Tag Archives: video marketing

How Content Distribution Drives Message Discovery (and Results!)

Posted on March 26, 2013 by | 2 Comments

Like any business, sometimes our own story needs telling.  Earlier this year, we decided that we needed to do some PR for our MultiVu business, which focuses on the production and distribution of multimedia content.   It’s cutting edge stuff, with some truly unique aspects, and it sits right between PR and marketing, and we needed to offer some explanation and raise awareness of these services.

So what did we do?  We did the same thing any of you, our customers, would do.   First, our team brainstormed the messaging.  They outlined the key points we needed to convey from a brand standpoint, and then approached the messaging from the opposite context – the questions our audience often asks has about producing video and other multimedia content, and the various struggles that can complicate these projects.

“The hardest thing to do is to distill what you do into a short-form, engaging video,” noted Bev Yehuda, vice president of web engagement products for MultiVu.  “We had to apply what we tell our clients all the  time regarding developing a video: if you don’t take the time out during the process to determine what your elevator pitch is, you run the risk of creating irrelevant content.”

With the messaging drafted, it was time to determine the medium.   Since this was about MultiVu, we knew we needed to use multimedia messaging.   We wanted to show our expertise (and our personality!) in a fun and friendly way, so we went with an animated approach.

Upping exposure with distribution

Once our animated video was done, we packaged it into a multimedia news release (“MNR”,) which combines a variety of distribution strategies and channels.

mv mnr explainer

Here’s a snapshot of the MNR we created to promote the MultiVu video. Click on the image to see the whole thing.

 

Of course, we could have simply shared the video socially – and we did post it directly to a number of social sharing sites – but the distribution component that is built into an MNR is crucial, for a number of different reasons:

  • Distribution drives discovery, delivering content to relevant audiences across the web – on channels, via news web sites and in industry niches.
  • Discovery seeds social conversation, amplifying your message, and increasing exposure to relevant groups.
  • Social conversations deliver third party credibility that can spur people to take action.
  • Distribution increases the number of digital touch points for your brand, and if your audience values the content, it will gain visibility in search results.  Search engines are informed by user activity and interactions around a piece of content.

How Content Distribution Drives Social Interaction

Prior to the release of the MNR, we shared the video itself on PR Newswire’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages. More than 1,400 of our Facebook fans saw the video, and it was liked by 6 and shared by 3.   It fared better on LinkedIn, where it was seen by 1,983 people, generated 30 click-throughs and 8 shares.  Decent exposure for the two minutes (if that) required to share the video with PR Newswire followers.

mv distribution effect on social

However, if you need proof of how distribution drives social interaction with content, you needn’t look any further than the sharing numbers the MNR generated.  Readers of the MNR shared it with their Facebook friends 196 times (as of this writing.)

Distributed content reaches qualified, interested audiences.  And social shares have a strong viral effect, triggering more shares.

Overall Multimedia News Release Results

The social sharing was just one aspect of the visibility the MNR generated for MultiVu.  Over all, adding distribution paid off for this project, tallying thousands of reads of the press release — and tens of thousands of video views.

mv explainer Multimedia News Release Results

It’s very satisfying for us to put on a “customer” hat and use our own services to promote our messages, and witness first-hand how our networks deliver lasting results and visibility.  And based upon the results of this campaign, you can look for more from these animated characters created by MultiVu – several more videos are in the works!

Want to explore creating your own “explainer” video or learning about how multimedia distribution can increase discovery of your brand’s messages?  We’d love to hear your ideas, and help turn them into reality. Contact us for more information.

sarah avatarAuthor Sarah Skerik is PR Newswire’s vice president of social media, and is the author of the e-book “Unlocking Social Media for PR.”  Follow her on Twitter at @sarahskerik .

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Social & Mobile: The Ad Kingdom is Changing

Posted on February 14, 2013 by | 1 Comment

In the first day of the general sessions for the online marketing summit in San Diego, “content” was a constant theme across many sessions.  The first two I attended were specifically relating to the “royalty” of content:  “Content is Gold” and “TV Advertising is King, but the Kingdom is About to Change”.

Both of these titles are not only true, but the messages couldn’t be clearer.  TV advertising has always been predominant (it still is), but online video and specifically targeted video, is catching up… and fast!  And in that ever-important 18-34 audience, TV advertising can easily become wasted dollars.  (See the excellent infographic by Koeppel Direct illustrating this trend at the bottom of this post.)

