'Net Features : Vzaar

10 Tips for Overnight Web Video Superstardom

Allison Howen — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:30:00 GMT

If you want to spice up your Web presence, it may be time to consider implementing a video strategy.

If you aren't convinced, consider this: A recent comScore study reveals that Americans watched 33 billion online content videos in February alone. Moreover, Invodo research shows that consumers watch video 60 percent of the time when it is available, and that 52 percent of consumers who watch product videos claim the videos make them more confident about their purchases, which helps to reduce return rates.

In addition to those stats, implementing a video strategy can help your enterprise drive site traffic, improve time-on-site and engagement metrics, increase conversion rates and grow its social fan base. That said, producing videos can be a complex and even an intimidating process if you’re just starting out, which is why Website Magazine has compiled 10 tips that will help you become an overnight Web video superstar, just check them out below:

1. Get Good Equipment

While a simple Webcam along with a free online editor is suitable for composing basic videos, you should consider purchasing higher-end equipment if you intend on producing videos on a regular basis. For example, if you are creating product videos that include a lot of detail, you should invest in an HD camera. Also, there is nothing worse than trying to edit a shaky video, and since shooting a steady video with a handheld camcorder is harder than one would think, a sturdy tripod is also a good investment. In addition to those pieces of equipment, some of the Web’s free video editors, such as YouTube or WeVideo, don’t include as many features as you might want, in which case you should purchase a more robust video editing platform, such as Apple’s Final Cut Pro or Adobe’s Premiere Pro. Lastly, if you’re struggling with capturing sound, a microphone will certainly help with this problem.

2. Make a Plan

Before your jump into the production stages, you must first create a plan for your video. For example, what is the goal of your video? It could be to drive more traffic to your website, to inform your audience about a new product or to foster a better relationship with your customers. Once the goal has been identified, you must decide what type of video will allow you to reach this goal, such as a demonstration, an advertisement, a comedy or just a straightforward informative piece. You might still need some inspiration for your content, in which case you should check out TubeRank. This platform enables users to set three conversational triggers in order to view similar videos that have been successful on the Web as inspiration.

3. Write a Script

You may be good at giving off-the-cuff speeches, but that is not the best strategy for video content. This is because online videos have the ability to be seen by millions of people, and you don’t want any flubs to take center-stage over your content. By writing out a script, you can make sure that you include every important piece of information into the video and that your thoughts are organized so that the video isn’t too long and turns your viewers away. Additionally, you might even be able to find a way to fit some quirky or entertaining tidbits into the script that would be harder to implement when improvising. That said, don’t rely so much on your script that you come off as stuffy in your video, because it is important to show your personality in order to be more relatable to your viewers. This is where practice comes into play…

4. Practice Makes Perfect

Before you start shooting, make sure to practice because you need to be confident in the content that you’re selling. While you should practice in front of an audience at least once so that they can give you some tips for improvement, the best way to self-identify areas of improvement is by simply reading the script aloud and recording yourself with a Webcam. This will not only get you familiar with being on camera, but it will also give you an opportunity to analyze your voice (did you pronounce every word correctly?), as well as an opportunity to identify any nervous ticks you might have. Furthermore, by reading the script aloud, you will feel more comfortable with its content and be able to edit areas that don’t sound quite right.

5. Just Do It.

This step is pretty self-explanatory: Just do it. While your first video will most likely end up not being your best in the long run, it will help to give you confidence, which will go a long way in future productions.

6. Put On Your Editing Pants

After your video is shot, it’s editing time. It is important to note, however, that the amount of editing you will have to do depends on your video’s quality, content and purpose. For example, if you’re a skincare line that is shooting a product demonstration, you may want to splice in some close-ups of a model’s skin during a step-by-step demonstration. Conversely, if you’re a pet store that is putting together a video of your customers with their pets, it might be appropriate to use some unique effects, such as custom graphics, or attention-grabbing transitions when switching between photos and videos.

7. Don’t Forget About Audio

While you should certainly make sure your audio is consistent throughout your video during both the shooting and editing processes, you might also want to consider adding background music or sound effects to specific parts of your video. If this is the case, make sure you have permission for any audio you add to the video. YouTube, for example, allows users to access select audio from Creative Commons for their videos.

