Skillman Video Group’s Video of the Week: Life in a Day
Welcome to Skillman Video Group’s Video of the Week Series. This week, the focus is not on a video but rather a video event. On July 24th, YouTube is sponsoring a global event: Life in a Day. Various directors and producers are asking everyone and anyone, not just current YouTube users, to film their day and submit it online.
YouTube has already established itself as one of the most popular and interactive user generated websites. Many YouTube users most likely already record their lives and post it online. Nonetheless, this is an extremely clever marketing concept.
The key is that YouTube is focusing on one idea, self-documentation, and taking it as far as possible. They are blasting this simple campaign all over their website and other outlets. They are extending the campaign to every possible person. If you do not wish to film your day, no sweat—YouTube will take a recording of you clapping your hands or singing a note.
Another important element of this marketing campaign is that it is engaging and interactive. YouTube takes engaging the audience to a whole new level. Their concept only works with people’s participation. Furthermore, YouTube is offering a superb prize: the best footage will be used in a film which will premiere at Sundance Film Festival and the people who submitted it will be credited as co-director.
While your company may not be able to offer a spot in Sundance, you can still use some of YouTube’s techniques. They focused on one concept thus making the message more powerful and less forgettable. They involve the audience and demand their interaction and input. Requesting your audience to film their lives may not work for you, but reaching out to them and constructing a campaign around their interests could. If you are considering marketing your company or organization through video like YouTube, contact Skillman Video Group today!
Online Marketing Videos
At Skillman Video Group we believe, when used correctly, online marketing videos are of the most successful and cost effective way to market your company on-line. We will soon be releasing a case study on our new service, Social Video Marketing. Social Video Marketing combines the use of high quality video marketing with Internet marketing technology to convert web visitors into new leads. As we have mentioned before, Internet Marketing works in two ways. 1) getting people to first come to your site through SEO and social media and then 2) once on your site, the content must be engaging enough to compel the casual visitors into a valuable lead. This is what we call at Skillman Video Group the “video conversion point” . Combining the power of the video medium with the power of the Internet gets our clients the best return on investment possible! We focus not just on producing the highest quality video, but also on the importance of routing as many viewers as possible to that video thereby expanding your presence in the marketplace. By using the right keywords and tags, we make sure your videos can be found on the web. Also, by incorporating a blog posts and web announcements on your site, you can keep your content fresh and Google relevant.
We started implementing these techniques ourselves in October 2009. Google ranks website traffic and searches on a scale of zero to ten, with nines and tens being the Facebooks of the world. When our new site launched in October 2009, our website was ranked a zero by Google. Our old html site was static and we weren’t generating leads from the web. In October 2009 we started an agressive Internet marketing plan using the services outlined in our soon to be published Case Study. By the time our case study had concluded, we were coming up as #1 in 9 targeted key words. Within 6 months of us launching our new program, our paged jumped to a number four ranking on Google, a very impressive feat for a company of our size. The results of this online marketing effort is that our traffic is up, our content is fresh, and it’s helping our business grow. For example, our recent blog post on Video Legal Depositions was the direct source for Duane Morris LLP locating our services (please read about that job below) though a Google search and booking us just a day later. Our Social Video Marketing program is the most efficient way to market on the web. Our online efficiency techniques direct maximum traffic to your site, and our quality videos tell your story in the most effective and dynamic way possible. Call us today about your Online Marketing Video!
Corporate Viral Video Of The Week: SVG’s Gerry’s Waterbed Emporium
Welcome to Skillman Video Group’s Corporate Viral Video of the Week. This week’s video is…. us. Skillman Video Group recently produced it’s own viral style video, “Gerry’s Waterbed Emporium”. When producing this video we focused on two key attributes, i.e. relevance and mass appeal. As a corporate video production company, it is important for us to set a standard for clean, professional video that can be taken seriously. Everyday, we see other video that does not meet our standards. If you own a television, chances are you’ve seen hundreds of cheap local furniture ads that are poorly produced and awkwardly scripted. It is something that everyone knows and universally mocks. Our video provides a familiar setting that has mass appeal, while clearly juxtaposing our services to the other guys. These are two of the most important tasks when making a viral video. You need to find a subject that is recognizable to a large number of people; if its not pertinent to them, they won’t watch it. It is also necessary for the video to relate back to you and your services. A video can be very funny, but if it’s not clear that you made it and why, you won’t see any of the benefits.
