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Making online video is only half the battle; you've also got to get people to watch it, and that can be even more difficult. To find out how to attract viewers and build an audience, we turned to an industry heavyweight.
Mike Blinder
Mike Blinder is a media sales consultant and head of the Blinder Group, which helps media companies around the globe sell themselves and better understand new media concepts. His clients include the New York Time Company, Gannett Company, Axel Springer of Germany, Canada's Globe and Mail, and the Hindu Times.
Having worked extensively with online video promotions, Blinder offered these five tips to pull in viewers.
Create Video for Distracted Viewers
Online video viewers aren't like TV viewers, said Blinder. They're not on the couch with their feet up, looking for an evening's entertainment. Most likely, they're at work, watching video on the sly when the boss isn't around. Often, they're interrupted.
To make your message obvious to this distracted viewer, use on-screen text to drive home your key message. That could be a Web address, e-mail address, or phone number. However you want viewers to reach you should be on the screen at all time.
Don't Sniff at Pre-Roll
Pre-roll advertising gets a bad rap, and for a good reason: people hate it. Viewers resent having to watch a 15 or 30 second commercial before their main video starts. However, said Blinder, no matter how much they hate it, there's no denying that it works. Pre-roll is an "unbelievable success for retention and response," he noted.
Banner ads that incorporate flash video are also successful, he said, although they're expensive advertising buys.
Think Logically About Where to Promote Your Video
If you've made a video to promote a specialized service, not everyone is going to flock to it, no matter how entertaining it is. That's why you need to place it carefully, so that interested viewers can find it. Blinder recommends buying targeted search words on Google, so that people will see a link to it while researching that topic. Look for other opportunities to showcase your video in the right context.
How you name your video is also important for attracting viewers. "Cost Effective Premiere Tile Roofing" will pull in more viewers than "How to Tile Your Roof," Blinder said.
Hire a Promotion Service
Consider using a paid service to get viewers, Blinder said. He himself uses Traffic Geyser, which charges him $50 per month to highlight his promotional videos on a variety of sites. The service lets him specify keywords so that his videos only show to interested viewers.
Give Viewers a Value Proposition
Viewers are giving you their time, and they expect something back in return. Show them why they should click, Blinder said. Make the benefit obvious. He recommends using titles such along the lines of "How to Make Tons of Money on the Stock Market," "Double Your Business," or "Improve Your Sex Life." Imagine the viewer asking "What's in it for me?" and tell him or her what you're offering. Showcase what you do better than your competitor.
What's a poor title? Anything incorporating your business name, Blinder said. You might think everyone knows your business's name, but only your existing customers do. Think beyond your immediate area to win new viewers.
Online video is heating up, but so is competition for viewers. Follow these tips to fight for your share of the audience.
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