Below are a list of resources I recommend and use on a regular basis to help run my online video business. As time goes by, I will do my best to keep this page updated with the latest and new resources.
Enjoy!
Gideon Shalwick
WordPress Blog Setup
- BecomeABlogger.com: 10 free videos showing you how to set up your own WordPress blog.
- WordPress.org Free blog publishing platform that I use for all of my blogs.
- Thesis Theme: The best WordPress theme for SEO to help you rank in Google (The theme that I’ve always used for inital blog setup).
- Canvas Theme.: I’ve just updated my gideon.shalwick blog to the Canvas Theme from WooThemes. It is a highly customizable theme so you can make your blog look exactly how you want it.
- ReTweet Plugin: Adds a button which easily lets you retweet your blog posts.
- FaceBook Like Button Plugin: Allows Facebook users to vote for your posts, and adds your link to their Facebook page when they vote.
- Subscribe To Comments Plugin: Allows people to subscribe to your comments and keeps driving them back to your site.
- What Would Seth Godin Do Plugin: Add your RSS link or any other link to new visitors to your blog.
- Akismet Plugin: Must have plugin to get rid of comment spam.
- Sociable Plugin: Help your audience spread the word about your great blog posts.
- XML Site Map Generator Plugin: Makes your site Google friendly and helps all your pages get indexed correctly.
- WordPress Spoiler Plugin: Allows you to add text to your posts that is hidden by default.
- The Genki YouTube Comments Plugin: Automatically ads comments from your YouTube videos straight to your blog posts.
- Smart YouTube Plugin: Makes it easy to embed YouTube videos on your blog.
- Right click here to download the smartyoutube.class.php file to your computer
- Popup Domination Plugin: The worlds leading lightbox software.
Hosting and Domain Name
- NameCheap.com: Where I register my domain names.
- HostGator.com: (Coupon for $9.94 discount: gideonshalwick) I used HostGator for hosting when I first started out until my traffic outgrew it.
- Knownhost.com: This is where my sites are now hosted on a dedicated server.
Email Marketing
- Aweber Communications Email Marketing Software: I use Aweber to build my email list and deliver my newsletters.
Website Creation
- FusionHQ: Amazing software I use to create all my squeeze pages, sales pages, membership sites etc (everything that is not a blog). I do it all very easily myself without the need a technical assistant thanks to FusionHQ. It also includes an affiliate management system that I now use.
Video Editing Software
- ScreenFlow: This is what I use for screen capture and video editing on my Mac.
- iWork Keynote: Very useful for creating slides or graphics for my videos (Mac).
- Camtasia Studio: Screen capture software for PC.
- Sony Vegas HD Software: Video editing software for PC.
- Jing Project: Free screen recording software that I use to instantly create and upload instruction videos for my staff.
- Screenr.com: Free screen recording service that you don’t even need to install any software for.
Video Recording Equipment
High End (What I use now):
- Canon EOS 60D: My current DSLR camera that I use for my blog videos.
- Nifty 50 Lens: The lens I use to achieve a blurred background.
- Sony UWP-V1 Wireless Microphone: My current microphone for video recordings.
- Rode Podcaster USB Microphone: USB computer microphone I use for screen capture videos and Skype.
- Fluorescent Lighting: Note these are not the same brand as I use as my ones are from Australia but they look the same.
Mid Range (What I’ve used previously):
- Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera: I have a Kodak Zi8 camera for when I need to record longer videos.
- Audio Technica Lavalier Microphone: I used this one to plug into my KodakZi8 to improve sound.
- Blue Microphones Snowball USB Microphone: Computer microphone that I highly recommend.
Entry Level (What I started with):
- Flip UltraHD Camcorder: I used the Flip to create most of the content for my RVB course.
- Sony ICD-UX200 Digital Voice Recorder: Voice recorder I used with my Flip camera to improve the sound.
- Edirol R-09HR WAVE/MP3 Recorder: High quality voice recorder that I upgraded to.
- Audio Technica Lavalier Microphone: Microphone to plug into voice recorder.
- Logitech USB Desktop Microphone: USB computer microphone I first started out with.
Video Hosting
- YouTube: I use YouTube for hosting my free blog content videos.
- Vimeo Pro: This is where I host protected content and sales videos.
Outsourcing
- Virtual Staff Finder: Staff finding service I used to find one of my outsource staff. Good for an ongoing position.
- ODesk.com: This is where my own recruitment specialist finds my staff.
- Elance.com: You can hire someone here for any one off tasks you want to outsource.
- Guru.com: You can hire someone here for any one off tasks you want to outsource.
- WordsIntoProfits.com (transcribing): The service I used for transcribing all my videos for RVB.
- www.TweetPages.com(twitter backgrounds): The service I used for creating my twitter background.
Books
- Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us
- Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t
- The Lazy Way to Success: How to Do Nothing and Accomplish Everything
- An Entrepreneur Guide to Finding Your Flow; Your Life Your Legacy
- Crossing the Chasm
Additional Tools
- Splasheo.com: Service I use for cool video outros as well as well as custom intros, outros and lower thirds.
