The 10 Most Innovative CDN Disruptors to Watch in 2022 May2022

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Boon or Bane Cloud Compung What Lies Ahead? Implicaons of CDN www.insightssuccess.comVOL-05 | ISSUE 07 | 2022 BaishanCloud Technology An Innovative Footprint in CloudTech e 10 M O S T Innovative CDN to Watch, 2022 D I S R U P T O R S Tao Huo Co-Founder

Editor’s Desk

Delivering Efficient, Fast, and Secure Content on the Internet

Mtheirperformanceneedswithtraditionalhosting services.Acontentdelivery/distribution network(CDN)bridgesthisgapbyimprovingthe performanceofthewebsites.Therefore,manybusinesses feeltheneedtohavetheservicesoftheCDNcompaniesto sendtheircontentontheinternetefficiently,swiftly,and securely Theproxyserversanddatacentersofthecontent deliverynetwork(CDN)improvetheperformanceofthe internetbyprovidingservicespatiallytoend-users.CDNs servemostofthecontentontheInternet,including graphics,scripts,text,mediafiles,documents,software,ecommerceportals,livemedia,andsocialmediasites.Thus, CDNisanimportantlayerinthecompleteinternet ecosystem.

anywebsitesontheinternetstruggletomeet

ThenodesofCDNareplacedinmultiplelocationsover internetbackbones.Itsbenefitsincludereducingbandwidth costs,increasedworldwideavailabilityofthecontent, improvedconnectivity,lessserverload,decreased redundancy,reductioninpageloadingtime,andimproved clientresponsetimes.InnovativeCDNdisruptorcompanies prioritizehavinglargerproxyservers,datacenters,and nodepointsinmanylocationsfordeliveringordistributing valuablecontentglobally

MostCDNcompaniesprovidetheirservicesoveredge nodesbasedonthecoveragetheywanttocover.They optimizecontentdeliverybyaugmentingtheend-to-end transportnetworkanddistributingcontentonvarious intelligentapplicationsbyusingtechniquesforoptimizing contentdelivery Anend-to-endtransportnetworkkeepsthe contentdistributionnetworkrelativelysimple.Itmovesthe intelligenceatitsmaximumcapacitytothenetwork's endpoints,i.e.,hostsandclients.

CDNservicesareindemand,andmostoftheweb trafficisservedwiththehelpofCDNs,whichalso includetrafficfrommajorsitessuchasAmazon, Facebook,andNetflix.Efficient,fast,andsecure contentdeliverytointernetservicesandwebsites. Geographicallydistributed,allgroupsofserversin theCDNworktogethertoprovideswiftdeliveryof theinternetcontent.

Inthiseditionof “The 10 Most Innovative CDN Disruptors to Watch in 2022,” wepresentthemost innovativeCDNcompaniesdisruptingtheindustry withtheirinnovativeservicesfordeliveringcontent reliablyandaffordablyontheinternet.

Delvein!

sharad@insightssuccess.com Sharad Chitalkar
Cover Story Tech Evolution How VideoAmp Evolved the Company Culture and Process to Increase the Number of Engineers Employed Crafting Visually Engaging Stories Black Box Production 216 0 CXO 08 BaishanCloud Technology An Innovative Footprint in CloudTech
Contents A Fast Track to Success Cleverus Consulting 26 Creating Impressions that Inspires Sizmek Articles Media Industry and its’ Digital Transformation Editor’s Pick 24 Providing a New Outlook to Traditional Businesses Virtualizing Business 36 Where Technology Meets Opportunity GHO Group 28 A Unique Global Creative Platform Shutterstock 30 32 Creating Seamless Possibilities through Video Vidyard 34 Simple, Straightforward, Effective Social Media Management Viral In Nature 40 Reforming Digital Publishing and Crisis Management YUDU 42
sales@insightssuccess.com May, 2022 Editor-in-Chief Senior Sales Manager Business Development Manager Marketing Manager Technical Head Technical Specialist Digital Marketing Manager Research Analyst Database Management Technology Consultant Hitesh Dhamani Managing Editor Anish Miller Executive Editor Sharad Chitalkar Assistant Editors Jenny Fernandes Kshitij S Peter Collins John Matthew Sales Executives David, Martin, Irfan Business Development Executives Steve, Joe, SaurabhJacob Smile Aditya Marry D'Souza SME-SMO Executive Amol Wadekar Frank Adams Circulation Manager Robert Brown Stella Andrew David Stokes Visualizer David King Associate Designer Co - Designer SoniaShyam Sonawane Copyright © 2022 Insights Success, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights Success. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success. Follow us on : www.facebook.com/insightssuccess/ www.twitter.com/insightssuccess We are also available on :

The10Most Innovative to Watch, 2022CDN

CompanyName FeaturedPerson

BaishanCloud baishancloud.com

BlackBoxProductions blackboxproductions.tv

CleverusHoldings cleverus.com

GHOGroupLLC ghogroup.com

Sizmek sizmek.com

TaoHuo Co-Founder

JoshUsheroff Co-Founder

LawmenceWong CEO

GaryOlson CEO

D I S R U P T O R S

MarkGrether CEO

JonOringer

FounderandCEOShutterstock shutterstock.com

Description

BaishanCloudisaninnovativeandindependentedgecloud serviceproviderinChinawithsignificantglobalreach.

BlackBoxProductionsprovidescreativeproductionservicesin MontrealandToront.

Cleverusisateamofdigitalmarketingexpertsthatelevatethe presenceofbusinessesthroughexcellentmarketingservices.

TheGHOGroup,LLCisanindependentconsultinggroupthat hastheuniqueabilitytounderstandthemyriadofdifferentand complexmediatechnologies.

SizmekAdSuiteisaglobal,multichanneladserverusedto create,distribute,customize,measure,andoptimizecampaigns acrossavarietyofscreens.

Shutterstockisaleadingglobalcreativeplatformofferingfullservicesolutions,high-qualitycontent,andtoolsforbrands, businessesandmediacompanies.

VidyardisTheVideoPlatformforMarketingandSales.Vidyard vidyard.com

ViralInNature viralinnature.com

VideoAmp videoamp.com

YUDU yudu.com

MichaelLitt CEO

ShawnAlain President ViralInNatureisanawardwinningsocialmedia,reputation managementandwebdevelopmentagency.

DaveGullo

FounderandCTO

RichardStephenson FounderandCEO

VideoAmpisasoftwareanddatacompany

YUDUisaapplicationstechnologycompanyspecializingin digitalpublishingandcrisiscommunications.

BaishanCloud Technology

We are committed to addressing the arising application needs of global customers in their processes of digital transformation in the 5G and loT era while serving global internet and enterprise customers.

Tao Huo Co-Founder BaishanCloud
C O V E R S T O R Y The 10 Most Innovative CDN Disruptors to
Watch,
2022.

Cloudtechnologyhaspenetratedeverydigital medium,fromstartingyourmorningwithasocial mediafeedtointegratingofficeworkflow.The capabilitiesthatcloudtechnologyoffersbyleveraging multiplesolutionsareunparalleledtomatchcustomer needs.Embracingthecloudtechnologytobealeading independentedgecloudserviceproviderinChinawith strongglobaloutreachcapabilities,offeringneutral infrastructure,cloud-nativesecurity,anddeveloperservices, TaoHuoco-founded in2015.BaishanCloudTechnology

WhenChinaacceleratedmassentrepreneurshipand innovationstrategy,Taofoundthestrategyaone-time opportunity,introducingBaishanCloudTechnologyasa cloudserviceproviderwithafocusonthemanagementof thefulllifecycleofdata.

PropellingtheSpaceinChina

Enteringtheseventhyearofitsbusiness,BaishanCloudhas evolvedfroma -centricprovidertoanedgecloudCDN serviceproviderinChinawithstrongglobaloutreach capabilities,offering ,neutralinfrastructure cloud-native security developerservices,and TheCompanyis leveragingitsgloballydistributededgecloudplatformand itssoftwaredevelopmentcapabilities;Itprovidesawide rangeofindustry-agnosticapplicationsolutionsforglobal internetandenterprisecustomersacrossdifferentindustry verticals.

StayingAhead

Withitsglobaledgecloudnetwork,theBaishanserverless edgecloudplatformprovidesasecureandstablefullsuite

ofglobaledgeaccelerationservices,managingand processingcustomers’applicationandsolutionneedsatthe edge.

AdoptingtheconceptofZeroTrustandSASE,theBaishan edgecloudplatformfacilitatesenterprises’simultaneous transformationofmovingtothecloudanddatasecurity system.Theplatformprovidesunifiedsecurityprotection andmanagementofenterprises’networks,applications,and data.TheCDN+securitysolutionpropelledmany enterprise-levelclients.

TaomentionsthatBaishan’sserverlessedgecloudplatform supportsfulllifecyclemanagementofAPIs.Using containersandheterogeneousapplicationsystem orchestrationontheedgenodes,theplatformreduces solutiondevelopmentthreshold,empowersagile development,andimprovesoperationalefficiencyfor enterprisecustomerstoprovideoptimalapplication solutionsforenterprisedigitaltransformation!

