Indianapolis Online Marketing

Cantaloupe is expanding!  You may know us best as an Indianapolis Video Production company, but we have been doing work for our clients all over the country & even outside of the country for the past 5 years.  Now we are focusing on the Windy City!  We have been creating online video for many clients in Chicago over the past year... and now we are making it more permanent - we have found a resource to represent Cantaloupe in the Chicago market! 

It wasn't an easy position to fill - we needed a great personality, with experience in the Chicago Marketing community, that had a solid understanding of the needs of online marketers.  Someone with talent and experience to build relationships with clients and enthusiastically promote our video marketing solution. 

We finally found her!  We'd like you to meet Abigail Salch.  We like to call her "Chicago Abbey"

She's a Chicago native that has been working in the marketing industry for - well, we don't want to show her age.. lets just say 10+ years.  In addition to being a marketing whiz she is an avid biker.  She recently did some crazy week long bike ride across Iowa!  ragbrai.com/

Welcome Abbey, we look forward to seeing more of you.. give her a shout if you are in Chicago, she'll be a great resource to help you with your online video marketing needs!

Over the past five years, Cantaloupe has worked with hundreds of client on thousands of online video stories. Some have been brief projects to meet specific needs, while others have been ongoing engagements. 

I received an email the other day that - to paraphrase - said: Do you still shoot and produce videos? Why, yes. Yes we do. But that's not all we do. 

Cantaloupe has evolved ('ripened' as founder Jon DiGregory would say) from our early days of shooting video for the web. We still tell compelling stories for our business and non-profit clients, but that's only one slice of what we do.

Cantaloupe has been peeling back the rhine of what makes for well produced, delivered and measurable online marketing video campaign. We've broken it down into bite sized chunks that provide an organic recipe for success.

Take a look at our 5-ingredient process that begins with strategy, moves on to production, publishing, distribution, measurement and back into strategy. Yes, Cantaloupe continues to help our clients tell compelling, authentic stories online and off, now ensuring that it closely aligns with your business goals and unique flavor.

We've talked about how to make your online marketing videos talk-worthy or prepare them to go viral (on a moderate scale). It's important to integrate stories into all of your content marketing - on your site and across social media channels where dialogue, interaction and sharing occur.

Here are five ways to create and use video stories online:

1. Determine trending topics. Relevancy is key. Leverage interest around hot topics with new, creative insights. Remember that your story has to be consistent with your brand and messages and allow this to enhance your other online and offline efforts.
2. Source stories from customers. Let others tell stories related to your product and brand. Create brand advocates and highlight the real-world impact of your product or service.
3. Incorporate a human-interest element into your videos. People are attracted to people like themselves. Be authentic and help your audience put themselves into the shoes of your customers.
4. Allow for interactions and additions. Using social media outlets as distribution channels allows your audience to interact with you and your brand. It provides the opportunity to post comments, share with friends and become personally invested. 
5. Enable easy sharing quickly and broadly. One of the major attractions of social media and online video marketing is the ability for users to share your content when and how they desire. Using a video player, such as the one included in the Backlight video management platform, that includes share features encourages and assists with the sharing of videos.

Want more tips on making video content compelling?  Contact me and we can discuss the process we use for developing a video strategy for clients, and how we do our story development process to ensure we produce engaging, compelling videos.

I just read a paper from Omniture talking about Steven Slater, the flight attendant who stormed off the JetBlue flight in dramatic fashion recently. In the post, it was noted that he has amassed 200,000 Facebook fans since the tantrum incident (more than many corporations can boast). Really? Why?

Simple. We find Steven's story fascinating. It's being described as "urban myth quality". His story is one we can relate to. It's compelling content. It has all of the attributes of good content marketing. 

To make your content talk-worthy on social media platforms, develop strong stories that are in line with your brand, including its voice, language and visuals. When you create your online marketing videos, make sure you incorporate these elements to create powerful stories that your audience wants to hear, engage with and share. 

1. Add emotion. Just telling your audience the facts about your product or service won't get them to care. Find the connection and make your product or company's story resonate with your audience.
2. Identify with the protagonist. Stories must motivate your target to connect with the man character in some way, perhaps by stepping into his shoes.
3. Memorable. Stories have a beginning, middle and end, making it easier for viewers to remember your video's message. Familiarity increases memorability, add your own twist.
4. Easily adapted. Stories can be changed and embellished by the teller to suit his or her purpose. This makes stories more dramatic and increases the audience's ability to empathize, personalize and share your message online and off.
5. Sharable. This can occur in the old fashion way where one person tells another or it can happen through social media and electronic channels. Using the proper video player to support your message will aid your video in going viral.

Want more tips on making video content compelling?  Contact me and we can discuss the process we use for developing a video strategy for clients, and how we do our story development process to ensure we produce engaging, compelling videos.

