Videos Show You How To Install Performance Parts

August 5, 2012 by Larry Kless

Guest post by Alex @ Redline360.com

The do-it-yourself automotive trend is growing every day, and especially in a down economy, people want to save money by installing performance parts themselves so they can save hundreds of dollars on labor. There is no better way for a manufacture of performance parts to connect with their potential customers than to create videos such as the one below that give you a background and step by step installation guide so you feel comfortable doing the job yourself. For example, in the video below, Mishimoto, a brand popular for radiators and cooling parts, demonstrates how to install their parts into a Subaru Impreza WRX.

It also helps that the video has a professional race car driver, Matt Waldin, to give credibility to the brand and entice customers to continue watching the video. The video goes step-by-step in explaining not only the benefits of the part, but what tools you need to do the job so you can be sure you have everything necessary to get the job done.

Some customers like to make their own product videos, and they gain a following and recognition on automotive forums of their knowledge and experimentation of the products. Lots of times, especially with newer cars, people like to hold off on buying parts until someone in the community buys it first and then reviews it for quality, ease of installation and performance gains.

Some how-to’s can get very technical, and some customers even do mechanical comparisons on a dynamometer to determine effectiveness of parts, such as a comparison of the difference between a short ram intake and a cold air intake. Information such as this isn’t so straight forward, so there needs to be testing done that can only be given credibility with a video posted online, or dyno sheets that show power gains. As customers get more savvy, online videos are going to be playing a bigger part in the automotive performance market.

5 Rookie Mistakes When Investing In Business Video Initiatives

July 16, 2012 by Larry Kless

This article originally appeared on The SmartVideo Blog as 5 Rookie Mistakes When Investing In Business Video Initiatives posted by Shmulik Weller on April 17, 2012.

Online Video Publishing [dot] com welcomes SundaySky as a new blog content partner.

There’s lots of enthusiasm in the market among marketers, advertisers and customer care executives for use of business video (see recent Forrester-ANA study). Video has become a necessity, particularly for online brands, in order to create or maintain an “innovator” perception. However, many settle for just “checking the box” when adopting video for certain business initiatives without paying enough attention to the question – how can video truly have a meaningful impact on my business?

Here are some common rookie mistakes made by online brands that just check the video box, and hence miss the true potential and impact of business video:

Video production and distribution without attaching measurable business value. Creating and posting videos is not enough. Make sure they are measured and optimized to your business needs. For example, if you wish for your videos to increase your site stickiness and the number of repeat visits, make sure your videos refresh frequently to make it enticing for viewers to return and find out what’s new. Measure performance with each refresh. Or perhaps you would like for videos to drive higher conversion rates, in which case you need to establish a control group to measure the overall effect of video on your target metrics.
Selective placement of videos. What’s the point in investing in such a rich asset if it is not going to be prominently featured in your online presence? For example, if your play buttons and your video calls-to-action are big and clear, you will see greater click-to-play rates and hence more significant impact. In many cases only small percentage (single digit) of visitors actually watch the videos. Aim for at least 25% of unique users to play your videos.

Static videos. The Web is a dynamic medium where content is ever-changing. Your video content and creative should be ever-changing and be continually updated, too. Videos should feature the latest products, news, deals and offerings. Low video count and static videos that do not update over time quickly become a ghost town on your site. This is not the innovator message you want to send to your customers. See example below.
Use of generic video content. One-size-fits-all content is less effective, than personalization, particularly when it comes to engaging with your prospects and customers. Personalized video takes your engagement strategies to another level.
DIY. Online video, and especially online video for business, requires unique expertise (vs. traditional video production). Tap into online video experts who can help you not only strategize, but also navigate the nuances around what works and doesn’t work, how to make it dynamic and continually optimize it to deliver desired business outcomes, how to ensure usage. Clearly someone with domain experience can share best practices and help you achieve your goals, and execute on your video strategy. These questions are key to a successful business video deployment.

Video can be a very impactful medium. However, these common mistakes can prevent online brands from realizing its true potential. Don’t just check the video box – master it and make the best out of it.

AT&T is an example innovator who is mastering use of video to further strategic customer care initiatives. View this video to learn about their video strategy.

