The first thing that caught me was that the cord is just over 3-feet long. That means it’s ideal for recording while it’s in your pocket but not so much for video where you’ll be speaking in front of it. To make it more useful, I added an extension cord to it. Now these cords are TRRS extension cords and not just a regular mic extension cord. Here’s the one I ordered from Amazon [aff].

This combination makes it much easier to be on camera and still pick up really good audio. As you can see in the video below, I’m about 9 feet from the camera but I’m getting really good audio.

I also noticed the build quality of the mic is quite good. I like the rubber bottom on the pop filter. This holds it in place. And the metal clip keeps the wire organized. It also comes with a little storage pouch.

If you’re looking for a good microphone for your iPhone, iTouch, or Android device, I think the Rode smartLav is worth a shot.

The microphone is well made and comes with a windscreen, carrying bag, and metal clip. It retails for $60 and can be found on Amazon [aff].

The real test of any mic is how it sounds. In this video I compare the internal iPhone 5 microphone to the Rode smartLav and the Sony UWP-V1 wireless mic. Now obviously wireless lav mic’s have a lot of advantages. They’re also a pretty substantial cost difference between these two microphones too. But, do you notice that much of an audio difference? Take a listen below.

The smartLav is ideal for remote audio recording where you’re going to sync it to your video in post-production. In the below video, I let you listen to the difference between the built-in iPhone 5 microphone and the Rode smartLav while it’s recording to my iPad. I used the Rode recording app to record it to my iPad and then uploaded it to Dropbox. I sync’d the video and audio together in ScreenFlow during editing.

I really like the Rode smartLav. Look for a complete review when my extension cord arrives later this week.

This video shows 4 different video cameras including the built-in iSight camera, the Logitec C910, an iPhone, and a Canon T3i as video sources. Yes, your camera does make a difference.

I find the built-in iSight camera to be too close and unsharp. The Logitech to me was the biggest disappointment. I expected it to be better and I may have to play with it some more. I’ll do the same with the iPhone too because it should be better. The Canon T3i did produce the best results but hey, I guess that’s to be expected with about $1,200 worth of gear.

The Camtasia Remove a Color panel gives options for some fine-tuning the chromakey effect.

You can fine tune your chromakey video effect a little bit. This is no where near as good as the chromakey effect that I use in Final Cut Pro X but then again, we shouldn’t expect it to be either. I can adjust the color selection, tolerance, softness, hue, and defringe the color.

In my opinion, the key to making all this work is to have good lighting on us and on the colored background we’re trying to remove. If you get your background evenly lit, the color removal tool will do a good job. If it’s not quite even, you may have to fine-tune the tolerance some to get it to disappear.

All in all though, the cameras do a decent job. But if you want the best possible effect, use the best possible camera and make sure you have enough light.

I’ve been a asking for this feature since 2009. You see, I got tired of the usual picture-in-picture window that Camtasia and ScreenFlow provided. I never did like the effect. Granted, it’s better than nothing, but to me it looked very boxed in.

That’s when I started experimenting with using two video tracks to create a more natural looking video. I produced a quick tutorial on how I achieved the effect in my post Using Multiple Cameras in Your Screencasts. I like how this effect yields a more natural, conversational type of video. But it still wasn’t perfect in my opinion.

That’s when I jumped on the new version release of Camtasia. Being able to overlay a presenter on top of a Keynote or PowerPoint presentation is the way I envisioned it. I like how I can easily resize and move the presenter around the video. You can’t do this in iMovie. More importantly, it allows presenters to look at the camera so viewers can see your eyes, your smile, and witness your passion and enthusiasm. The presenter is the key component to a presentation and the new chromakey effect puts them front and center.

To the entire gang at TechSmith, kudo’s. You’ve nailed it.

1. Repurpose some of your existing Keynote/PowerPoint presentations.
2. Add a video link to your signature file.
3. Create custom network follow-up video.
4. Create a video specifically for your blog sidebar.
5. Answer your frequently asked questions.

In this video I created the outline in MindMeister and showed my iPad screen via the Reflection app. I recorded my screen with Camtasia and synced it with my video delivery. I then removed my greenscreen background via the Camtasia Remove a Color feature and boom, the presentation was done.

