Make Your Dreams Come True

As it becomes easier than ever to produce and distribute online videos, you probably see how the medium can serve as a key marketing tool. And in a guest post at HubSpot's Inbound Internet Marketing Blog, Eric Guerin explains how to give your DIY efforts the competitive edge:

Start with a plan. Don't approach the project haphazardly—treat it like a traditional marketing campaign, and remember to track your video's effectiveness with tools like TubeMogul.

Hit 'em with your best shot. Says Guerin, "A sales video without a hook … will be watched once and forgotten but a video with a hook that captures the viewers' emotions can get passed on endlessly."

You only get three minutes. The longer your video lasts, the less viral it becomes. Guerin recommends a target length of between one and three minutes for maximum effectiveness. "If you have a ton of ideas," he says, "make a series of short videos instead of one long one."

Strut your stuff. A catchy title and description will encourage numerous views, as will accurate "tags"—the keywords viewers and search engines use to find content.

Toot your own horn. Plug your video in blog posts, online campaigns and even in your email signature. Also, establish a presence in online communities. "Blogs, social networking sites and video sharing sites are where consumers spend a majority of their time online," notes Guerin, "and where the greatest opportunity for online engagement exists."

The Po!nt: There's no such thing as a perfect formula for viral success—but following advice like this can greatly increase your chances.

You know investing in widgets can improve brand recognition and site traffic. So what's holding up execution? Well, you protest, I’m not very tech-savvy. Breaking news: widgets have evolved. Sites like Widgetbox.com, Dapper.net, Google Gadgets and Sprout.com make building them as easy as disseminating RSS feeds.

Dampen your toes at a site like Widgetbox, which automates the process. After registering, hit "Create widget" and decide what content you'd like to share. Plug in the content path, and watch your widget come to life. Share it with employees, e-newsletter subscribers, or on social networks. If users like it enough, they can post the widget on their sites with as much ease as embedding a YouTube video.

Still confused? Here's an extremely detailed how-to. Seriously though, before fretting, visit Widgetbox and look around. Chances are, you won't need a manual. Need inspiration? No worries. Here's how other firms have used widgets to drive brand love:

* To raise money for brain disease, UCSF worked with Clearspring to disseminate a Defeat Dementia widget, complete with videos, clinical research and a "Donate" button.
* The Washington Post uses widgets to address local concerns. Try its Apartment Locator, which helps apartment-seekers find homes close to metro stations of their choice!
* For Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Sony used Sprout as a vehicle for fans to build widget playlists, populated with tracks from the movie.

The Po!nt: Widgets work! Use widget-builders to help get your content on the road. They make it easy to broaden your horizons.

SOURCE----MARKETING PROS

RELEASED: 24 October, 2009