Streamingmedia.com: The Ultimate Guide to Creating Online Video Content That Works

December 1, 2008 by larrykless

This article appears in the October/November issue of Streaming Media magazine. Click here for your free subscription.

Streamingmedia.com: The Ultimate Guide to Creating Online Video Content That Works, Part 1

by Geoff Daily November 11, 2008

Nine media and entertainment content decision makers discuss what they have learned from their years in the field and offer advice on producing and delivering content that draws—and keeps—viewers.

Let’s put aside the issues of distribution and monetization surrounding streaming for a moment and focus on content. What content works for online video?

Ultimately, anything works so long as the people who find it want to watch and can do so in a reliable, high-quality fashion. If nothing else, YouTube has proven that videos of any subject matter and of the highest or lowest production values can generate incredible viewing numbers—or, as some people are beginning to call it, “viewsage.” (…more)

Streamingmedia.com: The Ultimate Guide to Creating Online Video Content That Works, Part 2
by Geoff Daily November 25, 200

In Part 1 of this article, we looked at the importance of understanding your audience—both existing and potential—and the different challenges facing major media companies and independent content creators. In Part 2, we’ll look at the importance of video production quality and the pros and cons of long-form and shortform content. We’ll also get some advice from successful content creators about what works and what doesn’t.

When YouTube first burst onto the scene, it upended the traditional notion that what viewers wanted was content with the highest possible production values. Whether it is clips from old home movies or video diaries shot with a webcam, there’s been a sense that anything goes when it comes to the quality of online video.

“Usually, my message is that we’re still at a point where production value doesn’t matter that much; in fact, it can hurt you if you overproduce,” says Kevin Nalty, a top YouTube producer known as Nalts.

“There’s a certain level of resentment towards the people on YouTube who are trying to have the perfect shot and the perfect lighting. It suddenly makes them seem like they’re better than everyone else, and the video can come off as more commercial, more canned, and less authentic.” (…more)

Originally published as The Ultimate Guide to Creating Online Video Content That Works, Parts 1 and 2

For Your Imagination presents: The Web Series Producer’s Guide

October 11, 2008 by larrykless

This comes courtesy of For Your Imagination published on
September 25, 2008.
Thanks Paul!

The Web Series Producer’s Guide

“NYTVF played host to the live Web Series Producer’s Guide moderated by Paul Kontonis from For Your Imagination and featuring Brett Wilson from TubeMogul, Bill Cammack, Kirby Ferguson from Goodiebag, and Marc Hustvedt from Tubefilter.tv. Phil Thomas Di Giulio, Co-founder of WellcomeMat, has posted a video of the session. Thanks to everyone involved!”

The Web Series Producer’s Guide

The NYTVF was founded in 2005 as the industry’s first recognized
independent television festival, providing a platform to elevate the
work of artists creating for the small screen. Held annually each fall
in New York City, the birthplace of modern television, the Festival
unites artists, executives, industry figures, and fans together in one
forum to celebrate the medium and to help shape its future.

For Your Imagination develops and markets high-quality original Internet TV and web
video series, turning concept into reality for brands and content
creators. The company works with brands and content creators to develop
their online video content, offering them the opportunity to reach a
targeted advertiser-friendly audience effectively and monetizing
quickly. For more information go to: www.foryourimagination.com/

Online Video Strategies: The Need to Scale and Short Shelf Life

August 13, 2008 by larrykless

These two strategies are courtesy of Beet.TV.

Beet.TV: Online Video Needs Scale to Compete with Television, TV Week Editor Greg Baumann
“Beet.TV PALO ALTO — Creative online video programming is getting funding and
proliferating, but its financial success won’t rival television’s until it can reach a much larger audience, TelevisionWeek editor Greg Bauman says. A key breakthrough will come when consumers can watch online video easily in their living rooms.
“… (more)

Beet.TV: Attention Online Video Producers: Clips Have a Short Shelf Life, So Promote Them Fast!
“PALO ALTO — Online videos have a short shelf life, getting a quarter of their views within four days of being published, Brett Wilson, CEO of video distribution site TubeMogul, says. Content creators who publish a lot of video will have a better shot at success.He suggests that content creators promote their videos hard for the first few days as attention will drop quickly”… (more)

The chart below is from Tubemogul.com News – Online Video Research and Report: Onine Video’s Short Shelf Life which analyzes online video viewing habits, and according to Beet.TV Associate Producer Kelsey Blodget, is a must-read for any online video publisher.

WebVideoUniverse: Dan Rayburn on Top 5 Mistakes of Online Video Creators

June 26, 2008 by larrykless

This article was published on May 28, 2008 and written by Troy Dreier of WebVideoUniverse who spoke with Dan Rayburn, executive vice president of StreamingMedia.com and online media expert and industry consultant about the Top 5 Mistakes of Online Video Creators.

Dan Rayburn gives sound advice to help remedy the “Top 5 Mistakes” that content creators and online video publishers can make. After reading through them you may think that it’s pretty obvious but people can get caught up in either poor planning or incorrect assumptions.

I’ve paraphrased them below and you can read the full article here.

1. Not Thinking Like a Media Company

If you are publishing video you need to act like a media company and do the things that a media company would do because that’s what you are. “That
means you should be acting like one by archiving and repurposing video
in different distribution forms, such as online, CDs, or downloads for
portable media players.”

2. Focusing too Much on Technology and Not Enough on Content

Focus on the content and try to make it better by using quality creation and distribution tools. Make it available in as many formats and as possible.

3. Not Measuring ROI

Take ROI (return on investment) seriously and really define how you plan to capture your metrics before you deply your videos. Define your goals, “creating brand awareness, creating a marketing campaign, spreading your message—and determine how you’re going to measure effectiveness before you spend a dime.”

4. Not Using Internal Resources

Start by taking a look at what you already have in-house rather than going out and buying the most expensive gear. Even the equipment in corporate videoconferencing rooms can be utilized when not in use.

5. Thinking Online Video Is too Costly or Complicated

The costs for publishing online media have dropped dramatically in the last 13 years with a plethora of free tools and services. “Streaming video isn’t cutting edge and it’s not Web 2.0. If you’re concerned with the costs of getting started, talk to vendors and ask for a 30-day in-house trial of their products.”

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

The Web Series Producer’s Guide

Online Video Publishing [dot] com by Larry Kless

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