Video 4 the Web

Please monkey around with my car commercial

2011-03-07T14:45:00.003-05:00

I needed a laugh today and nothing can more funny than a bad car commercial. I've only seen a handful of creative car commercials. My favorite, and some what controversial, is the Trunk Monkey. As always, humor is selective. Some people find it funny and some do not.

What do you think?

Here is a really bad, locally produced commercial. At least they tried to be different...creepy different.

Now, here's a local Dayton, Ohio car commercial.

There is nothing wrong with this spot, but is it memorable or engaging?

I've heard some people state that even if the commercial is annoying, it's still doing its job. I'm not sure I believe that. I understand the concept, but I have never run into anyone (no pun intended) who has actually shopped somewhere from a commercial that annoys them.

Have you? If so, I'd love to hear about it.

Visual Media Concepts is fascinated with the idea of creating engaging content for businesses and organizations. Tell us your wacky ideas and we promise not to produce an annoying spot.

To Flip or not Flip...that is the question.

2011-02-28T16:59:00.002-05:00

Having video on your website is one of the most important marketing decisions you can make today. The democratization (to make something available to all people) of video has been with us since the 80s, but now, more than ever, it is truly in the hands of everyone. The dominant platforms are cell phones and flip style video cameras. Anyone can shoot and upload video to the Internet.

What I’d like to discuss is when and when not to use Flip (I will use “Flip” as a generic term for any kind of lower grade, hand held video camera) cameras to promote your business or organization.

Let’s start out with the advantages and disadvantages of using a Flip or hiring a professional. We’ll look at just a couple of the most important for both.

The advantages for the Flip are:

It’s small, easily accessible, and fast.

The disadvantages for the Flip are:

Picture quality (not using proper lighting techniques being the main reason).

Poor audio quality because of the built in microphone.

Less production values.

The advantages for hiring a professional are:

Proper picture and audio quality.

A better planned production with more production values.

The disadvantages for hiring a professional are:

It’s not fast, more expensive, and takes more time.

Let me say this, I love Flip cameras! I’ve been in the video business since 1992 and I’ve seen all the equipment get smaller and better throughout the years. Also, it is possible to use a Flip camera to create great productions. The video of Luci, my Great Dane, on my home page was shot with a Flip camera. The real question to ask is what does this project call for and what are you trying to do?

Here is the biggest thing to keep in mind…audio is 90% of video. Weird huh! People will except and watch a bad video imagine, but they will quickly stop watching a video with bad audio. The message is the most important part. Hearing, clearly, what people are saying is the most important part of the video. The main reason audio is so poor with a Flip is because it’s a small, inexpensive, built-in mic that picks up everything in the room you’re taping. It’s set to “automatic levels”. So it will “fight” back and forth between all the noises in the room. It can be very distracting.

Another consideration is lighting. When uploading video to the Internet, by default the encoding process zaps the luminance value of the video. Basically, it makes the image darker once it’s online. If the videos you’ve shot on a Flip camera are already dark and hazy, then the final product will not be what you want.

If your message is important, then hiring a professional and planning will solve all of the above problems.

So, in conclusion, shoot with your Flip cameras and have fun! Knowing the weaknesses of the camera will allow you to decide if you should or shouldn’t.

Here’s a checklist for minimizing problems shooting video with a Flip camera:

-Shoot interviews up close (2 to 4 feet away) and in a quite room.

-Hold the camera as still as possible, use a tripod or set it on something static.

-Be aware of the lighting and always try to move your subject into good lighting.

-If you’re going to edit the video, leave 2 to 3 seconds of “slop” at the beginning and end. This will give you more freedom to cut, dissolve and use fades.

-Have fun and experiment!

Keep in mind though; you do not eat at a 5 star restaurant wearing cut up jeans, flip-flops, and a stained T-shirt. Choose a professional, like Visual Media Concepts, when you need a top-notch production to engage your audience and keep them coming back for more.

PTV Digital Marketing Survey Results

2011-02-21T14:20:00.001-05:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation by PermissionTV

PTV Digital Marketing Survey Results

View more presentations from permissiontv.

The Metrics of Blogs and eBooks

2011-02-14T14:06:00.008-05:00

Alright...here are some new numbers for blogging and ebooks.

U.S. Blog Readers, 2008-2014 (millions and % of internet users)
2008 91.4 45%
2009 102.6 48.5%
2010 112.7 51%
2011 122.6 53.5%
2012 133.8 56.5%
2013 141.6 58%
2014 150.4 60%
Source: eMarketer, August 2010

U.S. Bloggers, 2008-2014 (millions and % of internet users)
2008 22.9 11.3%
2009 24 11.3%
2010 26.2 11.9%
2011 28.1 12.3%
2012 30.1 12.7%
2013 31.6 13%
2014 33.4 13.3%

It's no surprise about the number differences between the consumption of blogs and the creation of them. I guess the one big question to answer soon will be what's the difference between a website and a blog. A lot of current "websites" are really blogs by definition.