• Stick to your time allowance. Five minutes means a guess; four minutes makes a promise. 
• Begin with a positive, concrete statement. Tell them something at the start.
• Use short sentences. The man who can’t make one word do the work of two is no four-minute speaker.
• Avoid fine phrases. You aren’t there to give them an ear full but a mind full.
• Talk to the back row of your audience; you’ll hit everything closer in.
• Talk to the simplest intelligence in your audience; you’’ll hit everything higher up.
• Be natural and direct. Sincerity wears no frills.
•  Give your words time. A jumbled sentence is a wasted sentence. You can’t afford to waste on a four-minute allowance.
• Don’t fear to be colloquial. Slang that your hearers understand is better than Latin that they don’t.
• Don’t figure the importance of your job on a time basis. Four hours of thinking may go into four minutes of speaking.
• You represent the United States of America. Don’t forget it. And don’t give your audience occasion to forget it.
• Finish strong and sharp. The butterfly is forgotten as soon as he departs, but you recall the hornet because he ends with a point.

Why four minutes? That's how long it took the movie projectionists to change film reels. 

If you're an information junkie like me, you really should read more about the Four Minute Men and how they have influenced many of the things we do today on the Joyful Public Speaking Blog.

“No more long, cumbersome marketing documents – no more boring presentations. Video is how companies and business should communicate." 

That's a pretty powerful quote, especially coming from IBM. They're not talking about online commercials, rather web-based video content that helps feed information to their key audiences. They're replacing old-school business practices of creating binders of typed prose with online marketing, communication and training videos.  

We all did this exercise as children. We ask a question of an adult and get an answer. We then follow it up with "why?". Another answer from the ever-patient adult. "But why", we ask.

When did we stop trying to dig a little deeper and begin taking things at face value? I've watched clients' faces when I've put on my kid hat (not my kid voice - let's not get those confused) and asked, "but why" in a meeting.

Yes, you want to do a video about X, but why? What's the story? What's the business goal it serves? What's the objective this video or the larger online marketing campaign? Why now? What is the larger plan that this marketing video fits into? Why this particular audience (you do know who your audience is, right?)?

Answering the 'why' questions will help reveal the deeper objectives of the video and will help us craft the most effective online video for you. Ask yourself "why" when you are making decisions about your authentic video stories. Ask "why" of your coworkers when they pitch the next great story idea. And don't be afraid to ask your Cantaloupe video production team "why" when we recommend your next video strategy and series to you.

 

Mom said never to, but I just can't help it. I do. I do it as I'm skimming the shelves at the library. I do it at the grocery to figure out which can of green beans to buy. I do it on YouTube when deciding which version of the singing cats video to watch. And I do it on corporate websites when trying to figure out whether their videos are apt to align with what I am looking for.

If I do it, I'm sure others do it with your online marketing videos. Your video's thumbnail image - the "teaser" picture in your video player - is so important. It may be all your viewer uses when deciding whether to click "play". You've put in a lot of time and energy getting the video perfect, identifying the right distribution channels to get in front of your audience. Take one final step and make sure your first impression drives them to press play.

Take the following screenshots for example. Would you watch the video for any of these?

Mmmm... probably not this one. Andy looks a bit dazed and there's a not-at-all-compelling ceiling in the background.

What about this one? Although Chris is also mid-word, there's more context. He's in a more interesting setting. His title and personal style might be compelling enough for most to hit play and see what the story is.

Here's what we ultimately went with for our CantaSeries Laughter Yoga video. You kinda want to chick on it, don't you? Go ahead.

ReelSEO, a leading blog in all things online video, did a post recently on the pros and cons of self-producing your online marketing videos vs. hiring a professional firm. If you're thinking - like many of your peers - "I'll do it myself (or have the intern do it). How hard can it be?", take a gander at the balanced argument they offer.

They post comes down on the side of hiring a professional and includes the following benefits:
1. Added value & services from a partner who can bring knowledge and best practices to the table
2. Creative collaboration
3. Minimal wasted time & energy
4. Quality in line with your brand and image

They go on to conclude:
"There are really only three instances when choosing to self-produce is the best choice:
Remember: video production is only one of the hurdles to take into consideration. Learn about the five hurdles of online video during our weekly webinar.

I'm not a blond, but certainly felt like one after watching this Jamba Juice video on YouTube. Take a look and we'll chat on the other side.



A nice cold smoothie sounds so much better on a hot afternoon than a cheeseburger fresh off the grill, doesn't it? How many of you thought "hmmm... sounds kind of gross, but I might give it a try"? Really? Just me?

Ok, so how many of you ended up following the tease and clicking over to CheeseburgerChill.com? Why? Ahhh, yes... the power of an enticing video. Now that Jamba Juice has your ear, they can tell you exactly how they're different than all the other smoothie offerings out there and make you smile as they do so.

Do your online marketing videos call your viewers to take action and learn more about what you have to offer? What other examples of great attention-getting videos have you found online? Please feel free to share in the comments. If we use yours in a future post, you'll be rewarded with our undying love and thanks (who could pass that up!?!).

 Sometimes, you can catch lightning in a bottle, and more often than not, it happens organically.

If you happen to drive past the corner of Emerson and Thompson Rd on Indianapolis' southside, you will probably see Lionel Hills; a 48 year old health claims processor who rides his bike backwards while juggling or twirling sticks.

Lionel is a sensation.  He has quickly become a local celebrity, been approached by local businesses for sponsorship opportunities, and has been featured on the local news.

