Drayton Bird just sent me a link to this article by Daniel Levis, that encourages copywriters to sharpen their video scriptwriting skills….. but take a look at the comment from the pet shop owner who tried a video on his website…..

Comment by Wes — March 3, 2010 @ 11:21 am

Howdy Daniel!

You… my friend… are absolutely… positively… 100%…

RIGHT!

How can I say that? Here’s why:

I own a ‘brick and mortars’ pet business.

And I’ve tested long copy vs. video… on my website.

And by far… the video gets my phone ringing much more!

Now, that could be because ‘Google’ (and the other search engines) like video.

So, maybe my video just gets me more ‘hits’.

However…

The video… also… gets me fewer “price shoppers”.

Maybe that’s because a video of me… the owner… is more personal and warm.

And when a prospect watches my video he feels “like he knows me”. And is less likely to tighten his wallet.

Either way… Daniel… you are dead-right about this.

And to anyone (especially those with a brick and mortars business) I HIGHLY recommend you get a video on your site — ASAP!

Just don’t do it if you’re my competitor!

Thanks for a great article!

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EX1 + Letus 35mm adapter comparison from Mark Slocombe on Vimeo.

My latest short film “Elevenses and Lunch” is a side-by-side comparison of identical shots, taken on a Sony XDCAM PMW-EX1, with and without a Letus Elite 35mm adapter.

Hope this is useful to those who are exploring the possibilities of 35mm adapters – you’ll really see the shallow depth of field that is the essence of the film look.

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I find it useful to see a camera / accessory combination when thinking about upgrading, but with more specialist rigs like this, that can be difficult, so hope this is useful for those considering the EX1 / Letus combo. We’re using Nikon prime lenses.

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Statistics show that video improves online visibility and drives more action online than plain images and text. For example, according to the BIA Kelsey Group, viewers engage more after watching a video, with clicks for more information increasing by 30-40% and phone inquiries by 16-20%.

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your video marketing:

1. Aim for Unique, Actionable Content
Be authentic. Be personal. Keep the video short. Creating authentic video that captures the human element behind any business allows customers to connect on a personal level.

And don’t forget to incorporate a call to action. While your authentic video builds trust and drives action, viewers must be given a reason and a way to call you, visit your website, or stop by your store. Be sure to include some action path — for example, a trackable URL, a coupon, discount code, or unique phone number to call. This not only encourages viewers to engage with you, but also provides a tangible way to measure the results of your video.

2. Optimize Video for Google Search
The advent of blended or universal search has changed the search game. Search engines now display more and more videos, images, blogs, maps, and books in their results. These new search algorithms weigh video heavily, giving you a great opportunity to increase your relevance in search results.

In fact, Forrester Research ran an experiment on the top-searched keywords and discovered that videos have an 11,000-to-1 chance of appearing on the first page of Google’s results, while text has a 500,000-to-1 chance of making it on the first page — in short, video has a 50 times better chance than plain text for getting to the top of search rankings.

3. Add Video to Your Facebook Page
Most likely, your Facebook fans are already customers — the social network gives you the chance to strengthen existing relationships, build your brand, present special offers, as well as find some new customers as you reach into the extended networks of your current fan base. On Facebook, use video to show the human side of your company. Think fun and creative. Show a ‘behind the scenes’ peak at your office or shop. Use video to announce a new contest or special. Post video highlights of past events, customer testimonials, etc.

4. Put Video on YouTube and Other Video Sites
YouTube has quickly grown from a network of user-generated content to become an invaluable repository of content. Next to Google, YouTube is the second largest search engine, with more than 3.5 billion queries a month according to comScore. YouTube and other video sites are great vehicles to reach an audience who might not find you otherwise. And don’t worry — you don’t
necessarily have to create the next viral sensation to find success on YouTube. Small businesses can create valuable new relationships and build sales without generating a million views.

5. Add Video to Your Google Local Business Listing
By adding video to your business listing on Google Local, you’ll be able to tell your story and connect with those people who are looking for your products or services, at the very point in time when they’re actively researching or ready to buy. This ultra-targeted form of marketing is highly
effective for driving clicks and calls. And amid a list of company names, addresses, and phone numbers, an engaging video brings your listing to life and sets you apart from the crowd.

Suggestions from an article at ReelSEO to help small businesses’ online video marketing.

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The Guardian has a special report on the future of online video advertising. “The media agency, MPG, estimates UK online video ad spend was £40m in 2009 with that figure set to rise to at least £60m this year.”

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For our Web TV clients we are now able to generate Google Video Sitemaps, which have the potential to enhance VSEO. Our Web TV solution enables clients to embed elegant video players with multiple videos on their sites.

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Here’s a quick, easy, tested way to boost your business.

A good, quick video is amazingly powerful – especially on the internet. Would you like one?

We are very excited to announce that we now offer clients a 1 minute Web Video for only £425 + VAT.

Your 1 minute movie will be based on the idea of the ‘elevator speech’ – imagine you find yourself in an elevator with your dream client – but you only have one minute to impress them. Write that script (it’ll be about 140 words), bring it along and we’ll film you here at our new Chiswick studio – we also supply an autocue, so you’ll be word-perfect and completely confident.

The price includes editing, music, text graphics and making your video ready for the web. So you can upload it to YouTube or any other free video service, or you can choose our optional low-cost video hosting service, enabling you to embed the film on your site (or any site) and send emails that link to it.

Here’s an example of how your 1 minute Web Video could look – we filmed our client Paul from Wampit, the UK Business Directory, for whom we provide this service:

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We’ve just completed shooting a major project for the NHS Cancer Screening Programme; we’re producing three films to raise public awareness of the Breast, Cervical and Bowel screening programmes. We previously made films for the NHS CSP in 1998 – it’s a privelige to be working with them again and to be making such important work. Click here to see a clip.

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To coincide with our new-look homepage, we’ve added a series of top tips to make better videos: registration is free and users will receive helpful ideas by email.

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Working on an installation in Lithuania recently, our client, artist Deirdre Cunningham was asked to give a lecture on her work, the next day. Only problem was, she didn’t have a copy of the spoof Body Bags sales video we made for her,

We were able to upload it to our streaming server, and when the local connection proved too unreliable, we uploaded to our download server – problem solved, lecture delivered. Deirdre emailed this:

“Mark you are wonderful. You’ve saved my bacon. It’s worth whatever you charge. I’d still like it on the internet but I’ve downloaded this and feel less exposed. Best wishes, Deirdre ”

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