In my mind a "website" changes very little, while a "blog" changes frequently-if not hourly in some cases. Then there are the hybrids. Our website also has a blog built in, but most of my site does not update. However, Visual Media Concepts does swap out video examples every so often.

Basically, the term website and blog is interchangeable at this point. I often tell people where they can find my "content", rather than use either term. This is confusing to some people, so use whatever terminology your clients understand.

On to ebooks...

Are your ebooks primarily produced in place of or addition to print editions?
*In addition to print 65%
*Unsure 20%
*Instead of print 9%
*Other 6%
Source: eMarketer, August 2010

What are the biggest challenges bring to market?
*E-Reader Format/Compatibility options 21%
*Distribution channel issues 19%
*Digital rights management (DRM) 16%
*Overall cost of ebook production 13%
*Quality of the converted content 12%
*Cost of backlist conversion 10%
*Unsure 7%
*Other 2%
Source: eMarketer, August 2010

I'm not an ebook reader at this moment. Kobi, my wife, loves it! She received a Barnes & Noble Nook Ebook Reader for her birthday this past December. She's read countless books and has shared books with her friend, who also has a Nook. I'm a gadget geek, so I'll get a Nook also, only because it makes the most sense because of the sharing feature.

I have to say though, I'm not a huge fan and really prefer the feel of flipping through a book and magazine.

So what is your take on these numbers and your feelings about blogs and ebooks?

What are the trends in the vlogosphere?

2010-03-14T16:23:00.005-04:00

State of the Vlogosphere 2010 by the MeFeedia Blog

I just read another great article, by Frank Sinton, about the current trends for video podcasters or vlogs or vloggers or whatever you'd like to call it. I hope that one day the online-web-video jargon will standarize it's use of terms.

So, what are some of the highlights? YouTube is still the champion, but it seems that other video sharing sites are starting to gain some traction. Blip is up to 14% of the market and Independent publishers are 18%. I think these are exciting trends. There are quite a few other sites like Viddler and Vimeo that offer it's users tools that YouTube does not offer. I hope that they'll someday get the press that they deserve.

Video consumption is also expanding into the mobile marketplace. The iPhone, Android, and Blackberry smart phones have all been upping the ante on the competition of eyeballs hungry for content. I remember way back in the day (like 2003) saying that no one would want to watch a jerky, buffering, gainy video stream! Ha, I have been eating crow ever since. The future is mobile and more.

I can't wait to see what companies, maybe Netflix or Apple, will be working on next. Hopefully, our broadband loads will be able to increase in size and decrease in expense to allow a great user experience!

So, where do you go? What are your trends on watching online video? Desktop, laptop, smart phone, iPad, iPod, Zune...where are your eyeballs?

New Media Numbers

2010-01-08T15:23:00.003-05:00

Here are some new numbers. Sorry for the time between posts.

U.S. Podcast Audience (2008-2013 millions and % of Internet users)

2008- 17.4 (9.0%)
2009- 21.9 (11.0%)
2010- 26.7 (13.0%)
2011- 30.6 (14.5%)
2012- 34.6 (16.0%)
2013- 37.6 (17.0%)

Source: eMarketer, Feb. 2009

Digital Social Media Activities of Small Businesses in North America (March 2009)

Responding to Customer Questions- 64%
Networking- 57%
Reference/Education- 44%
Messaging?Commenting/Tweeting- 37%
Advertising/Promotion of Business- 33%
Creating and Maintaining Profile- 32%
Blogging- 27%

Source: Sage Research by AMI-Partners, April 8, 2009

Pocasting Audience:
I feel that the podcasting numbers are a significant reflection of the industry. It's still been a steep learning process for most business owners. Podcasting is still a technology "buzz word" and my experience has still been educating potential clients. They sort of understand it and are still weary to take the plunge.

The strongest selling point for promoting "podcasting" is if the business has a superior content that they are willing to share. But, "sharing" is often misplaced for promoting and/or advertising. Educating clients about the difference can still be very challenging and confusing. There have not been very many break out concepts that can be referred to...and that are appealing to most clients.

Hopefully 2010 will supply us with more examples and inspire businesses and organizations to flex their imagination.

Digital Social Media Activities:
These numbers took me by surprise! "Responding to Customer Questions" was the biggest surprise to me. I wish it was defined a little more. How would be my first question? And, with what application would be my second? I'm also surprised Advertising, Promotion, and Tweeting were not higher.

To me, Blogging can be the most controlled of all, so why that is not higher is a mystery. Networking feels right and is the easiest. I think Reference and Education will be the next wave of success. The costs are must cheaper that traditional methods, so I would expect this to rise even further in the future. Messaging and Tweeting will also continue to build momentum. It's easy, fast and cheap...so, most companies will grasp it very quickly.

How do you feel about these numbers? Do they represent your organization? Visual Media Concepts is pursuing these new technologies to help businesses increase their visibility and in the end...make more opportunities!

Sept. 2009 Online Video Numbers

2009-09-17T09:45:00.003-04:00

WOW! I appologize for not keeping up with my blog.

