Online Video: Superpowered Ideas for Marketers by Videasa

video for websites and beyond

The “Crowd” (some of us included) apparently produced more content than the campaigns and news organizations combined. Suddenly, Americans had a user-generated alternative to mass media political coverage. We were faster. We were more entertaining. We were honest. We were undeniable. No, we did not need any more proof that online video was important. But what remained unanswered was critical to our future as an online video content agency. If the Collective Content Generation is viewing and uploading millions of video clips everyday on just about every subject under the sun, how should marketers respond? Thus, we decided to ask marketers to forecast ways in which online video could be used to reach and inuence the 150 million people who watch an average of 96 online videos every month!. The response was tremendous. The insights were ground-breaking. The business case lessons and corresponding recommendations could save the average marketer thousands of dollars and reduce the learning curve by several years.

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76.8 percent of the total U.S. Internet audience viewed online video (January 2009). The average online video viewer watched 356 minutes of video (approximately 6 hours), up 15 percent versus December. 100.9 million viewers watched 6.3 billion videos on YouTube.com (62.6 videos per viewer). 54.1 million viewers watched 473 million videos on MySpace.com (8.7 videos per viewer). The duration of the average online video was 3.5 minutes, up from 3.2 minutes per video in December. The duration of the average online video viewed at Megavideo was 24.9 minutes, higher than any other video property in the top ten.

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It was on election day, November 4, 2008, that we decided to move forward with this study. As

we watched America’s rst YouTube presidential election unfold, we were oored by the number of online video clips that were appearing in television news broadcasts.

For starters, we almost canceled the project. After all, YouTube and the mega-research rms were cranking out daily news releases with data that proved online video was important. That it was big. That you could not escape it’s inuence. Sigh.

“Web videos can help a brand slip into a consumer's buddy list kinda sideways by offering something in the way of entertainment or helpful information that does not smell like a sales pitch - and may hardly mention the product or service the brand sells.” –New York City

There are many reasons why online video is popular: bandwidth and t e c h n o l o g y d r i v e r s a s i d e , i t ’s informative, entertaining and easily accessible at home, work and on the road. We have created buzzwords like “video snacking” to describe its place in the ad-avoiding, time-shifting, screen-shifting, on-demand, usercentric digital ecosystem. All certainly valid when analyzing human behavior through the lens of technology. Perhaps of greater use to marketers is understanding how online video ts into today’s social context. This requires a different perspective. Instead of viewing the internet as a

way to increase productivity, it can be understood in terms of facilitating social interactions. From this frame of reference, humans (not consumers) are exploring new forms of self expression and new forms of community. All of this of course, has immediate implications – which brings us to the heart of this research: people are demanding content that is contextual, mobile and entertaining enough to be shared with friends and co-workers in any one of the multiple social networking spaces they visit, create and/or maintain.

The economy is a key driver of content consumption among today's on-demand digital consumers.

Marketers overwhelmingly agree that audiences are attracted to entertaining video clips that provide an escape or resolve an immediate, vexing need.

For audiences seeking an escape, video clips that serve up humor and/or feature outrageous, scandalous or tantalizing stories quickly achieve conversation status in social networks.

For the person determined to solve a nagging problem, video is the perfect on-demand remedy; delivering the resolution with an entertaining or unexpected twist can increase replay and word of mouth propensity.

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The message has been attened and is no longer static. The New York Times is no longer 'the' mass media authority on news, politics, culture and entertainment. Brands are no longer the single mass media source of information about its products and services. Today, consumers exert signicant inuence over the publishing and distribution of content once dominated by media giants, content kings and advertisers. The Age of Wikipedia has arrived and the Collective Content Generation has seized control of the content, the message and the opinions in a manner so disruptive as to only be described as the democratization of media. People want less advertising and more service; self-serving ad spots devoid of infotainment will fall short of potential marketing objectives. In a at world, people want something relatable not aspirational, something to talk about by reaching out and connecting on common ground.

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Popular web videos are today’s new Superbowl commercials - except they happen every day in the form of short, entertaining video clips. The players - the Superbrands who reach great conversation heights online and ofine - have procured the talent and resources necessary to generate branded video content that people talk about, share and recall favorably. Superbrands have evolved to provide on demand service in an ultra-mobile economy where the divisions between home, work and play time has condensed or permanently altered. Superbrand marketers understand that consumers don't have a short attention span; they have a short attention span for the perfectly crafted, dull, self-centered sales-pitch. Superbrands fully comprehend the reach and impact that one short, catchy video clip can have if it catches the attention of an active member of an online social network.

It’s not a television; it’s a 52-inch digital display. – Washington DC

Marketers are increasingly aware that consumers are quickly accessing much of the same content on their television, personal computer and mobile smartphone.