8. Ask for Feedback

After the video is edited, it is a good idea to show it to colleagues before publishing it to the ’Net. This is because an extra set of eyes and ears might see or hear something that you didn’t, such as a black spot between transitions. Furthermore, outsiders might suggest adding an element that you had previously overlooked, like captions or additional images or video footage.

9. Distribute

Once you are mentally prepared to become an overnight Web video superstar, it is time to start distributing your video across the ’Net. If you are not hosting the video on YouTube, then you will need to use another hosting platform like Vzaar or Brightcove. Once the video is up, it should definitely be featured on your website, but you should also create social and email campaigns around it too. By sending the video to your subscribers and sharing it with your Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest fans, you are increasing its audience reach and its chances of going viral.

10. Measure

After your video is published, it is time to start measuring results. While you should definitely evaluate metrics like views, time watched and completion rates, you should also analyze traffic spikes on your site because of the video. It is also important to monitor the devices and channels customers are using to view the videos, as this can help you tailor future video content and promotion strategies based on the audiences who respond best to this type of visual content. Additionally, to measure the popularity of your video across the social Web, you should analyze popular engagement metrics, such as shares, likes, comments, retweets and replies.

Video Usage Soars for Vzaar

Allison Howen — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:30:00 GMT

While 2012 might have been the year of mobile, Web workers should note that online video’s popularity was steadily rising as well.

In fact, video hosting platform vzaar saw record growth last year, with sales increasing 48 percent from January to December 2012. According to vzaar chairman Gareth Cadwallader, the monetization of video content was one of the strong drivers for 2012’s growth.

“We have seen a surge in the amount of companies using video subscription services to generate profits and enable commerce,” said Cadwallader. “One of the key developments within vzaar's platform has been the move to integrate VAST 2.0 compliant pre- mid- and post- roll linear commercials.”

Security concerns also drove companies to make the move to paid-for-hosting platforms, according to vzaar CTO Adrian Sevitz.

“By developing enhanced security features such as Signed Keys to prevent videos from being embedded anywhere that the user does not want them to be, vzaar are ideally placed to serve this growing market,” said Sevitz. “Security is not just about access but also about control of the Brand. Branding control is essential to any business using video as a way to market their brand. In 2012 vzaar introduced branded video pages that allow subscribers to customize video pages to their own specification.”

Other business features available through the vzaar platform include Multi User Accounts for managing multiple subscriber profiles, Bulk Uploading for up to ten videos at once, Multi Language Player-Support and Video Watermarking.

"2012 represented an important achievement not only in terms of the numbers but also because they reflected a healthy split between new accounts and existing customers who signed on for larger and longer term contracts," said Jim Henry, vzaar vice president of sales. "With the continued rise of online video, global demand for our platform will continue to drive significant growth for us going forward."

Customize Business Videos with Branded Pages

Linc Wonham — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Web video hosting service vzaar has launched a new video page design feature that enables businesses to maintain brand consistency across all of its online channels.

The design patterns, colors, text, titles, logos, links, special offers, etc., around the vzaar video player are all totally customizable. In addition to building upon any of the three customizable templates, designers and other creatives can also import a color scheme, background and logo straight from a Twitter account.

“Branded Video Pages serve as a home base for your video content,” says Dan Rees-Jones, head of customer support at vzaar. “Every video receives a totally customizable webpage available immediately upon upload that is designed with one purpose: to showcase your work. This is extremely valuable to any business with video to share – they do not need to build an entirely new page on their own site to deliver cuts to clients for approval, share content on Twitter and Facebook, or circulate company training videos internally.”

In addition to customizing the portfolio page, vzaar gives businesses control over how the video player itself looks – its quality, colors, borders, dimensions, etc. Online businesses can also add and superimpose subtitles, embed calls to action, logos, images, and social network sharing tools, as well as control how their customers interact with the video.

“It’s great to have an instant video page up and ready to share the second a video upload completes,” says Shaun Sinnott, director of online marketing at TopGolf. “It took no time to reskin the pages to be perfectly in line with the TopGolf brand, and we expect to get a lot use from them, particularly when sharing videos on social media.”

