Trends in Film, Video & Web

Back in 1995, when we first started Blue Marble Media — literally in our basement –  we had no idea of the places it would take us or the scores of fascinating people it would bring our way.

For instance, one web site we created earned us tickets for four to Wimbledon.  (The company’s owner was a former Wimbledon champion.  He gave us his seats in Court One!)

A national shoe store chain was so pleased with our work that they showed up at our door one day with a size 29 tennis shoe to display in our office.  They had sponsored a contest to find the person with America’s biggest feet — and the winner had signed this shoe that was exactly his size.  Pretty cool! (The shoe still resides in our lobby.)

Our video crews have been on the rooftops of some of the highest buildings in the world … in the cockpit of a Boeing jet … in the permanent winter of a meat packing facility … on the ramps at major airports … in hospitals, banks and laboratories. Our video and web work has informed and entertained everyone from titans of industry and members of congress to day care workers and international travelers arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson.

We’ve ridden the wave of the booming mid-to-late 90s … survived Y2K … held our breath through the the dot-com crash and again through the Great Recession.

15 years — all in all, it’s been quite an experience!  Over the course of 2010, we’ll be sharing some of the history, experience and insights we’ve garnered along the way.  Stay tuned!

This is a question that is currently in vogue and working its way around the Internet, blogosphere and traditional business media.  And frankly, I’ve been underwhelmed by the responses.

Recently, I participated in a discussion in one of my Linked-In groups regarding just this topic.  I was shocked that much of the “chatter” revolved around search engine rankings – and not much of anything else.

Why search engine discussion when the topic is video?  Because there’s a great deal of debate on just how “searchable” video content really is.  Google and other search engines have proclaimed that they now have the ability to “search” video content.  That’s exciting news, even though most experts will tell you that this video search capability still has a way to go before it’s perfected.

But is that a reason not to use video on your web site???

For the record, I’m a HUGE fan of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).  It’s done wonders for Blue Marble Media and our consumer-market business Cooper Maron Commissioned Films. People from literally around the world are finding us – and more importantly, contacting us with questions and opportunities for doing business.

So always, always work on building & maintaining your search engine ranking.

OK.  So you’ve done a great job building link and tags, keeping your web site and blog updated, etc., and people are starting to find you!  HURRAY!

My question for you is this: now that they’ve “found” you, what are they going to see?  How are you going to engage them?  How can you be sure they spend a little time getting to know you and your products and services?

Content, friends, content!

And video is one of the best types of content there is.  It’s better at explaining complex ideas … better at moving a viewer emotionally … better at entertaining and keeping your audience engaged … better at conveying customer testimonials … better at training a process or procedure … etc.

So first of all, while it’s not yet perfected, video searches are happening and are helping pump up your search engine ranking.

But even more important – video is going to help differentiate you from your competitors.  Think about it – if you’re number one as the result of a Google search — what about the guys who are number two or three in that same search?  Chances are they’ve got very similar written content to what you’ve been putting out there – that’s why all three of you are at the top of the same search results.

So, a consumer looking for specific products or services, is probably going to visit the web sites of at least two or three companies, right?  That’s certainly what I do when I’m researching on-line.

Once you’ve been “found” in a search, hopefully with a first page placement, it’s pretty safe to assume you’re now in a head-to-head competition with every other listing on that first page.  They’ve optimized their sites to rank well for this kind of search, just like you have.  What’s going to make your site stand out?  What’s going to position your company as more of an authority?  What’s going to make your company feel trustworthy and professional?

Could it be …video?

With unemployment seeming to be on a continuous upwards spiral, it’s hard to believe that anyone is having difficulty recruiting, but from what I’ve been hearing that’s not always the case.  Yes, there are lots more candidates in the labor pool looking for work.  But that’s sort of like saying there are now several more needles to find in a much bigger haystack.

With video in the recruitment area of your web site, you can provide all kinds of info to help those “needles” find their way out of the stack and into your HR department for an interview.  Use video to show off some of your after-hours activities:  picnics, philanthropic events, holiday parties, etc.  Also, consider short sound-byte testimonials from a cross section of your employees.  They can talk about the opportunities they’ve had, special training they’ve received, successes they’ve experienced, etc.

So let’s review … seeing your employees having fun and excited about their jobs –  vs. — reading about how your employees have fun and are excited about their jobs.  Which do you think has more impact?