Asanintegralpartofitsglobaledgecloudservices, Baishan’sCDNcontinuestobecomemorecompetitivein ChinaandtherestofAsia.Itiswidelyrecognizedasoneof thetopregionalcloudcontentdistributionprovidersin termsofresponsetime,availability,andthroughout.

BusinessTraction

BaishanCloud’svastexperienceinnetworkoperationand understandingoftheglobalCDNindustry,alongwithits innovativeserviceservingasbusinesstractions.Taoshares, “We understand our clients’service commitment to the global audience, and we have the resources and expertise needed in China and Asia to help navigate the network, regulatory, and security challenges.”

Baishan’sCDN+Security+edgecloudproductsuiteoffers unmatchednetworkpresenceandtechnical/compliance expertise.Itscustomersarecoveredbyregionaldelivery deploymentadd-on and services.anti-DDoS WAF

TheCloudExperts

BaishanCloudaimstoempoweritsemployeeswith appropriatetrainingwithaninclusiveculture.Ultimately,a happyemployeecreatesasatisfiedcustomer.

TheCompanyaimstobeagloballyrespectedtechnology companydrivenbytechnologyandserviceinnovations. Withtheglobaledgecloudservices,Taohopestobeof greatassistancetoglobalenterprisesintheirdigital transformationprocess.

ThePandemicEffect

Taoexpressesthat,ontheonehand,the pandemichasraisedexpectationsforthe qualityofcontentpeopleconsumeand significantlyincreasednetworktrafficwith everythingbeingpushedonline.Staticcontent andlow-resolutioncontentsimplycan’tmeet theexpectationanymore.Ontheotherhand, theappetitealsoincreases–peoplewantto consumemoreandconsumeon-demand.Wait timeorbufferingisnolongeracceptable.

Alltheseplacechallengesandopportunitiesonthenetwork infrastructureandthecomputingsystem-strategicplanning andregionalemphasiswouldbecrucialforthe sustainabilityofcloudserviceinfrastructuredevelopment.

Taostatesthatduringthemostchallengingcoronavirus outbreakinChina,Baishanprovidedfreenetworkservices foronlinecoursedistribution/accelerationformany elementaryandhighschoolsinChina.Morerecently,for theentiredurationoftheBeijingWinterOlympicGames Baishanprovidedfullnetworkservicesandsupportfor mainstreammediaandlivestreamingplatformsinChinato ensureseamlessviewingexperienceforaudienceacrossthe globe. Hementions, “Our team worked 24/7 to deliver uninterrupted viewing experiences for millions of our global online viewers.”

MovingAheadwithCloud

BaishanCloudiscommittedtoaddressingthearising applicationneedsofglobalcustomersintheirdigital transformationprocesseswhileservingglobalinternetand enterprisecustomers.TheCompanyhasexperiencedrapid growthsinceitsinception,anditsinnovativeedgecloud productshavegainedconsiderabletractioninthe marketplace,bothathomeandoverseas.

LettheTestimonialsdotheTalking!

“It has been a great journey for BaishanCloud in the past six years of development. We could not be where we are without our reliable alliances.”

-WeiWang,Sr.DirectorofOperationsatNewOriental Education&TechnologyGroup

“Our society is facing great uncertainty, but I firmly believe technology provides certainty. Geekbang joins force with Baishan to bravely face those uncertainties.”

-TaiwenHuo,TechPartner atInfoQChinaGeekbang

“BaishanCloud works to provide technical solutions that meet clients’needs and beyond. We have maintained close cooperation, jointly expanding the global market, providing secure and effective network services to every terminal.”

- JoeZhu,FounderandCEOatZenlayer

The 10 Most Innovative CDN Disruptors to Watch, 2022. May 2022 | 16 | www.insightssuccess.com
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Dave
Gullo
Co-founder & CTO VideoAmp
Tech
Evolution May 2022 | 20 | www.insightssuccess.com

How VideoAmp Evolved the Company Culture and Process to Increase the Number of Engineers Employed

VideoAmpturns4yearsoldthismonth.Somany memories,andsomuchgrowth.Let’sreflecton someoftheworstdecisionsandassociated learningsthathavebeenfundamentaltoourgrowth.Why theworstyousay?Becausewhenyouaccelerateyour learningrateinafail-fastenvironment,itthenallowsyouto makefastdecisionsvstheanalysisparalysispredicament.

Reflection

Oneofmyfavoritewildcardinterviewquestionsfor managersis:“Describethefailureyou’remostproudof.” Thissometimescatchespeopleoffguard,soI’llsharemine firsttogettheconversationgoing.Inevitablyitcomesdown tochoosingbecausetherearesomany.

Youcan’ttalkaboutgrowthandsuccesswithouttalking aboutthesefailures.Unlessyou’re somekindofhybridAIrobot-space-alienwho’sabsolutelyperfect,there’sgoingto bemistakes.What’simportantisthatasaleaderyouown yourmistakesandbetransparentaboutthem.

Hiring

Findingtherightpeopleisthesinglemostimportantaspect ofgrowingastartup.Thebiggestmistakesinhiringhave been:

“Hiringoutofhand”orshortcuttingthenormal processesbecausethecandidateiswellknownbyother engineersinthegroup.

“Promotingoutofhand”isanothervariationof thiswhereyoudon’tputsomeonethroughthe normalduediligencebecausetheyalready present.Inourcase,individualcontributor(IC) engineersdon’tgothroughtherigorous referencechecksthatnewmanagersdo.

“Hiringunderduress”orloweringyourbar simplytomeetheadcountgoals.Istrongly advisetohirefewer“full-fullstack”senior engineersvsabunchofjuniorormid-level careerdeveloperswhorequiremoretime, nurturingandpreciousattentionunitsfromyour seniorstaff.

Process

Thisisamovingtarget,andonewhichhasdefinitelybeen anongoingseriesofblogs.Intheearlystage,we“over prescribedscrum.”Somethingthataveryearlystage companycando,alongwithtoomuchagileprocessestoo soon.

Forexample,prototypesandproofofconceptsshouldnot havearigorousdefinitionofdone,withendlessunit, functional,andend-to-endtestsbecausetheproduct’s requirementswillprobablyzig-zagwildly

Conversely,havingtoolittleprocesswhenyouare supportingenterprisecustomerscanalsobea problem.IspentmypriordaysasanICand

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contractorretrofittingandscalingCI/CDpipelinesand trainingengineershowtowritebettertests.

Thechallengeisright-sizingthisallalongtheway,andthe triggerpointsonwhentochangemaynotbeobvious. Isay thisbecausewegrewheadcountby22engineersfromOct 2017toFeb2018,andintheprocesswedidnotmodifyour simplifiedKanbanapproachtoaprescribedScrumprocess quicklyenough.Growingpainsemerged,tosaytheleast. Nowwe’reinaspotwherewecanwithstandamagnitude scaleofgrowthwithroughlythesamesquadandtribe-level process.

Management

RiffingoffrapidgrowthofBrainsinengineering,wedidn’t scalemanagementfastenough.Almostallstartup engineeringorgsstartveryflat,withallICsandno management.Youhave“techleads”whomaysplittheir timedoinglightmanagerialfunctions,buttheyallwrite codeanddiveintotheoperations.

ThebiggestfailhereinscalingtheICswasnotscalingthe organdmanagementstructuretofollow At~44engineers anddatascientists,wehaveadutytodeliveronourmission toprovideanenvironmentwheretheyhavetheopportunity todothebestworkoftheirlivesandbeworthmoreinthe marketplace.

Withoutthisvitalmanagementstructure,thereisavacuum. Donotboltthisonlater,builditasyougo.Wetook inspirationfromSpotify’smodelofengineering organizationalscaling.

Growth&CareerPathing

We’vetalkedaboutallofthesefails,howaboutsomething thathasworkedwellforus?

Whendoinginitialcontactwithacandidate,Ioftenask “whyareyouinmarket?”Ihaveseencountlessfolkswho arelookingbecausetheircurrentmanagementdoesnot havetheirgrowthandcareerpathinginmind. Inextreme cases,theycandoaday’sworkinfourhours,feellikethey areunder-challenged,andhavenotlearnedanythingin years.TheyworkinanenvironmentlikethemovieOffice Space.

Takinganoppositeapproachistoengageinthegrowthand pathingofeveryindividual.Wedothisby:

Aligningthegrowthoftheindividualwiththe company’sgrowth.

Havingmanagementcheckinfrequentlyonthesuccess ofthis,and

Settingupformalquarterlycheck-insonmeasuring thesegoals.GoogleadoptedthisearlyonfromJohn DoerrintheformofOKRs,andtherearegreat platformsouttherewhichcanformallymeasureand tracktheseobjectives.

Careerpathingisalonger-termconcern.Iaskcandidates fromthestart“sowhat’sthenextjobafterVideoAmp?” Thisoftencatchesthemoffguard,thenaftercarefulthought mostreplywitharole1-2levelsbeyondwherethey’reat now.It’sourgoaltohelpsteertheminwhateverpaththey currentlysee.

Manyearlier-careerengineersthinkmanagementistheir ultimatepath,butIhavefoundthatmanywillstayona tractofengineeringexcellence.Whetherit’saPrincipal EngineeroraVPofEngineering,thegoalistoorientthe newchallengesinamannerwhichgrowstheminthat direction,evenifwecan’tfullyrealizetheirultimate pathinggoalwhileatthecompany.

