Interview with John Love - CEO of Spotmixer (USA)

Interview with John Love, CEO of SpotMixer. He tells us how the idea for SpotMixer (the B2B service they recently launched) wasborn because they noticed that many small businesses were using their consumer service to create internet video ads.

Interview conducted at the EADP Conference in Barcelona, 2008.

Interview with Lionel Smith - TDS Directory Operations (Pty) Ltd. (South Africa)

Lionel Smith gives us the key metrics forTDS’s online directory in South Africa, yellowpages.co.za. He also talks about the impact of Google on local search and their online directory.

Interview conducted at the EADP Conference in Barcelona, 2008.

Videoagency launches its new corporate website

 

Videoagency logo

We are proud to announce the launch of your new corporate website at www.videoagency.tv

Videoagency now offers three important services to its clients all over the world:

Video production: Videoagency produces high quality internet videos at low cost, allowing business of any size to create videos that meet their budget and requirements. We have one of the largest filmmaker networks in the world and can dispatch a professional to you locally. Our video production is also available as a white label product to companies who which to offer video production services directly to their clients directly.

VSEO: Video Search Engine Optimization is a development in classic SEO that enables you to leverage on video as a ranking tool. With all the major search engines integrating videos directly in the search results, it is now more important than ever to optimize your videos for visibility to the search engines. Videoagency is pioneering a VSEO strategy which is now available to our clients to help them get the most out of their internet videos.

Digital Asset Management: Taking into account the importance of videos on the internet, Videoagency has developed a tool for companies (such as advertising agencies, media companies and SEO agencies) who need to manage a large number of videos from different sources and clients. The tool will let you upload videos on any video platform, manage the metadata around them. Furthermore, the advanced reporting tools will allow you to track the success of your video campaigns and calculate their ROI more accurately.

Message for all filmmakers: As before, you can register and join our network fro free on: http://www.videoagency.tv/filmmakers.html

Visit www.videoagency.tv for more information.

Universal Search: comScore declares that marketers must quickly adapt and create videos and images that are relevant to their target customers

In NYC the SES (Search Engine Strategies) exhibit was all about Google Universal!

comScore announced the first stats around Universal Search.

“during one week in January 2008. During this period we observed over 220 million Google searches containing a universal result, out of 1.2 billion searches overall:

  1. 17% of the queries had a universal result
  2. 16% of total Google clicks were sourced from a page where a universal result was present
  3. 14% of paid clicks were sourced from result pages where a universal result was present”

Comscore stats

comScore also declared:
“This is not an insignificant number and shows that universal / mash-up / blended search results are clearly now in play. It will be interesting to track how this grows (or not) over time.”
“the shift from 17% total universal search results to 14% paid clicks is a vital stat. In other research situations, a move of 3 percentile points is hardly worth mentioning. In the world of search – where decimal points of change move tens of millions in commerce – it’s a big deal. It means that the presence of a universal results yield fewer clicks and will create more competition among search marketers”

AND SOMETHING BIG FOR US:

“It will be incumbent upon the marketers to quickly adapt and create videos and images that are relevant to the consumer and make them available to the search engines”

So if you’re marketer and you’re around just give us a call…We can definitely help you! :)

Internet opportunities for independent filmmakers

A recent conference moderated by Scott Kirsner (Editor of CinemaTech) outlines how independent directors, producers and filmmakers can navigate what he refers to as the “emerging landscape of digital cinema and digital distribution”.

A great insight for filmmakers to see the opportunities and challenges that the internet is bringing to their industry. Below are two videos covering the key points made at the conference:

Other participants to the conference:
Ted Mundorff, CEO of Landmark Theatres
Lance Weiler, founder of Workbook Project
Josh Green, VP Distribution at Emerging Pictures
Russell Wintner, President at WinterTek Inc
Christian Zak, VP Indepedent Feature Services at Technicolor

Let’s Ask Google and Youtube a few questions : Marissa (Mayer), Matt (Cutts) if you are around, please talk to us… (Part 2)

Now moving on to my second discussion topic:

2/ What about indexing videos into Google Universal ? Are you going to give preference to the people who upload onto your platform?

Most of us who are interested in videos and/or SEO have noticed in these last few weeks a big move in video integration into search queries…Particularily new SERPs with video thumbnails situated before text links.

I have seen many examples of this:

- Some videos come from Youtube and you can play them directly in the SERP
- Others come from Youtube, but you cannot play them in the SERP
- A few come from others sites with thumbnails and some even without
- More impressively, some of them even come from video websites that are not big platforms

I would be curious to know what kind of results you guys are getting on this? Do people clicking on the videos? How, when you’re a video website, can you be indexed by Google?

Last but not least THE big questions concerning Video market on Internet is:

1. Are you going to prioritize SERPs videos uploaded on Youtube in your Algorythm?

If Yes: (bearing in mind your ToS - mentioned above) that would mean that you will be giving more exposure to content producers who accept to license their content to you for free?

If No: What type of commitment can you offer to content producers? A Chinese wall? That could prove to be difficult!!!!

In terms of text content the situation is clear, you were not hosting it and thus got a free license. Now, with video it has become more ambiguous…

So to sum up briefly!

Google is moving towards Universal which strongly impacts SERPs.

This also impacts all online video market as videos uploaded on Youtube or Google could be better indexed thus forcing producers to upload their content on Youtube…

In the meantime, uploading videos on Youtube does not allow producers to make money out of it and more over gives Youtube a free license the producer’s video content…

So in the future, if you are a producer and you want exposure, you will probably have to produce without the intention of making money…Fame is probably the future :-)

But one thing is true, since its beginnings, the SEO game has been very closed and now with the development of Google Universal we are finally starting to open up the game and create new, exciting opportunities…

To Google : “Don’t be evil”. Don’t repeat the mistakes that MSFT did. Be transparent and share your vision even if you’re not sure about it but give directions to the market. Don’t try to dominate every single market.

Thanks and Congrats to Andy Plesser (Beet.tv)


This post is dedicated to someone I have a great respect for and of whom I am a fan…

His name: Andy Plesser (bio)
His website: Beet.tv

Beet.tv was launched in March 2006. So let me be the first to say: HAPPY-BIRTHDAY Beet.tv!

Beet.tv has become the media source talking about the video revolution we are living.

Andy is accomplishing a unique job by interviewing key players in this industry.

I have followed what he does since Bett.tv’s launch and it’s my favourite source of information for video news.

What Andy created is remarkable for two reasons:

  • First he’s demonstrating how you can create a real niche B2B media from scratch and become a unique source of content for a new industry.
  • Moreover Beet.tv is definitely the new kind of format for Journalism on the Internet: Video and a little text summary. Real multimedia content.

Andy has his own, unique style and I love what he is producing.

So for those of you who do not know beet.tv it’s never too late and you can have an overview of Andy below:

PS: Andy If you read these lines, I will be in SF for the Video Search Summit in April and would love to meet you there (I will come bearing a bottle of fine French wine… :)