Better Internet
Video Marketing

Remember Betamax? VHS? Laser Disc?  With the rapid pace of technology, the quality and type of video formats have been changing and improving continuously.  It would be interesting to look at how video formats have developed and improved over the years to further appreciate the progress video has made over the years and maybe catch a glimpse of what is ahead.  Kyle Cassidy helps us by giving a rundown of the various video formats over the years.

Betamax and VHS waged a format war in the 1980’s with the latter coming out as the home video standard. The format allowed for three speeds and used a helical recording head which allowed the data stripes to be longer despite the ½ inch wide tape.  VHS had other variants which used smaller cassettes such as Super VHS which had improved video and audio.  Both the Betamax and VHS formats allowed stereo and mono audio.  VHS had 240 scan lines while Betamax had 250 scan lines, a shorter tape and shorter playing times. Although nearly all movie studios have stopped making videos in these formats, the number of home videos recorded on VHS assures that it will remain in people’s homes for some time yet.  While it lost the home video war, Betamax became the standard for professional use and remained so for more than two decades.

Kodak’s introduction of the Video8 format in 1984 allowed the creation of extremely portable cameras. Sony later on developed an upgraded version of the Video8 format called Hi8 with improved image quality.  This gave a big advantage to those who do corporate video production.

The dawn of the digital age did not leave video behind.  Video was now transferred by DVD to large, multi-channel home theaters or watched on low resolution portable devices.  Sony developed the Digital8 format, a highly improved version of the Video8 with 500 lines of resolution and twice the tape speed. However, the decks and the camcorders didn’t score high with consumers and the format is considered dead by many, according to Cassidy.

In 1995, Sony announced it was releasing two cameras which would record in digital format which meant there would be no loss of quality during duplication and 25% more lines of resolution than Hi8.  Big companies found it amusing and used it for their corporate video production.  Other manufacturers followed suit and soon professional news outfits and indie film makers embraced the smaller, sleeker cameras. Cassidy remarks that there were three popular DV formats, the Mini DV, DVCAM and the DVCPRO each with 500 lines of resolution.

The entry and use of digital recording ushered the entry of the HD formats. JVC launched the first HDV consumer camcorder which could record 720p video.  All HDV camcorders record in MPEG-2 compressed bitstreams to standard Mini DV tapes.  AVCHD, on the other hand, writes MPEG-4 AVC bitstreams to devices such as memory cards, hard drives, or optical discs.

Technorati Tags: corporate video, corporate video production, corporate videos, promotional videos

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.

Technorati Tags: marketing video, promotional videos

If you’re frustrated with the quality of your video production here are 10 easy to implement tips that will help you produce a better Internet video right away.

Internet Video Marketing is the best way to sell your products and services online! You can put a video clip into your ad page, or it can stand on its own as an ad. You can measure how many hits your video clip gets. You can also equip ads to assess your viewers’ follow-through—for instance, whether they click through to learn moreabout your product, or even order it. These vital ten tips will achieve successful Internet video marketing campaign.

1. Attention–we have a problem! You must convince your audience immediately that they have a problem your product or service will resolve. Your opening seconds are critical to this. Also, consider your targeted population’s likely style preferences. Will your viewers appreciate a humorous look at the product? Is a serious approach appropriate? The very first frame of your video must convince your viewers to click on the play button.
2. Next your video must demonstrate that your product is the first or the best to successfully eliminate the problem. No matter which style you choose, avoid using a hard-sell technique. Use the advisor role and speak to your customer as if you really want to help them solve their problem. Get your viewers to think of possibilities. Rather than trashing competitors’ brands, which can take you down legal roads you don’t want to travel, explain why yours is the most, the best, the ultimate.
3. How will your average viewer’s life change if he or she purchases your product? The next portion of your video should demonstrate that by taking action to purchase your product, the buyer is making a smart, informed decision. And what are their purchase options? It’s wise to offer both online and alternative purchasing. You can capture orders immediately for those comfortable making Internet purchases, but many people still prefer not to give information online.
4. Keep your Internet video ads or clips short. People are busy, and long videos will lose viewers—even if they’re interested, they might not have the time for long ads. Anything longer than two minutes must be riveting.
5. Graphics serve a two-fold purpose. They flash facts or images into your viewer’s memory that will keep him thinking about your product. They also break up shots of the speaker for a creative flow during the video.
6. Music or sound effects must be appropriate to your target audience’s preference. If you’re trying to hook the older baby boomers, rap music isn’t the right approach! Also, pay close attention to modulation and clarity. Annoying sound levels will lose viewers.
7. Lighting is one of the most important aspects of making videos. Avoid flourecent lighting. Use soft white lighting and you don’t need to pay alot. In fact home depot has a lighting kit that works perfectly. Use the several lights in front and a very soft light in back for your background light. This is one area that will take some experimenting on your part. So plan to spend a few hours shooting some test scenes and adjust the lighting as needed.
8. As you prepare your script, speak the language of your market and look at your word choices. Snag the audience’s attention by eliminating fancy words in some places. Punch up your script in other sentences. Use emotional words instead of technical words. For instance, a word like “eliminate” can be replaced by “throw out,” but you want to use vibrant descriptive adjectives.
9. It’s time for you to appear on the video. Don’t depend on memorizing your script; nervousness causes forgetfulness. Instead, structure your videos using short 3 to 5 second clips interlaced with graphics. This way you only have to memorize a few short sentences. Shoot each scene seperatly. Then use your editing skills top piece it all together. Use keywords on index cards that you can flip through while you get your message across. And you must practice ahead of time. Speak slower than you normally do; your voice will always sound faster to others than it does to you. I like to record myself while talking to a family member or friend. Then study the recording and compare it to your rehersed version. Are there any differences?
10. Technology can help your message only if you know how to use it. Stay within your comfort level. If you try a technique that you really don’t know yet, you’re rolling the dice on success. Even if you start out with help from a professional, you will soon become knowledgeable about utilizing high tech effects to create the best ads.

Missing Link, Inc. has been intrumental in helping individuals and small business to successfully market their businesses on the web using Better Internet Video Marketing techniques. The secret is who can tell the better story and how they present it. If you want to keep your customer’s attention longer than 10 seconds then you need to have the knowledge to make a better internet video. It’s not about just the technical stuff. Anyone can tell you how to buy a better camera.

This is how to present your self and be a power video presenter. For more information visit our web site at www.BetterInternetVideoMarketing.com.

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