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How to Automate Video Follow-Ups Using Vidyard

The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting a warm glow as I sat at my cluttered desk. My laptop buzzed with notifications, a digital symphony of reminders and meetings and deadlines piling up like laundry I never intended to wash. It was during one of these evenings, with a coffee-stained mug in hand and a million tabs open in my browser, that I stumbled upon Vidyard. I had a simple revelation — video communication could breathe life into the cold, emotionless follow-ups. But who has time to craft personalized videos for every single client or lead? No one, that's who. So, we dig into automation.

Let's embark on this little journey together. This is not just about the technicalities but also about injecting humanity into the machine-fed world we find ourselves tangled in.

Discovering Vidyard: A Digital Odyssey​

Picture this: We’re in a bustling city of digital tools. Vidyard stands there, not particularly flashy but dressed smartly, like an understated scholar among neon-clad peers. It was Jack who first told me about it. Jack, with his endearing penchant for innovation — constantly tinkering with new technologies like a child discovering the world for the first time. He once made his fridge send him a tweet when the milk ran low.

Step 1: Setting Up Vidyard Like We’re Building a Sandcastle​

First, a good foundation. Head over to Vidyard's website and sign up for a free account — think of it as setting foot into an amusement park of possibilities. Download the Vidyard extension for either Chrome or Edge because, let’s face it, we're advanced enough to have options even for browsers nowadays.

As you install the extension, a neat little Vidyard icon pops in the corner of your browser — it’s almost like turning on a Christmas light for the first time, sparking a sense of potential magic.

Step 2: Record the Perfect Video – Action!​

There’s an art to crafting a video that doesn’t send viewers darting for the 'close' button. Imagine you're in your favorite coffee shop — background noise gently buzzing, aroma wafting through the air. Grab your webcam or set up your smartphone; just make sure your face is illuminated, and your charisma is at its peak. Nobody likes a shadowy mystery figure trying to sell them something.

Now, click that Vidyard icon like it owes you money, and select the 'Record' option. Here’s where you can choose between screen recording, webcam, or a bit of both — the world is your oyster shell, cue the pearls of wisdom. Keep your message succinct, engaging. Remember, brevity is not just the soul of wit but also the attention span limiter.

Step 3: Customizing Video Content​

Remember Emily from accounting? Always going the extra mile with her color-coded spreadsheets and perfectly brewed herbal teas. She suggested using the annotation feature to highlight key points. Annotations can be added by clicking the 'Edit' button, allowing us to spotlight crucial information like a teacher with a really bright laser pointer in a dark room.

Incorporate a call-to-action (CTA) — think of it as a gentle nudge rather than a push. "Schedule a Call" or "Download Guide" should suffice, like leaving an invitation to continue this eloquent digital conversation via clickable buttons.

Automate Like We’re Time Travelers​

The beauty of Vidyard isn’t just the delightful video-making; it’s the mind-bending automation options akin to having a time machine, minus any potentially catastrophic temporal rifts.

Step 4: Integrating with CRM – Our Trusty Companion​

You remember Daisy from sales, right? She’s always so chill, never a hair out of place, letting tech do the heavy lifting. Her secret? CRM integration. Head into Vidyard settings and navigate through integrations like a guided tour through a museum of innovation. Hook Vidyard up with your CRM — be it HubSpot, Salesforce, or others that sound equally sophisticated.

Two clicks here, a nod there, and boom — your videos automatically synchronize with contact profiles and engagement metrics like magic yet performed by pragmatic, number-crunching elves.

Step 5: Employing Automated Video Workflows​

Imagine building a Rube Goldberg machine, one task leading to another in a beautifully orchestrated dance. Delve into the 'Video Hub' tab on Vidyard’s interface, select 'New Workflow' as if you’re opening a secret chamber, and tap into the step-by-step flow of seamless automation.

Craft scenarios where viewing your video triggers personalized follow-up emails or other marketing actions. These workflows act as behind-the-scenes maestros, enabling seamless, efficient communication while keeping us free to binge on those cat videos guilt-free.

Step 6: Tracking and Analyzing Like a Modern-day Sherlock​

Back when I was still green to this, Sam, a friend and data enthusiast, nudged me to pay close attention to analytics. It was while sipping burnt coffee in an over-bright co-working space that he showed me the wonders of Vidyard’s insights.

Open 'Insights' and conjure up a dashboard saturated with metrics on who watched your video, for how long, and how many cups of virtual tea they metaphorically drank during said viewing. These analytics are gold. It’s like having x-ray vision but far less intrusive and hopefully leading to more nurturing business relationships.

Human Connection in a Non-Autonomous Universe​

It’s bizarrely grand, isn't it? Technology wrapping around us, like an invisible cloak, doing the heavy lifting while we focus on what makes us defiantly, hilariously human — connecting, sharing stories, laughing at GIFs that will still be funny ten years from now. Vidyard doesn’t just automate; it gifts us snippets of time, a buffer to step away and enjoy the little things.

And as we wave goodbye to this afternoon's shared endeavor, our digital toolbox enhanced, perhaps we'll meander away a little smarter, a touch more efficient. So, here’s to sharing more than just bytes across the great, sparkling etheric expanse — may our endeavors continue to be as warm and inviting as a fireside chat with dear friends.

Keep tinkering, stay curious, laugh easily. In the world of automation, it’s the nonsensical human touch — our spontaneity and whimsies — that both baffles and delights in equal measure. Which is exactly how I like it, I suspect you do too.