Online Video Marketing in Ireland

The reason I see for the growth in video as a means of marketing your business is purely down to the fact of how lazy and impatient human kind is getting.. Every thing has to easy and quick. No longer will a person take a 10 or 15 minutes to read an article on a web page - usually they give up after the first paragraph. This is where video is winning the battle ( if it's done correctly) - the person just clicks "play" sits back and watches.

Video can be a great medium to transfer knowledge especially about a complicated topic - take for example the assembly of a flat pack dining table, which is the best option a) 6 pages of diagrams and text or b) a 3 min video of the table being assembled.

The use of online video marketing is at its infancy here in Ireland but it will catch up with the rest in the near future.

This is an excerpt from an interesting article I came across;

About Online Video Marketing

Article by Littlecg123

Online video marketing has turned to be an ideal marketing tool in present times. Think for yourself%u2026if you are given two options- watch a video clip or read a web content, which one would you prefer? Well, if you are like me, it is quite obvious that you'll go for the former option. If that's so, then don't you think that creating one for people with the same mindset will help you make good profits in the industry? If carried out perfectly, video marketing may turn out to be an extremely effective tool which helps in the growth and establishment of your business. Don't get me wrong, by effective I don't mean expensive.

When it comes to stepping into the world of video marketing, you need to create a video that helps in alluring visitors to the website. In other words, an effective video campaign is the right way to get hold of a good source of traffic to your website.

Online video marketing, if used effectively and properly emerges out to be a remarkable tool that helps in enhancing your sales as well as lead generation. There are a couple of online websites that report that with streaming videos their conversation rate has increased by thirty three percent.

One of the prime benefits of opting for video marketing is that a video works more quickly as compared to the conventional text format. None of your customers will be interested in sitting for half an hour and taking a look at your company's profile. Instead you need to provide something short and interesting that appeals to them the moment they see it.

Of course a video suitable for online marketing on your site can be made inhouse with a bit of ingenuity.. The main things I would advise anyone on a DIY video production are:

1 - Sound
Make sure you use a proper mic - do not use the camcorder's built in mic as the final recording will sound terrible and often put off viewers

2 - Lighting
This can be done cheap enough with work lights got from the local hardware shop (granted the colour of the lights will not be the best but by adjusting the white balance you can get it looking very good)

3 - Camera Movement
Always, Always, Always use a tripod!! Nothing cries out cheap production then a shakey finished video. Also stay away from panning and zooming in and out while recording..

If anyone doing a DIY video needs advice you can contact me through the website http://www.keelacommunications.com and I'd be happy to help you out..

I truely believe that through proper planning and each individual knowing what's expected from the outset then the whole online video production process would be much faster thus saving the Client money. I suppose I have the advantage of a project management qualification and 15 years of practice but to see individuals arrive on site with the wrong or missing equipment, not having extension cables for lighting etc, and worse than that - they take a flier on the shots they require not only wasting their time but more importantly the Clients time and it doesn't end there. When it comes to putting the finished product together because the Client's brief wasn't followed several attempts are made to produce a video the Client is happy with.

So in a nutshell -
1) Understand fully the Clients brief and let him/her understand exactly what the finished video will contain (get this down on paper and signed off)
2) plan plan plan... Know the equipment you need and that it's all working correctly. Visit the site and make a note of power points, electronic equipment that may cause interference with sound equip etc., walk the Client through the time line for the days shoot so they know where staff need to be and when.
3) Ensure that anyone who will be talking to camera have their parts off and not just trying to "wing it" on the day.
4) When back in the studio editing because you have an agreed brief then the editing process is much quicker, that said if you come across a scene or track you feel would add to the work - don't include it without running it by the Client, after all a 5 min conversation on the phone could save several hours re-doing a piece because the Client didn't want it included.

These are just some ways to ensure that the least amount of time is wasted in the online marketing video production process - saving the Client money and ensuring you are on to your next assignment ASAP.

Neworld Blog published the following interesting excerpt from an article (I appreciate it's US based but as we all know trends in the States usually spread around the world)

Why Is Video Important?

A recent study by Nielson in the USA points out that viewers there spent 45% more time watching online video content in January 2011 when compared with January 2010. That's a hefty jump and its not caused by an increase in viewers, with only a modest 3.1% increase in the amount of people watching video in the same period. What this tells us is the same amount of people are consuming a lot more video. The quality of services on offer plays a role too with sites like Netflix and Hulu offering films and TV shows to watch. For brands, most will be looking towards sites like Youtube, Facebook and Vimeo to host content. Youtube streamed 8.5 billion videos to US viewers in January alone, the site also streams 150 years worth of embedded video content per day on Facebook. According to Comscore in the UK online video providers, ranging from Youtube to the BBC, were serving up 8.5 billion streams per month towards the end of last year, up a whopping 40% in just 6 months.

When it comes to the length of a marketing video - short, interesting and to the point is what makes the video work.

A video should be used to promote a specific, not as a "catch all". For example if you sell office equipment and you want to promote this with video then you do a series of short videos 45 - 60 seconds long on specific items ie photocopiers, so the video starts with a brief intro then introduce the photocopier and explain it's strengths and ease of use in detail and you finish off with contact details and a reminder to the viewer to visit your gallery to see videos on other products you stock such as office furniture, storage solutions etc.

This way your videos will behave exactly like the viewer expects from the title and because it's short - it forces you to fine tune the message you wish to give your potential customer which in turn means a sale is a more likely outcome.