One only has to consider the larger idea of TV advertising to realize this change is occurring:  Everything has to be part of social media.   Without asking “How does it conform to social media” is to miss the entire point of today’s advertising mindset, and more importantly… the mindset of the audiences.

Ask anyone who has grown up with the internet “What does TV mean to you?” and they’ll point to their laptop or tablet or smartphone.  It’s ANY screen.  Video content has become the glue to engage audiences across any device.  TV does not own this space anymore (outside of the Super Bowl I suppose!).

Static imagery still remains relevant.  But the terminology may be changing more slowly.  We still think of a “Kodak moment”.  When that is replaced by “Instagram moment” in all of our minds, we’ll know the changing of the guard has occurred.

In addition, to today’s youth market that is growing up with online, TV Networks mean nothing.  Their devices house their content.  Hulu, Youtube, and their brethren are the new “TV networks”.

Maybe most importantly, people don’t want to be told what they want by an ad anymore.  They want to be told by a friend what’s important or interesting… and act on that!  Social media has become a major force in how people not only engage, but purchase.  Video needs to address this, particularly on TV, or it will continue to lose relevance to the growing hyper-connected audiences.

TV commercials must change to make it more specific to the online audience.  A simple 30 second commercial spot may not address the specific target audience, or engage with them enough through social, interactivity, or relevance.  It is reminiscent of the first TV commercials for the new television audience in the 1950’s.  One of the very first TV ads was for Bulova Watches:

Not understanding how this new medium worked, the TV ads simply became a video of a magazine ad:  Showing a ticking watch, with the announcer reading the magazine text.  Hardly the stuff that TV audiences expected from this amazing new technology in their living rooms.  But now, those commercials appearing directly on our devices are no more relevant than the Bulova Watch ad… unless the the creators take into account targeting, interactivity, and conforming to social media best practices.

The companies that do this well, will succeed in achieving their goal.  That is the new Kingdom, and it’s changing before our eyes!

Author Kevin Wilk is a divisional vice president with MultiVu.

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How to Look and Sound Great on Camera

Posted on November 1, 2012 by | 4 Comments

Brett Simon, a former TV journalist who’s now a member of our audience team, suggests that you put some color around your face when you’re going to be on camera. Our colleague Vicky Harres took her advice for this shoot.

Video content is one of the most powerful drivers of engagement and visibility for press release issuers and content marketers.   Messages that include multimedia get favorable treatment from search engines and social networks; and the human eye naturally gravitates toward visuals.   Producing video is part of many communication strategies.  To develop the best content possible, it’s important that the subjects of your video look (and sound) great on camera.

The American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) annual Writers Conference featured more than 80 sessions covering a wide variety of topics, including  “How to Look and Sound Great on Camera.”  While the conference was geared toward writers, the tips work well for anyone in the camera’s lens.

Three panelists shared their tips on how you can hone your personal style, develop an appealing speaking voice and craft effective messages.

The panelists were:

  • Rachel Weingarten, style expert, marketing strategist, personal branding consultant, and founder of Interrobang, a marketing and promotions agency. Weingarten is the author of “Career and Corporate Cool” and “Hello, Gorgeous,” and is a regularly featured expert on TV shows, including “Good Morning America” and the “Today” show.
  • Nancy Daniels, founder of Voice Dynamic, offering voice training, voice improvement, and public-speaking solutions through seminars, corporate training and group workshops. Daniels is the creator of the “Voicing it!” DVD training program, which helps clients find their “real” voice and correct problems such as low volume, nasality and childlike tone.
  • Brad Phillips, president of Phillips Media Relations, a media presentation firm with offices in Washington, D.C., and New York City. Phillips is a former broadcast journalist and producer, and is the creator of the popular Mr. Media Training blog, offering media and presentation training.
  • Eileen Kennedy-Moore (moderator), a psychologist, author, and blogger at PsychologyToday.com, moderated the discussion.

Rachel Weingarten

The average American watches 28 hours of video a week, said Weingarten, or roughly nine years of their lives. In October 2011, more than 184 million people watched 42.6 billion videos on YouTube.

“People really are hungry for videos,” said Weingarten, “and especially for good videos.”

