE LINK:​

Michael Kass: https://www.storyandspirit.org/​

LUSCIOUS LINKS​

3 PILLARS OF A VIBRANT VIDEO PRESENCE

Please join us and/or post a review or comment. It REALLY helps Video Mojo to be more visible when you like, review, or comment. All of the links are here:
​https://play.combridges.com/links​

Thanks!

Creatives, Christy Strauch Helps You Overcome Resistance & Get Your Work OUT!

/in , , , , , , , , /by

Your Inner Critic is Not a Myth. It’s a Muse-Buster!

My “Collaborative Conversation” with coach and author Christy Strauch offers specific things you can do to dig in and move on so that your creative work gets out and touches the lives of others. That’s what we all want, right? Whether you are a fine artist or entrepreneur (or somewhere in between), there’s a ton of actionable inspiration here.

In addition this “Collaborative Conversation,” every Video Mojo episode includes a quick commentary called “Tee It Up” and “Luscious Links” resource recommendations, as shown below.

Video Mojo welcomes your questions and comments in real time during Video Mojo LIVE! which streams every Friday at 10am PT / 1pm ET on our YouTube channel:
​https://www.youtube.com/jonleland and via our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/combridges.fb/live​. Please join us.

ABOUT VIDEO MOJO

ComBridges’ mission is to help you have a more engaging social media presence and a more vibrant video presence. Our WebShow™, Video Mojo, combines timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration on the “bleeding edge” of digital video & social media strategies. Producer/host, Jon Leland, focuses on the human side of social media and offers decades of video experience as well as his visionary and up-to-the-minute insights as a media wizard and digital marketing strategist who currently leads his own social media marketing agency, ComBridges.

IN THIS EPISODE

Time markers/Table of contents:

  • Tee It Up: About Story – 1:38
  • Collaborative Conversation: Christy Strauch (Coach, Author) – 3:40
  • Community Campfire: Q&A – 14:43
  • Luscious Links: Morning Pages resources – 21:38

RESOURCE LINK:

LUSCIOUS LINKS

3 PILLARS OF A VIBRANT VIDEO PRESENCE
Pillar 1: Humanity – https://youtu.be/NGO1m_MFKB4
Pillar 2: Technology – https://youtu.be/g__BRLf0BKc
Pillar 3: Story – Live on 10/16/20 at 10am PT

I’d love to hear from you with any feedback, suggestions, or reviews. Please join us and/or post a review or comment via any of the links on this page:

https://play.combridges.com/links

Thanks!

Tips for Deepening Your Social Media Presence with actress/coach, Julia McNeal

/in , , , , , , /by

There’s so much more to authentic social media and video than selling and persuading. A truly meaningful presence is more about engagement and relationship building. In order to deepen that experience, we touch a shared humanity that is very personal.

As Julia McNeal illuminates in this episode of Video Mojo, this is what’s required if you want to be truly authentic; and, the really GOOD NEWS is that along with this deeper level of engagement comes a recognition of a shared humanity that is a service to everyone you touch. Don’t miss this episode.

As always, in addition this “Collaborative Conversation” (interview), Video Mojo also includes a quick commentary called “Tee It Up” (this week an overview of how WebShows™ like ours build on the shoulders of podcasting) and “Luscious Links” resource recommendations (this week two great sources for license-free images you can use without fee or credit, if you so choose).

Video Mojo welcomes your questions and comments during Video Mojo LIVE! which streams every Friday at 10am PT / 1pm ET
on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/jonleland
and via our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/combridges.fb/live

ABOUT VIDEO MOJO
ComBridges’ mission is to help you have a more engaging social media presence and a more vibrant video presence. Our webshow, Video Mojo, combines timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration on the “bleeding edge” of digital video & social media strategies. Producer/host, Jon Leland, focuses on the human side of social media and offers decades of video experience as well as his visionary and up-to-the-minute insights as a media wizard and digital marketing strategist who currently leads his own social media marketing agency, ComBridges, https://www.combridges.com. Video Mojo welcomes your questions and comments during Video Mojo LIVE! which streams every Friday at 10am PT / 1pm ET here on our YouTube channel and via our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/combridges.f…

IN THIS EPISODE
Time markers/Table of contents:

  • Tee It Up: Media Evolutions Through the Ages – 1:48
  • Collaborative Conversation: Julia McNeal (Actress, Teacher, Coach) – 4:57
  • Community Campfire: Q&A – 18:48
  • Luscious Links: stock image resources – 23:06

RESOURCE LINK:

LUSCIOUS LINKS

3 PILLARS OF A VIBRANT VIDEO PRESENCE
Pillar 1: Humanity – https://youtu.be/NGO1m_MFKB4
Pillar 2: Technology – https://youtu.be/g__BRLf0BKc
Pillar 3: Story – To be recorded live Friday, October 16th at 10am PT.