- Dropbox.com
- Google Adwords Keyword Tool
- YouTube Suggestion Tool
- Google Reader
- Orkut
- Ezine Articles
- Feedburner
- www.Shockwave-Sound.com
- Teleprompter for Mac
- Teleprompter for PC
Affiliate Disclaimer: Please note that this page contains a bunch of affiliate links to the products and services that are listed. You are welcome to buy through my affiliate links, and if you do, I will get paid a percentage of the sale. And of course, you’re welcome not to buy through my links if that is your choice – but I just wanted to be clear about the affiliate links above.
Hi Gideon,
I have noticed that you don’t have a contact page on here. Is that on purpose? Anyway I want to ask you a question about membership sites. I’m hopefully launching my blog logisticsBlog.info in about 2-3 weeks time. After hopefully building a little bit of a following I would be looking to have a paying membership site/section.
However like most of what I’m doing at the minute I’m walking blind into this and trying to find out whatever I can. Would you be able to point me in the right direction for setting up membership sites. I mean from the actual beginning from the best way to collect the cash and how the admin of it works. Also what other perks are good to attract people into a membership site?
Any help would be brilliant.
Dave
Hi Gideon,
Me too, wanted to create a membership site. I have contacted yaro but the admin said they have closed the programme and will only open later in the year. Can you help me since you learn from Yaro before?????
Thanks a million.
Hi Annie
I have a course on membership sites yes – can you please email my team at support@rapidvideoblogging.com? We can then set you up for the next step…
Gideon
Thanks Gideon
Hi Gideon,
I was hoping to find an email address to contact you. I have no idea what I am doing and need a lot of direction. Starting with recommendations for video equipment which I see is here on your site.
I want to videotape presentations given by presenters who are going to use Powerpoint in their presentation. The presentations will be an hour in length and will have a question and answer period as well.
What is the best way to set this up? I feel at a complete loss since it isn’t videotaping the presenter but a powerpoint.
thank you,
Lisa
Hey Lisa
For recording Powerpoint presentations… if you’re on PC, just use Camtasia, and on Mac, use ScreenFlow.
Easy.
Gideon
I’m thoroughly enjoying your tutorials and had two quick questions. How would you compare Vimeo’s service with YouTube’s and how would you rate the Vimeo Plus solution for implementing your concepts as a viral video hosting solution?
Hi, Gideon,
I am a subscriber to your Rapid Video Blogging.
I am looking for someone to set up my business on line the same way as you have done with your you tube videos and blogs. Do you provide this service or could your recommend someone who could and is associated with you?
I have come across someone on the internet “We build your blog.com” who says he knows you. Would they be someone you could recommend?
Thanks,
Rod
Hi Gideon,
Just wanted to say Thank You for offering such great training for FREE! I lost my job 3 months ago and spent the first 6 weeks looking for a new one. I am 54 years old and found out that means “overqualified” these days and turned to the Internet for something I could do from home. After spending way too much money on “guru” products I tripped over your videos on YouTube. I learned more from your 10 videos than I did with 2 months of wasting my time and money on “Guru” products. Today I also watched Yaro’s video and must say that the two of you are to be congratulated for such fantastic content before asking for a single dime. I didn’t accept your training offer when downloading your free stuff because I was already gun shy about the quick add-on pitch. I think you should offer it after reading your Road map. Either way. Thank You for such outstnding training and guidance!
I have a categories tab on my menu (Thesis Theme). When I posted a new video today, it shows up on my blog, which I don’t want, and won’t show up in my categories, just the title of my video, but the movie won’t show. Can you help?
Thank you
Hi Gideon,
Just came across your site and love it so far…your new office looks amazing and being surrounded by like-minded people must be great!
I had a quick look but couldn’t find the answer to a question I have. Who would you recommend to host downloadable online videos with? I would like to sell video clips from my site using Paypal, Clickbank, PayDotCom etc and need somewhere that would host them and provide and expiry-loaded link.
Many thanks for any guidance and keep up the great work!
Nick
ATP
can you list in numbered form all the equipment or software, starting from the best! cheers, your’e the best!
Gideon,
Question? Do you know a way that you can tigger the Kodak Zi8 camera so that I can record my own videos without having someone at the camera to turn it off and on.
Thanks for your help and keep up the great work.
Regards,
William Collins
I have purchased the Rapid Video Blogging. I scanning some of the comments and the book, I have been unable to find any examples of what some of these folks are doing. I have many interests, including writing, political, writing about people, experiences and so on. I would appreciate a brief comment on anything that relates or a niche that you feel is being underserved. I guess I need a starting point. Any comments will be appreciate.
Thanks
Hello giddeon,
I do love your blog. And I have a question. Which software do you use to animate objects in your movie? Powerpoint? Sony vegas pro trackmotion?
Thank you for this great job.