The first thing people think about when preparing a video is what they should wear, but there is more to looking good than what you’re wearing. In fact, the No. 1 key to a good video appearance is that you exude confidence, even if you don’t feel it, said Weingarten. How do you do that?

Know your stuff. Do your homework, and prepare as much in advance as you can. Know what the set is like. Do as much research on the host as you can, and make the host the focus of your attention. “If the host loves you, the audience will love you,” said Weingarten.

Be put-together. “People make snap decisions,” said Weingarten. “You want them to focus on your knowledge, not on what you’re wearing. For example, there’s a lawyer that loves to wear head-to-toe green suits. People tend to tune out his message because they’re so focused on what he’s wearing.

Be picky. Research every opportunity, rather than accepting every offer. Weingarten shared the story of how she was offered to be on “The Daily Show,” but turned it down because it would not have provided her the kind of exposure she was looking for.

Be comfortable. When deciding what to wear, pick something you’re comfortable in so you are not self-conscious. Otherwise, you are going to be too distracted to do a good job.

Nancy Daniels

“The way you sound on your answering machine is the way everyone else hears you,” said Daniels. If you don’t like what you hear, there are ways you can improve and find your “real” voice:

Record yourself. Practice by recording yourself in a mock interview session with a friend or colleague. This will help you gauge:

  • The volume of your voice: “You don’t want to speak too softly,” said Daniels.
  • Your accent: You don’t have to get rid of it, but you do have to be understood.
  • Whether you speak with “Valley Girl-ese,” as Daniels calls it. “If every sentence sounds like it ends in a question, you will not sound confident or professional.”

Find the friendly faces. The secret to public speaking, said Daniels, is to treat the audience or interviewer as if you were having a conversation in your living room. Zero in on your “smilers” – they will make you feel more confident.

Learn diaphragmatic breathing. It’s OK to be nervous. Learn to breathe with the support of your diaphragm; it will help you take control of your nervousness. Daniels recently wrote about how to control what comes out of your mouth when you’re nervous.

Brad Phillips

When speaking to the media, remember that your job is not to be comprehensive – your job is to give the public only enough information to take the action you want them to take. Reduce your points to your three most important messages, and support them with compelling stories and statistics.

People will remember almost nothing you say during media interviews, and one of the ways you can combat that is through repetition. “It takes 7-15 repetitions for people to remember your message,” said Phillips.

So what makes a message effective? According to Phillips, an effective message is composed of stories, statistics and sound bites.

Stories: These can be a personal story, an anecdote, a case study or a historical example. It just has to reinforce the theme of your message and make it less abstract and more tangible. You should be able to tell a compelling story in 20 seconds or less.

Statistics: Don’t use raw data; use statistics in a way the audience can relate.

Philips gave this example: “Five million Americans have Alzheimer’s.” That doesn’t immediately make you think, “Wow.”

Try this instead: “Fenway Park seats 37,000 people. It would take 135 Fenway Parks packed with people to hold every American with Alzheimer’s. That’s 5 million people in total. Now, think about the family members caring for that patient. It would take almost 600 Fenway Parks, packed with people, to hold all the patients and family members affected by Alzheimer’s.”

“For most people,” said Phillips, “that statistic is more powerful, evoking a specific image and producing that desired ‘Wow’ response.”

Sound bites: Sound bites are short, wonderful quips that are repeatable – e.g., “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

Other types of sound bites:

  • Simile, metaphor, analogy
  • Witty
  • Rhetorical  questions
  • References to pop culture

Once you have your messages, prepare for the interview. Create a worksheet detailing each message, and the story, statistic and sound bite for that message. Repeat for each message.

On his blog, Phillips shares more tips on how to create a message: Creating Your Message: A Seven-Part Series.

Q&A

Q: When offering statistics, do you need to provide the source?

Phillips: Your goal is to intrigue. In a public presentation, I would stay away from it. Unless it’s core to their understanding, I wouldn’t focus on it.

Q: Which television personalities should we watch that have a good presence?

Daniels: Diane Sawyer – her voice is like a blanket around your shoulders. Listen for the voice that has warmth, speaks comfortably.

