Tuesday, February 1, 2011

YouTube Your Business With Online Video

Online video advertising and marketing is experiencing rapid growth with the popularity of YouTube. Take your small business marketing to the next level with online video ads.

We live in a visual-rich society. Before we even began to understand text and reading at a young age, our exposure to TV and other visual media begins it’s imprinting our brains. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth ten thousand more.

Join the YouTube Online Video Revolution!

The advertising vehicle of television commercials has largely been out of reach and beyond affordability for the bulk of small business owners. The tipping point to affordable TV-like advertising changed with the development of the high-speed broadband network and the rise of YouTube.

Created in early 2005, YouTube is a video sharing website allowing members to upload, share, and comment on a large database of videos. In one month alone, YouTube had a staggering 2.4 billion page views.

Online video is hot. Kelsey Group's research revealed that 59 percent of survey respondents watch online video. Emarketer estimates online video ad spending to reach over $700 million this year.

Who’s Using Online Video Marketing?

SignWareHouse.com’s YouTube videos are less than entertaining but practical for those wanting a video demonstration of products such as Q-Series Vinyl Cutters. Any product leading itself to demos is a good candidate for online videos.
Skateboard retailer, Willy’s Workshop owned by pro skater Willy Santos in San Diego uses a simple in-store video on YouTube introducing his staff and providing a tour of the premises. Although the online video received 7,000 views which pales in comparison to Blendtec’s results, it still helped build the stores brand to a select target of skateboard enthusiasts.
Blendtec, a small business based in Orem, Utah budgeted under $100 for a quirky video showing their commercial blender pulverizing iPods, golf balls and other everyday items. The funny viral videos were a big hit; driving millions of viewers to the Will It Blend website. Wall Street Journal reporter Laura Lorber wrote how Blendtec sales were up 43% in 2006 alone.
To harness the power of online video marketing and advertising for your small business, keep in mind the following tips:

Online Video Production Tips

Entertainment Rules: To create a viral online video marketing campaign, it must be entertaining. Take a lesson from the Will It Blend playbook and find a way to make your product, service, or company entertaining or humorous for maximum reach and market penetration.

Be Professional: Nothing can quickly turn off your target audience as a poor quality, slow loading video. No need to rent an expensive studio to create a top-notch online video. Incorporate basic stock photography and video clips from sites such as Getty Images.You can also enlist the help of video production services for easier and cost effective production and distribution such as SpotRunner who charges $500 for a 30 second ad.

Stay Focused: An online video isn’t meant to convey your entire product line or multiple features. Hone in on one key message with the strongest lead benefit. SignWarehouse.com uses one video to demonstrate one product. A simple clip is more likely to be viewed in its entirety for today’s distraction driven viewers.

Broaden Your Reach: YouTube isn’t the only site to submit your video production to. New competitors have emerged including Google Video or Blinkx, a video search engine with over 18 million hours of video. Another tool introduced by the company allows advertisers to place targeted text ads in any video embedded in a website.

Online video advertising and marketing is here to stay. Don't get left behind join the YouTube video revolution today.

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