The most signicant disruption that will occur in 2009-2010 is the realization by most consumers that their at screen TV is not a TV at all; it’s an LCD computer display that can easily be connected to a small computer like the Mac Mini to access huge amounts of entertaining content.

Marketers are largely unnerved by the pace at which consumers are time-shifting, location-shifting, screenshifting and generally untethering content from the devices and channels they were originally designed for.

Consumers are demanding content that is contextual, mobile and entertaining enough to be shared with friends and coworkers in any one of the multiple social networking spaces they create and maintain.

Outgunned and outpaced, Superbrand marketers are creating content in the form of infotainment that users can access and re-distribute on-demand.

This project was a two-phased research study, which included a quantitative online questionnaire and qualitative online interview. The study surveyed a total of 409 respondents in December 2008 and January 2009. For the online questionnaire, 19,000 US marketers were polled in December 2008 and January 2009 to gain insights on the drivers of video content consumption from the brand marketer’s perspective. Given the current economic climate, we framed attitudinal and intent questions in terms of online video’s ability to (1) attract prospects and (2) increase revenue on corporate and third-party

websites. Questionnaire participants were randomly selected from a nationwide database of 19,000 marketing professional and generated a 1.2% response rate. Interview participants (n = 181) were selected via an online recruitment process targeting senior-level digital marketers in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Miami, Washington DC and the New York City vicinity. Interview respondents were asked to formulate predictions on how web video would be used based on current trends in online video marketing and greater social and cultural trends.

SURVEY LANDSCAPE: DIGITAL MARKETING HOT-SPOTS

50% Believe Video Clips Improve Search Engine Rankings

66% “Video content amateurs need not apply”

42% “Buyers use video to make purchasing decisions”

Strongly Disagree Disagree Don’t Know Agree Strongly Agree

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

19,000 US marketers were polled in December 2008 and January 2009 to gain insights on the drivers of video content consumption from the brand marketer’s perspective. Given the current economic climate, we framed attitudinal and intent questions in terms of online video’s ability to (1) attract prospects and (2) increase revenue on corporate and thirdparty websites. Questionnaire participants were randomly selected from a nationwide database of 19,000 marketing professional and generated a 1.2% response rate.

80% “Our brand can repurpose content made by online users”

77% “Video clips on our website can increase sales”

71% “With the right kind of video, we can turn YouTube into an effective sales channel”

84% “2009 is the year for online video”

Strongly Disagree Disagree Don’t Know Agree Strongly Agree

Question 4

Question 5

Question 7

Question 6

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. Service oriented marketing is rooted in the law of reciprocity: providing a no-strings attached service prior to purchase creates goodwill, demonstrates category expertise and often leads to a reciprocal transaction. . Consumers are more receptive to video content that strikes a balance between practical, entertaining information and a sales pitch. . Creative, informative video content will inspire people to share branded content via email, word-of-mouth or as links on social networking sites. . Create video content that leaves prospective and current customers longing for more information and/or the next installment.

A MATTER OF FACT 77%

of the total U.S. internet audience viewed online video in January 2009. The average online video viewer watched 356 minutes of video (approximately 6 hours), up 15 percent versus December 2008.

RECOMMENDATIONS

SURVEY QUOTABLES “Video allows consumers to learn more about the company, product, or service.” California

“Videos should focus on solving consumers’ problems Texas rather than selling.”

“Video is the new online currency. A few companies are starting to embrace the new paradigm. Home Depot has videos showing do-it-yourself homeowners how to tile a bathroom. Leapfrog has videos teaching new parents about the learning path of developing children. Nike has applications and content helping people workout and train more effectively. There are people developing businesses using marketing as a service. Gary Vaynerchuk (http://tv.winelibrary.com) has almost 500 videos reviewing wines. He's building a wine empire and is becoming a wine celebrity.” California

Provide consumers with helpful pre-purchase and post-purchase video content.

Use video as a visual aid to guide consumers through setup and other processes.

Provide video content that clearly addresses your customers’ need to be informed about your category. Be valuable to your customers and they will return the favor.

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. User-generated content blurs the line between a real-life social experience and branded entertainment in a way that’s both positive and authentic. . UGC allows users to promote positive, interesting discussions about the brand in casual settings. . Social networks have turned the Internet into a domain of hyper-inuence. Some of its users are Super Inuencers who love your brand. . Because online consumers object to advertising by ignoring it or skipping past it, UGC is an attractive alternative.

RECOMMENDATIONS ! !

