Include or not include yourself in videos?

David Amerland is an author, speaker and analyst, and just posted on video as The New Voice of Social Media.

Video, has emerged not just as the primary means of visual communication in the 21st century but also as the new voice of social media. This is a critical distinction. We do not easily associate video with social media and this is a mistake. Social media is characterised by the triptych of:

- Transparency (often at a deep, radical level)
- Accountability (it puts a very human face in front of every possible situation)
- Authenticity (you can no longer fake anything long enough to make inroads in marketing)

YouTube and Hangouts are the primary drivers here and Google controls them both.

It's quite a thoughtful discussion on Google+, so have a read.

(image credit)

In light of Amerland's points, the following questions arise:

• In whatever video you create, how much, if any, of yourself ought to be in it and what other content should you include?  It depends, of course, on what you're trying to accomplish with your video.  Building transparency may mean more of you, for example.
• If you decide to be part of your video, how should you convey your messages:  scripted or unscripted?  There is some optimal balance of polish (cinematic quality) and realness (reality-TV spontaneity) vis-a-vis your purpose or aim, so take the time to think it through.
• Finally, with what means and on what platforms should you draw on to create and show your video?  From videocams on smartphones, to simple editing tools, to live formats, there are plenty of choices for you.  Google is a big player in this, but Skype, Vine and Snapchat are platforms to consider.