SVG Produces Promotional Video for NFC Cluster with the MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge

On Monday November 7th, the NFC Cluster Group, a collection of Boston-Area supporters of the development and commercial success of Near Field Communication, held an event at The Boston Park Plaza Hotel with over four hundred attendees. We were among those in attendance. The MIT Enterprise Forum, a producer of educational events promoting entrepreneurship, put on the event. While similar to Bluetooth’s data transfer technology, NFC’s transfer rate is slower and its working distance is much shorter. Why then does the NFC Cluster Group exist?

Unlike Bluetooth devices that need manual configurations to identify each other, NFC connects devices automatically in less than a tenth of a second. It uses much less energy, can be paired to an unpowered device, and its shorter range reduces the likelihood of unwanted interception. Possible applications are vast, but (credit) card emulation, “tagging” the world around us, and instant connectivity are the big selling points.  The NFC Cluster Group, through the MIT Enterprise Forum is looking to partner the hardware (chip) developers with software (app) developers to help grow this  NFC technology.  To that end they hired Skillman Video Group to produce a high quality promotional video with interviews from board members, app and hard ware developers as well as some pretty heavy hitters such as PayPal and Verizon.

With proper optimization, data indicates that video content yields a 53% better chance of getting on Google’s front page.  However, at Skillman, we believe that video for video’s sake is dangerous as quality DOES matter to your audience. As video becomes more important and easier to shoot, organizations can’t afford NOT to have it.  Contact us today to see how high quality video content can help with your online marketing initiatives.

The Importance of Video on Your Website’s Home Page

The impact of a video on your website’s Homepage can be significant. It plays a key role with conversions since it can give viewers an immediate and visceral experience on what it would be like working with you.  A video can also help with Search Engine Optimization and driving search engine traffic as well since you can optimize them with landing pages and strategic linking.  Not to mention the use your video may have with Social Media!

To evaluate the effect your video is having on conversions an important statistic to note is your “drop off rate”. When people first visit your website’s home page – what do they do? Do they immediately drop off or “bounce” and leave your site because they don’t like what they see? Or, even worse, they can’t find (immediately) what they are looking for? Video can play a key role in keeping and holding those web visitors and ultimately converting those visitors at a much higher rate.  Having a video professionally produced is helpful since it is imperative your audience understands the mission of your business and how it connects to their needs and can help solve their problems.   The quality of your video does matter, since your marketing video will directly impact how your business or service is viewed.

Imagine one of Skillman Video Group’s professional videos on your Homepage: flattering lighting scheme, rich color contrast, exceptional sound quality and editing. Each element enhances your vision, your mission, and your connection to potential clients. In your industry, you are the expert but when it comes to Video Production and Video Marketing, Skillman Video Group can help you achieve your goal of creating a greater connection with your viewers and thereby also improving the performance of your website.

An SVG video on your Homepage highlights whatever topic you choose, so prospective clients have a clear understanding of your business’ goals and achievements. Formal or informal, a video will catch the eye of the browser so he or she is able to make an informed decision about your services or products. Contact Skillman Video Group today to learn more about “video conversion points”.

FutureM and SVG: Video at the Speed of Twitter

What is FutureM?

A looking glass into the future of marketing.

Who’s at Future M?

Skilllman Video Group.

Shopximity invited SVG to tape their presentation at Future M, a marketing conference held in Boston focusing on the impact of technology on marketing. They asked us to shoot, edit, and upload a video of their presentation in 24 hours. They wanted to get the video up while the conference was still going on. It’s like a well-produced video tweet from Shopximity. For us it felt like a 24 hour race made possible by technology and our experience in fast production.

The SVG produced video should be up today. The idea of video at the speed of twitter is especially interesting to us. Instant video production might be perfect for clients who want to post while traveling or at events or any situation where time is crucial. With the world becoming more instantaneous, more 24/7, getting the word out about your company or event with near-instant professional video from anywhere will be expected. And it has to look better than the usual talk-into-the-webcam stuff you see on YouTube.

We’re going to stay ahead of this trend and keep providing fast, high-quality content.

This conference was the perfect event for us to tape. SVG believes strongly in pushing the boundaries of marketing. That’s why we embrace an integrated approach to video, social media, SEO, web design, and so on. Shopximity presented ideas about mobile technology as the new frontier of marketing. They have plans for integrating video content and interactive shopping on mobile devices. We’ll have to keep an eye on where this interactive mobile video marketing goes too.

Stay tuned to SVG’s blog for more insights into the future of video marketing.

UPDATE: Watch the video on our channel.

Ogilvy Launches Advanced Video Practice

Ogilvy & Mather, a well-known international marketing firm founded in 1948, that has worked with big-name clients like IBM, Greenpeace, Ford, and DuPont, has “formally launched a specialty video practice, a unit that has been in development for two years.”  The press release went out July, 21, 2011.