“UGC is the real deal -- and unless it’s blatantly branded, it is far more persuasive than coming up with some viral video work the client loves but that nobody outside the company buys into because it was done in-house, by the book, and is irrelevant.” California

“Web users generally prefer a raw authenticity first and foremost, but their expectations for what web video should look like is evolving.” Florida

“With UGC you can receive hundreds or thousands of ideas without the high costs traditionally associated with video Texas production.” “There is huge potential for video in the UGC space. Many brands are leveraging open contests with or without agency assistance for winning campaign videos, creative ideas, and commercials, with a surprising number of submissions being high quality productions.”

Pennsylvania

“User-generated video shows consumers interacting with the brand from the consumer’s perspective, rather than from the ‘marketing voice.” California

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UGC requires an experienced social media guide. Don’t make the mistake of executing without well-heeled social media explorers. Tap your best customers and employees first. Many are brand Super Influencers. For your corporate site, procure user generated content, then do postproduction work and set the final video in a creative overlay. Outside of the corporate site, commission and encourage the production of UGC. Mine the results for valuable insights.

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RECOMMENDATIONS !

Keep your video short - 30 to 90 seconds is ideal.

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Do not make a commercial.

Let viewers vote and respond back in multiple ways.

Put a strategy in place before distributing video content.

Insert special versions of your videos, such as short clips, or “micro content,” onto sites such as MySpace, LinkedIn, and Yammer.

Content should be versatile so that it can move between sites. The same material can be reformatted to be suitable f o r S l i d e S h a r e , F l i c k r, YouTube, and Facebook.

. For audiences seeking an escape, video clips that serve up humor and/or feature outrageous, scandalous or tantalizing stories quickly achieve conversation status in social networks. . For the person determined to solve a nagging problem, video is the perfect on-demand remedy; delivering the resolution with an entertaining or unexpected twist can increase replay and word of mouth propensity. . Popular web videos are today’s new Superbowl commercials - except they happen every day in the form of short, entertaining video clips. . Superbrands fully comprehend the reach and impact that one short, catchy video clip can have if it catches the attention of an active member of an online social network.

Include real people in your videos; actors = commercial.

“Marketers can jump on the social networking video bandwagon by offering such things as creative backgrounds and graphics for the videos that are relevant to the brand. This will help them connect with their audience and be relevant.” – Washington D.C.

“Unique short videos that are targeted to specific audiences get passed around very quickly on social networks without effecting their overall marketing direction. A good concept would disseminate and translate quickly. Pass-around video can be more suggestive and stretch the boundaries.” – Florida

: Watch the video.

YOUTUBE CELEBRITY LISA NOVA PROVOCATIVE THUMBNAILS DRIVE VIEWS

RECOMMENDATIONS !

Consider putting a transcript of the video on the video page.

Video files should be in multiple formats, including FLVs, MOVs, MPGS, MP4.

Produce video with natural language searches in mind.

Create a filename that contains relevant keywords; completely avoid keyword stuffing.

Use a mRSS feed. Create an mRSS and submit it to the search engines. Google does not accept mRSS feeds, but they do have an XML Site map for Videos.

Remove noisy metadata with a cleaner.

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Only place one video per page.

Grab real estate around the term “video.”

Keep your content and search keywords current so that your brand remains relevant.

The more you tag and cross-link your content on different sites the higher you will rank in searches.

Surround video with relevant text. Cross-link to videos using keywords in anchor text.

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Publishing video on your website will lift your organic search engine ranking and increase unique visits. . Video search optimization requires TBD expertise, planning and resources. Refer to our “Recommendations” list on the left. TBD . When searching, most people judge a video’s thumbnail, title and description before deciding to TBD click-thru and watch. . According to Hitwise, 2.6% of all Internet search queries in the United States are of the how-to nature.

VIDEO’S IMPORTANCE IN MARKETING

“YouTube has become a top search engine. The same SEO tricks that work on Google, MSN, and Yahoo can garner large audiences for video. To track, test, and optimize key word rankings on YouTube would increase traffic to your videos.” - California Darren Aftahi, vice president of Equity Research at ThinkEquity Partners, says the Internet will become the broadcast market of choice, and text search will turn into video search.

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“Attractive and short videos are one of the most powerful SEO weapons these days because you can tag the video, related videos, and relevant keywords.” – New York

People don't watch a video. They watch batches of videos. You want to tap into that Related Videos section. -Greg Jarboe (SEO-PR)

A MATTER OF FACT ! More than 100 million US

consumers - 42% of mobile subscribers - have videocapable cell phones.