Bypayingcarefulattentiontothesedetails,wehavefound ourannualretentionrateinthehigh90%.

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Oncetherewasatimewhenthequestionwas“Will themediaindustrygetdigitallytransformed?”,but thescenariohaschangednow Thequestiontoday is“Howwillthetransformationtakeplace?”and“Howwill themediacompaniesrespondtothischange?”Seeingthese opportunitiespresentedbythedigitalvideosystems,new playersarejoiningthemarket,hence,capturingconsumer’s mindwithnewinitiativesandgrabbingtheirwallets.These changesarebringinginaggressivemodificationinthe industryalongwithnewbusinessmodels,partnershipsand alsoacquisitions.

WhetheroneisamoviefreakoramadTVwatcher,itis quiteknowntothemthatthetechnologytodayisnotwhat theyhaveseenfewyearsback.Themediaand entertainmentindustryhasseenrapidchangesand modificationintherecentyears.Themostobserving changesthattheworldoftechnologyhaswitnessedareas follows:

Multi-taskingandMulti-ChannelExperiences

Timehaschangednow.Thosedaysaregonewhenpeople usedtoseetheadvertisementofafilmontheroad-side billboardorontheirnewspaperandthengotoamoviehall towatchthemovie.Today,peoplearemultitaskingandthey aremoreintomulti-channelexperiencing.Peoplenoware notjustintowatchingamovieorTelevisionshowwithall theirconcentration.Theyarewatchingamovie,uploading statusontheirFacebookwallandtweetingaboutthemovie, allatthesametime.Theyaresharingtheirviewsand opinionsaboutwhatevertheyarewatchingontheirsocial mediaplatforms.Itclearlyindicatesthatmarketingisno moreaone-mediathing;ratherit’saneventofallchannels.

Anextensiveresearchclearlyprovedthatmostpeople watchclipsanduser-generatedcontentontheirphonesand simultaneouslytheypreferwatchingmoviesonadevice withlargerscreenlikecomputerortelevisionset.Thisis somethingofwhichentertainmentcompaniesmusttake

advantageofbypromptingtheviewerstousehashtag(#) andshareusingbrandedcontenttobringmoretrafficto theircontent.Thosedaysarenomorewhenthewritersand marketersusedtobefocusedaboutonlythewritingofthe content,rathertheyarenowfocusingalotonhowtheir promotionalcontentonsocialmediaplatformsshouldlook likeandhowtheycangainmoreattraction.

CuratedContentismoreindemand

Theaudiencehaschangedalotandsoistheirdemand. Peoplearenowdemandingmorecuratedcontent.Andthe trendisalreadygrowingataverysuccessfulpace.Ithas beenobservedthatmediagiantslikeNetflixandAmazon havealreadybeeneffectivelyusingthecuratedcontentfor aboutfouryears.Itisaprocedurewheretheplatform suggestswhattheaudiencewouldliketowatchor subscribe.Whentheseareusedeffectively,itcancreate newaudiencesinstantlyfortheprovider’snewshowsand products.Thisisabetterwaytoadvertiseproductsthan othermeansofadvertisements.

GettingmorecreativewithArtificialIntelligence

Itsoundscrazytohearthattheprojectedamountof spendingforAI(ArtificialIntelligence)for2025is$30 billionwhichwasearlierobservedtobe$300-350million intheyear2015.Butthemainreasonbehindsuchahuge projectionisthatAIischangingthewaycompletelyin whichcreativitywasexpressedearlier Therearealready variouscompanieswhichareusingtheAItechnologyto createinterestingmovieplotpointsbasedonthe performanceofboxofficeresults.

RecentreportsinformedthatMcCannEricksoninJapan ownsanAIcreativedirectorwhichcanactuallyanalyze briefingsfromclientsbeforepitchingastory.Fromimage recognitionandlanguageprocessingtospeechrecognition anddeeplearning,AIisanalyzingeverythingtocreatenew levelsofimpactfulpitchesthroughcreativeprocessinthe entertainmentandmediaindustry.

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Wirelessmediaisthenewupcomingtrend

Gonearethosedayswhenpeoplehadtopayforall300channelswhichtheirsatelliteorcableTVchannelprovidersusedto givethoughthevieweractuallywatchesonlyfourtofivechannels.Nowthedefinitionoftheentiremediaandentertainment industryhaschanged.ThecompanieslikeNetflixandHuluhasbroughtinthenewgenerationofwirelessentertainment.The newusersaregoingonline.FromYouTube,Netflix,HulutoAmazonandeventhecablecompaniesaregoingtowirelessand replacingtraditionalofferingswithspecialandcustomizedpackagestoattractmoreconsumers.

SmarterAdvertisementsisthefuture

Thepresentdaytechnologicaladvancementshavebroughtananalyticalapproachinmachinelearningand haveopened doorstocombineAIandreality.Thisiswhichismakingadvertisementsmuchsmarter.Thepunditssaytraditionalproduct placementwillbesoonreplacedbythejustaclickonthedressofone’sfavoriteactororactress,thattoojustwhenitappears. Expertsmentionedthatmarketingagencieswiththehelpofbigdata,willbesoonabletoswitchoutspecificproduct placementtotheonetheviewerwillmostlikelybuy Theadvertisementissoongoingtobeanothermodeofentertainment. Afterthenewdigitaltransformationstakingplace,certainchangesareobservedinthemediaandentertainmentindustry

Traditionalrevenuemodelsaredecreasingintheirgrowthasthenewmodelsareemerging.Digitalenterprisesaregaining muchprominenceastheirabilitytodelivermulti-channelexperienceandindividualbusinessmodelsarereplacedbythe moderndaycomplexecosystemofthenewcomersincludingnewstartupsandsuper-platforms.Theconceptof generalizationisfadingawayandthepersonalizedcontentistakingstand.

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Cleverus Consulting: AFastTracktoSuccess

Digitaltransformationsaredrivingeverysectorwith anunmatchedspeed.Socialmediahasbeenoneof thegreatestevolutionsofthecentury.Ithas revolutionizedourwayofcommunication,advertisingand theentiremarketlandscape.

Owingtothisboomingrise,regionalbusinessesarenow abletolaunchandadvertisetheirproductsonaglobalscale withnotableefficiencyatminimalcost.Variouscompanies aroundtheglobearetransformingthewaytheyconnect withtheircustomers.Theyarechoosingcontemporary methodsofcommunicationlikewebchat,websiteorweb pagebasedfeedbacks.Thesefreeofcostmethodshavealso enabledthecustomerstoconveytheirqueryandgetthe feedbackinreal-time.

However,thereisanendlessflowofdataontheinternet. Thousandsofglobalcompanieswithsimilarproductsare directlycompetingwitheachother;allinthehopeof makingamark.

Needlesstomention,ifacompanywishesitswebsitetobe atthetopofeveryrelevantsearchlist,thenitmustemploy anadeptSEOteam.Eitherin-houseorspeciallyhired,itis prerequisitefororganizationstohaveapreciseSEO solutiontostayaheadofthecompetition.

Malaysian-basedcompany,CleverusConsulting,boasting awide-rangeofSEOexperts,istheperfectsolutionfor globalbusinesses.Foundedin2013,Cleverushasgoneon tobecomeoneofthebestcompaniesinMalaysia,allthe whilebestowingitsclientsinhavingtheironlinepresence proliferated.BeingoneofthemostestablishedGoogle partner,ithasdevelopedaprovenframeworktohelpits clientsrisequicklytothetopofmajorsearchengines aroundtheworld.

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The

JourneyfromaRegionalSEO FrameworkProvidertoaLeading OnlineMarketingAgency

Cleverusinitiallystartedofferingsome prominentSEOservicesthat empowereditscustomerstooutrank theircompetitorsanddominatethe searchenginewithbetterresults.With theincreasingclientdemandsandfast pacedprogression,thecompanybegan offeringnewservicessuchasweb design,onlinereputationmanagement, influencermarketing,andapp development.Cleverusthenutilizedits specializedSEOframeworktoincept andenhancetheonlinereputation managementservice,whichfurther helpedmajorcompaniesremove negativepressonlineandsuccessfully restoredthebrandnameofthose companies.Cleverusfirmlybelievesin offeringcompletecustomersatisfaction andchargesitsclientsbasedonresults anddeliversoptimallevelof performance.Thisprovencredibility hasgivenboththecompanyandits clientsawin-winsituation.

Cleverusiscurrentlyrankedasthe numberoneSEOSpecialistin MalaysiaonGoogleforproviding someofthemostcompetitive keywordsintheindustry.Today,asa marketleader,thecompanyisgetting RequestforProposals(RFP)from majorglobalcompaniesandis deliveringsomeimpeccableservicesto them.However,itsjourneyhasnot beenacake-walk.

DuringtheearlyphaseofCleverus,it facedplentyofrejections.Butoverthe yearsithasmanagedtoovercomethe challengesbycontinuouslydelivering high-qualityworktoitstrustedclients. Theproductive,efficientandcost effectiveservicesprovidedbyCleverus wereadmiredbymanyofitsclients. Asaresult,thecompanygainedplenty ofreferralsfromitsexistingclients whichhelpedameliorateitsgrowth

rate.

