Video content has a good chance of dominating the web. In July 2009 alone, an astounding 158 million U.S. internet users — or 80 percent of the nation’s online population — watched online videos, according to data from comScore Video Metrix. While the best way to meet this demand is to provide more video content, it should be noted that too much content will become an “untamable beast” — especially when it comes to ensuring that videos are personalized and customized.

In addition, according to recent research from The Diffusion Group (TDG), the number of global broadband households will near 440 million by 2010 and top 1.2 billion by 2030, bringing high-speed connectivity to a tipping point. As a result, online publishers will treat this broadband gold rush with gusto, ensuring that video content is prolific and ubiquitous.

So, the stars are all lining up for video to be the “king of content” on the web. Online publishers will post massive volumes of videos that are aimed at driving more traffic, and they will look to provide a more personalized experience to keep users engaged. The downside is that there is such as thing as too much of a good thing when it comes to video, and online publishers need to use tools to maximize this opportunity.

Once online publishers start building out a deep repertoire of video content by producing it, licensing it, or syndicating it, this massive volume of videos can become unwieldy and cumbersome to discover, share, and monetize. In addition, a haphazard approach to posting content — just based on posting high volumes of videos — would be like selling a product that people don’t buy because they don’t know it exists or have no interest in it.

To avoid being trampled under the foot of this potentially untamable beast, we recommend you follow these five critical steps:

1. Think strategically
Take a marketing campaign-like approach to posting video content. The most successful campaigns are driven by a well-thought-out strategy that is supported by the most cutting-edge tactics. Online publishers that actually spend time developing this plan in a written document, and ensure that the entire web team is thinking strategically while executing the tactics, will yield the best results.

2. Scale up quick and early
Scaling up can always be done, but is optimal when completed early in the game. By tagging and managing the videos by category — even if the categories go very deep in terms of user preference — you will be able to build a true foundation for all other videos to be launched, managed, and monetized. This will also allow third-party technology vendors to more easily be integrated to your site (in terms of analytics, third-party ad serving companies, discovery, and others).

3. Provide a personalized experience; create your competitive advantage
Make sure you serve up a more personalized video viewing experience. This means that, based on viewing patterns, tastes, and preferences, videos should be served up to users much like a custom-made piece of furniture or musical instrument — as unique products. Too much of a commoditized video experience will cause users to migrate elsewhere. Simply put: Web users prefer some guidance.

4. Maintain, maintain, maintain
If you have the right foundation in place and you are scaling properly, it is very easy to get complacent at precisely the time when managing online videos can become beastly. Make sure that you build in routine maintenance of your online video efforts.

5. Measure success and recalculate
Managing online video content without the proper analytic tools and metrics goals is like going hiking without the proper equipment. One wrong turn and you could be lost very deep in the woods. Be sure to fully analyze and measure all of your efforts at the end of a campaign (recommend every three months). This is the ideal time to truly recalculate efforts, purge low-value video content, and move forward with a modified plan. Such quantifiable metrics could be CTRs on your different navigation tools, colors schemes, player sizes, pages per visit, and others.

While the online video gold rush is showing no sign of slowing down and more ad revenues are kicking in from TV to online, publishers should avoid quickly rushing out West — much like the California gold rush — with the wrong tools for mining. After all, only a handful of people struck it rich during the gold rush — most were left destitute. By using the right strategies and tools for managing and personalizing videos, every online publisher can grab a hold of the bountiful riches.

–Adam Singolda

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Does the prospect of creating Web video fill you with fear? If you’ve never done it before it can certainly seem overwhelming. But you can relax, because I’m going to walk you through the process.

Why should you be using video on your websites? Video is highly persuasive, and users have come to expect it. A well-produced video can deliver your message in a way that engages and persuades visitors to take an action that you specify. For example, my weekly WebTV show (www.HelpMyBusiness.com) attracts thousands of new viewers each week, many of whom buy various products and services I recommend to them. You can do something similar for your niche, regardless of your industry.

The number one key to creating an effective Web video is simple: Preparation. Unfortunately, most people dive in head first and end up with an awkward, disjointed mess. Preparation might not be the most fun part of the process, but it is critical to success.

Here’s a simple, 10-step process you can follow to ensure an effective Web video:

STEP 1: Decide on the primary purpose and objective of the video. Do you want to sell a product or service? Is it to educate the audience about a commonly misunderstood topic? Is it a product demonstration? The video must have a single overriding purpose — otherwise, the audience gets confused. Try to state your objective clearly in one sentence. For example, “the video will overcome any negative perceptions toward hiring new staff from an online employment agency.”

STEP 2: Who is your target audience? For example, based on previous buyers, how much do they know about the subject already? What are their backgrounds, languages and abilities to comprehend the topic? Are they naturally interested in the topic? You would make a very different video for children under the age of 10, than you would for lawyers who specialize in divorce cases.

STEP 3: Decide how you will present the topic. Will you use a documentary style? Will it be dramatic or humorous, sensitive and factual, or light-hearted and lively? There are other considerations too. Should there be a presenter on screen, or an unseen narrator? Also, try to achieve a balance of information and persuasion. Do you want to appeal mainly to intellect or emotion? At one end of the spectrum you could present the information like an instruction manual — purely factual. The other extreme is to persuade the viewer by feelings, emotion, and entertainment. A balance of the two is usually best.

STEP 4: Plan the structure of the video. It’s helpful to think of your video as a story — it must have a beginning, middle and end. The introduction must grab the viewer’s attention, the middle should balance emotion and facts, and the end must contain a powerful call to action that can not be ignored.

STEP 5:Work out the best duration for the video by boiling down the essence of the message and conveying that in the shortest possible timeframe.

STEP 6: Decide who will “own” this project and follow it through to completion. It’s no use assigning it to a staff member who is already over-stretched with other work.

STEP 7: Set a deadline. It might be a few hours or days for a simple video, or several weeks for a complex production.

STEP 8: Research and acquire information and elements to include in the video. Do you own any existing footage that could be used? Other elements might include artwork, logos, graphics or music.

STEP 9: Write the script. A script is the blueprint for your video. It includes not only spoken words but a detailed description of the visuals and music that accompany the words. Don’t expect to sit down and write the finished script in one session. It will evolve.

STEP 10: It’s time to record. Find a proper setting within the theme of the video and eliminate distractions and ambient noise.

Preparing your Web video will ensure a smooth recording process and a polished finished product. Users are viewing more video than ever on the Web and they are becoming discerning viewers. Stay ahead of the curve. A properly prepared video will always achieve better results than a haphazard effort.

–Peter Prestipino

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Forrester Research’s 2007-2012 report called US Online Video Marketing Spend that online video spending will total $7.153 Billion. This show 1500% growth over last year’s spending of $471 Million. A major factor in driving this growth is the availability and increase of use of broadband internet. Both eMarketer and Ad age project that 89% of US households will be connected via broadband in 2008.

Jonathan

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