! 65% of mobile video viewers

! 32% of mobile video viewers

are under the age of 35 compared to 35% for total mobile subscribers are between 25-34 years old

! Over half of teens (54%)

report watching video on their cell phones in bed that’s 1.5x more likely than average viewers we

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. The strong demand for how-to videos has given rise to sites like Howcast, Expert Village and similar instructional web portals that are dedicated to this genre of content. . Marketers realize the importance of delivering ondemand information and service in today’s wireless, ultra-mobile economy. Top brands are catering to consumer preference for short video content that demonstrates how to compare, purchase, use, optimize and properly dispose of their products and/or services. . How-to videos reduce costs across all customer service and support channels. The reason is simple: video is a superior demonstration vehicle compared to static text and graphics.

RECOMMENDATIONS !

Provide videos made by experts as well as videos made by users. The former guarantees reliability and the latter ensures authenticity.

Make sure that you avoid technical jargon and that you are using ‘the language of the consumer’ in your videos.

Infotainment: consumers will gravitate towards videos that present information in an entertaining way.

Creating support videos and writing support manuals are very, very different jobs.

"Digital marketers should cater to the needs of visual learners by creating instructional video clips for the web. This is not necessarily a platform to launch a product or service but a means to show the consumer that it is really fun and easy to use. With video explanations on how to use the product or service, consumers may be more inclined to become a user if some of their concerns are addressed.”- New York

“In the world of instant media, consumers today have little time and may be a bit lazy in the reading department. They want to 'get it' in 30 seconds. They'd much rather see how a product works, than have to read how to figure it out. And they're much more likely to purchase when they can see how cool the product is.” - Illinois

Your best customers are already creating and distributing online videos about your products and services: start participating in that conversation.

Though consumers may be aware of your brand, they often refrain from making a purchase until hearing from people who have owned and used a product successfully.

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RECOMMENDATIONS !

Keep testimonials brief - one to two minutes in length is optimal.

Connecting a viewer with a real person who delivers an honest and personal endorsement is a far more powerful way of ‘advertising’ customer satisfaction.

Avoid “infomercial”-style testimonials that are overwhelmingly and unbelievably positive: Opt instead for authentic reviews that seem balanced.

Prospects are more engaged when they “see” your product being demonstrated by a real customer as opposed to reading about it.

Provide viewers with multiple testimonial problem/solution scenarios.

Increase the potential that a consumer will connect with your message by creating multiple testimonials that represent culturally diverse perspectives.

“Consumer testimonials are an easy and effective way to establish credibility in trying to sell anything! Short video clips of real consumers describing how they have had a positive experience with a product or company are compelling. They could even be tied into a viral marketing campaign.” – Illinois

“With a reward as incentive, invite consumers to create videos of how they would use or improve the product/service. The company will learn how the consumer frames his/her interaction with the product and gain valuable insights that can drive product innovation.” – California

“Short tutorials can complement the product. Sales tutorials are not just testimonials, but ‘how-to’ testimonials!” – Washington

Marketing campaigns could be composed of a series of videos revolving around one product or one essential idea.

. A story-line would encourage the viewer to return each time to see what happens in the series.

. Younger consumers are tuning out traditional marketing messages and show a strong preference for short-form web content delivered in an authentic voice.

“Marketers can use video clips on the web to tell a story that has more than one chapter.” – Washington D.C.

RECOMMENDATIONS !

Characters and story lines should be exciting enough to sustain audiences over time without becoming stale.

Heavy handed, over-the-top integration of brand messaging in a webisode runs the risk of being panned by audiences.

Leaving Bliss is an independent web series that follows the sometimes sad but frequently funny travails of Patience Owen, a Pollyannatype who flees her sparsely populated hometown in favor of Hollywood to pursue her dream of making it big on the “tinsel screen.” Four to six-minute episodes are released biweekly.

“Each video would be different but would share one main thesis. The episodes would be released at different times, giving viewers the opportunity to sign up for notifications before subsequent episodes launch. By doing this, companies will be able to gauge the success of their campaign in a whole new way.” – California

“Webisodes tied together under one theme – either in standalone format or progressive story-line – can really work to the benefit of marketers when the concept is right and has been created specifically to reinforce and extend the brand messaging.” – Texas

Real, raw portraits of consumers using products and services offer an alternative to testimonial videos which have the potential to appear, at times, stilted and staged.

. Brands may also use this genre of video to offer a look behind the scenes at their employees, their development process, or production techniques.

. For large, faceless corporations, mini documentaries have the power to humanize the company and connect with audiences.

. Mini-documentaries capitalize on the “reality entertainment” zeitgeist and are attractive to consumers who have become accustomed to watching this type of programming on TV.

RECOMMENDATIONS

“Instead of big budget TV commercials extolling ‘the finest health care, best doctors’ blah, blah same ol' same ol', I am pitching a series of 2-3 minute ‘cinema verité’ portraits of the doctors. Show don't tell.” - Virginia

“Show real consumers interacting with the brand – in a casual, nonscripted way. This would be similar to a 'documentary' and would portray how and when the consumer uses the product/service, presented from the consumer's perspective as opposed to the 'marketing voice'.“ - California

Shorter is better. Breaking up the documentary into a series is the best approach for stories occurring over a long time period.