We had a lot of fun making the video. We shot in front of a green screen and super imposed the ridiculous backgrounds to give it that extra “cheesy” feel. We used goofy neon graphics to really sell the tacky style and even took a cheap shot at Ralph Macchio, but I think that’s fair game at this point. We wrote the original script and found a devilishly handsome young actor to capture to true essence of Gerry (hey if you write the blog post – you get to toot your own horn!). Pass the video on to your friends to help us reach viral status! “Do you want a wicked awesome viral video for your company? Then come on down to Skillman Video Group today!!”
Corporate Viral Video of the Week: Awareness Test
Welcome back to Skillman Video Group’s Corporate Viral Video of the Week. This week’s viral video is the London government’s Awareness Test video. This video was first released two years ago, however, it has maintained a steady hit rate since it’s debut and has over eight million hits on YouTube. This video does a lot of great things. One of the most important aspects of this video is that it’s interactive. By asking you to count the passes, it ensures undivided attention from its audience. Visually, it is a very interesting video. The constant movement and weaving of the players catches the eye. The white shirts and arching passes keeps you focused on the action of the players. The production work is very simple. The whole video is only one shot. As we’ve mentioned before, the at home, hand held camera look is very effective in viral videos. This is because it’s reminiscent of a sense of accessibility that’s associated with distributing content over the internet. The “re-wind” feature adds to that at home, viral feel.
Another great attribute is the “ Aha!” moment. Without slowing the video down or changing it in anyway, the viewer sees something they completely missed the first time (I know I did). This is the kind of mind trick video that people love to forward to their friends. In this case, the “Aha!” moment has the added bonus of being hilarious. They were not afraid to be silly and it paid off. Check back in for next week’s Corporate Viral Video of the week or contact Skillman Video Group today to see how your company could use a viral video!
Video Press Releases
Skillman Video Group is now offering a Video Press Release service! Video press releases (VPRs) are essentially an a video version of a traditional press release. They are a fun, easy, visually stimulating and high-tech way of keeping either previous, potential or existing clients updated on your activities. VPRs can be used by businesses to inform, shape public opinion, or to promote and publicize individuals, commercial products and services, or other interests. In a few short minutes, you can provide your clients with a first hand look of any new events, products or services that your company is offering. You can send these press releases out in emails, put them on your website, or post them on your social media profiles. Video press releases are also a great way to keep your blog or website fresh and interesting with new content on a regular basis which is important for SEO. As a basic example of a video press release, check out the video from our recent shoot for Kitchen and Countertop Center of New England in Providence, RI shoot (below). The idea is to keep the VPR simple and easy! What is your company doing that is newsworthy or relevant to your clients? Call us today to do your own video press release!
Corporate Viral Video of the Week: Coca-Cola Happiness Machine
It’s clear that here, at Skillman Video Group, we believe using video is the most effective way to market your company online. Video provides a platform that is both personal and visually stimulating. We then use search engine optimization techniques to route as much traffic to your content as possible. However, in the case of “Viral” videos, it is the content itself that generates the massive volume of viewers that are so desired in online marketing. When executed well, viral videos can provide a substantial amount of attention for your company. Amusing time wasters like Chocolate Rain or Miss Teen South Carolina are great example of videos that have gone viral. However, using the appeal of viral video for corporate promotion is something that many companies strive for but only a few have managed to succeed, even without the use of sputtering sentence fragments or the soothing baritone of Tay Zonday.
In many ways, the key to an effective viral video is to keep it simple. The most successful corporate viral videos provide a brief smile and enough interest to pass along to a friend. Corporate viral videos do best with little dialog so it’s important to not be too wordy. This week’s corporate viral video of the week is the Coca-Cola Happiness Machine video. This video was posted on YouTube on January 12, 2010 and already has over a million hits. It is an example of a strong corporate viral video. The concept is simple and the focus of the video is the action rather than the script. Often, companies will try too hard to be funny and miss a large audience because humor is subjective. The Coca-Cola video won’t make you laugh out loud, but it will keep you smiling and has mass appeal. Another technique used in this video which makes it successful in the viral format, is that it’s not over produced. The hidden camera or home camera look is very effective with viral videos, it provides a more personal and intimate tone that we associate with Internet video and distinguish from television.
Ultimately, the successful corporate viral video does not express an overt point of view, but provides a moment of harmless levity in an otherwise dull corporate day. And therein lies the art. Check back soon for SVG’s “Corporate Viral Video of the week”, or contact us today at 1-800-784-0149 to see how you can create your own viral video!