Visit The SmartVideo Blog for current articles or subscribe the RSS Feed

SmartVideo delivers a compelling, personalized, real-time video experience designed to reach people with what they need to know in the most engaging, entertaining and informative way possible. SundaySky’s innovative convergence of technology and creativity has advanced the use of SmartVideo to more effectively engage people at every step of the customer lifecycle. Our platform generates hundreds of thousands of SmartVideos daily that attract traffic, retarget prospects, convert prospects to customers, support customers and enhance customer relationships. SundaySky SmartVideo users include leading consumer-facing organizations like AT&T, Office Depot and Tiger Direct. Follow SundaySky on Twitter and Facebook.

How to start your own Videography Business

June 17, 2012 by Larry Kless

One of the first things you have to consider when thinking about starting your own videography business is whether or not you are suited to owning your own business. As difficult as it may be to hear the truth is not everyone is capable of being in business for themselves. It takes discipline and dedication and owning a decent video camera does not automatically qualify you to be in business.

If you are working you might consider taking on a project or two in your spare time to determine if you have the skills needed. Even the best videographers may be able to produce a great product but without the knowledge of running a business, you can find yourself in over your head in a hurry. You will be giving up your time and trading it hopefully for at least some money. The thing to remember is that if you don’t make money at it, it’s a hobby.

Although, markets are decked with corporate video production companies, yet if you have a rage and passion, you will surely achieve what you desire.

However, if you pass introspection and believe you have the passion for the occupation begin by identifying the type of projects your skills are best suited to produce. You will need to have top quality equipment if you expect top quality production. On top of that since you will be charging for your work, your customers will expect top quality results.

Develop a business plan that includes the money you will need for quality equipment. Having a great camera will mean nothing without post-production equipment of the same caliber. You’re going to need to go all in on your equipment if you expect to receive rave reviews of your product.

Knowing your competition should have been part of your business plan in order to determine if there is enough business in your area to go around. Compare your skills to others and be honest with yourself in deciding who can offer the best product. Every day will be a learning experience and when the time comes that you decide you know everything about the business, it may be time to find a new line of work. One skill that has raged like an epidemic is video marketing; it’s all about marketing your efforts. So, don’t lag behind in this aspect.

Promoting yourself will be the means by which you are measured by potential clients. Put together a website that can showcase your work and don’t be stingy on its design. This is something that shouldn’t be left to a niece or nephew as a school project. You are trying to show yourself as a professional and your website needs to project that same image.

You will need a professional brochure as well as potential clients will want something they can use to compare your services and your prices with your competition. Some new business owners tend to offer reduced prices to undercut the competition. This is a really bad way to gain business. Most believe you get what you pay for and when they see exceptionally low prices might think they will get substandard results.

Above all, be honest with clients you do get. Especially when shooting weddings as some clients will have expectations that are simply unrealistic. Regardless of your agreement, their expectations can drive you crazy. That is something that goes with the proverbial territory and will simply be a part of doing business with the public. Something they don’t teach in business school.

About the author:

The article is written by Peter Smith. Peter’s expertise lies in vintage and digital photography, apart from that he is regular contributor to various technology blogs. To know more about his creative powers visit his website: Corporate Video Productions Company | London Tracc Films

Apple’s Thunderbolt Display Port Dismays the AV Industry

June 9, 2012 by Larry Kless

“AV Industry Challenges Brave Mac Techs Who Are Confined to Speaking In Terms of Re-Branding, With Little Success Given the Fact that They Are Unaware of Specs, Really want to Help, but Are Rendered Helpless by the Apple Core Design Team.”

Guest author Lorin Nelson

This is an issue that’s hitting the A/V nerd community. Serious problems result when newer Mac’s are tied in with “display port”. We’re in the process of creating a reliable cure, but nobody else has done this yet.

OK folks, here’s the scoop on the encoded Mac Display Port outputs.

They’re no longer simply Display Port outputs. As of late last year, all new models of MacBooks, Air’s, etc. now employ the Thunderbolt output.

