Do you remember the days when viewing video on the web was a crap shoot?
Man, I do.
I can’t count the number of times I was forced to download various video players, before viewing the content I wanted to see, and then AFTER downloading, I was sometimes rejected because I was on the “wrong platform” to be able to see the content.
Frustrating to say the least.
With the advent of Flash Professional and it’s video component capabilities (just getting the geek talk out of the way, people), video for the web is infinitely easier than it was — especially when most internet users have the most current Flash plugin, or can get it through a relatively small download.
What makes it even easier, however, is the explosion of video hosting services that allow you to display your videos to the world AND allow you to place that video on your own website with just a few lines of code. In addition, creating a video podcast (sometimes called a “vidcast” or “vodcast”…basically a syndicated video feed hosted on your site) is really simple (with a little help from some Savannah web designers) and it keeps your interested readers in the loop everytime you update.
Now that I’ve thoroughly confused you with geekery, let me give you a couple of examples that might help you understand the application, and give you a few ideas how you could use video on your own site.
Case Study #1: Blendtec
How in the world do you sell blenders — really good ones, mind you — to the masses?
Blendtec’s answer is simple: take some random household items, electronic devices, video games, or other miscellaneous stuff, put them in a Blendtec blender, and see what happens. Now, I don’t have the figures on whether blender sales at the company have skyrocketed, but I CAN tell you that, on YouTube, the Blendtec page and its videos have been viewed over 1,400,000 times and there are over 45,000 subscribers to the page. Blendtec even decided to start letting viewers suggest items for blending…items which have included golf balls, a garden hose, a crowbar, a tiki torch and many many more.
The genius of this? Blendtec’s page is hosted by YouTube. The videos are hosted by YouTube. Blendtec doesn’t spend a dime to have their videos on YouTube, but literally millions of people have been introduced to their product. All they had to provide was a video camera and editing software (both of which can be obtained for less than $500), a little bit of humor (which is completely free) and some creativity (which can come from the most unexpected of places).
Case Study #2: Chad Vader
So here’s the premise…a guy in a Darth Vader costume (with Darth Vader-like Jedi powers) works as a day shift manager in a grocery store, has a nemesis named Randy, and hopes to have a date with a cute cashier he works with. And while he might not be getting any offers from NBC any time soon, he doesn’t need it. The first episode of the mini-series netted over (count ‘em) FIVE MILLION viewers.
Creators Aaron Yonda and Matt Sloan, founders of Blame Society Films have been featured in magazines, television news stories and other media outlets all over the world. They sell DVD’s, t-shirts and other merchandise to millions of fans all over the world, and their momentum doesn’t seem to be even close to slowing down.
And again, all of this was done with a couple of video cameras, editing software, and the gracious space of YouTube.
Those are pretty wild success stories, and they certainly aren’t “par” for the course. However, it might give you a good idea of what can happen with just a little investment and a lot of imagination on the web. Video is a powerful way to reach a new audience with products, creativity…anything, really.
Where will your imagination take your website?
If you’re stuck, we can help!
Tags: General, Video, eMarketSouth by Doy Cave
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