Whileexplainingaboutthereasons behindCleverus’sfast-pacedsuccess itsCEO,LawmenceWong,recalls, “We were confident in our ability and have persisted to source leads daily and approach clients to showcase our service.” Withthecompanycontinuing todevelopitssolidreputationinthe onlinemarketingindustry,itnow envisionsonbeingthelargestonline marketingagencyinAsiawithinthe nextsixyears.

PassionatelyLeadingtheGroupof YoungandExperienced Professionals

CleverusConsultinghasastrongteam of21peopleatpresent,withoffices scatteredacrossMalaysia,Philippines, andtheUnitedStates.Lawmence Wong’sastuteleadershiphasbeena vitalpartbehindthissurginggrowth.

Wongbelievesthathavingtheright talentisthekeybehindgrowinga company ThusinCleverus,every singlehiringispersonallyapprovedby bothLawmenceandtheHeadofHRto maintainthequalityofitsservices. Lawmencehasastutelyledthegroup ofyoungandexperienced professionalsinthecompanytogreater heights.Theirexpertisehasallowed thecompanytogainmoreandmore pleasingandloyalclients.Throughout hisleadership,Lawmencehas emphasizedonfuturisticintegrations andboldexpansionplans,andisnow planningtoexpandtoseveralcitiesin Asiawithinthenextfewyears

LeveragingtheTrendsoftheDigital Space

Nowadays,everyothercompanyis employingdigitalwaysofmarketing, anddigitaltransformationisgaininga worldwideattentionforalltheright reason.MarketingandAdvertisingvia

CDN

digitalplatformshaveallowed organizationstoconnectwithawider poolofglobalaudience,inreal-time.

Cleverusisleveragingthistrend,and insteadoftheusualtraditional advertisingonnewspaperand magazines,ithasshifteditsfocus towardsonlineadvertisingand marketingplatformssuchasFacebook, Google,andInstagram.

Thisyearalone,Cleverushashired3 newstafftoaccommodatethedemands foronlineadvertisingandforesee hiringevenmoreemployeesinQ2as thedemandgetshigher.Itisalsohiring overseasemployeestofacilitatethe groundworktopenetratethesenew markets.Cleverusenvisionsonebeing thelargestonlinemarketingagencyin Asiainthenearfuture.Thecompany hasbeenmeticulouslyraisingfundsto pushitsvisionfurtherintorealityand expectsitsnametobetheprimal choiceamongstclients.

Dominate Google and take over your competition with our proven Search Engine Optimization strategies.
“ “
10 Most Innovative
Disruptors to Watch, 2022. May 2022 | 27 | www.insightssuccess.com

GHO Group:

Where Technology Meets Opportunity

Almosteverybusinesssectorincluding entertainment,education,training,communication andsecurityisrevolutionizingduetothe emergenceofmultimediaplatforms.Thesenewtechnology platformsshowcasethedemandforanexpertmedia solutionprovider.Thebroadcastandmediaindustryis constantlyevolving.Ithasbecomeaprerequisiteformedia planninganddesigningcompaniestoanticipatenewtrends andindustrialchangestoprovidethebestguidanceand advicetoclients.Whetheritisanewfacilityorupgrading anexistingone,thereareseveralmethodstodeliver programmingandcontentinabetterwaytoeverybusiness. Butveryfewcompanieshavethenotableabilitytoidentify clientsthiswayandprovidethemwithfuture-proofmedia solutions.GHOGroupisoneofthem.

GHOGroupisanindependentconsultingfirm, specializinginplanninganddesigning mediaproductionfacilitiesfor broadcastand

As a strategic adviser we identify the clients requirements to achieve their goals and recommend the technologies and resources that will bring the vision to reality.
Gary Olson Founder & President
‘‘ ‘‘ The 10 Most Innovative CDN Disruptors to Watch, 2022. May 2022 | 28 | www.insightssuccess.com

cablecompanies,corporations,educationalinstitutions,and culturalorganizations.GHOhasasubstantialportfolioof successprovidingunique,practicalandcost-effective solutionstothechallengesfacedinbuildingnewfacilities orimplementingnewtechnologystrategies.

AdvisoryServicesandStrategicPlanningthatConverts VisionintoReality

GHOprovidesadvisoryservicesandstrategicplanningin thedevelopmentphaseofanengagement,designinga technologysolutionandcreatingaprojectplanwith milestonesanddeliverablesthatareachievable,toinsurea successfulproject.GHOfunctionsastheseniorproject administratorcoordinatingtheimplementationprocessand strategy

Asastrategicadviser,GHOidentifiesitsclients requirementsandhelpsthemachievetheirgoalsby recommendingthetechnologiesandresourcesthatwill bringtheirvisiontoreality.Thecompanyexecutiveswork closelywiththeassociatedorganization,andmakesthe mostoftheirinternalresources,preferredserviceproviders andapprovedcontractors.GHOutilizesitsbroad experiencebasetobenefititsclients.Andbysharingbest practicesindesign,addressingbudgetsandscheduleswith specialattentiontocraftingtheprocessitassuresbest resultsfor itsclients.

Inadditiontothis,thecompanyisoneoftherecognized leadersintechnologyimplementation.GHO’sdesign philosophyisbasedonsustainabilityandaprincipalthat theprovidedmediasolutionsmustbefutureproof.

ADynamicTechIndividualLeadingfromtheFront GaryOlson Founder Presidentisthe and ofGHOGroup. Heprovidesdirectiontothecompanyasathoughtleaderin digitalmediaandbroadcasttechnologyaswellasin cognitivecomputing.Olson’sbook, Planning and Designing the IP Broadcast Facility - A New Puzzle to Solve, isconsideredasatopreferencebooktothebroadcast industry

Thisdynamicindividualhasaconsiderablefollowingofhis articlesonTheBroadcastBridge,assistingtheindustrywith knowledgeandguidanceduringthetransitiontocomputer andIPnetwork-basedtechnologiesformediaproduction anddistribution.

AdvisingtheMarketintheAdoptionoftheNew TechnologySystems

Theexpression digitaltransformation’coversabroad‘ spectrumwithinthemediaandentertainmentindustries. Thistransformationhashadsignificantimpactoncontent

creationanddistribution coupledwithdisruptivechangesin thetechnologiesthatsupportthese industrysectors.Thesizeofthescreendoes notdeterminetheplatformthatcontentis deliveredtoorhowit’sdelivered.Therearedifferent productionconsiderationsforeachdigitalplatformand newmonetizationopportunities.

GHOisuniquelypositionedtoserveasanadvisoronthe transitiontothesenewtechnologies,provideguidanceand strategytooptimizetheinvestmentoforganizationsand assistthetechnicalsupportstaffinadoptingthenew technologysystems.

EnticingPotentialClientswithComprehensive Strategies

Intoday’sconnectedworld,communicationisoneofthe keyrequirementstokeepincontactwithanaudience.GHO isknownandrespectedforitsobjectiveperspectiveson technologytrends.Understandingclients’needsand budgetsiscriticaltothesuccessofaproject.GHOspendsa considerableamountoftimeresearchingacrossmany differentindustries.GHOpublishesarticlesontechnology regularlyonLinkedIntoeducateandinformtheindustry aboutthenovelevolutions.Throughthesetruthfulefforts, thecompanyenvisionseducatingtheusersandaimsto attractitspotentialcustomerbycreatingsuch comprehensivestrategies.

ForthcomingOpportunities

Themediaandentertainmentindustryisbecomingless segregatedandevolvingtoincludeDigitaloutofHome. MobileservicesandOTThavebecomeintegralmembersof thecommunity.GHOGroupisdevelopingsome impeccablestrategiesforitscustomersbyfocusingonthese advancements.Additionally,thecompanylooksatDeep LearningandArtificialIntelligenceasthenewtrends. Currentlythereismoreconfusionthanclarityaboutthis technologyanditsfuturisticbenefits.Client’sneed independentandtrustworthyadvisorsandstrategiststohelp navigatethroughthesechanges.Hence,thecompanyis spreadingbetterunderstandingregardingfuturistic technologiesandaimstoimplementtheseopportunitiesin thesefields.

May 2022 | 29 | www.insightssuccess.com

Theevolutionofdigitalcontent acrossallindustriesfrom healthcareandfinanceto publishingandeducationhasincreased marketcompetitionandprompted companiestomodernize communicationsystemsandprocesses. Mostbusinessesunderstandthe importanceofacreativeplatformwith thetoolsthatcanhelpthemadvertise theirproductsandserviceseffectively andefficiently

Shutterstockisaleadingtechnology companywithsuchaplatform,anditis knownforitsrichfeatures,andhighqualityassets,toolsandservices.The companylicensesimages,videos, music,andothereditorialassets.Italso offersavarietyofplansforindividuals, teams,andenterprisecustomersaswell asthecreativeeditingteamsofvarious companies.

ASerialEntrepreneurand Trailblazer

JonOringer,FounderandCEOof Shutterstockfoundedtheunique platformin2003.

