There’s only one real rule when it comes to creating short-form video content: Get started today.
MDRT members are leveraging vertical video — portrait-style video that fills the entire screen of a smartphone held upright that has become popular on major social media platforms — in a wide range of ways and targeting different potential clients. Whether it’s to build a brand or establish expertise in a particular field, motivated advisors are experimenting, iterating and capturing new clients in this brave new world of short-form video.
A cursory review of their content reveals a broad spectrum of approaches — from humorous to educational — which teaches its own lesson: There is no rule book for building a video following.
Tone matters
Creativity and strategy are the two guiding principles for making strong video content, according to Krista Neher, a digital marketing expert and a 2025 MDRT EDGE presenter.
“You need to earn attention, and people need to want to pay attention to you,” she said, noting that it’s one of the big differences between social media and other kinds of advertising. “People need to opt in, so we need to think a little bit about how we are conveying this message in an interesting way.”
Neher, who focuses her videos on LinkedIn, said that means steering clear of what she calls “AI slop,” or impersonal video content generated using artificial intelligence tools. Social media “plays a huge role” in nurturing clients, and while AI is a powerful tool for some aspects of the business, she said, it’s not a substitute for adding human connection into your content.
“We do business with people we know, like and trust, and nobody likes or trusts AI, especially content that looks like it’s made from AI,” she said.
Nguyễn Thị Thu Dung, an eight-year MDRT member, also stressed the importance of authenticity and human connection in her videos.
“In our videos, we speak as if we’re confiding in our clients,” she said. “The tone should feel honest and genuine to build trust with viewers.”
Dung knows a thing or two about video content creation — one of her TikTok shorts on life insurance reached 1.1 million views and about 10,000 likes. Authenticity doesn’t have to mean boring. “Create titles that are a bit shocking,” she said.
Outlandish titles like “Don’t buy insurance, you might get scammed,” or “Buying insurance might risk losing your money,” have piqued the interest of viewers just enough to make them view the whole video.
“When you make these kinds of videos or discuss conflicting public opinions, you can be a little cheeky,” Dung said. “But avoid being too harsh or aggressive, especially when challenging a mainstream opinion. Make sure you can back it up with detailed evidence.”
This is an excerpt from the May/June 2026 article, “Ready for your close-up?” MDRT members can read the full version on mdrt.org.