Here are some interesting new numbers:

U.S. Adult Twitter Users, 2008-2010 (millions and % of adult users)
2008- 6.0 (3.8%)
2009- 12.1 (7.4%)
2010- 18.1 (10.8%)

Source: eMarketer April 2009

Top 10 Video/Movie sites by Total Streams/Unique Viewers
YouTube (6,139,358/99,045)
Hulu (348,310/10,672)
Megavideo (74,848/2,767)
blinkx (73,408/702)
MSN Video (48,049/6,077)
Dailymotion (40,738/6,298)
Metacafe (37,502/6,389)
Veoh (30,625/1,546)
Break (30,111/2,020)
Justin.tv (26,540/987)

Overall online video usage-U.S. Home & Work, June 2009
Unique Viewers 134,310,000
Total Streams 10,091,824,000
Streams per viewer 75.1
Time spent viewing per viewer 188.8 minutes

All data from Nielsen Online, Video Census, U.S. Home & Work, June 2009

Looks like a lot of viewers out there looking for quality content.

How To Make Any Tweet Worth Following

2009-05-27T13:11:00.001-04:00

How To Make Any Tweet Worth Following

Posted using ShareThis

Walking Dinosaurs

2009-05-01T10:03:00.004-04:00

So, is your company a walking dinosaur? The rules are changing for most businesses. I'd like to share my feelings about this subject, but more importantly, educate and toss in some of my own idealogy.

Over the past few weeks, I've heard some opinions about "this change" that I find interesting. Part of the change has been about social media and networking. I'm currently dropping all the jargon and buzz words when I discuss them to clients. In the end, to me, all these these changes are great are just other ways of empowering, learning and being apart of the dialogue...good or bad.

People have been questioning the time spent on Blogs, Twitter, Facebook and the like. Why? Becasue these people do not see the value in these social tools. I've found these same people typically spend the same amount of time being social in building and on the phone. What's the difference? Time is time...right. Is either one wasting time? No. Building and maintaining relationships is the cornerstone of all business. I would be more worried if you find someone not socializing. So whether you're golfing with a client, talking on the phone, Twittering, or just plain walking around...be social and encourage it.

Obviously this is not an excuse to spend all day on social networking sites or the golf course:)

I heard a women complain about YouTube the other day. She questioned why they had the right to upload the content they did. That scared me a bit. Why does she care? I believe it's a combination of being scared and not understanding the concept. All content is equal (providing the Terms and Conditions are met) whether it's a cell phone video of kids horsing around or an amazing documentry.

It's interesting how uncomfortable people can become when the normal channels of media distribution (TV, Radio, Newspapers) are challenged. I'm starting to believe it's a generational thing. Although I know a vast amount of Baby Boomers that "get it"...I also know a lot that don't. Is it becasue this generation was never was able to particapate in the process. Is it becasue they expected their information to be spoon fed to them? I'd like to know more and to understand these concerns.

My Parents believe that everything online is a lie because "anybody can put anything up there". This is true. Being skepical is great. However, they don't know the credentials of the "professionals" that are producing mainstream content either. They assume and expect that they are being fair, honest, and doing their due diligence on projects. Is this the case? Is it fair? Does money and a big fancy logo mean that you are a trusted source? Hmmmm?

Who and/or what are your favorite "walking dinosaur" stories?

Lessons in todays market

2009-03-04T14:42:00.005-05:00

I recently read an article by Robert Kiyosaki of "Rich Dad-Poor Dad" fame in Entrepreneur Magazine. It struck a chord with me. I'm not in the same league as the BIG THREE...yet, but I took this article as a lesson to learn and to be remembered.

Here's a brief summary:

"1. Leaders should be on the same compensation plan as the sales staff."
"2. Leaders listen to the customer."
"3. Politicians reward incompetence."

As for bullet number 1, he sighted that maybe the Detroit leaders should have only been paid for the number of cars sold. I agree. That would have opened their eyes and made them better businesspeople. Instead, they flew all over the country, gave themselves huge bonuses, and completely stuck their heads in the sand. This is the impression I get from the media, which is not to say is the absolute truth.

The number 2 bullet is important for all of us entrepreneurs and business professionals. Although the BIG THREE listened to the customer and provided SUVs. [This is debatable though. Did the customers want them or were they just marketed into wanting them?] When should they have started to see the writing on the wall? I realize that know one has a crystal ball...but it seems silly to think they didn't see this coming!

The lesson here is to always keep your finger on the pulse of the "next big thing". Is a fear of failure the reasons these big corps always trip and fall on there face? I wonder what Apple is working on? Is Google resting?

The third bullet is the one that is talked about the most amoung my peers...usually over a few beers and some pizza at our wateringhole. Bailouts are just not in my volcabulary. It's hard for me to feel sorry for a huge-mega-corporation that allowed greed to cause it to fail. If capitalism is day then failure is night. Those are the rules. That is the American dream. Why is the playing field titled to favor thes HUGE CORPS and not us...the small entrepreneur. I think we can all throw out a few statements...what's yours?

So, I'll remember these lessons and try to apply them to my business.

Twitter, Twitter, Twitter!