I’ve been asking for a chromakey option in the high-end screencasting apps since 2009. I like how TechSmith listened and really raised the bar on screencasting in general. Telestream, the makers of ScreenFlow, really need to sit up and take note on this one.

What other uses do you see for the chromakey feature in the new Camtasia:Mac?

Now I will say, they don’t always include them. I know, sometimes they get nervous and forget. But I’ve noticed that when they do include these delivery characteristics, their videos appear more authentic and genuine. Personally, I just like the conversational feel to them.

How about you? What video delivery tips do you have? Do you have any tips to appear more natural on video?

The 6 different microphones I compare are:
1. iPhone 4S built-in mic
2. Audio Technica ATR-3350
3. Audio Technica ATR55
4. Zoom H1
5. Sony ECM-AW3
6. Sony UWP-V1

I’ll let you be the judge on the different mics. The price range is free (for the built-in mic) to around $500 for the high-end Sony UWP-V1. All the links above are affiliate links to Amazon where you can read and learn more about each mic. But I wanted to provide a video so you could HEAR the difference between all of them.

Hope this helps. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

I gave this workshop on Down & Dirty Video Marketing at the SHBC Entrepreneurial Expo, held on November 16th, 2011, at the Johnson County Administrative Building in downtown Olathe. I know that the last presentation of the day isn’t always the most attended so I wanted to put together a series of videos of the content that I covered. If you’re in the Overland Park or Kansas City area, I’m more than happy to help answer your questions in person.

Why do Video Marketing?

Is there any proof that video marketing works? Is it really worth the effort? I think so and here’s why.

What Type Videos to Create

What type of videos should I create? Any suggestions? I’m glad you asked.

Equipment and How to Create Videos

Okay, what equipment do I need to get started? Is it going to be expensive?

YouTube Tips

How can I get more YouTube views? Do you have any tips?

I hope you find these videos helpful. Incorporating video marketing into your small business is pretty easy. I’ve outlined a bunch of it here. Of course if you’d rather not do it yourself, I’m more than happy to help out. I can answer questions and even handle all the production. Feel free to call me at 913-735-7063 or contact me here if you ever have questions.

Why do video marketing?

The traditional forms of marketing aren’t working as well as they used to. Yellow Pages, direct mail coupons, and newspaper advertising are incredibly expensive and often, 1 time events. Buyers these days are more mobile and more connected with each other. They’re actively search for solutions and referrals.

Videos are perpetual promotion machines. They’re accessible 24x7x365. More importantly, they can be “optimized” for search engine traffic. YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google? In fact, Google places high ranking videos into their search results automatically. Getting a video to rank well in YouTube will help you rank well on Google.

And it can’t be overlooked, videos are easily shared on smartphones, on Twitter, and on Facebook.

Video marketing isn’t about perfection; it’s about connection. Video compresses sales cycle times because people do business with people they know, like, and trust. The goal for your small business video is to establish that connection. You do this by being authentic and making sure people can see your eyes and smile. With this connection, you’ll develop permission to market, communicate, and eventually, get them into your sales funnel.

How can I create videos for my small business?

There are two ways to create videos for your small business: you can create them yourself or you can hire someone to help you with it. Lets explore both solutions.

Videography tools are much simpler these days. I suggest starting out with a Kodak Playtouch or even your iPhone. Both of these devices take “good enough” video for the web. More importantly, you can add external microphones to them to improve your audio. Most people don’t realize that the audio quality is actually more important than the video quality of their production. Inexpensive lavalier microphones will do the trick here. Make sure you have plenty of light and always use a tripod to make sure your video is steady.

After shooting, you’ll want to edit the video. Use Windows Movie Maker on the PC or iMovie on a Mac. These are good enough to get you started. Trim the ends of the video, cut out any mistakes, and go easy on transitions. Just because the software does all this fancy stuff doesn’t mean you have to use it. Keep your videos simple.

Finally, you’ll want to post your video to YouTube. Yes, there are other video services like Blip.tv or Vimeo but make no mistake, YouTube is generating upwards of 55% of all web video. This is where your videos need to be and it’ll help you get better rankings with Google.

