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Internet Strategy, Social Networking, Video
It’s Time. You Can’t Ignore the Power of Online Video Any Longer. April 8th, 2010
Owl Image: An example of a successful online campaign, requesting users to create and upload a music video for the artist, Moby. Please watch and vote for a fellow NavigationArts' contractor!
The Power of Online Video
I’ve been repeating this mantra for the past 2 years with ever increasing strength: “Video. Video. Video.” If your organization is looking for a better way to communicate a message, reach a broader audience, increase relevancy to a brand, or simply update your Web site with modern content, video can help.
Not yet convinced? Let me share some stats.
Universal McCann questioned 22,729 active internet users in 38 countries between November 2008 and March 2009, making it the largest global analysis of social media usage. Read the full report here.
Summary of findings from the report:
- Video watching is now at 83% amongst active internet users, globally. For many markets, there is barely any more room for the penetration of watching video amongst active online users to rise.
- Social media platforms are becoming more multi-media. The number of bloggers and social network users who have uploaded photos, videos, music and widgets has continued to rise.
- Faster broadband, the rise of YouTube and its ilk and the ability to embed video on everything from blogs to social network profile pages has made the moving image an essential part of the social media landscape.
It’s a rapidly growing trend that shouldn’t be ignored. Don’t be scared, it’s easier than you think. We’ll get into the logistics of creating a video in a minute.
Digital Storytelling
Video is a differentiator, a powerful tool that creates an emotional connection. It can help others understand, and say “I’ve seen the video and I get it.” Video can help sell an idea to future investors – busy executives that can’t be bogged down with precise detail and long prose.
In addition to being used as a powerful persuasive tool, your organization can use video to tell its brand story. Digital storytelling can invoke a sense of wonder and passion for what an organization does or wants to do in the future.
If you’re on the hook to convey a story or sell a concept, an experience or the potential, video is the thread that can connect an entire story. It will round out the experience and create that emotional connection. Investors invest when they can see the vision. Consumers are hooked when they feel your product is relevant to them.
User-Generated Video
A newer concept more and more organizations are adopting is the invitation to collect user-generated content, such as videos, from users. There are many factors to consider with this strategy – staffing, hosting, quality and content vetting, etc. Collecting user-generated content can definitely be a “wild card,” where it’s safe to expect the unexpected. No matter how well planned the campaign, one can’t always predict what will happen when opening up the gates to the general public. Nevertheless, it’s important to continue learning about this medium – how it’s being used, and the context it creates:
- Video facilitates self expression, putting tremendous power in the hands of the people. For the user, it’s virtually free production and dissemination/publication. For example, a student in Africa can post content that can be seen globally.
- The more tools you give to manage a user’s personal “brand” or profile online, the better. For some of our globally positioned clients in the education sector, allowing members to have their own personal space on the Web, express their culture, and create and manage their identity is invaluable.
- Video can help in establishing relationships and having conversations – a place to meet someone/find common ground.
- Ultimately, video can help unite people across different ethnic groups, across cultures, across different nations.
- Users can share their own personal stories or knowledge, which are sometimes the most touching and credible of all. There’s potential for truly remarkable, inspirational content.
- User-generated content (stories, photos, videos, etc.) can be geo-tagged in a content management system and then shown in context on a map—an engaging and fun way to drive repeat visits and extend user sessions.
- Communities can build over time; users can relate to shared emotional connections, drawing each other closer. Simultaneously, personal stories can inspire potential participants to take action.
One of the best benefits of video is that it is a highly portable medium, and easily picked up and disseminated on outside websites, extending your organization’s reach and awareness. Your video can be shared – circulated among social networks and posted on blogs.
Vote!
A great case study involving the solicitation for user generated content is the recent international video contest that my husband (a filmmaker) entered for the artist, Moby. With the upcoming release of a new album, “Wait for Me”, Moby opened up the creative pipeline to his fans, asking the public to create and upload a music video based on one song from his new album. The winning video will be featured as Moby’s official music video. Users can vote and comment on each posted video. The result is 328 videos posted to the hosting company’s Web site, Genero.tv, hundreds of comments and thousands of votes.
While you’re at it, if you would be so kind as to watch our video and VOTE for Cory Pampalone, you’ll be on your way to contributing to this great new communication vehicle! Watch the video here.
Video Services at NavigationArts
So what are the logistics behind using and creating online video?
For most projects, a particularly effective medium for storytelling is through short (1 – 3 minute) video. NavigationArts offers video production, editing, consultation, training, compression, and implementation for any and all applications from Web to big screen. Effective storytelling takes planning. Depending on the size of the project and the requirements needed, NavArts could provide video consultation deliverables such as storyboards and scripts. If desired, clients could be on-site for the filming and editing of the shoot. Of course, any audio or video asset will be 508 compliant with closed-captioning, alt transcripts and tagging.
There are a number of ways to tell a story, but the common method is to use mixed media – video mixed with design comps, animations, music, voice over, etc.
The creative possibilities are endless.
4 Comments for "It’s Time. You Can’t Ignore the Power of Online Video Any Longer."
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My cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!
medical assistant on April 9th, 2010 at 10:00 am
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Great site. A lot of useful information here. I’m sending it to some friends!
forex robot on April 10th, 2010 at 2:48 am
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As an organizational storyteller I have come to realize the importance of using video for inciting insights and conversations. The speed of progression from blogs, webinars, and not to video has been dizzying. Its exciting to play in the genre and since the beginning of the year I have tried to find a way to bring my authentic voice to my videos. The two minute format has challenged me to use story forms (visuals metaphors, analogies, short story snippets, etc…) and tie it together in a compelling way without it feeling forced, slick, or too poetic/ethereal.
I’ve gotten some wonderful feedback and the peices keep getting stronger and stronger. They do take me a fair amount of time and some of that has been my learning curve of combining technologies and tools to create the end product. All in all it has been a rich experience. I would welcome people’s feedback and perspective.
Here’s a link to my latest video:
Terrence Gargiulo
President,
MAKINGSTORIES.net
http://www.makingstories.netTerrence Gargiulo on April 14th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
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Wow this is a great resource.. I’m enjoying it.. good article
forex robot on April 26th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
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