It does the video output from the same size mini DVI, along with much more…..much more than we want it to do for our purposes. Apple employees are instructed not call it a display port any more….which is a bit unnerving in itself.

Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbolt_(interface)

Key quote from the specs:

“The cable is actually a crossover cable, it swaps all receive and transmit lanes, e.g. HS1TX(P) of the source is connected to HS1RX(P) of the sink.”

In other words, it tries to “talk” to every piece of equipment in the signal path.

While we believe we have a few ways to conquer this little challenge, nobody really has a 100% reliable fix for this yet. The EDID boxes that Bob suggested may very well to prove the most reliable way of fooling it by locking in the signal to a Thunderbolt compliant monitor first, then routing into our system.

Mac is getting too damn smart for it’s own good.

Occupy Apple!!!

The deeper we get into this, the more interesting and painful it gets. I didn’t do all the research myself, I’ve just been compiling widespread conversations on the issue for a few weeks now. We’ve had an all-star cast looking into this including, San Francisco-based AV professionals: Luke Sullivan, Harold Brown, Dwight Kiyono, Bob Hines, Andrew King, Jaime, an Apple employee named Louis, Johnny Good, who’s shaking his head in despair and cursing Apple, Lou Abaurrea and more.

Dwight clued me in to a potential fix that Aja will release mid June: http://www.aja.com/en/articles/172/

Further clues for your reference:

http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=4714 and http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=8005

Out of those to a VGA splitter might fool it if it’s done in the right order with a compliant monitor. I’ll update as our misadventures in addressing this transpire, it’ll be interesting but hopefully we can bail some other folks out with prior notice.

UPDATE: 6/16/2012

There is a line of products out there called HDFury:

http://www.hdfury.com/

It looks like the best solution for the emerging problem.

They’re definitely on top of the situation.

Informative links:

Definition of HDCP/HDMI, etc.

http://www.hdfury.com/hdmi-hdcp/hdcphdmi-definition/

The Display Nightmare:

http://www.hdfury.com/hdmi-hdcp/hdcp-the-display-nightmare/

Legality:

http://www.hdfury.com/hdmi-hdcp/hdcp-strippers-legality/

Please distribute this info as you see fit!

Lorin

About the Author:

Lorin Nelson is a SF Bay Area-based Technical Panic Alleviation Technician. “I do the work you’d rather not do.” He studied at BYU/Chico/Stamislaus/Santa Cruz, and regularly works on large scale AV events as a projectionist, composer, nerd and fire extinguisher.

5 Ways Online Video Can Increase Your Business Revenue

May 31, 2012 by Larry Kless

Businesses today rely on a number of things to help them to advertise their products or services. With real estate, it is all about location. With online businesses, it is all about visibility. In order to engage your website visitors and keep them coming back, you have to give them something that intrigues them. Online video is an excellent way to impress website visitors and keep them coming back for more.

Following is a list of 5 ways that online video can help you to increase your business.

1) Using online video can help you to make consumers more aware of your brand. The first step in increasing your business is to make yourself known. Video is all about making you visible. Creating a video that keeps your audience interested will help to move them through the sales process.

2) Video can also help you to build trust. People typically tend to not do business with people that they do not know. Video will help you to build a relationship with your website visitors and allow them to get to know you, making them much more likely to buy from you.

3) You can also use online video to help you with training. You can train your customers on how to properly use your services or products.

4) Major brands have been using video for some time to increase product sales. Having a video on your site will show your customers that you are serious about your brand and that you care enough about them to give them a better user experience.

5) Finally, you can use video to be in more than one place at the same time. You can send sales associates or executives to trade shows to promote your products without ever having to leave the office. You can save on travel expenses and give your staff more free time to work on other projects at the same time.

Video has been proven to be an effective tool in increasing conversion rates online. You should note however that a bad video is going to do just the opposite. When you decide that it is time to join the major brands in online video, ensure that you are providing your website visitors with a professionally produced video that explains your business message and presents you as an expert in your field.

This article was written by Vidify, specialists in the provision of online video production services at a national level. Visit them at vidify.co.uk today.

Strategies, tips, how to's and best practices for online video publishers

Online Video Publishing [dot] com by Larry Kless

Tags