I've been hitting a lot of confrences lately...and of course I read and am online most of the day. What I can't avoid is all the hype surrounding Video.
I feel like this is the last gasp of traditional media. I can hear the sigh of relief: 'Finally, we can claim to be leveraging the power of the internet....and still use the same tools we've been feeding the world with for the past 50 years.'
Ok....video is cool. I love the long tail aspect and for many folks it's fun and cool. But is it measured? Is It one to one? Can you build relationships?
This morning I saw this in The Investors Business Daily...first shot that the shine might be wearing off:
'Internet Videos have too many commercials, said 32 percent of American respondents to a survey by an internet video site. (unnamed) The survey's sponsor added the finding is particularly interesting, as commercial advertising in web videos is still in its infancy.'
Thanks for writing this.
Posted by: Lucretia | October 27, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Video Online. I have been a part-time business owner in the field of Network Marketing for 20 years, while working in corporate America. Here are my insights that I have highlighted in my articles about video online. (1)Once you have a video presentation that showcases your products and services, that one time investment of video making can be used to give thousands of presentations. I can send an email or direct mail and give 100 or 1000 or 10,000 presentations in one day. Is this possible to do face to face, no. (2) We are in a different economy than perhaps the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and even 1990s; in the past economies salespersons were trained to become 'master salespersons' and to make personal presentations, why make 25 face to face presentations a week, if you can simply have your (database) prospects view a very good showcase video? Ok, some businesses will only do business the face-to-face relationship building way, yet there are millions more that will 'trust' a video- it's faster, hopefully efficient, and even the main way the Auto-Industry promotes their products- via commercials. (3) If corporations can learn from the Network Marketing Industry, they will invest in making successful 'sales videos' and then their 'sales videos' become their salesman. (4) I really believe in informing propects with intelligent information, rather than with hype and emotional triggers- and in this belief I think more and more prospects will 'trust' a credible, intellectual information video. (5) We are in a much faster economy than 10 years ago. My belief is the 'buying trends' or 'prospecting trends' are focusing on faster more intelligent information to make 'buying decisions', making 'video sales presentations' a viable media for any size firm- all you need today is a DV Camcorder, software, and in moments you have the power of a large TV editing firm. (6) As instant gratification is a popularity in consumer culture, I believe it is parallel in the corporate community. (7) The trends I see: fast intelligent information in which a corporation / individual can access all the products/services benefits and make a 'buying decision' in moments. (8) Companies offering this- (internet buying in real time) Progressive Insurance, eSurance, Geico, The Lending Tree. Just my perspective- Brian
Posted by: Brian Morgan | March 19, 2007 at 06:23 PM
Hi Chris, I'm struggling with the same thing you are. As marketers, we need to seriously look at more effective ways to advertise in relation to videos. Obviously the annoying commercial at the beginning of videos isn't working. Heck, I don't even like 'em!
I read an article last week regarding Videos on the web published by eMarketer.com. I think the stats quoted in the IBD may have come from this article: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?1004637&src=article_head_sitesearch
Posted by: Andrea Connell | March 07, 2007 at 02:46 PM
Video can be used as you described - simply a regurgitation of traditional media. But it's also being leveraged in tons of cool new ways - and yes, it's building relationships, yes, it can be one to one.
Consider the way YouTube allows people to respond to posted videos with their own video - often this is a commentary, sometimes it's taking the original idea one step further, creating mash-ups, etc.
Having the tools to create web-ready video already available to many - i.e. many people can film video with their cell phones and upload direct to YouTube - is creating more user-generated content. And isn't that what the net is about these days - self expression?
Posted by: Michelle MacPhearson | March 04, 2007 at 11:48 PM
I have always disliked the amount and size of the ads on the NY Times site. And so what? Ads will never be liked by users.
Posted by: Hashim | March 03, 2007 at 09:37 AM