A mini-documentary is not a Corporate Profile, nor should the video feature executives or personnel based on seniority.

Subjects for the mini-documentary should be chosen on the strength of their story and ability to come across on camera. Charisma is essential.

A MATTER OF FACT !

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Apple’s affordable Mac Mini easily connects to a LCD TV screen and can access a huge vairety of content - from iTunes to local news broadcasts. Netflix subscribers can now buy a $99 set-top box from Roku that streams video to their TV sets. Vudu also sells a $299 settop box, which allows users to download TV shows for $1.99 per episode and movies for anywhere from 99 cents to $19.99. Such devices could make it easier for consumers to “cut the cable cord”

A MATTER OF FACT

. Emerging digital platforms - each a valid video distribution channel - reach out to a potential consumer base in airports, on airplanes, shopping carts, parking garages, taxis, and beyond.

. Retail environments outtted with multiple LCD displays and point-of-purchase screens are ideal for delivering catchy video clips.

. Video content that goes beyond the three screens paradigm will reach consumers who put their guards up in the traditional spaces.

! More than 80 percent of Americans now have a computer in their homes, and of those, almost 92 percent have internet access

! Internet access is positively

correlated with the respondent’s or Head of Household’s education level as well the home’s combined annual income. As they increase, so does the likelihood of internet access. Homes with a lower educated householder and lower household incomes are least likely to have internet access.

! Only 3% of households with incomes over $125K do not have home internet access.

RECOMMENDATIONS !

Create a cross-digital platform content strategy.

Version content for unique digital audience consumption.

Start experimenting now with content for Apple TV and mobile smartphones.

Understand that consumers are in the driver’s seat so content needs to have strong entertainment value.

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Apple TV

Taxi TV

“Recently, I was stuck in an airport, watching the airport broadcast loop through for the zillionth time. I thought, you know, my fellow flyers and I are basically a captive audience, why not put some branded entertainment vignettes out here? Consumers resent advertising when they feel it’s being pushed at them and is interrupting something else they’re doing, but marketing that offers a little entertainment value along with information and new ideas is a godsend when they’re stuck waiting for time to pass.” – Washington D.C.

“Audiences continue to shift and find new ways to consume web video.” – California

eReader

“As consumers become increasingly aware of advertising on the internet, web videos will need to move beyond the computer screen. How about watching videos on your luggage cart while waiting to check in your baggage for a flight or while waiting in line to pay for parking?” – Florida

A MATTER OF FACT ! More than 100 million US !

. Mobile video allows short-form video content to be delivered to users in real-time.

. Improved network speeds, cheaper, more powerful devices and an assortment of content bode well for the future.

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. Consumers can be engaged wherever they have their mobile device(s) – in essence, anywhere and everywhere.

consumers - 42% of mobile subscribers - have videocapable cell phones. 65% of mobile video viewers are under the age of 35 compared to 35% for total mobile subscribers 32% of mobile video viewers are between 25-34 years old Over half of teens (54%) report watching video on their cell phones in bed that’s 1.5x more likely than average viewers

RECOMMENDATIONS “Someone with GPS on their mobile device could find local listings via the device. But, rather than a static website, the consumer will be able to access a video clip. This would be useful for restaurants, museums, nightclubs, music venues, comedy clubs, retail stores, etc. The video can be a walkthrough of the bustling venue or a discussion of the daily specials or sales. What is key is that the content pushed is unique and can be updated on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis.” – Washington D.C.

“Many people are starting to use Google Maps or similar programs on their mobile phones. Location-based video ads will be a critical tool to get you more foot-traffic than local competitors. I expect that in 2 years over 80% of local stores will have their promotional videos available on maps accessible through online and mobile. Locationbased video ads will be as important as outdoor logos.” – California

Consider the audience: mobile video content is typically consumed by younger audiences and sports fans.

Keep it short. Create microvideo content for mobile users

Sound test. Mobile audiences use a wide vairety of audio outputs - which potentially means poor sound quality.

Create downloadable content that users can save to their phone and reference again while they are on-the-go.

. Currently, most “video mail” is really an embedded link to an online video. An email can contain an image that appears to be a video but is really hyperlinked to a video on a webpage.

. V-mail 2.0. Technological innovation is constantly improving video quality and size. Video embedded emails will soon be a widespread phenomenon.

. Baby Boomers and Matures are especially drawn to emails that have informational or entertaining video content. Few marketers today are really prepared to take advantage of the opportunity because they lack the resources to produce appropriate video content.

