Video has long ceased to be merely a medium for watching movies and relaying information. Thanks to the ever growing popularity of video based social sites, the availability of technologies and the Web’s design and flexibility, online video has evolved to be a means of how people communicate with each other, replacing even e-mail.
Online marketing video is the wave of the future and stands poised to define the Web experience of the future, according to Video Insider’s Dave Dutch. This trend presents private enterprise with a huge opportunity, Dutch declares, and the successful ones will be those that engage communities with video that is compelling and continuous.
In fact, some well known brands have embraced the increasingly video-centric web and have exploited it in a number of ways. Dutch gives examples on how promotional videos are impacting corporate Web strategies and business models.
British Sky Broadcasting has eschewed the traditional customary block of images and text on the company’s home page, where visitors may be greeted instead by a running video news feed. Organizations may exploit this capability as a tool to spread company news and information such as populating on-demand libraries with share holder meetings, annual reports, and video news releases.
Marketing video is also a powerful enabler of product support and advice. Dutch cites Scott’s Miracle-Gro Company which uses promotional videos as the primary format for “help” articles on lawn care, gardening, and related topics.
Corporations may also deliver original marketing video content directly to its consumers. Dutch cites the example of Nike.com which offer sports-specific channels that offer video-based training, and feature stories about Nike’s athletes.
Video based programs, seminars, and workshops may also provide a valuable tool to propagate best practices and knowledge management within an organization. According to Dutch, online video could enable a far-flung employee to record and share best practices with his colleagues. IT consulting firm Bluewolf shares its case studies and testimonials with external audiences on Bluewolf TV, according to Dutch.
Finally, user-generated content can turn customers and fans into a network of content creators who communicate through promotional videos, according to Dutch. For an example, he cites cult footwear favorite Crocs, which has set up a site that invites lovers and haters of the brand to upload videos about how they feel about the product. Dutch declares online video and the social Web combine to enable business to create and sustain new communities.
