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Online Videos … The Move to Entertain, Educate, Sell

Guest post by: Andy Marken

Article Overview: If you're like us you're watching more of your TV over the Internet. Why not? No need to let some psycho at the network dictate what you watch and when. Funny thing is the ads even look better on the iNet. They're faster, crisper, more entertaining. Ok not all...some are long, boring, sloppy, crappy! All by ourselves we're going to change all that (yeah right) with some advice to those folks on how they can produce better videos that folks want to watch. If only a few listen maybe you'll want to begin a steady diet of marketing videos. Wouldn't that be great you watch the stuff then you go buy the stuff, the economy gets better, you miss more TV shows, watch more stuff on the Web and the cycle continues till we finally take most governments off life support and they act like responsible citizens...cool !!!!

Online Videos … The Move to Entertain, Educate, Sell

"Money is honey! Money is honey!" - Max Bailystock (Zero Mostel) - The Producers (1968), Embassy Pictures

Ever wonder why when someone wants to show you how good their device is, they never show you a PowerPoint presentation?

They're boring...yes, even yours!

But video?

It grabs your attention and keeps your attention.

It's so good that recently Cisco reported that IP traffic (that's Internet stuff) will increase five-fold by 2013, and 90 percent of the stuff will be video.

Internet video already accounts for one-third of all consumer Internet traffic.

According to Pew, 62% of online users watched video through a sharing site in April. They found 19% of the folks also downloaded podcasts.

Maybe that's why Nielsen Company reports that YouTube is pushing out about 1.2 billion streams every day!

All that video may strain the iNet infrastructure, but there's no turning back when folks thirst for great content.

Anytime, Anywhere - People in all walks of life are finding that there is an untapped source of education, information and entertainment that they can enjoy when, where they want just by logging onto the Web and doing a little searching. And the numbers who have "discovered" online video continues to grow. Source - Pew Internet & American Life Project

Right Market Demos

Sure, the viewer demographics are skewed to the younger crowd; but marketing folks are interested in the audience because they tend to be higher-income.

Then, add the fact that they tend to have more of the devices the PC/CE/communications industry is trying to sell to these folks.

Your Kinda' People - The people who tend to watch more and more video online also tend to be the people the PC/CE/communications industry wants to reach, inform. They have more of the latest devices and they're always looking to learn more, use more. Source - GigaOm Pro

More than 23% of the content is ad supported.

Don't believe what Max said, "This man should be in a straight-jacket."

People really don't mind the ads.

Don't Mind - Online video viewers more readily accept online ads as a part of the price they pay for watching video content for free. Ads tend to be shorter and fewer in number, so they are more readily accepted. Source - Frank N. Magid Assoc.

Pay a subscription or transaction fee or get it "free?" We'll take the ads every time.

Increasingly, businesses and retailers are putting online video into their marketing mix.

Good Tool to Use - Progressive marketers seem to be embracing the use of video content more quickly and with sound results. Video blogs, podcasts, email video links, rich media websites are just a few of the tools they are adding, monitoring, measuring. Source - Multichannel Merchant

It doesn't have to be expensive to get started, so you don't have to agree with Roger, "Wait! This is a decision that could affect my entire life! I shall have to think about it."

Business Script

Start with a little planning:

- Determine what you want to achieve - education, product recognition, sales - and plan how you're going to do it.

- Personalize your company, your product, yourself - show your enthusiasm, commitment, passion.

- Keep your message short - 10-minutes max - and show you understand how important your audience and their time is.

- Use an inexpensive but good camera and some easy-to-use software like muvee Pixie or Reveal 8 and don't struggle to turn your video into a Hollywood production. A few imperfections humanize the video and add credibility that viewers can identify with.

- Have fun, experiment with ideas. The most viral company videos are those that show people how to do something new, interesting, different with the product in the video.

- Make your video is pertinent to your product and includes things consumers want to do, or are considering doing, with your product, service.

- Make certain people can view your video by adding links and titles so search engines can find your video(s).

- Don't do just one video and think your work is done. Serialize your videos, telling as many (short) stories as possible.

- Promote your videos like everything else you do using social sites, the web, blogs, releases, newsletters

Once you get into doing videos, you'll scream like Max, "That's it, baby, when you've got it, flaunt it, flaunt it!"

Limited Crew, Budget - While most major corporations are hiring online video production specialists to create and place their videos; there's no reason you can't undertake and test the application yourself. All it takes is a decent camera, a good editing computer, low-cost/automated production software and a link to video websites. Then, track/monitor viewer feedback/results. Screen - muvee

Interesting, informational, short videos are more believable than polished ads.

Using the automated video production software, you can quickly explain products/services, incorporate as many SEO (search engine optimization) links as possible and visually help customers use your products/services...show them how much fun, how easy, profitable and rewarding it is.

Personalized Approach

Go cheap by using members of your team as the "actors."

It's an ego boost for them when people say, "hey I saw your video," and it humanizes your company and the product.

New product announcements, new/different uses of existing products, how-tos, technical videos all connect the consumer to the company, the brand.

Just remember, it's not a one-way discussion.

Monitor viewer feedback/inputs.

Get a good idea...make another video.

Better yet, encourage customers - real users - to submit their videos and include them in your web site, video blogs, podcasts.

Do your videos right, do them consistently and people will be watching your content on all of their platforms - laptops, desktops (home, office), smartphones, tablets.

Who knows, they may even bring up your video in the store when they're considering a purchase!

Company videos don't require bringing in a complete production crew...just a few simple/inexpensive tools and people who want to do a good job.

Shoot, Edit, Show

Don't be afraid to take the plunge. Consumers are embracing online video.

Just remember, Cisco estimates that annual global IP traffic will exceed two-thirds of a Zettabyte (667 Exabytes) in four years.

That's a lot of video.

Some of it might as well be yours!

As Max said, "Sing it out, men! Higher, you animals, higher! We open in Leavenworth Saturday night!"

Can't be any worse than sitting through another PowerPoint presentation.

# # #

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Article Tags: amp, cisco, communications industry, consumer internet, crowd, education information, grabs, honey money, internet traffic, money is honey, nielsen company, pew, powerpoint presentation, producers, streams, thirst, untapped source, viewer demographics, walks of life, zero mostel



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