2009-01-20T10:10:00.001-05:00

I was planning on doing a post about Twitter and why you should be using it for your business or organization. So what is Twitter and why should I be using it?? Well, Carson McComas, from WorkHappy.net pretty much explains everything you need to know.

http://www.workhappy.net/2009/01/twitter.html

Talk It Up! Heidi Millers Twitter Tips.

2008-12-11T15:15:00.002-05:00

I found this fascinating blog post today on Heidi Miller's blog. Here are some great tips and tricks for using Twitter.

Twitter as you have information to provide or questions to ask. Zero to 20 tweets a day is a good start. A hundred tweets an hour is too many (the limit is 165 an hour, I believe).

Don’t tweet if you don’t have anything to say.

Establish, choose and use hash tags as appropriate—for example, #green for Tweets focusing on green, sustainable living projects. This makes it easier to track your conversations and retweets (using Twitter Search). If you're live tweeting a conference, be sure to find out and use that conference's hash tag for each related tweet.

Ask questions and ask for feedback via Twitter to encourage two-way conversation. This will help you to get to know your followers more personally and keep your Twitter feed active and engaging.

Set up Google alerts for your name, your company name, your competitors' company name, and your favorite hot button topics around your brand. For example, I search not only for "heidi miller" but also "social media," "twitter," "online communities" and "community management." Scan your feed each morning and tweet each article that sparks your interest (or that might spark the interest of your followers). NOTE: you don't have to tweet ALL of them; just the one or two that really grab you.

If you have a blog, set your blog to repost new blog entries to Twitter. This will only constitute one or two tweets a day, and it will help to drive traffic to your blog.

If you have a Seesmic account, set it to automatically tweet new video comments. People who aren't active on Seesmic can easily follow the conversation and participate if interested.

Retweet related articles by your followers that are on topic or that show interesting or controversial insights. (See Jeremiah Owyang’s recent posting on retweeting as social media validation.)

Reply to any @ requests within an hour, preferably sooner. Respond by the next morning if they appear overnight.

Reply to DMs with a DM within an hour, preferably sooner. Respond by the next morning if they appear overnight.

If a follower DMs you and you can't DM back, send an @ message indicating that he needs to follow you so that you can respond via DM.

If you have a Facebook presence and post fewer than 20 tweets a day, set Twitter to automatically update your status.

Talk It Up!, Dec 2008

You should read the whole article.

TWO things to consider before you start a blog.

2008-12-05T13:43:00.001-05:00

Scheduling and Content!

I'm writing this because...well, I'm stuck! I've created this blog to inform both professionals and peers about Web 2.0, Social Media, and Web-Video. You would be correct in determining that I have plenty of content to cover and research. I do.

The problem is scheduling. I am a procrastinator. I usually work very well with deadlines. If it doesn't have a deadline...you'll be lucky to get it. So, I have all the content in the world to discuss, but I continue to put it off.

Starting this weekend, I'm going to set deadlines for my blog posts. What good is a blog if my readers (?) don't have any idea when the next post will be? I will post the new schedule and hope you'll enjoy and better, more frequent blog about Web 2.0, Social Media, and Web-Video.

Please comment your ideas, questions and concerns.

Percentages of video you watch

2008-10-21T20:57:00.003-04:00

Here are some numbers released by U.S. video organizations that stream video.

Movie/TV Trailers/Previews
48% past 30 days
77% Total

News/Commentary/Sports
51% past 30 days
75% Total

Amateur/Homemade Video
46% past 30 days
67% Total

Music Videos
33% past 30 days
63% Total

Commercials/Advertisements
27% past 30 days
48% Total

Full Length TV Shows
14% past 30 days
26% Total

Concerts
6% past 30 days
15% Total

Full-Length Movies
6% past 30 days
15% Total

Other Video Clips/Video Podcasts
40% past 30 days
62% Total

Source: Ipsos Insight, March 2007

Visual Media Concepts strength and vision is creating "Other Video Clips/Video Podcasts".

Those percentages are right up there with the "big boys". Creating visual stories for your organization's website is one of the strongest strategies for spreading your ideas.

SEO is only for experts and you\'re NOT!

2008-09-09T20:51:00.001-04:00

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is for experts and you\'re NOT right? Guess again. Almost anyone can apply simple techniques to help your organizations page results in search engines. It use to be enough just to have a website. Not anymore! Static webpages are a thing of the past.

Updated content is the current gold standard and all your clients expect it.

So where do you start? I would suggest checking out www.SEOmoz.org.

They have a fantastic beginner\'s guide!

What's your favorite video brand?

2008-08-05T21:39:00.005-04:00

Number 10: Google

Number 9: CNN Digital

Number 8: Turner Entertainment

Number 7: Disney Online

Number 6: ESPN

Number 5: MSN/Windows Live

Number 4: Nickelodeon

Number 3: Yahoo!

Number 2: FOX Interactive Media

Drum roll please...

Number 1: YouTube

I'm sure that wasn't a surprise.

Total streams (thousands): 3,646,076
Unique viewers (thousands): 69,604

Here are a few of my favorite sites that were not on the list:

Viddler (I love this site more than YouTube!)