RECOMMENDATIONS “The user’s curiosity will drive them to click on the link-to-video in an email, mostly because it’s a novelty. I think that the success of this type of marketing might reach a fast peak then slowly settle into a more sustainable success rate, much like text-based email has done. This means that now is the time to jump into the space.” – California

“Video clips can be integrated into web e-cards that people can share.” – California

“As corporate IT departments have wised-up to employees who are watching YouTube at work, many companies have blocked access to the site. Consequently, more people are forwarding emails with video attachments or emails with links to video hosted on alternative video sites.” – New York

First, locate an experienced video mail vendor.

Preferably send video mail to services like Gmail, MSN and AOL that work with chosen vmail vendors.

It’s best to send entertaining microvideo content as opposed to documentaries.

Contact Forrester about video mail best practices and vendor ratings.

. Splitting up videos and distributing different portions of the content at different distribution points can be a compelling tactic that, when done well, has the ability to move traffic.

. A Hollywood standby reinvented for the internet: Users watching video content in one location can be encouraged to click to another site to view the conclusion.

. Another iteration of this tactic is to create one video as a starting point and then multiple story-lines that let consumers “choose their own adventure”

SMP Film’s “Choose Your Path” challenges viewers to choose a path, watch a video and locate his missing cat, Sparta. Each path asks viewers to leave text comments.

RECOMMENDATIONS

“I urge brands to build out their YouTube channels by splitting their product/service reviews into 60 second clips that at the end say “For the Complete Review Click Here.” It’s an easy bounce-back promotion that will boost web traffic and return visitors to the site.” – Florida

“Cory Williams, created this really great series of Fortune Teller videos on YouTube where audiences watching one video could click on the screen and be taken to a custom “fortune.” I’ve also seen it done with videos of magic tricks that ask the viewer to guess the answer and clicking on a certain portion of the screen leads to another video. Audiences love the element of interactivity and usually end up watching the video multiple times and clicking back and forth to see more than one ending. Marketers could use the same technique to drive audiences to from an online video destination directly to their microsite or homepage.” – New York Mr. Safety youtube.com/smpfilms

Choose an emotional transition point, or story arc to create the split.

Offer viewers the option of choosing multiple “split paths” to increase engagement and click-through participation.

Offer viewers feedback mechanisms such as text posts or live chat.

Consider following the initial episode with a “live” content split as a test.

A MATTER OF FACT

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. Revolutionary forms of advertising pique consumer curiosity and interest. Unexpected content is addictive and promotes dialogue. . Most effective when integrated as part of a social media campaign, the efciency of guerilla video is reliant on the strength of creative concept underpinning the video and a timely execution and distribution. . Originally characterized by low-budget, quick-response videos, the category has been stretched to include big-budget agency-produced look-alikes. Often, this genre of video is described as “viral.” . Some of the best executions are Parodies, Caught on Video and Faux clips.

The social network and blogging audience is becoming more diverse in terms of age: the biggest increase in visitors during 2008 to “Member Community” Web sites globally came from the 35-49 year old age group (+11.3 million).

RECOMMENDATIONS GM DEALERSHIP FIGHT

“Create an experience where the viewer isn’t sure if they are supposed to, or allowed to, see what they are seeing. This can be presented as an incidental recording that some paparazzi-type posted anonymously. Entice the user to take action. This will promote viral distribution.” – New York

EHARMONY PARODY “The ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ campaign did an excellent job of guerilla marketing, creating billboards, blogs, videos, and sites that initially didn’t indicate that they were created for a film. A lot of people talked about it because it seemed like it could be a real guy going through a breakup. For ‘True Blood,’ HBO posted ads for a synthetic blood drink. This was confusing and exciting to people and was discussed extensively on the internet.” – California

Create a faux video clip that appears to capture an argument between employees and vendors with a hidden camera brought in by an employee.

Parodies and self-depreciating humor tend to go over well with audiences because they show that you don’t take yourself too seriously.

Producing Guerilla videos inhouse has led to some notable disasters: Know your limits. Hiring an outside agency to produce guerilla video adds a layer of insulation and security between the brand and the campaign.

A MATTER OF FACT 75%

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of the total U.S. internet population watch online video

They are small applications or toolbars that embed video and other content on web pages, blogs, mobile-phone screens and desktops. Almost anyone can create a video widget and spread it virally across social networks. A wide variety of widgets can be found at http:// widgets.yahoo.com). . The video content in video widgets can be updated frequently and the programs can also have interactive features such as polls, trivia, surveys, etc. The widgets can have diverse functionality and can be repackaged for various clients. . This tactic allows for the natural integration of various related goods and services.

RECOMMENDATIONS !