At Skillman Video Group (SVG), we know the value of video marketing for businesses who want to make their individual voices heard online, effectively and efficiently.

Even Ogilvy & Mather North America CEO John Seifert thinks the results of video marketing are “impressive…we are now making it a distinct practice area to reflect the changes and opportunities in our business.”

Video marketing has been so successful for the largest marketing firm in the world, Ogilvy, that they have created a practice group around it. SVG has been touting the benefits of video marketing for companies since it started.

The digital and social impact of video marketing for small business and large companies, alike, is enormous and becoming more noticeable. Maximizing the potential for the Three Cs, corporate video production in Boston, SVG combines Internet marketing and search engine optimization with compelling video content that reaches the intended viewers.

Read the full press release here: http://www.ogilvy.com/News/Press-Releases/July-2011-Ogilvy-Launches-Advanced-Video-Practice-to-Meet–Expanding-Needs-of-Clients.aspx

Four Reasons To Make A Social Video (Part Two)

Last time I suggested that you can reach a new audience with a social video and that showing your face on the web could create trust. Why else would you want to make a social marketing video?

Reason #3: Show, Don’t Tell

So you’ve advertised your service on your website, and boasted your daily achievements in your blog, and pitched at sales meetings. Maybe you feel like your potential customers and client still aren’t seeing your company’s work. If only you could show them somehow…

Video is a visual medium where you can SHOW not just talk about your company. With a 10-second shot you can tell your audience more about what you do than you can in a 10 minute pitch. For example you can show how students learn at your school instead of writing a book on it. Or you can show how to fix a window instead of writing a manual.

When you talk about data, and figures, and numbers to a client don’t you use charts and graphs? Why not use video when talking about your work? A video is worth  thousand words.

Reason #4: Fun

Making Videos is fun. Our clients always have a good time. It a pleasant change of pace from their usual work day. It also allows them to be creative in new ways by brainstorming story ideas, writing pitches, etc. Even the most awkward, camera-shy people are surprised to see that it’s not that hard to appear on-screen.

Some of our clients have used blooper reels from our productions at company events and given awards to their best on-screen talent. Call Skillman Video Group and let us help you take a break from work while marketing your company.

Four Reasons To Make A Social Video (Part One)

I am guessing that you are among the 200 million monthly viewers of watch video on the web. You have probably noticed that everyday more companies are posting video content. It’s become a powerful tool for marketing more than just deodorant. Are you missing out on video marketing? If you have your doubts about creating social videos for your company, read on.

Reason #1 – A Massive Audience

In the first quarter of 2011 there were 800 Million views of branded videos. If you are not producing at least a couple of your own branded videos, then you aren’t taking advantage of that potential audience. Even if you do B2B work or other specialty services and products, there is an audience out there that you aren’t reaching. If your video is only targeted at a small audience that’s even better. You might only get a 1000 views (which is minuscule compared to Rebecca Black), but more of those 1000 viewers will be interested in your company because you are speaking directly to their interests.

Are you attracting the best candidates for jobs? Are there B2B customers you haven’t tapped yet? Are your lectures being seen online? A few targeted video efforts will win you a valuable piece of the 800 million views.

Reason #2 – A Friendly Face

If you still shop at the Ma-And-Pop Hardware store down the street instead of the city-sized Lowes in the minimall, you know that seeing familiar, friendly faces is worth more to you than a President’s Day Sale and self scan checkout. The same logic applies to your potential B2B customers, recruits, students, and so on. How can you give them the feeling of a face-to-face interaction at a neighborhood store when you are 2000 miles apart?

Try a video. Introduce yourself. Talk about what you do. Tell your audience how you can help them. Be personable. Skillman Video Group can make it easy for you.

If you help someone fix a window with a free online video, they will come back to you for a number of related  services. If ten companies have a website advertising their services, but only one includes an approachable, helpful, honest person on video, that company is going to get the business.

We’ll discuss two more reasons for you next time, if you still need convincing.

Legal Marketing Videos at Wolf Greenfield

Last week we shot a series of marketing videos for Wolf Greenfield, a prestigious intellectual property law firm in Boston. Wolf Greenfield was one of our first law firm clients, and it was great to see everyone again.

We shot simple talking head recruiting pitches for the client’s website to attract scientists to a career in IP law. Associates, shareholders, and technical specialists at the firm prepared pitches that were so convincing that the SVG crew almost applied to law school.  Luckily we think we will stay within the legal video marketing business so the court rooms and patent offices are safe for the time being.

What made the shoot so successful was that the client was very well prepared. Each interviewee prepared a short one-minute pitch which they practiced with their marketing team. Everyone knew his or her “lines” which meant that not only was the shoot fast and efficient, but it was fun even for the most screen-shy people. Preparation also allowed each participant’s personality to shine through because they didn’t stumble to find the words. A well-prepared client gets the best videos.