Herecognizedtheneedforlicensable imagesatanaffordablecostand createdtheworld’sfirstsubscription imagemarketplace,startingwith thousandsofhisowndigital photographs.Thecompanywentpublic ontheNewYorkStockExchangein 2012,justnineshortyearsafterits inception.

Sincethen,ithascontinuedtoexpand andevolve.Shutterstocknowownsa

portfolioofbrandsservingbusinesses, marketingagencies,andmedia organizationsaroundtheworldwitha comprehensiverangeofcreativeand editorialassets.

Jonbelievesthatthecompany’sgrowth intoasuccessfulandsustainable businessisunderpinnedbyitsabilityto providecustomerswithcompelling content,innovativetools,andpremium servicestofueltheircreativity

DeterminedtoBestowCustomers withHigh-qualityDigitalAssets, ToolsandServices

Thedigitaltransformationoverthelast decadehasleftShutterstockcustomers, especiallythoseinadvertising,film, andmedia,withanever-increasing needformorevisualcontent.

Workingwithitsgrowingcommunity ofover400,000contributors, Shutterstockaddshundredsof thousandsofimageseachweek,and currentlyhasmorethan190million imagesandmorethan10millionvideo clipsavailable.

Whenthecompany’simagearchive crossedthe100millionimagesmark, Shutterstockturneditsattentionto helpingitsclientsfindexactlywhat theyneeded,asquicklyaspossible.

ThecompanyalsoownsBigstock,a value-orientedstockmediaagency; ShutterstockCustom,acustomcontent creationplatform;Offset,ahigh-end imagecollection;PremiumBeata curatedroyalty-freemusiclibrary;and

RexFeatures,apremiersourceof editorialimagesforinternationalmedia houses.

Shutterstockrecentlyannouncedthe releaseofCompositionAwareSearch, itsrevolutionarynewsearchfeature. Thisamazingtoolallowsusersto specifyoneormorekeywords,orto searchforcopyspace,andarrange themspatiallyonacanvastoreflectthe specificlayoutoftheimagetheyare seeking.

Additionally,theplatformoffers customersthefreshestcontentand valuableinsightstofacilitatetheir creativeprocess.Shutterstock’steam ofexperiencedcreativeprofessionalsis determinedtogiveitscustomersbestin-classdigitalassets,toolsand services.

TheDrivingFactors

Shutterstockhasalwaysdistinguished itselfbyprovidingthehighestquality ofcontentandthebestsearch experience,whichaddsuptosuperior valueforthecustomer.Thecompanyis continuingtobuildindustry-leading technologytoimproveitsofferingsby leveragingcomputervisionandAI technology.

Theroleofmarketersandsocialmedia managerstodayincreasinglyincludes thecreationofvisualcontent,butthey havelittletimetocreatecompelling visualcontentthataccurately representstheirbrandandengages theirtargetaudience.Shutterstock recognizesthatoneofthemost

The 10 Most Innovative CDN Disruptors to Watch, 2022. May 2022 | 30 | www.insightssuccess.com

commonpainpointsfortheseindividualsisthelackof simplebutpowerfuleditingtools.

Forthesebusyhybridcreativemarketersandsmallbusiness owners,ShutterstockintroducedEditor,asimpleonline editingtoolthatallowsuserstoquicklyandeasilycreate high-qualityvisualcontent.

ShutterstockEditorisaweb-basedapplicationthat leveragesShutterstock’sinnovativesearchtechnologyto helpusersfindtheimagerytheyneed.Thetoolfeatures professionallydesignedtemplates,theabilitytoupload visualassetssuchasalogo,savedesigns,andthepowerto publishfinisheddesignstosocialnetworksdirectlyfromthe application.

ThisisjustanotherexampleofShutterstock’sabilityto identifycustomerneedsandtoquicklydevelopasimple andeffectivesolution,whichhasbeenthemajordriving factorbehinditssuccess.

StrivetoReachattheEveryCorneroftheWorld JonstartedShutterstockin2003bybootstrappingithimself with$10,000ashesetouttointroducethesubscription modeltothestockphotographyindustry

Tokick-starttheidea,Jonshotmorethan30,000images andmadethemavailableforlicenseontheplatform.He thenopenedthemarketplaceuptootherphotographers. Today,thecommunityhasgrowntomorethan300,000 photographers,artists,videographers,andmusiciansfrom allcornersoftheworld.

AsShutterstockcontinuestoexpanditsplatformandrange ofproducts,thecompanyalsostrivestoensurethatits contentisavailablewhereverthecustomerneedsit.It achievesthisthroughthedevelopmentoftoolsthat integratemediasearchwiththecustomer’sworkflow ThroughstrategicAPIIntegrations,Shutterstockisnow availableinproductslikeGoogleSlidesandAdobe CreativeCloud,improvingcontentcreators’workflowsby givingthemaccesstopremium,professionalimageryfrom withinaplatformtheyarealreadyusing.

Inadditiontothis,Shutterstock’srecentpartnershipwith MicrosoftPowerPointgivesusersintegratedaccesstoits collectionofphotosandillustrations,afullintegration directlyintoFacebook’sadcreationtool.

Shutterstockstrivestoprovideworld-classdigitalcontent andhascontinuedtoinvestinmakingitsimages,video,and musiccontentavailableinbusinessapplications.Italso envisionsenablingbusinessestobuildtheirown applicationsthroughanewdeveloperportal.

May 2022 | 31 | www.insightssuccess.com

The 10 Most Innovative CDN Disruptors to Watch, 2022.

Sizmek: Creating Impressions that Inspire

Anincredibleamountofresearch,planning,and resourcesgointoeveryadthatwesee.Teamsof advertisingprofessionals,assistedbyimmensely powerfulcomputersequippedwithArtificialIntelligence (AI)contributetoitscreation,thendecideontimingand delivery Thisisamassiveinvestmentandevery advertiserwantstoseeresultsthatjustifytheiroutlay

However,advertisingmanagementfirmshave traditionallybeenreluctanttosharetrueinsightsintothe ROI.Now,onecompanyisrevolutionizingtheindustry withitsuniquebrandofservicedeliverywhichcombines excellentadvertisingexposurewithunparalleled transparency.

ThatcompanyisSizmek.

Sizmekistheworld’slargestindependentbuy-side advertisingplatform.Itcaterstoagenciesandbrandsin morethan70countriesthroughouttheAmericas,EMEA, andAPAC,andconnectsmorethan20,000advertisers and3,600agenciestoaudiencesaroundtheworld.

Thecompany’spowerfulintegratedsolutionsenable data,creative,andmediatoworkseamlesslytogether TheirAI-drivendecisionenginethenidentifiesinsights acrossthefivekeydatadimensions-campaigns, consumers,context,creative,andcost.

Theresultisaward-winningservicethattranscends industry,geographicallocation,targetdemographics,and mediumofdelivery.Sizmek’sincisive,targetedmedia

plansareaugmentedbypricingandshowcasealevelof transparencyunprecedentedintheadvertisingindustry

ExperiencedGuidance

Leadingthistrailblazingcompanythroughitsslewof recentsuccessesisCEO,MarkGrether.Hehasbeen withSizmeksince2017.Markisnostrangertothe marketingarena;hehasperformedvirtuallyeveryrolein theindustryinthemanyyearsthathehasbeenapart ofit.

Hisjourneybeganinacademiaasaprofessorof marketingbeforetheappealofreal-worldmarketing technologypulledhimontohiscurrentpath. ImmediatelypriortojoiningSizmek,Markwasthe globalChiefOperatingOfficerofWPP’sXaxis,a platformthatheco-founded.

BeforeXaxis,MarkworkedatGroupM,theworld’s largestmediainvestmentgroup.AsitsGlobal DevelopmentDirector,hehelpedsetuptheirdigital tradingdeskacross10countries.

Mark’stenureatSizmekhasbeenmarkedby transformativechange.Herevampedthefirm’sstructure togiveregionalGMs-whounderstandtheirlocal marketsbest-thepowertomakemoredecisionswhile armedwiththeconfidencethatcomesfrombeingpartof amajorglobalenterprise.

Anotherofhismajorinitiativeshasbeentogive actionabledatatheattentionandpriorityitdeserves. ManyofSizmek’scompetitorsareonlyjustwadinginto thesewatersatatimewhenthecompanyhasalready madeitaprimefocus,andincludesitsclientsand partnersintheimplementationprocess.

AnticipatingandLeveragingChange

WhenMarkjoinedSizmek,hequicklydeterminedthat twoindustry-criticalchallengesneededtobeovercome. Thefirstwastransparencyandthesecond,theEuropean Union’supcomingGDPR(GeneralDataProtection Regulation)whichhassincebeenimplemented.

Theadvertisingindustryis,unfortunately,ahotbedof playerswhointentionallyconcealhowdollarsarespent andwhereinvestmenthasthelargestorleastimpact.By contrast,Marknamed2018thecompany’s‘YearofTotal Transparency’.

UnderMark’sleadership,Sizmekoffersfulltransparency acrossitsentireAI-enabledplatform,includingmedia, creative,data,technology,andservice-relatedcosts.

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Agenciesandadvertisersgetincreasedvisibilityand controlovertheirmediaplanningandbuying;theycan identifyhoweveryelementworksandthenhonetheir strategiesforthebestresults.