Phillips: Newt Gingrich and Al Sharpton are both very effective in their own way. Also, Tom Friedman – what I like is that he comes in very prepared, with three or four tight bullet points he can deliver in 20 seconds. One thing I don’t agree with that he does is saying the name of the host – “Well, Diane…” – because you want the audience to think you’re talking to them, and that breaks the connection.

Q: If you make a mistake, should you correct it or let it go?

Phillips: It depends on the nature of the mistake. If it’s a mispronunciation, let it go. If it’s a significant mistake, correct it.

Author Maria Perez is director of news operations for ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. To read more from Maria, visit her blog on ProfNet Connect at http://www.profnetconnect.com/profnetmaria/blog/

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Ask PRN: How to script a PR or marketing video

Posted on October 26, 2012 by | 7 Comments

Every Friday afternoon, we’ll answer a question we hear commonly from our customers about some aspect of public relations or marketing. 

Planning a family vacation?  It’s unlikely you’re just going to jump in the car or show up at the airport and literally wing it. Instead, you’re going to plan, pick your destination, make sure the kids are off from school, and book a hotel that has something for everyone in your clan.

Successful videos are similar in this regard. It’s essential to plan the trip you want your audience to take before jumping into a script— destination unknown.

Creating a good PR or marketing video campaign requires the same attention. It’s essential to plan the trip you want your audience to take before jumping into a script.

As a producer, I’m used to fast turnarounds where a client hands me his materials and  ideas and I whittle everything down into a script with b-roll and sound bite.  But as we in the industry are faced with more and more clients in search of content that evokes real emotion, rather than just a news report, I’m finding myself looking at the creative GPS, searching for the Valhalla of creative content.

Enter The Creative Treatment – a tool script writers have been using for years, and why? Because it works.  A treatment is a one page concise compilation of an idea– the itinerary for the video you will eventually create. The reason why it’s such a useful tool is because it allows you to present your idea to the client creatively without assembling a script that may not be what they’re looking for.  The treatment is a client check point, if you will.  Many of us have been in the position where we’ve sent our client a script or an edit we’ve worked on for days only to find out they don’t share our enthusiasm.  These things happen of course, and while the treatment doesn’t guarantee it won’t happen again, it does at least give everyone the ability to work out the kinks and get to the core of what is desired before getting too far along in the process.

The treatment consists of four parts (see example above) and with this we can present our ability to conceptualize a unique idea, respond to client needs, and be, hopefully, better producers.

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one,” said Mark Twain.  It’s good advice for anyone building a content strategy.

CREATIVE TREATMENT

Type of Video (Webisode, Training Video etc.)

Prepared for: (Job name/client)

Background:

A short summary of the background information client provided on a call or with background materials

Objectives:

A bulleted list of the videos behavioral objectives aka the goal you wish to accomplish with this video…It can begin with “After experiencing this video our audience will be able to: and then the list

Strategies:

A bulleted list of what will be done in terms of structure, devices and techniques. For example: Create the behind the scenes feel using several GoPro cameras etc.

Creative Approach:

Finally the place to present your creative idea. Should be a one paragraph present tone narrative using detailed descriptions to set the tone and the style of your video. For example: We are bombarded with the sounds of a busy city street as the faces of its hurried inhabitants stop to stare in curiosity etc.

Like the idea of using online video, but need some help getting started? Our free white paper, Building Engagement with Online Video, is loaded with ideas and case studies to help you get your video projects underway.

Author Jill Wax is a producer for MultiVu, a PR Newswire company that specializes in multimedia creation, production and distribution.

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A Picture Sells a Thousand [insert your product or service here]

Posted on April 20, 2011 by | 6 Comments
social media press release

A video produced for the Mariani Packing Company. Click on the image to see the full multimedia press release.

The do’s (and don’ts) of DIY promotional videos

Operating a small business is fraught with challenges.  Just ask anyone running one. Even if you have the perfect product or service, getting customers to part with their hard-earned cash is never easy.  And if your company is brand new, it’s even more difficult.  Having a marketing plan is extremely important.  You need a vehicle that shows your customers what your product or service is all about or what problem it solves; and while you can write about it until you’re blue in the face, showing is usually much more effective.  That’s why video should be a part of every business marketing mix.  The good news is you have options! The bad news?  You have options.