Click here to see more details on how Branded Pages work and how to implement the new feature.

Video Production Guide for Merchants

Linc Wonham — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:30:00 GMT

You may be an expert in ecommerce. You might also know all the latest design trends and everything there is to know about SEO. However, what do you know about video?

The eTailing Group reported that in 2010, 73 percent of online retailers used video on their product pages. This is up from 55 percent in 2009 and only 20 percent in 2005. According to eMarketer, 74 percent of the top 50 retailers use product videos; 40 percent use category videos, and 38 percent use other types of informational videos.

Web video is no longer “a nice to have” feature for an online business, it has become an essential. It is now one of the most effective sales tools for ecommerce companies and all online marketers.

“Customers respond to video because it provides an effortless way for them to make product decisions,” says James Booker, business development manager at shopping cart software provider Volusion. “Instead of looking through multiple images and scrolling through several bullet points of specs and technical requirements, shoppers receive valuable information all in one place.”

So, how do you make a good video? For starters, understand that producing an effective online video is not too difficult – as long as you remember a few simple guidelines.

Keep it simple and keep it short
Most Web users have a limited attention span, especially for an introduction to your product and/or service. Effective online videos are short – maybe two to six minutes at the maximum. If the video covers a complicated subject, break the video into a series of shorter ones. This is especially true for instructional or “how to assemble the product” types of videos.

Simple means keep the frame uncluttered. Shoot your video with a plain background – maybe a light-colored pastel wall decorated only with your logo. You don’t need fancy backgrounds and camera moves. The simpler the stage, the better the video will look.

When you are in the editing phase, stay with the same concept – simplicity. You don’t need fancy wipes and dissolves. Stay with cuts only and maybe a quick fade-in at the beginning and a fade-out at the end. The only effect we recommend is using captions and subtitles – superimposed text to reinforce the message and to explain the product and services.

If you are anticipating doing a series of videos, you may want to create a standard video intro and title section for the business. Keep it short. I have seen standard intros that went on for 30 seconds, 60 seconds, or longer. Not good. Keep the intro short.

You may also want to create a standard program “outro” – a credits section that includes contact info – the business’ email address, website and phone number so that potential customers can contact the business and buy your stuff.

Another good tip is to superimpose the businesses logo and website address on the bottom right of the video throughout the entire piece. Not only does this reinforce the marketing message, it makes it more difficult for a competitor to steal or co-opt the video.

Make the video and audio look good and sound clear
You don’t need the most high-resolution video or the highest bit-rate audio. The video just has to look clean and the audio has to be clear without break-ups or noise. That is not hard to do with today’s gear that is completely affordable.

Almost any high-end HD camcorder or video camera will work; the major selection factor is to make sure it has an audio-in jack so that you can add an external microphone. The built-in mikes found embedded in many entry-level camcorders are not very good. Usually, they are omnidirectional mikes that capture sound from many directions. Instead, it is preferred to use a unidirectional microphone – one that captures sound from the direction in which it is pointed.

This can be a shotgun mike mounted on the camcorder, a boom mike held over the talent’s head, a mike held in their hand or even a small lavaliere mike pinned to their lapel. All will work better than the inexpensive mike built into most camcorders.

Both wired and wireless types of microphones are good. Wireless is often slightly more expensive but provides much more freedom to move around. Either way, make sure the batteries in the mike are fresh and try to have someone monitoring the audio via headphones while recording. It is much, much easier to fix an audio problem while recording than to later try to repair it in the editing process.

To get good-looking video, follow these two suggestions:

- Use lots of light. Yes, modern-day camcorders can almost shoot in the dark, but by adding an extra video light or two, the resulting captured image will be noticeably sharper and cleaner.

- Use a tripod and don’t move the camera around. Unless you are doing some kind of music, dance or sports video, there is not much reason to move the camcorder or handhold it. By using a tripod, not only will the video look a lot more professional, the camcorder and editing electronics will have an easier time of compressing the video for Web distribution. Similarly, it is not a good practice to zoom in and out. Cut from a wide shot to a close-up if you need to show details – don’t zoom. Live-on camera zooms are the mark of a true amateur.