Meanwhile,theEU’sGDPRhasshakentheadvertising industry.Non-compliancecanbedevastating–theEU imposesfinesof4%ofglobalrevenueor20million Euros,whicheverishigher

Sizmekinitiatedpreparationstocounteritseffectsas soonasplansforthelegislationwereannouncedyears ago,makingsuretheirAI-poweredfusionofcreative, media,anddatawasready.

Thecompanyallowsitsclientstodeploytargeted campaignswithoutresortingtotheuseofpersonaldata. ThisisachievedthroughtheirPeer39contextualtargeting solutionthatappliesartificialintelligencetoanalyzewords andphrases,andtherelationshipbetweenthemtofully understandthecontextandcategoryofanypage.Theycan alsostaysafefromfineswithfullymanagedservice,from accountmanagementtoDCOtoaudiencedevelopmentto performancereportingandbeyond.

InsteadofsufferingaGDPR-induceddownturn,Sizmek’s clientsarenowbetterpositionedthantheircompetitorsto navigatethischangedmarketinglandscape.

MoldingtheFuture

BecauseSizmekemploysAIextensively,itisfullyawareof howthetechnologyisconstantlyimprovingandbecoming moreaccurate.Itisalreadyabletodecidewhichpersona specificadshouldbedeliveredtooutofmillionsofbid requestspersecond.

AsAIcontinuouslylearns,andwillonlyimproveinthe upcomingyears,Sizmekisworkingtobetterplaceadsat scaleinreal-time,helpingbrandsimproveconversionsand attracttheirmostvaluableconsumers.

Sizmekisalsoinvestinginlearning when individualsare mostreceptivetomarketingmessages.Factorslikethe periodbeforeandafterarelatedpurchase,timeoftheday, anddayoftheweekallformacomplexdatarelationship thatholdsenormousmarketingpotentialifitcanbe unraveled—whichSizmekisalreadyabletoevaluate.

Asitmakesadvancesbyleapsandboundsintermsof technology,Sizmekhasmaintaineditsemphasison transparency.Theirindustry-firstconsumer/businessmodel updateatthebeginningof2018marksthecompany’s visionforhowAdTechshouldbemovingtowardsfulldata accessibilityandpricingtransparency.

Thisleadershipintechnologyadoptionandself-regulation haveplacedSizmekinthedrivingseatofthemarketing world,apositioninwhichitseemsverycomfortable.

“Our AI-driven decisioning engine can identify robust insights within data across the ve key dimensions of predictive marketing—campaigns, consumers, context, creative, and cost.”
—MarkGrether CEO
May 2022 | 33 | www.insightssuccess.com

Vidyard:

Creating Seamless Possibilities through Video

Vidyardisanextgenerationvideoplatformthatis helpingbusinessesdrivemorerevenue,boost employeeengagement,andcreatenewareasof competitiveadvantagethroughthestrategicuseofonline video.

Designedtogobeyondtraditionalvideohostingand management,theplatformhelpsbusinessesquicklycreate andsharenewvideocontent,connectwithmoreviewers throughinteractiveandpersonalizedvideoexperiences,and

The 10 Most Innovative CDN Disruptors to Watch, 2022.

turnpowerfulaudienceinsightsintoaction.

Vidyardalsohelpsbusinessestransforminternal communicationswithsecurevideomessaging,private contentsharing,internallivestreaming,custom-builtvideo applications,andmore.Thesefeaturescanintegrate seamlesslywithexistingbusinessworkflowsandcorporate securitymodels.

Globalleadersandindustrypioneers,including Microsoft,Honeywell,Lenovo,andLinkedInrelyon idyardtopowertheirvideostrategiesforboth externalcustomerengagementandinternal employeecommunications.

VisionaryLeadership

MichaelLittistheCo-founderandCEOof Vidyardandanavidentrepreneurwithapassion forbuildingSaaScompanies.Michaelleadsthe developmentofVidyard’sinnovativevideo technology,isarespectedauthorityon entrepreneurshipandstartupculture,andisa masterofconnectingwithaudiences.

Michaelcontributestothegrowthofthemedia industrybysharinghisinsightfulperspectives withbroadaudiencesasaregularcontributorto Fast Company,anAmericanbusinessmagazine. Hehasbeenquotedin Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, TechCrunch andotherleading publications.

Hehassharedhisengagingandinspiringpublicspeaking stylewithglobalaudiencesofallsizesthroughTEDx,The DigitalCollective,DreamforceandYCombinator’sAdInnovationConference.

Theseeffortshaveledtomanyrecognitionsandawards, includingthePeterBrojdeAwardforCanada’sNext GenerationExecutiveLeadership,MarketingMagazine’s Top30Under30,andErnst&Young’sEntrepreneurofthe Year.

QualityServices

Vidyard’srangeofservicesencompasscloud-basedvideo hostingandmanagement,videoanalytics,videocontent personalization,interactivevideo,andlivestreaming.They aresupportedbytoolsthatsimplifyvideocreationand sharingbyemployees.

Vidyard’sfreepersonal-videomessagingapp,Vidyard GoVideoallowssalesreps,supportreps,andindividual

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employeestoeasilyrecordandshare personalvideomessageswhile trackingengagementlevelsforthat content.

Theseinsightscanbeleveragedtohelp businessesunderstandwhichmaterial isresonatingwithcustomers,partners, andtheirownemployees.

OutshiningtheCompetition

WhenVidyardwasfirstlaunched,its biggestbarriertosuccesswere prominentvideo-hostingandplayback solutionplatformsthatwereavailable forfree.Thechallengewasgetting businessestounderstandthatthese platformsofferedlimitedanalytics, security,scalability,andintegration intoexistingtechnologies.

Duetotheselimitations,videoviewer datacouldnotbemappedintoa MarketingAutomationPlatform (MAP)orCustomerRelationship Platform(CRM). “Competing with “free” is never easy unless you can demonstrate a clear and quantifiable return-on-investment that aligns with their business goals,” statesMichael.

Oncebusinessesrealizedthese shortcomings,Vidyardwas immediatelymoreappealing.The companyhassecureditsdominanceby demonstratingclearvalueandROI, coupledwiththeabilitytohelp organizationsmorerapidlyadoptvideo acrossdifferentteamsasastrategic businessadvantage.

GlobalImpact

WithVidyard’spersonalizedvideo solution,brandshavetheabilityto createuniquevideocontentthat seamlesslyweavesinanindividual viewer’sname,companyname,title andotheruniqueinformation.

Thesevideosaredrivingconversion rateshigherthanthatoftraditional

content.Whetheritisatelcosendinga personalizedvideomessagetoexplain abill,auniversitysharingacustommadevideotorecruitnewstudents,or aB2Bcompanyusingbespokevideos topromoteanewproductorevent,this isapowerfulwaytostandoutandto engageaudiencesinamemorableand compellingcontentexperience.

AFlawlessGamePlan

WhileVidyardcontinuestogrowits ownmarketingandsalesteams,akey partofitsstrategyistoinvestfurtherin partnerships.Lastyear,itlauncheda seriesofnewpartnerprogramstowork withresellers,agencies,systems integrators,andtechnologypartnersto broadenitsmarketreach.

Inadditiontoleveragingnewchannels, thecompanyrecentlylaunchedits VidyardGoVideopartnerprogramthat enablesanytechnologyproviderto embedaspectsofVidyard’splatform withinitsownofferings,freeofcharge. Vidyardisalsopartneringwithtraining andeducationorganizationssuchas AlwaysHired,SalesBootcampand

SalesforLife,whicharetraining studentsonhowtousevideoto improvetheirsalesprocess.

EvolvingwiththeJourney idyardisexpandingitsfootprintin differentmarketsandgeographies.The companyisacceleratingitsgrowthin financialservices,manufacturingand educationwhilerapidlygrowingits customerbasesinEMEAandtheAsiaPacific.

Muchofthisexpansionwillbefueled byitsproductinnovationinareassuch asvideopersonalization,videosales, interactivevideo,andvideofor customersupport.

Vidyardisleadingthechargein deliveringacomprehensivevideo platformtohost,analyze,and operationalizevideoinawaythat exposeskeyflawsinmostexecutives’ assumptions.Itisonamissiontohelp everyoneleveragethepowerofthis mediumtobuildbetterrelationships, communicatemoreclearly,and humanizethewaywedobusiness.

TheRewardsofPerseverance

InDecember2017,Vidyardwas recognizedforitsrapidrevenue growth,boldinnovationand entrepreneurialspiritwithaDeloitte TechnologyFast50programaward, ranking16thwithagrowthrateof21.4 %overthepreviousfouryears.

Thecompanywasalsoselectedasa finalistforthe2017MITSloanCIO Symposium’sInnovationShowcase basedonthestrategicvalueand innovationitbringstodigital enterprisenowandinthefuture.

Vidyardhasalsobeennamedoneof the‘TopRatedEnterpriseVideo Platforms’byTrustRadiusand‘Leader forOnlineVideoPlatformsforSales andMarketing’byForrester

May 2022 | 35 | www.insightssuccess.com
Providing a New Outlook to Traditional Businesses May 2022 | 36 | www.insightssuccess.com

VR is a way to escape the real world into something more fantastic. It has the potential to be the most social technology of all time. — Palmer Luckey

Virtualreality(VR)hasbeenaround formanyyearsnow,inspiteofthisitis averyunderdevelopedtechnology.It holdsavastpotentialoutsideof entertainment,ithastakenovervarious aspectsofourlivesrightfromtheway weshop,experience,converseand evenwaystoconductbusiness.

