• by Daisy Whitney , Op-Ed Contributor, February 2, 2012

If Blackberry’s latest online video effort is any indication, CEOs are increasingly going to put themselves on camera and, by extension, on YouTube and online. But there are good ways and not-so-good ways  to place an executive on the Web, as the company’s new CEO Thorsten Heins learned in his seven-minute YouTube video introducing himself to the world.

CEO and executive videos will become common. Because as businesses move towards more transparency that includes showcasing their executives in online video. How can you put your execs on the small screen and ensure they represent the company well? I asked Nick Balletta, CEO of technology communications company Talkpoint, which specializes in unified communications and webcasting, on his best practices for corporate online video.

Ensure the speaker is comfortable with the information presented:

“The speaker needs to be comfortable with the material they are presenting in order to provide an engaging discussion with the appropriate voice inflections,” Balletta said. “Schedule a practice session to help prepare the speaker. They’ll feel more at ease with the material.”

Avoid a “talking head:”

Make certain that the speaker doesn’t come across as a “talking head,” Balletta said. “Engage and motivate your audience with useful tips, stories and words of advice, but avoid using a string of clichés or meaningless jargon.”

Incorporate a range of visual elements:

Using b-roll and graphics can help to engage the viewers. “Audiences like to see a mix of the speaker talking with other visual or interactive elements (think of a news broadcast),” he said.

Keep it short – One to two minutes is often best, especially for introductory videos for new executives.