Blip.tv

Breitbart.tv

Mevio

Metacafe

Where do you watch videos?

Source: Nielsen Online March 2008

Video Advertising $$$

2008-08-05T21:22:00.005-04:00

Video advertising is increasing at a rapid rate. Here are the numbers (in the millions).

2001- $40

2002- $55

2003- $85

2004- $135

2005- $225

2006- $410

2007- $775

2008- $1,350

2009- $2,100

2010- $3,100

How much has your organization budgeted on video advertising this year?

Source: eMarketer, June 2007

Commercial Real Estate Advertising

2008-06-30T20:11:00.002-04:00

Here's a quick rant...

Why do commercial real estate companies place HUGE OBNOXIOUS signs out in front of business properties? Do they get the majority of their business by drive-by customers? Do business people drive around aimlessly looking for properties to stumble upon??

The worse the economy gets...the more HUGE OBNOXIOUS signs pop out by the street. It's annoying and an eye sore.

Would somebody please let me know what the strategy is??

Do commercial property prospects not use a computers, agents, or other research means to figure out where the best location might be for their business?

I would prefer to have a video listing broken down for me online. Along with all the information and pictures listed on a pdf document.

When will the commercial real estate business join us in the 21st century?

Well, at least all the sign companies are doing well.

Social Media Rookie

2008-06-09T22:20:00.003-04:00

I'd like to give you an update on some of my social media experiments. I've tired quite a few applications over the last couple of years. I've enjoyed some, disliked others, became addicted to a few, and down right couldn't figure a bunch.

One main reason I joined these services was to simply promote my business, Visual Media Concepts, and enjoy the fruits of higher rankings on the search engines. Not only did I join social media services, but I joined a few trade sites, freelance, and job sites that also claim great exposure services and search results.

Test #1:

I "Googled" my name..."Mike Cornett".

The first page results were:
3rd- LinkedIn account
9th- My website!
10th- Facebook account

Page two results:
12th- Twitter
13th- LinkedIn account...again
17th- Meetup.com
18th- The Production Hub

Not bad at all! I was pleasantly surprised.

Test #2:

Next I "Googled" my business..."Visual Media Concepts".

The first page results were:
1st- My website!!!! Hurray!
6th- Blogger account

Page two results:
16th- The Production Hub

I thought typing in my business name would exploded with results. Besides being #1, which is great, I really expected to almost fill the page.

Test #3:
I decided to do the most important. What would a potential client type in to search for my services. I'm specializing in web-video, video on websites, and podcasting.

So, I "Googled"..."Web Video Dayton Ohio".

The results were not good...not good at all!
37th- LinkedIn account

I searched "Video Production" on Google maps and found myself on page 5! Yuck!

What does all this mean? It means that I'm developing positive social networking searches, but I need to work harder on developing my SEO (Search Engine Optimization) keywords.

I need potential clients to type in "web video, podcasting, and/or video for websites" along with "Dayton, OH" and have my company or name land all over the first page.

One other thing. I was really surprised how well my LinkedIn account and trade sites ranked. I expected Facebook and Twitter to rank more often and higher.

I'll keep experimenting with social media and SEO and sharing my results.

How are customers finding you?

2008-05-13T21:45:00.004-04:00

How do you track down information and find solutions to your problems?

Do you respond to direct mail? Turn on the radio? How about channel surfing for a couple of hours? Maybe you flip through a magazine?

If you’re like most people, you’ll be turning on your computer and heading to Google, Yahoo, or another search engine.

David Meerman Scott wrote a fantastic article in the latest edition of EContent titled, "Buyers Knocking at Your Virtual Door".

I'd like to reflect on this article and share his insights along with my thoughts.

Most companies are still engaging in "interruption" advertising. Although I still believe it works to certain extent, it's beginning to declining. Huge national corporations like McDonalds and Walmart have insanely large advertising budgets to invest in traditional "interruption" marketing practices, but if you're like me...your budgets are a bit smaller.

So how do you compete? It's simple.

Potential customer are choosing to seek your business out by using search engines. You're thinking to yourself, "Great, I have a website! I'm ready to go." But having a website is only the beginning.

Do you have engaging content? Are you providing a reason for potential customers to visit your business again and again? So what should you do if you do not have engaging content?

Here are a few things to consider looking into:
- Develop a Blog
- Email Newsletters
- eBooks
- Video (YouTube or custom created)
- Podcasts (audio or video)
- Web 2.0 app (Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Flickr, etc.)
- Contests
- Promotions
- Forums

The great things about engaging content is that it will create a community. Developing a community is the goal for any business. Who doesn't want a following of loyal customers that are willing to promote you! Another great bonus-search engines will reward this new, engaging content that changes periodically with better search results. YEAAAH! Now we're talking!

Once you establish your content strategy, your next step will be looking into Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Having a place holder site with only contact information is a failing marketing technique for your business.

As a general rule, update your site as often as buying fresh fruit and vegetables. Not only will you be healthier, but so will your business.

Social Media Mistakes

2008-04-28T20:49:00.002-04:00

Blogging is NEW! Social Media is NEW! Podcasting is NEW!