BE PART OF VIDEO MOJO LIVE EVERY FRIDAY at 10am PT at either of these links:
https://www.facebook.com/combridges.fb
(“Like” this page for notifications)
https://www.youtube.com/jonleland
(“Subscribe” and click the bell for alerts)

ECAMM LIVE (Live Streaming App):
https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?…
(affiliate link)

I’d love to hear from you.
Your feedback, suggestions, and reviews on Apple Podcasts or wherever are HUGELY valuable:

Strategic Thinking for Small Business Marketing with Neal “Think Like an App” Polachek

/in , , , , , , , , , /by

When Gannett/USA Today wanted a speaker who could inspire small businesses to think more strategically about their businesses given the state of modern consumers, they chose our guest, Neal Polachek. He in turn developed the Think Like An App methodology.

This Video Mojo LIVE! includes a thought-provoking and action-oriented conversation with Neal, and also my “Tee It Up” commentary and a Luscious Link about a very useful YouTuber. (Time markers are below.) Click the image below to watch now.

Video Mojo welcomes your questions and comments during Video Mojo LIVE! which streams every Friday at 10am PT / 1pm ET 
on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/jonleland 
and via our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/combridges.fb/live

ABOUT VIDEO MOJO
ComBridges’ mission is to help you have a more engaging social media presence and a more vibrant video presence. Our webshow, Video Mojo, combines timeless marketing principles with a playful exploration on the “bleeding edge” of digital video & social media strategies. Producer/host, Jon Leland, focuses on the human side of social media and offers decades of video experience as well as his visionary and up-to-the-minute insights as a media wizard and digital marketing strategist who currently leads his own social media marketing agency, ComBridges, https://www.combridges.com. Video Mojo welcomes your questions and comments during Video Mojo LIVE! which streams every Friday at 10am PT / 1pm ET here on our YouTube channel and via our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/combridges.f…

IN THIS EPISODE
Time markers/Table of contents:

  • Tee It Up: “Follow the Juice” – 1:18
  • Collaborative Conversation: Neal Polachek, “Think Like an App” – 3:54
  • Community Campfire: Q&A – 15:07
  • Luscious Links: an exemplary YouTuber & resource – 23:50

RESOURCE LINK:

LUSCIOUS LINKS

3 PILLARS OF A VIBRANT VIDEO PRESENCE
Pillar 1: Humanity – https://youtu.be/NGO1m_MFKB4
Pillar 2: Technology – https://youtu.be/g__BRLf0BKc
Pillar 3: Story – TO COME!

BE PART OF VIDEO MOJO LIVE EVERY FRIDAY at 10am PT at either of these links:
https://www.facebook.com/combridges.fb
(“Like” this page for notifications)
https://www.youtube.com/jonleland
(“Subscribe” and click the bell for alerts)

I’d love to hear from you.
Your feedback, suggestions, and reviews on Apple Podcasts or wherever are HUGELY valuable:

Go Beyond Content Marketing & Storytelling. Conversations Are Now King. – Video Mojo LIVE! Webcast

/in , , , , , , , /by

Our mission is to help you have a more engaging social media presence and a more vibrant video presence. Some call this “content marketing.” Others like to think there’s a silver bullet in “brand storytelling.” In this week’s edition of Video Mojo LIVE!, master storytelling coach and the author of “Narrative Coaching,” Dr. David Drake and I explore what it means to go beyond conventional concepts of content marketing, revealing how authentic storytelling is really a conversation, not a one-way communication, like most marketing. Please click the video below to watch now.

Other insights include my “Tee It Up” opening commentary on “There Is No Finish Line” and a “Luscious Links” movie review of the Netflix documentary, “The Social Dilemma.”

Time markers:
* Tee It Up – 2:04
* Collaborative Conversation – 4:24
* Community Campfire – 12:49
* Luscious Links – 21:54

Here are the resource links from this episode:

* David Drake: https://www.themomentinstitute.com/

* “So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love” by Cal Newport – https://www.amazon.com/Good-They-Cant-Ignore-You/dp/0349415862

LUSCIOUS LINKS
* The Social Dilemma (Netflix Documentary)
https://www.thesocialdilemma.com/

3 PILLARS OF A VIBRANT VIDEO PRESENCE
Pillar 1: Humanity – https://youtu.be/NGO1m_MFKB4
Pillar 2: Technology – https://youtu.be/g__BRLf0BKc
Pillar 3: Story – TO COME!

BE PART OF VIDEO MOJO LIVE EVERY FRIDAY at 10am PT at either of these links:
https://www.facebook.com/combridges.fb
(“Like” this page for notifications)
https://www.youtube.com/jonleland
(“Subscribe” and click the bell for alerts)

* ECAMM LIVE (Live Streaming App):
https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?fp_ref=jon-77 (affiliate link)

I’d love to hear from you.
Your feedback, suggestions, and reviews on Apple Podcasts or wherever are HUGELY valuable:
* Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jonleland/
* Podcast Home: https://anchor.fm/video-mojo
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joncombridges/
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/joncombridges

Thanks!