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!

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: 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!

Marketing Video Shoot at Kitchen Countertop Center of New England

Last week, the Skillman Video Group production team spent a day in Providence, Rhode Island filming a marketing video for Kitchen Countertop Center of New England.

It was a fun and productive day of shooting with three separate shoot locations that kept us busy! Skillman Video Group was hired to create a marketing video that could be used at home shows, in their show room and be embedded on their company’s web site.  Our goal was to market and demonstrate to potential clients the uniqueness of their design and installation process .  The video was shot entirely in HD.  We started the day by meeting with the guys of KCCNE at their showroom in downtown Providence. We shot footage of co-owner, Eddie Keegan, taking customers through each step of the remodeling process.

This  included everything from the first meeting with the kitchen and bath designer over KCCNE’s computer generated model of the finished kitchen, to trips to the tile store and the granite warehouse.  We were able to capture Eddie working one on one with his customers and clearly communicate what sets KCCNE apart from its competitors. Our video will allow potential KCCNE’s customers to gain insight and understanding into KCCNE’s unique process in a way that other mediums would not allow. It was a light hearted and fun shoot -  and lucky for us Eddie was a natural in front of the camera!  Please contact Skillman Video Group today to see how we can market your business through the use of the video medium!

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.

Next Page »