They’ve started the Online Video Revolution without you.  The train has left the station.  You’re yesterday’s news.  Use whatever cliché you want, but the hype is true.  The Internet is being driven by video.  In fact, 90 percent of all Internet traffic will be video within the next three years, according to Cisco and YouTube.  Simply put, if you’re not embracing video, you’re missing a huge opportunity.

So why are you still putting it off?  Here are the five most common lame excuses, along with some tough love suggestions for getting your video act together:

1.      You don’t like the way you look on camera

Are you camera-shy or just plain uncomfortable on camera?  Join the club.  For the vast majority of us not blessed with George Clooney or Jennifer Aniston good looks, being on camera is not a natural, everyday thing.  That leaves you with two options:

Plan A is to suck it up, buttercup!  Get used to it.  Practice.  Work at it.  Force yourself outside your comfort zone until it gets easier.  (Otherwise, you can do what I do and hide behind kids, costumes, pets or props!)

If you’re absolutely dead set against being on camera, or you’ve got a pimple the size of Cleveland on your forehead, then you’ve got to go to Plan B:  Skip the camera altogether and do a PowerPoint video, screencast, photo montage, or some other “off-camera” alternative. 

2.      You’re technophobic

If you can do PowerPoint, you can do video.  If you have a webcam, you can do video.  Heck, if you have an iPhone, you can do video!  Video has become mainstream, low-tech and easier than ever.  The truth is you need very little equipment or technical skills to crank out decent video.  Fear of technology is no excuse, because today there’s so little technology required to produce video.

3.      You don’t have time

Make time.  Video marketing is an investment and you’ll find that it’s time well spent.  Your first few attempts may take a little more time, but once you develop a process that works for you, you’ll get better and faster at it.  Stick to your system and the time challenge won’t be as daunting as you think.  I set aside a few hours on the weekend and do several videos at the same time.

4.      You think it’s too expensive

This is old-school thinking.  Sure, it used to be cost-prohibitive, but you’re not making a major motion picture or producing a Super Bowl commercial.  YouTube is free; Facebook is free; webcams are $30 dollars… You can even edit your video right on YouTube for free.  And if you have a smart phone, you have a video camera in your pocket.  Even if you really want to go hog wild and get studio lights or editing software, you don’t need to spend more than a couple hundred bucks.

5.      You’re not sure where to begin

Steven Covey said it best: “Begin with the end in mind.”  Where you begin depends on where you want to go.  Think about your goals for your video.  What’s your business objective?  More visibility?  More leads?  Better search engine optimization?  Do you want to be the next viral sensation or do you just want a video on your home page to introduce your business to your web visitors?  Your goals will drive your video strategy, so begin at the beginning!

So there you have it.  Excuses eliminated. Problems solved.  Now go forth and make video! The sooner you add online video to your marketing mix, the better and stronger your business will be.

Do you do video already? Has this inspired you to try? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.