Utilizing Video & Social Media in a Political Campaign
It’s clear that here, at Skillman Video Group, we believe using video is the most effective way to market your company online. We also believe that online video is a necessary component to an effective political campaign. Video provides a platform that is both personal and visually stimulating. Online video allows you to present yourself to your constituency in a way that is far more personal than signs and posters and allows you to become more than merely a name or political party. With an effective online video, voters hear you, see you, and get to know you in real time and in living color. You are provided a forum to speak to your base directly and communicate in a way with which the written word cannot contend. Online video also provides an affordable alternative to television advertising as video on the web allows you to deliver your message to a wide audience without paying for airtime. Think of the possibilities! The Internet is also a much more flexible media outlet than television and allows for many different styles of video. One could post videos of campaign speeches, interviews or fund raising events. All of these videos have a much lower production costs than a television ad, yet, still provide effective marketing.
Online video is much more dynamic than other forms of campaigning. You can host your video on your website to provide interesting content. However, you can also use a variety of video and social media websites to spread your message even further. By posting your videos on sites like YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and Flickr, you are able to spread your content to multiple forums and help your social media profiles become more attractive. The above video was produced for the Brad Williams for State Senate Campaign and was a simple single camera set up with wireless microphone. The video was later edited and compressed for the web and was used both on their web site as well as in their social media campaigns. Productions such as this are very cost effective, but still give campaigns higher visibility to potential voters and give candidates a platform to discuss and debate the issues. By using additional services such as key words and Search engine optimization techniques Skillman Video Group can help make sure that these videos can be found on YouTube and other social media sites. Online video is the optimal way to have you message heard and seen while political campaigning. Call today to set up a free consultation!
Eliminate Your Customer Engagement Gap with Professional Video!
Written by Harry Klein, President
Customer Engagement Strategies, Inc.
www.customerengagement.com
In my consulting practice I define Customer Engagement as: “The degree to which Customer Experiences are equal to or better than the Customer Expectations set by your Brand Promises as delivered by Customer Touch Points.”
Let’s break that down a bit:
• Brands = Promises
• Promises set customer expectations
• Business processes – touch points – are how promises to customers are met, exceeded or not met at all
• Companies enjoy higher levels of customer engagement when they meet or exceed the expectations they set.
When customer experience falls short of brand promises a company has a “Customer Engagement Gap”. Customer Engagement Gaps result in:
• Higher Costs of Sales
• Lower Profits
• Lower Marketing ROI
• Fewer Customer Referrals
• Lower Customer Loyalty, Retention and Life-Time Value
• Higher Customer Turnover
Here are 5 ways that a professional video produced by Skillman Video Group can help you eliminate your Customer Engagement Gap:
1. Set Customer Expectations – Create a brief video for prospects and new customers in which your CEO explains the company’s commitment to them. Tell them how they’ll be treated and what to do if their experience falls short of your promise. This will set your company apart from the pack and gain you extra consideration and loyalty.
2. Start Customer Dialogues – Set your company apart by using video in your CEO’s blog. No need to do video for every posting. but think about the possibility for a monthly video from the CEO in which they addresses customer feedback and what actions the company is taking as a result. Customers will feel that they’re being listened to and that the company is taking action.
3. Provide Technical Support – For companies with highly technical products or services or for companies that supply products that require customer assembly, professional training videos that explain the most challenging parts of the process are extremely useful. Your printed or online instructions can feature alerts and URLs that a video is available that will show you that specific step and walk you through it. Customers will be thrilled that you took the extra effort to help them get off to a good start. That kind of effort generates lots of word-of-mouth marketing.
4. Help Customers Understand the Impact of Current Events – There are circumstances that arise – for example, the financial market collapse – that require a CEO to put customers at ease even if the circumstances were not created by the company. Addressing these issues with a brief video supported by additional documentation can be an effective outreach strategy when your customers are worried, nervous and not sure what current conditions mean to them. Customers will further understand that you’re in this together and for the long haul.
5. Invite customers to submit video testimonials – Video certainly brings passion to the forefront. Ask your best customers if they’ll deliver a written AND video testimonial. Tell them you’ll help them write it and will send the video crew to their place. These videos can help prospects and other customers understand your commitment to them and how other customers work with you to ensure they maximize the value of the relationship.
The above listed videos can serve more than one purpose as many will be suitable to incorporate into your social media marketing efforts. You’ll want to be certain to track how viewers are getting to those videos and what impact they have on site traffic, lead generation, sales, support and customer engagement overall.