Put a widget on your website

clicked it expands to " Once reveal video content

Continually refreshing content is an important facet of the internet as a medium but it is especially important when it comes to video widgets. Content distributed via widget can look stale after only a week.

Create a widget designed for current fans of your brand that brings them exclusive offers or value.

Create an incentive program to reward customers for hosting your widget on their social media page(s).

“Attracting consumers to our website and encouraging them to sign up for long-form content webcast subscriptions proved to be a challenge. We wasted a lot of time trying to circulate short-form “highlight reels” of our content on video sharing sites, blogs, etc. After creating a video widget that people could download to their social networking page, desktop, or mobile, we found consumers to be far more responsive and likely to share with their friends." – New York

“The end game is this: create a series of video widgets that end up being resident on a potential customer’s social networking profile or desktop. For example, say I really like rock group Coldplay. So I go to their fan site and download a widget that alerts me every time there is a band update (tour locations, concert ticket sales, CD releases, etc.). The widget also offers on-demand video of Coldplay’s latest performances as a bonus. For this feature consumers might actually consider paying some sort of micro-trans fee (e.g. $.99 per new concert).” – California

Widgetbox serves millions of widgets per day and helps widget owners reach tens of millions of people per month. Widgets help you reach new users, drive traffic back to your site, and extend the reach of your content and services on sites all across the web.

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. Specic objects and/or people in a video can be converted into clickable objects. This easily provides users with links to information, advertisements, store listings, or points-of-purchase. For example, see: http://www.ooyala.com/products/ivideo. . Interactive technology offers marketers the ability to seamlessly integrate product inside the video after the video has already been produced (instead of traditional product placement where advertisers must sign on to a show before production begins). . Additional benets include being able to update product packaging on the y (in the video) or integrate products that may only be in development when the video was actually created.

RECOMMENDATIONS “It’s vital to figure out what technologies will enable marketers to reach consumers with the most interactive and effective ad campaigns. Interactive digital advertising opens up the advertisers’ range of influence including in-page rich media, In-Stream, In-Game, HD interactive video, IPTV, interactive kiosks and mobile advertising platforms.” – California

“Interactive video offers the promise of, not only an enhanced viewing experience for the consumer, but an endless number of merchandising opportunities for advertisers and marketers. It will enable marketers to see direct conversion metrics from product placements. Most importantly though, interactive video offers a richer, more dimensional experience for audiences.” – New York

YouTube added a “speechbubble” annotation feature to their videos last June. If you haven’t taken advantage of the feature, the time has come.

Creative possibilities abound: From an in-video scavenger hunt to click-to-win contests, marketers are restricted only by the limits of their imagination.

With the advent of digital television and YouTube on TiVo, Vudu and other services, interactive video will quickly migrate from desktop to TV to smart mobile device. Smart marketers will be ready for this shift in consumer behavior and will be ready with content options.

The web continues to be populated largely by younger generations, as more than half of the adult internet population is between 18 and 44 years old. But larger percentages of older generations are online now than in the past and they are doing more activities online, according to the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project surveys taken from 2006-2008.

SENIORS, NOT SO SILENT AFTER ALL

See what all of this means to online video consumption.

! 16.5 ! !

million adults ages 55 and older engage in social networking, according to Internet monitoring site comScore. Facebook is seeing the most growth among users age 30 and older. MySpace, with 130 million users, is enjoying a surge among the 55-plus set, who total 6.9 million users and spend an average 204 minutes a month on the site. In just one year since AARP.org unveiled its social networking platform, about 350,000 users have created 1,700 groups celebrating everything from gardening to social activism.

Contrary to the image of Generation Y as the "Net Generation," internet users in their 20s do not dominate every aspect of online life. Generation X is the most likely group to bank, shop, and look for health information online. Boomers are just as likely as Generation Y to make travel reservations online. And even Silent Generation internet users are competitive when it comes to email (although teens might point out that this is proof that email is for old people).

A MATTER OF FACT 74% of internet users ages

64 and older send and receive email - the most popular activity for this group.

. Millennials (ages 14-25) are among the most rising and inuential consumer groups, and they value the newer forms of media much more than traditional types used by “Matures” (born 1932-1946), “Boomers” (1947-1965) or “Gen X” (1966-1982).

. Millennials are the most active of all the groups in their use of gaming, online communities, video and social networking, and they are the largest consumers of Internet-downloaded music.

Millennials are the driving force behind the growth and success of online video. They expect to nd short video clips on just about any topic in the world on YouTube - including products and services offered by your brand.

ONLINE VIDEO = ENTERTAINMENT

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They’re not that interested in your corporate website Have a huge inuence on household purchases Find anonymous posts on Facebook more credible than Advertising

RECOMMENDATIONS !

Video segments should be short (30 - 90 seconds), entertaining, unique and interactive.

