Integrated Branding Blog | Movéo

Hosting videos on your Site vs. YouTube

Many marketers are already aware of the benefit of using video in B2B marketing. But once you’ve decided on this strategy, you still have to decide where you’d like to host the videos - your own Web site or YouTube. There are pros and cons to each, which I explain below.

The benefits of hosting videos on your site are that the user will be spending time on your domain and that links to the video will empower your domain and not YouTube.com. When a user is on your site, you have the added benefit of promoting your brand. YouTube does allow you to customize your channel, but control is limited.

Some companies may not have the time, bandwidth or resources, however, to implement videos on their site. There is a level of programming involved and you will have to embed some type of video player. If the technical issues are too much of an obstacle, you might strongly consider the YouTube route.

Creating a YouTube Channel and uploading videos is very simple and can be accomplished in a matter of minutes. You can also optimize your videos by giving them appropriate titles and tagging each one with related keywords.

It’s important to remember that YouTube is currently the second biggest search engine in the U.S. as far as volume of searches. Using YouTube allows your videos to be found by users who are searching within YouTube.com, as well as those who are using Google or Bing.

B2B Videos for Search are More Important than Ever

Image courtesy of Search Engine Land

As search engines and social media continue to evolve, it has become more important than ever for B2B companies to use videos for search.

What does this have to do with search engines?
In today’s world, which is heavily influenced by social media, search engines return results that include Web pages, blogs, products, images, videos, maps, local businesses and more. It’s called social, universal or blended search. Because of this, it’s important for companies to create content in these ways so that they might have more visibility. Not every form of content is appropriate for every company, however, so it’s important to find which are relevant.

Why is video generally a good option for content for B2B companies?
This one’s pretty simple, if you think about it. In many cases a B2B purchase can be very technical and research intensive. Videos make it easier to explain content and give the user a break from having to read an extremely long document. In addition, it gives the B2B company a chance to show their product in action. This does not in any way mean that written content shouldn’t be available as well, just that having the extra option can make the process much easier for you and a potential client.

So, whether you create a YouTube channel or host the videos on your existing site, make sure to consider this option if you are a B2B company. Not only do you give the user what they want, but your videos have a chance to increase your brand visibility in search results.

Video on the Web...Not Just for Car Makers Anymore.

It wasn’t so long ago that car manufacturers were some of the only companies experimenting with video on the web. It made perfect sense for them. Re-cut and re-purpose existing tv footage to bring pulse-pounding motion online. Any expense that came as a result of editing or programming was justified because of the product’s high-ticket price tag. But with the rise of rich media, faster internet speeds and more affordable production techniques, video became a popular medium across the board. From entertaining tv spots to informative product demos to mini-movies, just about any type of video can find a home online and be an asset to your overall marketing program.

Videos can be developed and produced as a series to maximize budget and keep your audience coming back. The segments can live on your existing site to support content or illustrate a point. We recently developed several videos for a client, a global manufacturer of belt conveyor systems. Live action combined with 3D animation allowed us to show what the camera couldn’t see, making it easy for their customers to visualize exactly how the products work. Videos were translated in various languages for use around the world. For another Movéo client, the nation’s leader in aerial lifts, we shot a series of video testimonials. Sprinkled throughout the client's site, these real-life customer stories work to reinforce the company’s message of reliability.

Well done, video works to bridge the gap between information and entertainment, making it easy and enjoyable to get your message across.

Angela Costanzi, Director Creative Services

Can Google NBC Alliance Shed New Light on TV Viewers?

Google began a private beta of Google TV Ads last summer, and released it to the public in May.  However, for many agencies and advertisers tracking held them back from trying the distribution service. By adding tracking through Analytics to Google TV Ads in June the Internet Info-product marketers jumped in. I’m sure you saw more than one commercial from a crazy fox selling you the latest Internet get-rich-quick-scheme. But seeing as the system itself and offering have both been in the development stage traditional advertisers have shied away from Google TV Ads.

At the beginning of September Google and NBC announced a partnership involving several of NBC’s cable networks and Google’s TV Ads Platform. On the surface this looks lke Google just trying to offer broader TV choices to advertisers, and NBC looking to pick up falling ad revenue.

Really what this is all about is data, accountability, and Google trying to develop the same level of real time information for traditional media outlets as it currently has with the AdWords Platform. One of the first steps in their partnership is to work with the service provider Dish Network to more precisely measure viewer activity through tracking with the subscriber’s set top receiver.

Also in the works, is to work toward local targeting of ads through this network as well. Google and NBC intend to work together to increase the information advertisers can receive about viewers, increasing the advertiser’s and agency’s ability to optimize advertising campaigns.

Your Video Reflects On Your Brand

One final comment on video. Before jumping lens-first into B2B video, it is wise to learn best practices. For example, what is the best balance of substance to sales pitch? (The "Change Artists" series mentioned in a previous post walks this tightrope very adroitly.) Also, don't try to produce a video on the cheap by forsaking a professional videographer and editing suite. While jerky camera motion and hot lighting may be the expectation from a YouTube clip, a B2B video should be held up to the standard of every other piece of communication your company produces. Keep those things in mind, and you’ll have Steven Soderbergh on the run in no time.
-- Brian Davies, Managing Partner

More on B2B Video –– Not If, But When

A few more thoughts about enhancing brands with video. The truth is, B2B has bought into video, but tentatively. According to BtoB Magazine, "Online video is becoming the killer application of the Internet as B-to-B marketers embrace it as an integral part of their marketing programs." While this may be true in some quarters, the fact is that many B2B marketers aren't quite sure how to leverage video because they tend to look at it as an advertising vehicle (which it can be), rather than a tool that can serve a number of mission critical purposes (of which advertising can be one). Companies like IBM have created "long-form documentaries" to use for demand-creation purposes. HP's "Change Artists" series, which launched late last year, used video to help position the company as a thought leader in their marketplace. Movéo produces quarterly videos for one of our clients that help the company communicate with its employees worldwide. Another Movéo client uses video to enhance its clients' employment brands. Industrial training and continuing education are also well suited for downloadable video on demand. And last but not least, there’s video's potential as an advertising platform: It's projected to reach $2.9 billion by 2010.

--Brian Davies, Managing Partner