Video Email: Marketing More Pro-Actively

Reel SEO recently had an interesting article on “The Three Types of Online Video for Business” that got me thinking about why sending video in email makes so much sense.  Author Daniel Sevitt takes us back to 1999 when people used to pay for internet service by the minute (remember that?!?) and video was considered a nuisance because of the long download time and large file sizes.  Now fast forward to 2009 and in just under 10 years video has  become a central part of most marketing campaigns.

According to Sevitt, the three types of online video for business are 1) Viral Video, 2) Conversion Video, and 3) Educational Video.  Each aims to accomplish a goal with customers or potential customers such as driving traffic, sales, or building a relationship or loyalty.  Each of these three types of video are also either found on your website or posted on a video site such as YouTube where you hope it will be found.  Which brings up the question- Why are we just waiting  for these videos to be FOUND?

If you are using video on your website and have received positive feedback about then you know how powerful a video message can be.  And after spending the time and resources to create such an effective marketing tool… why are you passively waiting for current/potential customers to visit the company website to watch them?  Moreover, if you’re already using email to notify a customer database about video on your site…why not just make it easy and send the video to them directly using Open My Video?  Sending video email with OMV allows you to be proactive, whether its a personal message for one customer or a campaign of viral/conversion/educational videos.

Internet Marketing Overload- Feeling Overwhelmed Yet?

I don’t know about you but I’ve started to feel slightly overwhelmed with all of the internet marketing options that are available.  Its become increasingly clear that without a Facebook page, Twitter account, YouTube channel, blog, and [insert new social media site/tool that I don't know about yet but most definitely should] it’s entirely possible your business might not even really exist.

Alright maybe that’s a little dramatic.  But lets be honest, the task of mastering how to use these social media sites turned marketing tools to help your business can seem daunting.  And we can’t leave out the more traditional internet marketing tools like email campaigns, online ads, and your company website.  So much to do and so little time.

As marketing trends evolve, the use of video in all marketing efforts has become increasingly popular and effective.  This MediaWeek article, reveals that video advertisements on social media sites are no longer as effective as sending video in email.  No, this does mean we can stop updating statuses or twittering.  It does however, reinforce the importance of finding the best combination of marketing tactics and tools in order to achieve the intended results of your marketing strategy.

Green AND guiltfree way to get that new iphone

The new iphone 3GS has been tempting you with all of its apps and cool features like video messaging hasn’t it?  I wrestled for weeks trying to justify letting go of my perfectly good blackberry (we’d been together for years), paying the fee to cancel mid-contract with my service provider, and then biting the $199 bullet (complete with obligatory 2 year AT&T contract of course) to get my hands on that shiny, perfect phone.  When all was said and done, it was worth it.   I LOVE my new iphone.

Whether you’re having a similar internal struggle or have already gone through an iphone upgrade chances are you’ve probably got an old phone or other electronics at home that aren’t being used.  Recently CNN Money highlighted Gazelle, a company with a mission to help consumers get rid of their old stuff AND here’s the best part- get paid for them.   Gazelle.com keeps things green by recycling your old phone, camera, laptop, etc. to other consumers who will put it back to good use and rewards you with cash.  Sounds like a win-win to me- saving the earth AND getting paid for my old  blackberry?  The tiny bit of residing guilt over my iphone purchase is officially non-existent.  After all, it practically paid for itself and it is our duty to recycle right?   Here’s to keeping things green!

You Could Almost Taste It…

So here’s another example of how effectively social media can help promote an established consumer brand.

On November fifth, the parent company of Outback Steakhouse started giving away coupons for a Bloomin’ Onion appetizer (a $6.25 value) to the first 500,000 people who signed up as fans on Outback’s Facebook page. To claim the free appetizer, people needed to buy one entree.

Since the Facebook promotion launched, more than 300,000 people have signed up as Outback fans on Facebook, according to this story in the Tampa (Florida) Tribune. Inside Facebook, a blog that tracks traffic on Facebook, ranked Outback’s page as one of the top fan gainers that week.

Now: What if the company had added video to the mix? When you’re selling a product with visual and sensory appeal, we at OMV claim there’s no more effective tool than video.

What do you think—is the appeal of free food enough, or would an almost-first-hand look at the product have sweetened the deal?

Are you having issues viewing or recording videos on the site?

There are many technology pieces at work at OpenMyVideo. Our site uses Adobe Air technology to launch the player and camera features. A couple of quick hints to make your experience fantastic:

1. Make sure you have the latest updates/upgrades to your Internet browser. Find them here:

Internet Explorer
Firefox
Safari
Google Chrome

2.  Make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Flash, which is here:

Flash

3.  Make sure Java is on your machine. Most modern browsers will include it—if not, check here:

Java

4.  Loading videos to the web is a bandwidth-intense activity. Make sure your connection is optimal.

5.  For the best quality video, use your WebCamera software to create a file. Record your message, locate the file, and then upload and share using our new “File Upload” feature. We accept all common types: .flv .mov .wmv.

6.  Record your videos in a well-lit room. Plan your message first.

OpenMyVideo is a great tool, for everything from business messaging to social networking to keeping up with family and friends. Try it now, keeping these hints in mind. Comment here if you have any questions—we’re happy to help you make the most of OMV.

Holiday Gifts for High-Tech Fans

More tips on using social media to make the most of year-end promotions and holiday-gift giving, this time with a focus on technology and small businesses. Remember that Open My Video lets you quickly and easily harness the power of video messaging in your social media work.

That article caught the eye of Guy Kawasaki’s Holy Kaw! blog, too.

Raleigh Telegram

If you’ve got a video, be sure to put a “play” button on there. Including a play button in the email will dramatically increase click-through rates for videos as opposed to just including a picture or text link.

via Raleigh Telegram.

Kids and Technology

When I was a kid, this time of the year was all about strategic planning. The Sears catalog would arrive in the mail and the whole back half of that enormous book was filled with TOYS…page after page of toys. I would turn down the page corners and circle the must-have items.

Today, there’s no longer a Sears catalog—at least not like the one I remember. Technology is able to reach children in ways that I had never imagined.  Video, moving images, games, and sounds are only a slide way on the iPhone.

Luckily, I had my iPhone in my own hands while my wife’s phone was in my daughters’ tiny hands. Check it out for yourself: She’s 16 months old and can already intuitively operate the iPhone.  Caught on video…

http://openmyvideo.com/watch/1610-noe-iphone

Holiday gifts…

It’s that time of year again—time find the perfect holiday gifts for clients, co-workers, and family. This year, treat them to the fun and power of video messaging by gifting them an OpenMyVideo monthly subscription.

OMV is the ideal communication tool for today’s high-speed, high-distraction business climate. It’s also an easy, fun way to communicate with friends and family.

Record, send, and upload video directly to our video storage cloud. The iPhone application allows users to send video from the iPhone video gallery, record new video, or resend videos that have already been stored at OpenMyVideo.com.  The hidden gem: Any video loaded to Facebook from our system is viewable on the iPhone.

What is OMV Express and why would I use it?

OMV Express is a tiny application that installs directly on your desktop. Using the OMV Express tool on your desktop is a fast, easy way to record video directly to your OpenMyVideo.com account that doesn’t require you to open a browser.