If you are nervous about appearing on screen or getting the best value for your video content investment, you can talk to SVG. We help prepare clients for their screen debut.

The Internet Video Grader

If you are wondering how well your firm’s website is utilizing video content to attract customers, there is now a free and easy-to-use tool that will answer that question: the Online Video Grader. All you need to do is enter the URL of your company website, as well as the URL of your YouTube channel (if you have one – this part is optional). You will also be asked to indicate the size of your company, as it is only fair to be compared with others of a similar size.

Once you enter the required information, you will be provided with a detailed “Video Report Card” via email. The report is dividing into 17 sections (or 6 sections, for those who do not submit a YouTube channel), with titles such as “Videos on Your Homepage,” “Videos on Your Website Found by Google,” and “Total YouTube Views.” Each section receives a corresponding score from 1-100. Accompanying text will explain what your website is doing right, and where it could use improvement. Fundamentally, your site will receive higher scores if your video content can easily be found by search engines, and if large numbers of viewers have been interacting with that content already.

Once you receive your “grades,” it is time to start making refinements so you can get the most out of your video content! It is important that your website is optimized for the major search engines such as Google and Yahoo; this can be the difference between drawing many new customers or facing stagnating sales. However, the implementation of these changes is not always straightforward.  Contact the search optimization experts at Skillman Video Group for help putting into practice the suggestions generated by the Online Video Grader.

Reach Out to New Clients with Video Calling Cards

A calling card is a message sent by an individual or business to reach out to potential clients. Traditionally, calling cards consist of text and possibly a small picture. Although calling cards can be surely be an effective way to expand your clientele, they can be made significantly more compelling through the use of video. Video is a powerful medium that allows your customers to see your face and hear your voice, thereby creating the feeling that they are actually speaking with you. The popularity of YouTube and other video aggregation sites demonstrate that people love watching videos because they are fun and interactive. Video is also the best medium to establish credibility with people that you have not yet met in person.

Video could easily be incorporated into calling cards sent via email, or even onto physical cards through a printed URL or QR code (as discussed in the previous post). In your video, you could include on-the-job footage, or even a customer testimonial. For example, if you own a painting company, you could include a scene featuring your team painting a house and interacting with a customer. Afterwards, you could record that customer speaking about the great experience she had with your company. Potential clients will instantly see that your business is competent and trustworthy.

If you believe that a video calling card could be beneficial to your business, you need to make sure that your video is of the highest quality. A thoughtfully scripted and professionally produced video will always achieve better results than a video that is hastily put together by someone without the proper equipment and experience. Skillman Video Group can handle all the details of your video calling card, from brainstorming ideas, to scripting, to lighting. Look through our portfolio to see some of the amazing videos we have produced for our clients. Contact Skillman Video Group today to get started!

Tracking ROI (Return on Investment): Digital Video Advertisement vs. Video Marketing

At Skillman Video Group we always try to stay on top of the latest trends in online video and media.  One of the trends we have seen many advertisers and major players in the digital video arena use is a term called “Digital Video Advertising” or DVA.  DVA is an industry term for traditional “TV” advertisements/commercials tacked onto the beginning of web videos.  With the emergence of websites like Hulu, which allows audiences to watch television shows for free, advertisers realize that they must try and reach those online audiences.   Most recently, Break Media and Advertiser Perceptions inc. teamed up and conducted a study focusing on the use of Digital Video Advertising (DVA). However the overall finding of this study shows that ad agencies and their clients have had very little success with using DVA and have cut their budgets drastically in 2011.

An important section to pay attention to in the study is the part highlighting the reasons why advertisers are weary to spend more of their budget on DVA. The number one identified problem is that it is difficult for advertisers to track ROI (Return on Investment). Although their commercials may air during an online video, they have no way of knowing if people are watching or paying attention and the impact it is having. Overall 41% of advertisers claim bad ROI measurement as the biggest issue with DVA and the reason why they are reluctant to utilize the practice more often.  Why is this?  Because traditional TV and radio methodologies for advertising do not work as well in this new world of online video marketing.

At Skillman Video Group the focus is online video marketing as opposed to creating a traditional “TV” commercial using DVA. The use of video on the web has blown open the world of possibilities for marketing and advertising and traditional TV and radio ads are no longer giving businesses the return on investment they once did.  For one, online video marketing allows businesses and service providers an opportunity to express who they are and what they do over a 2 – 3  minutes as opposed to 15-30 seconds.  Another big difference between DVA and video marketing is that with Google Analytics, we can track almost immediately how well an online video is doing. We can know important statistics such as how many people are viewing a video and how long they are watching it for.   Another important distinction is that people willingly choose to watch these marketing videos as opposed to DVA where they are forced to sit through a commercial and may or may not pay attention. So in this regard ROI can be analyzed and companies can know that they are getting results and people are viewing these videos to learn about their product/service!  Give Skillman Video Group today to learn how video marketing can help your business grow in 2011!

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