If all this sounds a little too confusing, you may consider working with someone to help you. Yes, you can use your high school neighbor but you’ll get better results with someone that has the right equipment and knowledge.

For example, before shooting anything, align your videos to your sales process. Mix keyword research into your planning to improve video SEO (search engine optimization). Add graphics, additional video footage, and have a clear call to action for each video. Finally, use legitimate marketing strategies to promote your videos on YouTube.

Different types of small business videos

Here are 7 different types of videos that you can create for your business:

1. Elevator speech – create a 30-second elevator speech that introduces you and your company. Add this video in the footer of your email. When following up with new leads, include this video in your email to make your message stand out.
2. Video Product Demo – create videos for each of your different products and services. Explain the benefits and have a strong call to action for each video. Zappo’s Shoes discovered that simple product videos increased sales by 30% over product pages without a video.
3. Educational – create videos that educate your target market. How-to videos are some of the most popular videos on the web. By creating videos that truly educate, without going into heavy “sales” mode, positions you as an expert. Share your knowledge.
4. Frequently Asked Questions – create a series of videos that answers some of your most frequently asked questions. Use your videos as a virtual customer support tool. Demonstrate how to use, setup, or configure your product. Develop ongoing videos to help your users get the most out of your product or service and increase its value.
5. Social Media Specials – create really short videos that are optimized for mobile playback and social networks like Twitter and Facebook. Promote a daily incentive for immediate action. Keep these fun, time-bound, and with a strong call to action. Measure the results and see which video promotions are most effective.
6. Training – create videos for your employees, agents, contractors, or down-line. Better leverage your time by creating a series of how-to videos that goes over your sales process, internal systems, or new hire process. Provide videos for performance support.
7. Testimonials – create videos from your customers giving testimonials of your work. Even show videos of your external newsworthy events, mentions, or appearances. Develop a library of “social proof” videos that you can share with others to make them feel more comfortable with doing business with you.

Whew, we’ve covered a lot here! These days video marketing is easily incorporated into your existing marketing mix. It’s a great tool that works around the clock for you and allows you to connect with buyers like no other tool. I hope this article helps you get started. And of course if you have questions, leave a comment below or feel free to contact me. Either way, I’ll help out so your business can be successful with video marketing.

Now that I’ve been using this mic setup for a few months, I’m really impressed with it. I use it in my home office and outside and get perfect results every time. The mic has 2 parts. The transmitter has a small wired lav microphone that clips to your shirt. You can run the wire underneath your shirt and plug it into the transmitter. I clip the transmitter onto my back pocket or belt. The receiver is a tad larger and attaches to a camera cold shoe connector. If I use with my iPhone, I just attach it to the tripod. I plug the receivers audio out to the kVConnection cable and that plugs into my iPhone.

I will say though, the UWP-V1[aff] isn’t cheap. It’s around $500 on Amazon. But if you’re looking for a great mic, I highly recommend it. The demonstration speaks for itself.

*** Updated 1/11/12 with transcript ***

Hey, everybody. This is Scott. If you’ve followed my stuff for any length of time, you know I’m always on the lookout for that perfect audio solution. We all know that if we’re going to have the best possible video we have to have good audio. The way we make audio work with our iPhone 4 is with the KV connection cable so you can plug in an external microphone.

I think I’ve finally found that perfect external microphone. I’m using a professional Sony system right now. This is the Lavalier mike. It’s all metal, it’s high quality, great frequencies, UHF wireless mike. I think you’d have to agree that the audio quality is exquisite. It’s perfect. It sounds really, really good. You know how far away I’ve been from the camera. I’ve got to tell you, I really think this is it.

If you’re looking for a great solution to your iPhone 4 video, I found it. I think you will, too. Definitely check out the Sony set-up.

Do me a favor. If you like this stuff, subscribe up above if we’re on YouTube, or feel free to share this with your friends. Make a comment below if we’re on YouTube. I’d love to hear from you. Let me know what you think.

Until next time, I’m Scott. Take care. Bye-bye.