It's just natural to make mistakes doing this social media thing. I'd like to list a couple of mistakes that I've made along the way.

#1 Mistake: I was "un-friended" on Facebook by one of my favorite podcaster...Mitch Joel. Why? I accidentally spammed him. How? I sent him an email promoting my latest podcast. It was a benign, short email that I sent to my friends. I added Mitch in there because I felt comfortable with him. The problem is...I have not developed any sort of rapport with Mr. Joel!

It's funny though, in my mind he's a dear friend. On the surface that sounds creepy, but I'm very fond of the people that I follow on these networks.

Social media is very social. Just because you're "friends" with someone, doesn't mean your really friends.

I don't blame Mitch Joel. It's completely my fault and I learned a valuable lesson. I wish they would add a "develop rapport" button on these darn social sites. It sure would make this a little easier. I still subscribe to his podcast and love it. Although, I stopped following him on Twitter as a payback! I had to retaliate:)

#2 Mistake: Comments are great, but be careful with them. You see, my personality is made up of the following ingredients: 1 part smart aleck, 2 parts sarcasm, and 4 parts positive fun and liveliness.

This obviously has gotten me in trouble. It's important to make sure that people don't take your comments out of context. This can be difficult, so be careful. It's four times as hard to make up with some one on a social network than in real life. You're one "un-friend" or "block" away from social media oblivion.

I'll be sure to let you know what my next mistake will be. I'd love to read your fumbles! Please share your mistakes with me. I would hate for Mitch Joel to ban me from his podcast!

Good Numbers...Bad Numbers...Blah, Blah, Blah

2008-04-01T20:50:00.006-04:00

OK, let's check the latest batch of new media numbers. Ready, set, go...

Reactions to In-Stream Advertising
* Stopped watching, but stayed on site
** Stopped watching, but leave site
*** Continue to watch video

Age: 18-24
* 23.6%
** 11.4%
*** 57.6%

Age: 25-34
* 37.3%
** 12.3%
*** 41.6%

Age: 35-44
* 36.3%
** 13.4%
*** 42.4%

Age: 45-54
* 36.2%
** 16.7%
*** 43.3%

Age: 55-plus
* 38.3%
** 21.2%
*** 37.2%

Impact of In-Stream Advertising
Compared to other ad units on a site

8.6% I pay somewhat less attention
9.5% Not sure
13.6% I pay somewhat more attention
24.4% I pay much less attention
36.1% I pay neither more nor less attention

Source: Burst Media Research, Dec. 2007

Twitter...what is it?

2008-03-22T19:07:00.000-04:00

I'm currently addicted to Twitter!

At first sight, it looks kinda' lame, but once you take it for a test drive it's hard to look back. I wish all my friends and colleges were using Twitter. It's a great way to learn about people and establish quick updates. Both businesses and organizations can benefit greatly by using this micro blogging technology.

Brandice, an Internet friend from the Podcamp Ohio group, recently shared a video link that explains Twitter quite well.

Check it out at Common Craft - Explanations in Plain English

Happy Tweeting!

Here's a reason to be NEGATIVE!

2008-03-13T11:04:00.004-04:00

10 reasons why movies SUCK!

5 ways to RUIN your marriage!

8 ways to tell a friend to SHOVE OFF!

How many of those headlines look familiar? The more important question is how many of those headlines would you read?

It's a tired and true technique to get attention. Whether it's a news release, blog posting, ad, or anything else you're trying to shine a light on...NEGATIVITY works in breaking through all the other noise.

The positive about negative headlines is that the meat and potatoes of the story is usually positive, up lifting or informative.

So, the next time you write an article to promote your company, organization, or yourself use a negative headline to draw in the readership.

Please shoot me an email if you have a question, comment, concern, or have an idea for a topic!

Better yet...stay away for this blog if you're interested in learning anything new!!

Social Media Applications

2008-02-07T15:04:00.000-05:00

What Web 2.0 applications are communication professional planning to use in the next year?

Online Video 63%
Podcasts 43%

Blogs 55%
RSS or Web Feeds 51%

Social Networks 41%

Have you thought about what you're planning on using to market and communicate with your clients?

Source: Melcrum, as sited in press release, April 26, 2007

What's your Biggest Moneymaker? Free Stuff!

2008-02-07T14:22:00.000-05:00

I just read an amazing article in EContent magazine. Writer Steve Smith wrote about the new business model of giving away FREE content in exchange for being inundated with advertising. I guess i's not a completely new idea. Broadcast television has this business model. Steve explained, though, how now newspaper, magazines, software, and even phone service. Some companies offer some free services and then try to "up sale" you into buying premium content.

I enjoy this business model...if it's done right. The music and movie businesses are obviously having a problem determining what their next business model should be. Although sales are up on DVD releases, sales are down for music CDs.

What is your business strategy? Is your biggest moneymaker the free stuff?

WEB-VIDEO...2008...Growing up

2008-01-13T12:43:00.000-05:00

I'm really fired up about the growing potential this year has for web-video and social media.