Sure, you can do it yourself.   You can shoot some simple video and edit the piece at home using Picasa’s movie editor software.  You can ask your son to ask his friend’s cousin (the one in film school) to help.  It’ll all work — especially if you keep things simple.    We do recommend buying or renting a high-quality video camera, however, if you decide to do anything beyond a casual, off-the-cuff video.   Flip cams are fine for more casual videos, especially for uploading to your company’s Facebook wall and other informal channels.  Ideas for casual videos include:

  • Quick and simple product demos – nothing too complex requiring zooming in and out or different camera angles.
  • Short interviews at events, or on-the-spot customer testimonials
  • Offering a timely “sneak peek” at a daily special or a behind the scenes view

Casual videos can be charming and fun.  But for a video that you plan on using extensively to represent and promote your brand, doing it yourself  with a flip cam just isn’t going to cut it in terms of quality, and it’ll end up making you look unprofessional.    And let’s be honest.  How many folks have the time or resources to really pull it off?  And you have to pull it off well.  Anything less falls into the ‘waste of your time’ bucket, and we don’t know any business owners who have a moment to waste.

Video is one of the most flexible of media, and is worth the investment.  In addition to adding a “sticky” element to your own web site that attracts – and engages – visitors, you can also re-purpose videos in a variety of ways:

  • If you have a physical location, show the video on a loop for customers to see
  • Incorporate the video into business pitches
  • Embed videos in e-mail communications
  • Post the video to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and any other social media presences you’ve established.  If your friends, fans and followers like it, they’ll share it with their friends, fans and followers, multiplying your audience exponentially.
  • Show it to your mom.  She’ll love it!

Our advice on getting started?  Call a video production house. They’re not all prohibitively expensive and the level of service you get — not to mention the headaches you won’t get — is well worth the cost.  So let’s say you want to make a nice, neat, little video or series of videos about your product or service and post it on your website, YouTube, and a few other sites, but you have no time and no idea how to go about it.  Contact a full service video production house with a media relations team on staff and lay it all out:

I know I need video to support my business, I want to post it on-line for my customers to find and I don’t want to spend a fortune doing it.  I need guidance—a lot of guidance!  Who will write the script taking into account what my business is all about—what we believe in—who we are?  How do we position the video to reach my customers, wherever in the world they are?  I don’t want someone to walk into my business, turn the place upside down and a week later hand me my video and say b-bye.  And I don’t want lawyers coming after me for copyright infringement because I said or showed something that I wasn’t’ supposed to.

Phew!  That wasn’t easy to get out.  But there it is in a beautiful prolate spheroid… err…nutshell.

A decent production outfit will take care of everything: scripting, conducting interviews, securing location or a studio if necessary, props if needed, securing permits if necessary, ordering transcript, editing and posting — all of which can be done in as little as 48 hours depending on what’s involved.  Plus, they’ll help you decide on things like shooting in HD or SD, format delivery, and the all important marketing direction to take—which will determine the angle of the script.

So you have a great, professionally-produced video that tells the story you want to tell, and showcases your products and services.  Now what?  Now you will need to speak to media relations professionals who can best advise you on when and where to distribute your video.  Whether you want to post your video on your company website, see it featured on social networking and video sharing websites, or plastered on some of the most highly-trafficked video billboards in the United States, a media relations team can recommend a distribution plan that will deliver your message to the audience you need to reach: potential customers.

For your next product launch or marketing campaign, remember these key points:

  • When possible, don’t limit yourself to text – a picture (more importantly a video) is worth 1,000 words. In an increasingly visual marketplace, don’t fall behind the curve by relying on old marketing methods.
  • Distribution is key – what use is a great video if no one sees it? Put the video on your web site, embed it in your newsletter, and post it to YouTube. Tweet it, put it on your Facebook Page, and add it to your blog.
  • And don’t forget the professional media. Your production house’s media relations team can target industry- or geographically specific media outlets and web sites, and may be able to gain exposure for your video on those channels.

Every day, small business owners are taking the plunge into the multimedia space, and there’s never been a better time to explore a new way to market yourself to your customers. So go ahead and try video for your next campaign or promotion – the world will be watching.

Authors Larry Cardarelli and Jackie Dowling are both members of MultiVu, PR Newswire’s multimedia production and distribution company.  Larry is a senior producer, and Jackie is Multivu’s media strategist, focusing on both traditional and social media.

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