Since we have been doing Hangouts on Air each week, I have been encouraging others to give it a try. I often hear a few of the same excuses as to why “they” can’t do them. Let’s look at a few and see if we can’t get everyone over that “why I can’t do live video hump“.
FYI I am going to be blunt, if you get your feeling hurt easily or are just looking for excuses, this post may not be for you.
Overcoming Hangups On HangOuts
Table of Contents
#1 – I Don’t Have A Web Cam
Ok, cough up $20 at Wal-Mart and get one. You don’t need any fancy webcam, a cheap one will do. I bet you could save $20 by cutting out a morning coffee or a dinner out. Bam, now you have a webcamâ¦on to the next excuse.
#2 – I Might Look Stupid
You’re right! You might look stupid. In fact everyone has moments when they “look stupid“. We call those bloopers (I have a different word that is not family friendly). Making a mistake is part of life; it is what makes you human. As long as you can laugh at yourself, you’re fine. Perfection is not real life! Take credit for your dorkieness. Seriously, can you trust someone that never seems to make a mistake?
I do the timestamps for our Hangouts on Air and stop the video at times, it never fails that one of us has a stupid look on our face in the “freeze frame“. We all also suffer from brain farts at times. If people want to find imperfections, they will hunt until they find it. Don’t worry about it.
#3 – I Am Not Good At Talking To Strangers
Ok then, do your Hangouts on Air with people you know. Find a fellow blogger or business buddies in your niche and talk to them. Maybe do a few plain old Hangouts, so you understand what everything will look like and get your grounding.
I am not good at talking to strangers, therefore I talk to people I “know“. Come to think about it, are there really any people stranger than Brian and Mitch? Hmmm.
#4 – I’m Not Good At Answering Questions
Think about it, don’t you answer questions all day? Sure you do, in fact you probably just answered that. Ha busted!
Plan out your questions a few days in advance. This gives everyone involved a little time to get their brain into the topic, find any links they may need that are associated and keeps everyone on topic.
Yes, pick a topic and keep all the questions in line with it. If there is a “new” question that comes up, it will probably just be for clarification.
#5 – No One Wants To Watch A Hangouts On Air For My Niche
Really, if no one in the world is interested in your niche, then you may want to think of a new interest. There are always people interested in your topic. It may not be gazillions of people, but you only need to worry about finding the people who share your interest or enthusiasm on a topic.
#6 – No One Will Watch My Live Hangout
Now, look back at “No one wants to watch a Hangouts on Air for my niche” and if you are not the only person with an interest in that topic then you are fine. Think of the Hangouts on Air as a “group” video. Don’t worry about people viewing the live show. Optimize the HoA video and push it just like you would any of the one you have on YouTube.
Here is a Hangouts on Air where we talk about how kids are doing videos instead of making excuses. Wouldn’t you hate for these kids to leave you in their dust? ;-0
Kids Making Videos – No Excuses
If you have any other excuses go ahead and leave a comment with your favorite excuse, I bet we can find a way around it. (Unless it is because HoA’s are not in your country, other than moving, you will have to wait for Google to get them there.)
About Sheryl Loch
I must tell you, I agree that the excuses are weak. To add, a couple suggestions:
1. Don’t start by launching HOA’s, but rather join a few. See Events (left side vertical menu in G+, and find ones right for you, and join them. Connect Google Calendar so you get notifications, reminders. Get experience by being in there, on the “pnalel,” on some other peoples’ HOAs.
2. Don’t expect people to watch the streaming event. The excuse makers are right on this one – people rarely will watch the event live. On the other hand, at the end, you’ll have a video that you can share many places – and embed in blog posts as well. It is even editable right inside Youtube now, in case you want to trim, add titles, etc. The link from my blog with this comment is a recent blog post in which I embedded a brief hangout on air that I did with a G; Community that I launched a month ago. I thought this would be a good example. I think just 1-2 people watched it live, streaming; the video in Youtuieb continues to collect views, though.
Thank for the added tips Saul! Communities are great for finding people interested in your topics!
I also do not worry about live views, I treat them like any other video.
Funny thing, I went to 1 regular hangout, sent Brian an email and said “Let’s do this Hangouts on Air thing”. He, Mitch nor Ben had ever been in a hangout, but we figured it out fast. LOL
I watch some of your HoA on your blog. I would suggest that you have everyone MUTE when they are not speaking. That will make it less “clunky”. The link I have here in this comment I give 10 tips for Inviting Guest to your HOA. The mute thing is high on my list of “drives me nuts”. LOL
# 3rd and #4th are the best excuses as I am also weak at the same. And, thanks fro the tips, I really do.
Yupppp.
No excuses Y’all!
I need to join up on of your google plus hangouts!
But need to get better first 🙂 Been sick for a little bit. Damn
Samuel, I hope you are feeling better.
There really are not to many excuses for not giving them a try. Other than just not having access to the HoA’s.
I’m sure I could think of a million excuses as to why I shouldn’t do them (even now after doing them for a really long time).
I agree that the excuses are weak.I think # 3rd and #5th are the best excuses. Thanks for the tips.
Hung up is very dangerous. But its dangerous can be prevented by hangout