Let's check out some numbers:

Broadband households paying for online video content

(Millions of U.S. Households)

2005= 1.5
2006= 3.2
2007= 11.9

Source: Parks Associates' consumer research "Broadband Video: A Market Update"

As this number grows, so does the number of eyeballs watching your content. When web-video was in it's infancy, I wondered how it could ever really hold water. It looked awful and just didn't appeal to me. I was much more interested in quality.

"Who wants to watch a little blurry and ragged video image on their computer!?"

I thought it was ridicules. Well, the technology is catching up in leaps and bounds. The images are crisper, clearer, and much better than I thought would ever be possible. Of course, none of this would bhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gife possible without better broadband.

The democratization of video on line is in full swing. Everyone is doing it. The kid down the street, your church, high schools, colleges, non-profits, governments organizations, businesses, entrepreneurs, small business, and hopefully YOU!

If you want eyeballs on your video...how do you stand out? The first step is to talk with us at Visual Media Concepts.

Podcasting

2007-11-26T21:55:00.000-05:00

The What's the BIG Idea? podcast will be going bi-monthly! I've had an incredible amount of extremely talented business and entrepreneur experts sign up to share their specialties.

Also, visit the Visual Media Concepts website for a link these great podcasts.

One of my best friends, Luci, has made it to the home page. She's really cute!

Tech Trends and Numbers

2007-11-26T21:43:00.000-05:00

College Students Lead the Way

Receive video links: General Population (GP) 75% College Students (CS) 91%
Send video links to others: GP 57% CS 83%
Watch video with others: GP 57% CS 41%
Rate video: GP 13% CS 40%
Post comments about videos: GP 13% CS 34%
Upload videos: GP 13% CS 37%
Pay for online video: GP 7% CS 14%
-Sources: General internet population: Pew internet/American life Project College Students: Survey.com

In may of 2007, 35% of U.S. internet users streamed video from YouTube.
-comScore Video Metrix

Special Thanks to Streaming Media Magazine

5 Tips To Maximize Your Viral Video Potential

2007-10-28T12:45:00.000-04:00

I recently read a great article on Marketing Experiments. So how do viral videos become...well, viral? Here's a quick breakdown on some sure fire tips.

1- Keep your video short. People tend to browse quickly.

2- Your video must have entertaining, provocative, and interesting content. It has to "wow" them!

3- Be careful or how you including promotional and commercial content. The most powerful viral video have none. Use links in the description to direct potential clients to your sales message.

4- You will need more than one video to crack the code.

5- Submit your content to as many distribution and social networks. This gives all people a better way to find it, share it, and save it.

Go 2 Web 2.0

2007-10-11T08:35:00.000-04:00

How many web 2.0 sites and applications are there???

Well...here's a directory. Have fun exploring!

Quick tip-Click on the "select tag" drop down and search for something that interests you.

http://www.go2web20.net/

Accu-Key Video Online

2007-09-25T10:07:00.000-04:00

So how can video on your website help your company?

Do you have a product or service that is best seen in action rather than viewed with a picture and brief description? Well, Accu-Key Lock and Safe decided that it needed to show rather than tell its latest product add-on.

Accu-Key Lock and Safe Owner, Mehdi Zahedi, approached me about needing an instructional video for a patent pending product he was developing. His audience is other locksmiths that own a particular key cutting machine. It basically turns a manual operation into an automated operation with a slight modification.

So what are the benefits of presenting this on the website? First, it will give potential customers the ability to see how it works. Secondly, it will show them how easy the installation process is. And thirdly, it will be a more accurate representation of what this product can do. I believe Accu-Key Lock and Safe will benefit greatly by displaying this video on-line and on their site.

What do think? What other benefits do you think video can show?

Is E-Mail on it's last leg?

2007-08-23T13:32:00.000-04:00

I'm an e-mail addict. I love to send, receive, read, collect, and become updated as needed via e-mail. Although, it seems that there is a generational divide when it comes to e-mail verse Web 2.0 apps like Instant Messenger, Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. So why should I start using these other apps instead of e-mail?

Well, I guess I'm an old curmudgeon when it comes to switching my communication tools. Here are a few reasons why I'm staying put with e-mail.

1- I can save and catalog e-mails. This really helped me out during tax time when I needed to prove a couple of things.

2- I don't need to know, instantly, about the e-mails I send or receive. If I have a pressing situation or issue...I'll use the phone.

3- My clients and friends hardly ever use these other ways of communicating. There's that generation divide again.

I have used these Web 2.0 apps. What advantages do they really have over e-mail?

Let me know.

What's the Big Idea?

2007-08-08T23:33:00.000-04:00

Check out the latest business video podcast, What’s the Big Idea?, from Visual Media Concepts.

So what IS the big idea? Well, Visual Media Concepts has developed a monthly podcast strictly devoted to entrepreneurs and business professionals.

Topics will include leadership, communications, sales, marketing, advertising, and much more. We hope that this program will entertain, inform, and most importantly inspire you to achieve more.

Please stop by and check it out.

If you have an interesting idea for a future podcast and/or are interested in becoming a business expert on this program, please contact Mike Cornett.

