Online video today is not a fully integrated part of the web and the website that is at the forefront is YouTube. Although the online video scene is still really in its infancy characterised by the inability to advertise effectively on a large scale and the amount of software and schemes that are trying to "fill the void" so to speak by placing images in still regions of the clip, YouTube itself was bought for over a billion dollars.
Despite this Web 2.0 (a marketing term that describes user-generated content) is still a cheap and cost effective solution if you do it right. Below are 10 suggestion that have the potential to help you on your way to better utilising such technology.
* Do your homework
It is estimated that for every minute 10 hours worth of video is uploaded just to YouTube alone which means that even if you wanted to you could not watch all the videos in the work that exist right now and that number is still growing. What this means is that you must do your homework and see what others are uploading similar to yours and look for the trend.
* Not testing
Want to know a secret that will have you literally years in effort and work? It's called testing. There is a marketing saying called A.B.T. or Always Be Testing. Imagine how much easier your life would be if you uploaded a simple blank video to YouTube with the exact title and description that you were planning on using and seeing how people respond to in BEFORE you spend all those hours scripting, recording and editing your video clip.
* Nobody watches it
The most important step is to get the people who want to watch your video in front of your clip. This might mean being selective as to who exactly you market the video so you get a better audience or it may mean jazzing up your YouTube headlines and descriptions so that people can find you, remember nothing is constant.
* Boring
No one, I repeat NO ONE in this world today like to be bored by a dry video. Search for some tips on presentation, camera angles and timing so that your audience's attention is held throughout the movie.
* Forgetting to link
The number of YouTube videos I see out there that forget to post a link back to their website or other videos that might be of interest to the user is staggering. It's a link, it's not rocket science. Make sure you have a visible link somewhere that will help someone find more.
* Not getting help
With 10 hours a minute of video being uploaded every minute, do you think that someone else out there might have experience some of the trials and tribulations that you yourself might have experienced? With this in mind, start to look around YouTube and find someone to help you out that knows the ropes and can give you some good advice.
* Forgetting your friends
Not using your social networking sites other than YouTube to promote your videos and you are giving away some of the best feedback you can get. You never know what all your friends interests are, but if something that you created catches their eye, not only will this allow you to grow the friendship but may even lead to partnerships.
* Not joining in
Hit and run spammy videos probably contribute a fair chunk of that 10 hours a minute and although is better than nothing, should not be used to start something substantial. Quality attracts quality so when you get involved on the "scene" that your video is a part of others are more likely to let you make links on their pages and give you kudos and plug you in the clip.
* Not sharing it
Contradictory to some of my previous comments, a video left on your hard drive attracting virtual dust is a complete waste of time and effort. Something is always better than nothing and you regret the things you didn't do so much more than the things you did. Get the video out and uploaded to YouTube, learn something, then get it right and don't be afraid of looking bad, because you do... There is always someone out there who needs to put others down to build up their sense of worth, you just need to learn to live with them.
* Not tagging your video
Video sites like YouTube only have a few things to work with to get your video to the right audience and apart some sophisticated YouTube algorithms the big ones are headline, description and tags. Tags although they may seem menial place your video in the right categories and give you the freedom to make something out of it.
About the Author
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