Provide Millennials with multiple ways to download, share, mix and match video to their needs.

Give Millennials the ability to comment on your videos, post video responses and vote or rate on various elements of your video content.

Don’t advertise to Millennials; first entertain them and then weave in infotainment.

Be unique or don’t be: Millennials know they have lots of choices and will click away from video content that seems cliche.

Because Millennials influence home buying decisions, use this group to reach Baby Boomers and Matures.

. Gen X Moms in particular seek out video to enhance their online experience and enjoy spending time on photo upload sites where they share photos and video clips.

. Gen X men use mobile smartphones for accessing video content particularly sports highlights and behind-the-scenes interviews.

. Gen X, parents of Gen We, are heavy consumers of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s web content subscription services which include learning videos and entertainment

76.8%

of the total U.S. internet population viewed online video in January 2009 ink

A MATTER OF FACT

Fully 80% of Generation X internet users buy products online, compared with 71% of internet users ages 18-31.

ONLINE VIDEO = SHOPPING & KIDS

RECOMMENDATIONS !

Gen Xers love to shop online and will respond well to video testimonials and demos integrated into the e-commerce experience.

Many Xers have toddlers and young children at home and are looking for video content on parenting related issues.

Xers often feel overlooked by a mass media culture that caters to Baby Boomers and their 75 million children, the Millennials. Acknowledging their generational icons and experiences will drive loyalty.

Xers make up a huge percentage of Facebook users. Feeling nostalgic, they are reconnecting with lost childhood and high school friends.

A MATTER OF FACT

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Contrary to popular perception, the over-45 crowd plays a big role in the world of web video. They are especially interested in video with themes such as health, nutrition, cosmeceuticals, family & children, pets, education, current events, etc. . Get used to the idea of Boomers grabbing a large chunk of Facebook real estate. And BTW, they’re not checking up on the kiddies so much as they are reconnecting with high school friends. . Boomers love to recall their youthful days backpacking across the US and Europe. Today, many empty-nesters are heading off to see the world again and often complain that travel and tourism related sites have too little video content.

ONLINE VIDEO = NEWS & TRAVEL

RECOMMENDATIONS !

Dispel the assumption that Boomers only surf the web reading the news and online personals: they watch more video than any other segment.

Test email campaigns that include video links: 65% say they email their friends more than call them.

Male Boomers love watching online video (41% to 28% women): create content that caters specifically to their interests.

More than 60% are avid social media participants: create video that they can share in these communities.

Their preference to take polls, rate and vote on items means video should incorporate this functionality.

CORD-CUTTERS

. Some 13% of G.I. Generation internet users (age 73+) reported downloading videos, up from 1% in 2005, and another 13% of the online Silent Generation (ages 64-72) say they download videos, up from 8% in 2005.

. Half of all seniors who go online report watching online video. They are more selective about their choice of online video content - which explains why they may appear ‘not interested.’

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Bobby Tulsiani, senior analyst at Forrester Research in Cambridge, Mass., said pay TV providers and cable programmers need to do more to prepare for the growth of on-line video.

. Compared with teens and Generation Y, older generations use the internet less for socializing and entertainment and more as a tool for information searches, emailing, and buying products.

A select group of consumers who are canceling or downgrading their pay TV subscriptions in favor of online video. Some analysts believe seniors are leading the charge due to the high cost of cable.

for seniors 65 and older, broadband access has more than tripled.

ONLINE VIDEO = GRANDKIDS & HEALTH Facebook says its fastestgrowing demo is 55-plus.

RECOMMENDATIONS !

Silents prefer professional content over user generated content.

Include a written transcript of your video content that seniors can read while viewing; better yet, include subtitles in a large font.

Provide seniors with additional control options for adjusting the volume and video tempo.

When appropriate, cast seniors in your video content.

Don’t communicate to seniors like they are children. Our hearing and eyesight may suffer as we age, but we tend to retain our brain power and mental faculties.

AARP.org is a wealth of best practices and research on how older seniors use video and social media.

video for websites and beyond

Videasa is a digital video content agency that produces and distributes viral videos, webisodes, mini documentaries and infotainment for both blockbuster brands and savvy start-ups looking to cut costs and increase revenue. By bringing together viral! marketers, studio professionals and experienced web content producers, Videasa is able to offer marketers a highly!efcient set of resources and services for today’s evolving media landscape. With expertise and focus that falls outside of the competency of the traditional digital agency, Videasa is able to offer businesses targeted video content solutions by! harnessing the! power of user generated video content to create brand value and gather consumer insights.!

Delphine Amato Communications Director Ofce: 888-883-1301, ext. 710 Mobile: (516) 472-8857 delphine@videasa.com

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