Withtimethistechnologyhasgained popularitywithmanypowerhouses, whichhasencouragedthemtoinvest profoundlyinVRtechnology.Ithas becomemoreandmoreaccessiblefor users,withmanufacturershaving alreadyreleasedhouseholdsetsandare continuingtodoso.

TherecentadvancementintheVR technologyhasmadeitmore accessibleforthegeneralpublic.Due tothis,ithashadaremarkableimpact onthebusinessworldalso.Thesole aimofthetechnologyistochange humanperceptionusingvirtual systems.TheadoptionofVRbyusers isstillinitsnascentstagesandhas gainedpopularity,andmoreandmore businessesarecomingupwithVR basedsolutions.Thereducingpricesof VRheadsetshavealsoposedtobean advantagefortheconsumersaswell.

Ithasalsoposedtobeanadvantagefor theconsumersaswell,withthe reducingpricesofVRheadsets.This hasprovedthatVRisatoughand emergentmarket,withgreatscopefor platformswhichcanallowbusinesses toleverageVRforprocess developmentandadvancedmarketing.

BusinessesareUsingVRtotheir Benefit

VRhasthepotentialtobecomethe mostimportanttoolthatbusinessescan leveragetoaddontotheirsuccess.

Establishedbusinessesaretakingthe helpofVRtotraintheirnew employeesinamorecost-effectiveand efficientway WiththehelpofVR,one canhaveanemployeeinLosAngeles meetingwiththeoneinLondonasif theywere/areinthesameroom.

VRoffersanaddedadvantagewhenit comestotheoutwardfocusofthe businesses;itallowsanovelwayto connectwithcustomers.Thecompany canbuildupamorestorydrivenway ofmarketingwhichdrawspeopleinto thecompany'sbrand,inatangibleand relationalway.Virtualrealityhas potentiallytransformedtheworldof media.Ithasopeneddoorsfor businesses;toadvertiseinawaythey hadneverimaginedbefore.

Consumersarenow equippedwiththe abilitytotestoutandexperience products,thattheyintendtopurchase, inanentirelynewway.Itallowsyouto preciselyvisualizehowapieceof furnitureorpaintingwouldlookina particularroom,oreventestdifferent makeupstyleswithoutleavingthe room.Astructuredassessment, planningofthefutureofbusinesses, andwiththerightdataVRcaneven giveavaluableinsightintothesuccess ofthebusiness.

VRisnowbeingusedtosimplifyand reducethecostoftheprocessof productprototyping.SinceVRhas madeitverycost-effectivefor businessestodesignaproductoran intricatecomponentofanoutsized machinevirtuallythanactuallybuild

theprototype,theuseofVRinthis sectorislikelytodevelopquickly VR andARhavealsoadvancedtheareaof Computer-AidedDesign(CAD).

Prototypescannowbeshapedwithin thevirtualspace,allowingdesignersto accuratelypindownitsworkingway beforetheresourcestobuildthe productareacquired.Thishaseased theprocessoftestingtheproductwhile savingbothmoneyandtime.

Themajorsetbackthatthee-commerce industryfacesisthesales;customers arereluctanttobuyproductsthatthey haven’ttried.WiththehelpofVR,the consumerscanpotentiallytryoutand visualizedemonstrationsforvarious productcategories.Allowingamore clearvisionofhowtheirpost-purchase experiencewilllooklike.

Novelbusinessopportunities

There are as many applications for VR as you can think of; it’s restricted by your imagination. — John Goddard.

VirtualRealityhasnumerous businessesperspective;notjustby providinginnovativefeaturestothe businessproducts,butalsoinhelping innovatorscreatenovelbusinesseswith thesetechnologiesatthecore.

Justlikeold-fashionedcafes,VRcafes wouldsoonbeahit.Theseplaceswill beasocialgatewayforpeoplelooking foraugmentedandvirtuallyenhanced experiences.VRcafeswouldoffer choicesondiversevirtualreality equipment,comprisingofgames, videotapes,team-buildingexercises, socialmediapractices,3Dbooksand contentexperiences,andvirtually enrichedmeditation.

Inrealestatemarkets,VRplatforms

permithousetourstopeoplefrom anyplacearoundtheglobe.Peoplecan designandevenpainttheirhomeswith thistechnologyastheywouldinreal lifesetting,toprovideanoutlookinto thefuturelookoftheirhomes.

CarslikeAudiR8offersaVR-powered “testdrive”experience.Similarly,even Airbushasintroducedaircrafttoursfor itsairlineexecutives,whichallows themanenrichedexperienceandtour oftheaircraftwithoutactuallyvisiting it.

TheFutureLooksPromising

AsVRandARcarryondevelopment, moreandmoreknowledgeabouthow itcanbeefficientlyincorporatedinto thebusinesseshascometolight,this amalgamationofnewwiththeoldwill potentiallyhaveahugepositiveimpact oneverysector.Newentrepreneurs, startups,andbusinessesshouldsurely keepaneyeoutforthistechnology,as ithasbecomeanintegralpartof marketingandbusinessesprocessesin thenearfuture.

Bearinginmindhowseveralindustries andbusinessesarequicklyvalidating andacceptingvirtualreality,the estimateisthatitwilltakeoverthe businessscenarioalmostcompletely, isn’tbloatedbyanymeans.

May 2022 | 38 | www.insightssuccess.com

Viral In Nature:

Simple, Straightforward, Effective Social Media Management

Socialmediahascompletelychangedthewaywe interactandshareideas,howweinfluenceothers,and howweallowourselvestobeinfluenced.Itisthetool ofchoiceforworldleaders,governments,major corporations,celebrities,andanyoneelsewhowantsto connectdirectlywithanaudienceofmillions.

Thisremarkableabilitytobeseenandheard-andto personallycommunicatewith-suchlargeswathesofthe humanraceinstantlyisunprecedentedbothinscopeand scale.Ittranscendsbarriersofrace,religion,nationality, age,socialstatus,andalmosteveryotherfactorwhichwe usetodivideourselves.

Itistrue,instantdemocracy.

Wieldinganypowerfultoolrequiresalevelofskill,and socialmediaisnoexception.Thisisamplyevidentfromthe newsstoriesweregularlyhearofdisastroussocialmedia fauxpasfromstars,politiciansandrespectedorganizations. Theycouldallhavemadethenewsfortherightreasonshad theychosenViralInNature

TheBuildingBlocksofSuccess

ViralInNaturewasfoundedin2010asGoWowMedia,and rebrandedtoitscurrentnamein2013.BesidesSocial MediaManagement,italsospecializesinReputation ManagementandWebDevelopment.

TheCanadiancompanyfocusesonhelpingsmalland mediumenterprisesutilizethepowerofsocialmedia.It helpsthemtobridgethegapbetweenremainingalocal presenceandacquiringaglobalcustomerbase.Their incrediblesuccessratewithsmallerbusinesseshas promptedglobalcompaniestoseekouttheirservicesas well.

Hardworkandcommitmentisinthefirm’sDNA.12hours ofeachday,7daysaweek,and365daysarethehoursof coveragetheydofortheirsocialmediaclients.ViralIn

Naturedevotesmoretimeandenergytosocialmedia managementandliveeventsocialmediamanagementthan itsrivals.Andtheresultsspeakforthemselves.

ViralInNaturehasbecomethemostawardedsocialmedia agencyinNorthAmerica.Respectedpublicationslike Clutch.coandGoodFirms.cohaveconsistentlyrankeditas oneoftheworld’stopsocialmediamarketingagencies. CV Magazine namedittheUSA’sBestSocialMediaAgency for2018.

Withaccoladeslikethat,itisnowonderthatthefirmis poisedtobecomeoneofthemostpowerfulsocialmedia hubsforbusinessanywhere.

Multi-FacetedExcellence

ViralInNaturemaintainsasingularfocusonitsclients. Whileothercompaniesmayclaimtobeclient-centric,Viral InNaturehasprovenconsistentlythatittrulyembodiesthat spirit.Thisisevidentnotjustfromtheindustryaccolades thatkeeppilingup,butfromthetestimonialsofcustomers whomthefirmconsidersitsbestambassadors.

TheotherareainwhichViralInNatureinvestsconsiderable timeandeffortistechnology.Socialmediaisbyitsvery natureatech-drivenfield,anditisonlybyleveragingthe vastpotentialitholdsthattrulyspectacularresultsare possible.

Thecompanyconstantlyseeksout,tests,develops,and implementsthelatestadvances,applicationsandhardware suchasnewanduniquecamers.Inthisway,everyclientis assuredacutting-edgesolutionthatkeepsthemaheadofthe competition.

