By Craig Michaels
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If this is true, it leaves the question: how much is video worth? For many, the use of video in their private and business lives has become increasingly essential. According to an online source, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text. Advertisers on social media have known for years about the advantages of using video to get their message across. This explains why YouTube is the second most visited search engine behind Google.
I recently met a young lady named Heather Ramirez at a business mixer. I was instantly drawn to her purple hair and hat since it is my favorite color. As we began talking, I realized this millennial was bright, motivated and knew what she was talking about. The more we talked, the more she shared ideas on how the average business can use simple videos on YouTube to increase their audience reach. Or, how users can share their talents and passion with the world for free. I began to realize the importance of having a You Tube channel of my own for real estate.
Having grown up alongside the internet, Heather used modern technology in her marketing and communications career in the ten years following high school. She had worked as a Communications Manager for a private school but also spent a large chunk of her time accelerating in digital marketing for various nonprofits. It began to come into focus that the key to success in a digitally connected world is digital literacy. So, in April 2016, Heather quit her job to start Sharespark Media. Her goal was to educate and empower people to utilize digital media to achieve meaningful goals. “Starting a business was the hardest decision of my life and I didn’t realize how isolating it was. My parents did not approve. I did not feel like I fit in with my peers who were getting married and getting promoted in their careers. So, I turned to YouTube and I used video to authentically share all the ups and downs of my entrepreneurial journey,” Heather recalls.
Living in Long Beach at the time, her world would change in August 2017 when she received a comment on her YouTube channel from a high school digital media teacher named Tom Buck. She connected to chat about their mutual mission of promoting digital literacy and a few weeks later she found her way out to Indio High School and eventually fell in love. They share their story on her channel which you can view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nIp4Bcopjk. The couple were married just days ago on Monday May 18, 2020, steaming the ceremony live on YouTube of course.
Now that she calls the Desert home, Heather can teach you how to create videos that are value driven to the specific needs of your potential customers or viewers. As a YouTube Certified coach and consultant, Heather has over 15,000 followers and over 1 million views on her vlogs, videos, and livestreams. On her website you can find out more about her Zero to YouTube Hero online course. You will learn how to build a successful YouTube channel, create engaging videos, and grow your community.
Heather has inspired me to start my own channel: “Real Estate Palm Springs,” more on that coming soon. If you need some guidance and inspiration on how to share your story with the world, check out her: YouTube Mastermind. This private membership will help you grow your YouTube channel through group coaching, one-on-one feedback, and a supportive community. You can find more info on her website: http://www.sharesparkmedia.com or email her at heather@sharesparkmedia.com.
