Video Conversion Point: What it is and how it works

At Skillman Video Group, we realize your desire to improve conversion rates from casual web visitors to viable business prospects through your web site. And, most importantly,  we know how to do it. Our approach to Internet marketing is two fold: 1st by drawing web surfers to your site through SEO and social media etc .  2nd We then help you develop enough engaging and informative content on your site to convert those visitors into leads for new business.  It’s what we call the “video conversion point”. A video conversion point is the place where surfers view a video of your business that works to convert them into customers.

Video has proven time and time again to be a powerful medium. Just last year, YouTube had roughly 1 billion daily hits; now they’re up to 2 billion. This fact alone shows how placing a video on your site could make it more enticing–people like video and continue to want more of it. More importantly, video harnesses the ability to condense a wide array of information about your business into a format which is much more accessible than navigating through a website.  The services of your company, examples of your work, testimonials etc could all be immediately shown in a video professionally produced by Skillman Video Group. These video conversion points are placed on your site based on where people will most easily view them. All people have to do is sit back and watch while the key points of your business are served directly to them.

Skillman Video Group is a proven example of the power of the video conversion point; since introducing more video to our website, along with other marketing techniques outlines in our recent case study, our search engine traffic and positions have spiked and we continue to increase lead generation through our site and signing new clients weekly. Video conversion point is just one piece of our newly offered Social Video Marketing, for more information about this service click on the link below!

http://www.skillmanvideogroup.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/allure_dark_10/SVG_case_study.pdf

Internet & Video Marketing Internship at Skillman Video Group

This week concludes my time at Skillman Video Group. Three months ago, I signed on as a Internet & Video Marketing  Intern with the company. In the beginning I was not sure what to expect, however, I am happy to report that it could not have been better. Like all young people pursuing internships, I was looking to gain real-world experience and at Skillman Video Group I got experience, real experience. At no point was I relegated to busy work; I did not make one photocopy or get a single cup of coffee. Instead, I was given the chance to explore many different avenues, both creative and professional.

I worked as a production assistant on many video shoots, working with a crew,  setting up lights, moving equipment, and learning the intricacies of professional video production. I was able to produce a  “behind the scenes ” video press release and edit it myself for the company website.  At the same time, I was given the chance to write for this blog and learn SEO and online marketing techniques. Perhaps most noteworthy, was my opportunity to create my own original viral video from start to finish. The Producers at  Skillman Video Group gave me the leeway to be creative and funny and I wrote and produced our  first ever viral style video Gerry’s Waterbed Emporium. Making this video was a great experience and a lot of fun. I was given the chance to explore new styles of shooting & editing, like utilizing a green screen, in a safe and educational environment.  This internship was a wonderful opportunity. It gave me the chance to work on the professional level in video production, writing, and marketing. I would recommend working for or with Skillman Video Group to anyone.  I can’t believe my time is over already and would like to thank everyone at SVG for making this experience so positive.

Mike McGuinness

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!

Legal Marketing Video Shoot at Duane Morris

Skillman Video Group recently went on a video shoot at the national law firm, Duane Morris LLP. Duane Morris hired SVG to shoot a Legal Marketing Video of their Boston office for their web site. SVG shot a series of interviews with the firm’s partners discussing their practice areas and experience for both internal….and external marketing purposes. Duane Morris will be using the videos to market their attorneys to potential clients, as well as to use for recruitment of new hires.     The partners discussed both personal and professional topics and we concentrated on their areas of expertise, their goals for the firm, and even personal interests and hobbies.

Marketing for any law firm begins and ends with their attorneys.  If your lawyers are essentially your product, then video allows a law firm  to showcase those lawyers in a personal, intimate way.  By allowing potential clients to see and hear your attorneys speak about their experience and goals  – you are allowing them to build trust and repore with a client before they pick up a phone to call!  In the legal field, where personal relationships are crucial, video marketing is the only medium that can clearly and accurately represent your services.

It is also important that your legal marketing videos look and sound professional.  Lighting and audio are key components to any video shoot.  If your attorneys look or sound unprofessional, it will do a poor job marketing their skills and abilities to the public!  Producers at Skillman Video Group are adept and not just lighting and audio, but also directing the on-screen talent.  Speaking on camera is sometimes very difficult for those who are not used to doing so in their every-day job.  Our producers will work with the on-screen talent to make them feel comfortable and help them look and feel their best.  Call today to learn more our Legal Marketing Videography and Video Production services!

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: Pedigree Dogs

Welcome to week two of Skillman Video Group’s “Corporate Viral Video Of The Week” series.  Let’s review some of the characteristics of a successful corporate viral video outlined in last week’s blog. The most important rule is of course to keep it simple. Too many characters and too much back and fourth dialog is too much work. The average, cubicle bound, corporate viral video viewer does not have the time to get caught up in an elaborate story.  This week’s video is from Pedigree Dog Food and it exemplifies many of the traits that make viral videos successful. This video was added last week and it already has over 700,000 hits. They opted to go as far no dialog at all. Instead, they focus on the physical feats of the dogs. The video is fun and lighthearted without trying too hard. The video also has a cool bit of production work. By showing the dogs slow motion while using a camera with a high frame per second rate, the viewer is able to see every minute movement of the dogs. The slow motion technique is very effective in this video. It adds a clearer view and a heightened anticipation to the dogs’ tricks.

Naturally, the videos that go viral are the videos with the most mass appeal. Companies are constantly trying to make videos that are funny but also work for a broad audience. This video exemplifies one of the sure fire rules to achieve that mass appeal: Put a dog in your video. If the words “dog”, “kitten”, or “puppy” are in the title of your video you’re almost guaranteed a million hits. Everyone loves to see dogs perform zany antics; you can’t help but smile.  The video with the most mass appeal is the most successful viral video. Check back in for next week’s Corporate Viral Video Of The Week.  Or call Skillman Video Group to see what kind of viral video we can do for you!

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!

The Importance of Closed Captioning in Professional Video Production

Skillman Video Group offers closed captioning services for both DVD and web based video formats.    Closed Captioning is a term describing several systems developed to display text on a television or computer/video screen to provide  interpretive information to viewers who wish to access it. Closed captions typically display a transcription of the audio portion of a program or video as it occurs, and can include non-speech elements such as music or background noise.

A lot of times we get asked what the difference is between “closed captioning” and “subtitles”.  The term “closed” in closed captioning indicates that not all viewers see the captions—only those who choose to decode or activate them (usually through your TV).    “Subtitles” assume the viewer can hear but cannot understand the language, accent, or  that the speech is not entirely clear, so they only transcribe dialogue and some on-screen text. “Captions” aim to describe to the hearing-impaired all significant audio content—spoken dialogue and non-speech information such as the identity of speakers and, occasionally, their manner of speaking—often along with music or sound effects.

However, the benefits of closed captioning extend far beyond the deaf or hard of hearing community. As time goes by, the general population is beginning to recognize its other useful applications.  For example, it is not uncommon to see closed captioned programming in noisy public environments such as airports, public lobbies, and sports bars.  It has also been said that Closed Captioning can aid those who are trying to learn English as their second language.

Closed Captioning is a great and very affordable “add on” for many of your live event, marketing or corporate video productions.  The power of video is that you audience can see AND hear what is being spoken.   For what equals out to be just a few dollars per minute, you would be widening the audience for your marketing, training, testimonial or social media video to include those who are hearing impaired.   Captioning is a service that betters our community and enhances the teaching power of media.  Contact Skillman Video Group today to see what we can do for your video production with our transcription, closed captioning and subtitling services today!

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