One trick to upgrade talking head scripts
If I’m being honest, the hardest type of social media content to make is straight-to-camera, subject matter expert-type content.
Why?
When you’re an SME, it’s harder than ever to see the forest through the trees. I’ve seen some of the smartest people in the world struggle to get their point into a tight :60.
Structure. The best social media content will be packed with value, and get you out fast. You’re not wasting the viewer’s time, and they know exactly what they’re signing up for when they start watching.
One of the best ways I’ve found to cut through the fat and establish exactly who you are is with what I’ve named a “credibility intro.”
What is a credibility intro?
If you’ve spent five minutes on social in the last 2-3 years, I can guarantee you’ve seen this tactic used.
Like everyone’s favorite private chef in the Hamptons, for instance.
Or this corporate HR employee who shares—you guessed it—HR tips.
Do you see what they do there? They get right to the point and state their expertise almost immediately.
“I’m a private chef in the Hamptons, and today I’m…”
“I lead HR at a global company, and this is like a voice memo…”
You’ll hear those credibility intros used over and over again. They’ll start to feel like a skipping record if you find yourself doomscrolling their feeds, no matter what social platform you’re on.
But guess what? It works, especially when you’re trying to establish your audience. As a viewer, within seconds you’re going to know if you want to stick around or not.
How a credibility intro improves your talking head scripts
A credibility intro will immediately do two things I think every piece of social content must accomplish:
Beat the drum. If you’re not saying your message over and over again, they’re not gonna get it.
Establish why the audience should care. You want to hook the people who are in to what you’ve got, and lose the people who aren’t so you can gather the type of data that leads to insights.
Let me know if you try this tactic or if it starts to stick out to you—I’d love to hear your stories!