Web Video by the Numbers

2007-07-26T16:16:00.000-04:00

Are you convinced that this “web video” phenomenon is just a flash in the pan? Well, let’s break down the numbers. The June/July Streaming Media magazine issue offered a look into “Technology and Business Trends by the Numbers” in its bit rates column.

U.S. Online Video Viewers, the year 2003-2010 (millions)

2003- 52.3

2004- 69.6

2005- 89.4

2006- 107.7

2007- 123.4

2008- 137.2

2009- 149.0

2010- 157.0

Source: eMarketer, November 2006

U.S. Online Video Viewers as a Percent of Internet Users, by gender, 2006-2011 (%)

2006- Male: 71.2% / Female: 55%

2007- Male: 78.4% / Female: 66.1%

2008- Male: 85.5% / Female: 75%

2009- Male: 88.6% / Female: 80.1%

2010- Male: 88.7% / Female: 82.2%

2011- Male: 88.8% / Female: 84.6%

Source: eMarketer March 2007

I believe this is just the beginning of a content empowerment revolution by the public. People are now able to watch-what they want to watch and can then decide when to watch it. Digital Video Recorders (DVR and TiVo), Streaming video, iTunes (you download music, TV shows, Movies, and Podcasts), YouTube, DVD TV show box sets, and computers have all broken the chains of the television providers. No longer are we bound to our couches waiting for our favorite content. We can even skip the commercials.

So how does this relate to web video and Visual Media Concepts? Well, web video’s foot print and realm of possibilities are almost endless. Business owners can now create just about anything with relative easy and convenience. Ok, now you’re asking yourself, “Yeah, but what about the price tag?”

The real question is…can you afford not to look into creating your own content?

Visual Media Concepts is determined to make video on your website work and work well. Give us a call and change your direction.

How do you use the Internet?

2007-07-11T19:26:00.000-04:00

How do you find information at work? Do you use the Internet, a Newspaper, or the Phone Book? More than likely it’s a little of each, but which one is the most convenient?

It seems that more and more people are using the web as their favorite “go to” source for information. What’s Paris Hilton wearing (Yuck!)? Did you see that funny video on YouTube? How do you get to that restaurant? Where and what time is does that movie start?

Also, I can’t think of any local publication that doesn’t have an online presence. Can you? Newspapers, radio stations, and organizations of all types have a website that is used to promote themselves.

I’m always amazed at how many unique businesses resort to only pictures and tons of text to tell their story. What would work best to describe a pet acupuncturist business? Pictures and text or video? Another business that needs to re-invent itself is that local car dealership. How many more screaming and yelling commercials need to be made?

Every business has a unique selling point, service or product feature that sets them apart. I hope your business and organization is making the best of your advertising budget.

Visual Media Concepts is always on the look out for promoting the unique and interesting. So the next time you land on a website with a few pictures and a ton of text…ask yourself how you would use video to tell a more interesting story.

Video=Money?

2007-07-04T22:05:00.000-04:00

Can you make money with video? How about online video? Check out “Will it Blend?” and see for yourself. They have increased there direct-to-consumer sales by five fold. They gain so much exposure from their viral video that they were featured on VH1, CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, The Today Show and many others.

They got their start by uploading the videos to YouTube in November of 2006. Their history will not be mixed with any confusion as to the gained exposure of their success. Online video worked in this case.

Are there other “Will it Blend?” stories to be told? Absolutely.

Visual Media Concepts is continually plotting and planning new concepts for online videos that businesses can use to gain exposure.

Got any catchy ideas?

Web 2.0

2007-07-01T19:13:00.000-04:00

Is Web 2.0 the real deal? Is it all it's cracked up to be? I believe it has lived up to the hype. Jose Castillo has written an exciting article in Streaming Media Magazine titled Attack of the Giant Web 2.0 Lies! I would like to add my take to his article and what it means for your business and how I can help.

I'm bummed that I can't find the direct link to this article. I hope that will change later.

If you're not sure what Web 2.0 is...join the crowd. It's been hard to pin down and define. Although as mentioned by Jose Castillo, Tim O'Reilly has summed up all the specifics in his very popular article, What is Web 2.0.

Basically, Content is KING! So, if you want to survive this wonderful world of new media...good ideas are the trick. That's general huh. Ideas are tricky. One person's great idea is another person's nightmare. I've listen to my share.

For instance, a president of a machining company had a great idea to incorporate a half-naked women and a general tool worker to promote an open house. The basic premise was he was "cool" and "got the chic" because he attend the show. He sent me a link to a quirky micro brew company that had done something similar. They were able to pull this off because they're a beer company!? Beer companies have the license to present just about anything and it's acceptable.

In the end, his idea didn't fly. I'm sure he was disappointed and applaud his effort to break the mold of conservative promotion. So think outside the box enough to break the mold but not enough to make the evening news.

Although that might work too!

The next post...Can traditional businesses make money using online video? Fact or Fiction?

Also, Visual Media Concepts will be changing it's web layout soon.

All sorts of new changes coming soon.