Tofosteranenvironmentofconstantlearningand adaptability,thecompanyholdsregularmeetingsthatfocus primarilyonemergingtrendsinsocialmedia.Conductedin anopendiscussionformat,itallowsteammemberstokeep abreastofdevelopmentsthatmaynotrelatetotheir

The 10 Most Innovative CDN Disruptors to Watch, 2022. May 2022 | 40 | www.insightssuccess.com

specialtydirectly Thiscreatesarich tapestryofresidualknowledgeupon whichtheycandrawinthefuture.

Apro-activeapproachiscriticaltohow ViralInNatureoperates.Theagency adoptsapolicyofcreatingawide footprintforeachclientacrossarange ofsocialmediaplatforms.Itadheresto thisphilosophytomitigatethenegative effectsofpolicychangesatanyoneof thosecompanies,andtoinsulateits clientsfromunforeseeabledownturns liketheonecurrentlyplaguing Facebook.

TheManBehindtheBrand ShawnAlainisthePresidentofViral InNatureandtheownerofthe company

Mr Alainbeganhiscareerinmedia withthepublishingindustry.He

recognizedthemassivepotentialof socialmediamarketingbeforeithad becometheglobalphenomenonitis today.In2010,afteradecadein publishing,hesetupGoWowMedia, thepredecessortoViralinNature.

AslewofsuccessinTwitterand FacebookmarketinggaveMr.Alain thegroundworkandanintimate understandingoftheindustry.Itwas uponthisfoundationthatViralIn Naturewasborn.

TheJourneyBeyond ViralInNatureisundoubtedlyoneof thebestsocialmediamanagement agenciesinNorthAmerica.

However,Shawniseagertotakehis brandtoatrulyinternationallevel, withplansforEurope,Australiaand LatinAmericaalreadyonthecards.In

fact,thefirmhasalreadyhiredstaff fluentinFrenchandSpanishasthefirst steptothisexpansion.

Inlinewithitspolicyofgivingevery clientawidesocialmediapresence, ViralInNaturehasalwaysmanaged themacrossfivetosevenplatforms. Withanincreasinglybusiness-centric focusandundauntedbychange,the companyisalwaysonthelookoutfor newer,betteroptionsthatwillmore thoroughlyserveitsclients’needs.

Technologyisunbiased–itwillfavor themosteffectivesolution.ViralIn Naturedoesnotonlyapplythis philosophy,ithasitselfbecomethe bestexampleofitsveracity.

“We commit ourselves to constantly improving our services, performance and push through our comfort barriers to improve value to our clients.”
— Shawn Alain President
May 2022 | 41 | www.insightssuccess.com

YUDU

TheMediaandEntertainment Industryhasdisplayedevident growthglobally,sinceits commencement.Theadventof innovativetechnologiesandtheir pioneersinthisindustryand subsequentdisciplineshascatapulted itsdevelopment. YUDU isonesuch innovativepioneerofthedigital publishingindustry

Foundedin2007, YUDU isan applicationstechnologycompany specializingindigitalpublishingand crisiscommunications.Itupholdsa visionofharnessingcloud-based technologytomeetgrowingmarket needs.Itwasoneofthefirstcompanies tohelppublishersproducedigital versionsoftheirmagazinesandother publications.Theorganizationholds simplicityandeaseofaccessatthe heartofitsvision,bothforitsclients andcustomers,andproducessolutions thathavebeenwidelylikedbyusers.

ExemplaryLeadership

YUDU’sFounderandCEO,Richard Stephenson,hasbeenatthehelm sincethecompany’sinceptionin2007. HeholdsajointhonorsB.Sc.in EconomicsandMaterialsSciencefrom SwanseaUniversity.Hehasdriventhe growthofthecompanyasithasgrown initsinternationalclientele,adaptedto changesinthepublishingindustry,and mostrecently,ledthedevelopmentof thecompany’sCrisisManagementapp named Sentinel.

Reforming Digital Publishing and Crisis Management

Theonlineshifttowardse-reading,ecommerceandappshasopenedupnew opportunitiesfor YUDU,which Richardhasbeenattheforefrontof capitalizingonandhelpingclients adapttochangingconsumerwantsand needs.Overthepast10years,Richard hasoverseenthegrowthofthe companytobecomeagloballeaderin cloudbaseddocumentdistributionand corporatecommunications.

Richardhasbeenrunningtechnology ledinternationalbusinessesforthepast 30yearsandcompletedhisfirstprivate equitybackedMBOin2001.Richard pastrolesincludebeinganOperating PartnerwithDukeStreetCapital, ChairmanofXafinityHoldingsLtd, PresidentoftheSupervisoryBoardof NavimoS.A.andChairmanofDeloro StelliteLtd.

RedefiningInnovation

Although YUDU hasdevelopedover 1,000appsoveritstenyearsintech, communicationisattheheartofthe company’sfunctionality.The organization’scoreproductisitsdigital publishingplatform, Publisher.It allowsanyonetoturnaPDFintoan intuitive,re-flowable,IOS,Android andWindowscompatibledigital version.

Clientsrangingfromretailerslike Screwfix topublicationslike National Geographic use Publisher tocreate highqualitymagazines,catalogues,

newslettersandmore,allwithfull statisticalanalysisbuilt-inandoptional subscriptioncontrol.

YUDU’smostrecentlydeveloped software Sentinel,combinesmass alertingviaSMS,emailandin-app messaging,offlinecriticaldocument handlingandanHRdatabaseof contacts.Allofthisishostedona securecloudserver,sothatifacyber attack,poweroutageoranactofterror takesdownserversandphonelines, incidentmanagerscancheckthat everyoneissafeandinstructstaffon whattodo. Sentinel isusedasa businesscontinuityand communicationstoolbyarangeof industriesincludinglawfirms,hotels, andtheatres.

Amongpublishers,thedigital transformationhasbeenembracedby someandfearedbyothers.E-book readerslikeKindlewerehailed simultaneouslyastheendofthebook industryandasapassingfadbyits detractors,andmoremobileformsof entertainmenthavebroadenedthe optionsformagazinesdistributionand consumption.

With Publisher,theorganizationwas abletotakepublicationsintothedigital arena.Itcouldalsoenhanceprint magazineswithvideoandinteractivity, helpingmediacompaniesand educationalpublishersreacha massivelywideraudiencewiththeir mostinnovativecontent.

: The 10 Most Innovative CDN Disruptors to Watch, 2022. May 2022 | 42 | www.insightssuccess.com

StrategizingforConquests

Whenpeoplebeganconsumingmoremediaviatheir mobilephonesandtabletsandlessondesktops, YUDU facedthechallengeofmakingcontentaccessible. Consumerswantedasmoothreadingexperiencewithout havingtopinchandzoom,thusthecompanyneededto rethinkhowitdelivereditsclients’content. PhoneView is itssolutiontodevice-responsivedocumentviewing.

“The roadmap for YUDU’s development has always been user-centric. We listen to feedback from our clients and are continually adding new features to our apps based on our clients’needs, and that is what keeps us ahead of our competitors,” statesRichard.Thecompanyhasadedicated supportteamintheUKandisproudofitsveryhigh customerapprovalrating.

YUDU’sstrategyistodeliverthebestpossibleproductand givethebestpossibleclientexperience.Expressinghis viewsonadaptingtothechangingtrendsintheindustry, Richardasserts, “The consumer has migrated from desktop to mobile passing tablets on the way. We have anticipated this trend by developing the technology for displaying rich content on smaller screens.”

EmbracingOpportunities

Thenextstepfor YUDU istoenterintoanewterritory,of businesscontinuityandcrisismanagement.Thecompany’s expertiseindocumentmanagement,communicationsand appdevelopmenthassetituptofulfillthegrowingneedfor areliable,simplesoftwaretohelporganizationskeeptheir peoplesafeandkeeptheinformationflowingduringan emergency

Immediateaccesstobusinessrecoveryplansonmobilesis vitalforinstantresponse.Theorganization’spublishing backgroundenablesittouseitsdocumenthandling technologytoofferfeaturesthatotheralertingsystemsfail todeliver.Itscompetitorscan’tofferincidentmanagersthe abilitytosharebusinesscontinuitydocuments,press statements,clientslistsetc.offlineandsecurelyinacrisis.

BeholdingNewHorizonsofAchievements

While YUDU continuestoofferindustry-leading technologyfordigitalpublishing,itisbroadeningits portfolioofappsallthetime.Thecompanyisexpandingits corporatecommunicationsofferingbycombiningdocument handlingandcommunicationsinitsappforsalesteams;

addingnewfeatures,likegroupspecificpushnotifications, toitsexistingappsandcontinualrefinementofitsapp technologyinthefaceofchangestoappstoresand operatingsystems.

Inthenearfuture, YUDU isgrowingits Sentinel product intoawholerangeofbusinesscontinuitysolutions.Ithas excitingworklinedupwithsecurityandcounter-terror specialiststocreate Sentinel Alaris and Sentinel Alert.With the Sentinel rangeofproductsitisbuildingastrong portfoliooftopclientsanddevelopinginastrongly growingmarket.

“Knowing that our apps are going to be used to help organizations safeguard their staff and help save lives in an increasingly dangerous world makes it an incredibly worthwhile work,” statesRichard.

Richard Stephenson Founder & CEO
YUDU helps publishers, corporations, educators and organizations engage with their audiences digitally.
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May 2022 | 43 | www.insightssuccess.com

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