The video has been shot and edited – now what?
Depending on how much traffic you expect to get, and how professional you want the video player to look, you can create a video player and host the video yourself or use a video-hosting service. One option is to stick it on YouTube or another public site and then embed the video into the HTML. However, for the best customer experience, the highest-quality playback and the ability to create a video player that matches the site’s look and feel, you ought to use a professional online video platform.

In addition to handling compression options and bandwidth costs, an OVP enables customization of the video player’s look and feel, its dimensions and even its shape. Many platforms enable the post-production addition of captions and other capabilities that will improve the overall shopper experience.

“The major advantage of using Web video to market products is that it transforms an otherwise stagnant product image into a moving, engaging sales tool,” says Booker. “Whereas in a retail store there are sales clerks to demonstrate the product and answer questions, online video can take that very role by showing online shoppers how the product can be used and, more importantly, demonstrate benefits that are impossible to portray through mere product images or descriptions.”

About the author: Ian Snead leads the marketing strategy and product focus for online video platform vzaar. The company has positioned itself as a professional video-hosting service providing a low-cost service with an easy-to-use interface and serves over 1,500 companies worldwide.

Add Subtitles to Online Video

Michael Garrity — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:24:00 GMT

Video is a big part of many online marketing campaigns. However, reaching a global audience with video can be difficult, largely because of language barriers in crucial markets. So, what's the solution?

"Subtitles are a very effective way to broaden your Web audience by conveying the business' marketing message in multiple languages," says Stephen McCluskey, CEO of Vzaar, a video platform company that specializes in providing service to e-commerce sites.

Upon recognizing the potential value of including multi-language subtitles on a company's video content, Vzaar got to work on developing a way to introduce them into its platform, thus enabling e-commerce and online marketers to easily target videos to consumers around the world. This potentially eliminates the need to go back and reshoot or re-record audio for videos set to be distributed globally.

"Subtitles are a must-have for online businesses looking to reach audiences across the globe," says McCluskey.

But Wait, There's More!
There are also some other perks to utilizing subtitles in online videos that may not be as readily apparent. For instance, there are some consumers who prefer reading information over hearing it, or those who may be somewhere where audio isn't appropriate, such as work or a subway car. Subtitles also provide an avenue for these customers to be exposed to a brand's video message.

For users, including subtitles on a video is a simple process, as Vzaar's clients are able to upload subtitle files by clicking an icon in the "video management area" and then selecting the languages they want to include. Visitors viewing the videos will be able to choose the language in which they want to view the content.

Driving E-Commerce Sales with Video

Allison Howen — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 07:30:00 GMT

Integrating video into an e-commerce site is a great tool that will potentially increase time on site and customer engagement.

"Online Video has become an essential aspect of e-commerce and online marketing," says Stephen McCluskey, CEO of vzaar and online marketing expert. "Nothing sells better than video - online customers want to see the product in action, they want to know how it works and what it does. Nothing does that better than web video."

According to Comscore, consumers that view video on retail sites stay an average of two minutes longer on the site, and are 64 percent more likely to make a purchase.

Check out Website Magazine’s article on even more reasons why your business needs e-commerce video, and take a look at a few e-commerce video providers below:

Vzaar

This solution gives merchants the ability to customize their video player’s settings, such as size, color and playlists.

It also features tools that allow a merchant to drive and convert sales as well as measure and manage performance.

Pricing for this solution starts at $49 a month, but a free trial is also available.

Invodo

Invodo’s video solution offers an e-commerce video player that includes an “add to cart” feature, video sharing options, multiple clip navigation and HTML5 support.

Other standout features include the smart merchandising image overlay, which puts a play button over any image, as well as A/B testing and the ability to track conversions.

Contact Invodo’s sales department for information on pricing.

Treepodia

Video hosting, high quality streaming and a multi-environment video player are a few features that come with Treepodia’s solution.

Another important aspect that this solution offers is the image reviving technology, which brings still images to life— creating videos from existing product images.

Packages start at $149 a month for the essential package and exceed $400 a month for the enterprise package.