To learn more about Customer Engagements, please visit http://www.customerengagement.com
PRODUCER’S NOTES: The Producers at Skillman Video Group are ready and willing to custom design a video program that can meet some or all of those Customer Engagement “touch points”. The Internet Marketing specialists at Skillman Video Group will be able to design a marketing campaign around your videos that includes monthly reports to track your success. Call today to learn more about how video can directly impact your customer retention.
Grow your business in 2010 with a professional Internet marketing video!
This time of the year, there are lots of blog posts and articles about how you can “Grow your business in 2010″, but it can be difficult to sift through the plethora of information and find what really works for your type of business. If you read our post on Professional Video in Social Media (scroll down), you will see that one of the biggest areas of growth in 2010 is Internet video marketing with over 40% growth projected for this genre in the coming year. If these trends come to fruition, then a day is coming when businesses will no longer see web marketing videos as a luxury but a necessity and a key tool in their overall marketing strategy. As we have stated before it is imperative in any marketing endeavor to look and sound your best. Using professionals to shoot and edit your videos will result in a better quality product and give you a much higher rate of return on your investment then if you tried to do it yourself without the proper equipment, training or experience. Quality does matter to your audience and our goal as professionals is ultimately to translate those viewers – into clients! A high-quality corporate or marketing video from Skillman Video Group can be the key to kick start your business in the new decade.
In researching some of the most popular ways video is going to expand over the next few years, we came across a couple blog postings listing and describing 42 different ways to use video on the Internet for your business (yes – 42 different ways). They were rated by the authors by Popularity and Growth Potential. A summary of all of these types can be found on Reel SEO and the original posting with descriptions can be found with One Market Media. There are so many ways you can grow your business with a professional video, but to save you some time we thought that we would highlight some of the video categories that got the highest rating in both Popularity and Growth Potential, so you can start brainstorming now about what kind of video Skillman Video Group can do for you.
- Customer Testimonials/Success Stories
- Man-in-the-Street Interviews
- Product Presentations/Demonstrations/Reviews
- Visual Stories
- Corporate Overview
- Staff Presentations
- Training Video/Employee Orientation
- Just-in-time Learning
- Internal Communications
- Health, Legal, & Safety
- Internet Commercials/Viral Video/Email Video
- Content Marketing (Huge Growth Potential)
- Landing Pages/Microsites
- Video Press Release/Community Relations Video
- Event Presentation Video
- In-Store video
- Mobile Video
The producers at Skillman Video Group have years of experience helping businesses like yours see real growth in their market share through the use of web marketing videos. We have the cutting edge, professional equipment needed to create your perfect corporate or marketing video, for either your web site, DVD distribution or e-mail marketing campaign. The producers at Skillman Video Group also have experience in leveraging the power of social media sites (such as Youtube.com or FaceBook) and Search Engine Optimization techniques to attract new viewers to your site and increasing your overall web presence on all major search engines. 2010 is here, start it off with a bang – Contact us today to learn how!
Professional Video on Social Media
Some of the most popular social networking sites today are Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. At first glance, these sites appear to be for the young, sociable, computer generation, seemingly forsaking all other ways of interacting with friends. However, in the past few years, many internet and social media sites have been created or expanded, offering a sophisticated and tangible way for companies to interact with and update their clients! Social media and networking for corporations is on the rise, and is expected to keep going!
According to a study by British consultancy cScape released this year, companies have found that utilizing the internet and social media have “resulted in a tangible improvement in[their] organization’s online customer engagement”. Email newsletters took the top percentage of 67%, but right in second place at 44% was having a presence on social networks. 32% of companies saw a benefit from blogging, and 33% of companies also saw an improvement in online customer interaction when utilizing a brand-created on-line video! And according to eMarketer in an October 2009 study, online video in advertising and marketing is expected to increase by 40% in 2010!!
So what does all this mean for you? Skillman Video Group has a specialty in creating online web marketing videos and offer Internet marketing services to help you make the most of your video! With our partnership with QLegal, we can offer you ways to market to potential clients as well as maintain contact with your existing clients through online video, social networking sites, YouTube, and our Search Engine Optimization techniques! With internet marketing video expected to jump in use, this is the perfect time to have a professional marketing video done for you by Skillman Video Group. It is essential to represent your company at the highest level of professionalism by utilizing quality video production and the latest Internet marketing techniques to get you the highest return on your investment possible. The professionals at Skillman Video Group have years of experience getting our clients results - contact us today to find out more!!
P.S. Skillman Video Group has a big presence on the Internet! Check us out at the following sites:
