Phil Cooke offers practical tips on producing short videos and using social media to establish your brand and gain followers in Part II of this series on branding.   What do people think of when they think of your church, business or nonprofit? Strategic branding can establish an emotional connection with the audience you are working to reach.   Here’s a recap of “Branding your Church or Nonprofit Part I” points to keep in mind about branding: Get on the radar. Visibility is just as important as ability. Everything communicates. People are unforgiving in the digital culture. Word travels fast! Understand the power of a name. Your name matters. Understand the language of design. It’s more important than most people think.   As you consider your brand persona, understand the power of short videos. It’s the number one marketing tool in America. What story can you tell about your ministry or nonprofit? Stories of people whose lives have been changed are especially powerful. For example… More than 85% of internet users watch videos regularly. 46% of people said they would like to seek out more information after watching a short video. It’s a powerful open door to share more about what you do. Mobile viewers watch videos 3x longer than those on PC or laptops. Think of creating for small screens.   You don’t need an elaborate set up to shoot a short video. Use your iPhone and tell your or somebody else’s story. For tips on how to produce short videos better, visit Phil’s blog at https://philcooke.com.   When it comes to branding, take social media seriously.It’s a powerful tool for mobilizing people. For example… More than 50% of the world’s population is under 30. Social media is the #1 activity online. In 2009, studies show that online students are performing better than students taught in the classroom.   Facebook is the largest “country” in the world. Stop thinking in terms of geographical boundaries for evangelism. Facebook is the future of ministry and evangelism coupled with face-to face evangelism.   Tips for posting on social media: Make it personal. People want to know what it’s like to be you behind the scenes. Give them a glimpse of your struggles, your triumphs, what you do. Offer encouragement for others.Offer inspiration for others who are doing similar things as you, whether you’re a filmmaker, screenwriter or a ministry leader. Share practical tips.Share every day tips to help others be more effective. (i.e Soth Godin, Tim Farris) Ask questions. Ask the tough questions that get people talking. Post quotes from others.   Growing your followers on social media is not about ego. It’s about reaching as many people as possible with your message.   Bonus social media tip:Consider following people you respect and pay attention to what they say. Respond where appropriate from time to time. They may respond back… which means they’ve just showed your name to their millions of followers that follow you. It can bump up your followers! It’s a powerful tool to help your social media presence.   Final thoughts… Branding is about a niche. For example, Alison Krauss has “owned” the bluegrass awards. She became famous by being the best in that niche category – and now she can do whatever she wants because of it!   You can try to be the best director in Hollywood and compete with others like Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg. Or you can become the best director in a smaller niche category where you can become noticed, which can open up other categories for you down the road.   It’s the same with authors and also, for example, with ministry leaders who have developed their niche and have gained followers because of staying in that category. (i.e. John Maxwell, Jack Hayford)   For Phil, his niche is the intersection of faith, media and culture: How our faith uses media to interact with culture. No matter whether you’re a pastor, filmmaker or writer  - choose a category and then be the best in the world in a narrow category.   B