Archive for April, 2010

Labels Search Youtube, Other Video Websites for New Talent

Monday, April 26th, 2010

Source: http://tinyurl.com/2ulnu33

For many of YouTube’s most prominent performers, the hundreds of hours spent perfecting digital video production are paying off. From stand up comedians to amateur actors, a growing number of YouTube’s power users are being approached by film studios and record labels, eager to bring their amateur talent into a professional environment.

Teen superstar Justin Bieber’s career was launched after he was discovered on YouTube by record producers, leading the sixteen-year-old into a worldwide tour and successful recording contract. For other YouTube stars, the ride has been slightly less glamorous. Hundreds of would-be actors and actresses have used YouTube as their own public audition room, gaining valuable feedback and exposure to major production houses.

Alongside the professional side of YouTube, a large portion of the website’s decidedly amateur users have turned their skill in video production into a healthy income. DavidsFarm – a well-known Canadian vehicle and extreme stunts channel – has gained millions of views throughout the last two years, earning its founder a six-figure income and unexpected fame.

While YouTube’s most visible successes have been those of individuals, online companies and businesses have invested in interactive video for success too. From action-driven websites to simple informational pages, YouTube videos have been embedded and incorporated into hundreds of the world’s most popular, lucrative, and successful online properties.

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New Developments for Youtube’s Video Rental Program

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Source: http://tinyurl.com/klde5y

YouTube’s new video rental system has attracted praise from media industry critics, who believe that the online video mega-site is one of the few properties capable of competing with traditional rental services. However, it appears development on the system isn’t quite finished yet.

Google product manager Hunter Walk hinted at some new additions to the popular website’s video sharing system. Video producers will be able to publish their content on a pay-to-view basis, allowing users to access their interactive videos digitally for a small fee.

The new changes appear to give digital video production a slightly more defined and simple revenue model. Publishers have often complained about YouTube’s currently limited revenue model, which allows users to monetize their content only through overlay advertisements and page banners.

With advanced digital video production available to many of YouTube’s users, it appears that the pay-to-view model could attract some serious digital art. However, online content gurus are slightly annoyed at the decision, complaining that online community content should be available free of charge.

Whichever side you favour, the implications of YouTube’s new revenue system are vast and interesting. Amateur video producers, some unable to gain the attention of film studios and video production services, could see their work available as a paid product on a global scale.

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Digital Video: The Web’s Newest Search Marketing Aide?

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Source: http://tinyurl.com/2wr5dp8

Search marketers have constantly been trumped by one annoying online measure: Google’s quality score. Pay-per-click advertisers and search engine optimization experts alike have tried numerous methods to ‘trick’ Google into improving theirs, each without positive results and almost all met with some form of rank or display-based punishment.

But there may be a real solution to thousands of marketers’ quality score issues: interactive video. With Google’s new video indexing algorithm and subtitle scanning, video content has become more than just a way to fill a page – it’s a real solution to the lack of content that can affect so many search-powered websites.

Alongside interactive video’s new ability to index with subtitles, there’s another reason to invest in online video production for search purposes. Bounce rate, one of Google’s indicators of website quality, can decrease significantly when visitors are drawn into your website by an alluring video or narration widget.

Small changes can often result in major advantages, especially for ultra-competitive online businesses. If you’re struggling to retain visitors and appear in Google’s search index, maybe an investment in dedicated online video production is the answer. For sales, interest, or long-term lead generation, few alternatives compare.

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Online Video is a Strategy, Not Just a Tactic

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

The internet is, quite literally, alight with discussion of SEO, pay-per-click marketing, and social media. Each marketing tactic is discussed near endlessly, with marketing experts, experienced online businesspeople, and newbies alike sharing success stories of how to generate more traffic, how to appear higher in search results, and how to direct more people to your website.

It’s a goal that’s common amongst webmasters and online businesses: gain more traffic. However, as a goal it’s often misperceived and prioritized poorly. For most online businesses, the goal isn’t just more traffic, but more sales, conversions, and enquiries.

That’s where a different type of strategy comes in: on-page optimization. From convincing sales copy to image-heavy and sales-focused design, webmasters have experimented with a range of tactics for increasing sales. There’s one option that’s growing increasingly more popular – not just as a tactic, but as a sales strategy – interactive video.

While SEO, PPC, and social media can drive traffic, they’re valueless without a strategy to drive customer interaction and increase attention. Thousands of webmasters, major companies, and small service businesses are discovering daily, that customer interaction and action-driven attention comes from on-page promotional video.

It’s not just a tactic, it’s a strategy. If your marketing efforts are generating attention but lack interaction, a well-placed and convincingly designed promotional video could be the missing link in your marketing strategy.

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Political Parties Use Online Video to Generate Debate Questions

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Source: http://tinyurl.com/2wyfe2e

While most people think of YouTube as a collection of cute videos and funny clips, some of Britain’s most influential political parties are using the popular video sharing website as a platform for their campaigns. Party leaders Gordon Brown, David Cameron, and Nick Clegg answered questions from a list generated by YouTube users, giving the public a say in which issues are prioritized this election.

Interactive video was widely used in the 2008 United States Presidential Election, with both Republican and Democratic campaigners investing heavily in the digital video service. While video production has always been a key point for political campaigners – slick TV advertisements and presentations are the norm in election campaigns – the extensive use of digital video is catching many election analysts off guard.

Popular topics of discussion included potential tax increases, the Digital Economy Bill, and Britain’s involvement in the War in Afghanistan. All three candidates were polled using Facebook’s voting API according to their answers and party policies. At the time of polling, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg was leading online interest polls made up of Facebook and YouTube users.

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