But here's the most impressive thing.  Lionel has a fan page on Facebook that, at the time this blog was written, has a whopping 6,259 fans.



Let's compare that to a few other popular Indianapolis establishments who are on Facebook:

ENTITY                                            # OF FANS

Peyton Manning                               9,346
Guy on Thompson (Lionel)             6,259
Rupert (from Survivor)                     4,835
Indiana Fever (WNBA)                      3,464
Indianapolis Star                              3,461

The most incredible part of this? . . . Lionel didn't try to make this happen.  

"I ride just because I love doing it and it's good exercise," said Lionel.

Ashlynn Bruner, a high school student, decided to create a fan page for him, and his history is still being written.

Here's the point:  organic, non-manufactured content is the most infectious; in video marketing and otherwise.  In today's online marketing, controlled messaging can have an adverse effect on your organization's goals.  Embrace authenticity, and let natural stories rule your content approach.

To find out how Cantaloupe TV can uses organic authenticity to enhance your web content, email me at bevans@cantaloupe.tv.  We do WAY more than website video firms. 

We all want to find the thing that motivates our employees and peers, right? How many lectures have you listened to on this topic? How many articles have you read that have covered this? How much have you retained and recalled later?

Watch the video below and see if you don't take away a little more than you ever did before.

What's changed? Ahhh, yes. The same information you've heard time and again was presented in a unique and creative fashion. Yes, presentation is important to keeping your audience's attention. The engaging visuals enhance the content being presented. It's fun and engaging.

As you create your next series of online marketing videos, take some time to think about how you can present the same old information with a creative, memorable twist. 

 This short series touches on tips for optimizing your online videos for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Some of these are second nature, but it's always worth the reminder.

Provide Excellent Content
Average time on site is a measure of success search engines take into account when determining the quality of your site. SEO is a fine art and this is just one factor, but it is a factor. The quality and relevance of content will keep people on your site and help you become more attractive to search engines.

As part of your video strategy, take into account who your ideal viewers is, what they will find to be valuable content, and what you can teach them. This is an opportunity to showcase your knowledge and skill and to position yourself as an expert. 

Although the average length of a video online is 3.8 minutes (ComScore, 2009), your video must be able to hold their attention, convey your message and achieve the online marketing goals you have set out for it... regardless of length.

This short series touches on tips for optimizing your online videos for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Some of these are second nature, but it's always worth the reminder.

Make Your Title Count
There are two main reasons why your title is important. First, a great video title can grab the viewer's attention.

Secondly, like titles to blog posts, the title of your online marketing video helps you pull powerful traffic to your site. When using appropriate keywords in your title, your page is more likely to show up higher in search engine results when people are searching on your topic. The major search engines admittedly place greater weight on keywords tied to videos than text alone. Why not take advantage of this opportunity?

To be successful in today's business environment, you need to have the right team, tools, and systems in place.  When you have all of these components in place and aligned, your company can be nimble.  Being nimble allows you to not only be quick but also agile, quick to understand, and clever.  The same concepts filter down to marketing and then again to a successful online video program.  By being nimble, you are able to get the right message to your audience at the right time, making you relevant.  Here's an example of how a group of volunteers were able to build an entire house in four hours by being "nimble".


Cantaloupe's unique process helps you be nimble with your video online marketing efforts.  We begin by helping you align video with your existing business goals, then produce a great video, publish and distribute to your audience, then finally measuring your online marketing success.  If you're ready to be a nimble online marketer, give us a call, and let us help you build a four-hour house at your business.

Although each video strategy is unique based on your goals, message, audience and company, there are three things that must be in place to create a good online marketing video.

Appealing, quality visuals. Emotion. Simple message. 

Apple has put together a series of video stories deigned to promote applications and give their loyal fans* a look behind the curtain at what makes developers get excited about offering a new service or extending an existing one.

The visuals are quality. They don't look like they were shot on a flip camera. The quality of the video matches the perceived quality of Apple's product.

You as the viewer can feel the emotion and passion the developers embody. The authentic video style lets the characters speak from the heart and give you something you can easily connect to.

With one or two characters in each segment, Apple offers a simple message. They don't talk of all their apps in one video. They keep it simple and help you, the viewer, get it.

As you watch videos online from your own company, your competitors and those seek to do personal business with, take note of which videos you like and dislike. What feels satisfying and what rubs you the wrong way. Then, see if they have these three elements. I would bet there's a strong correlation. 

*That's what we are, right? We've gone beyond being customers to being fans. They've done this through a combination of efforts, offline and online video being part of the overall marketing strategy.

"Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman not the attitude of the prospect."
~ W. Clement Stone

Today's salesman doesn't look like those of the past. Today's salesman is 2-dimensional, often electronic and is there for you 24/7. Today's salesman may very well come in the form of a website since the majority people will visit your site before your brick and mortar store or pick up the phone and talk with you.

So, what attitude will your salesman (website) present? Will he be plain and formal? Will he be the slick used-car-salesman type? Will he be sincere and genuine? How will your website/salesman convey this attitude?

Using photos, written text and web-optimized videos can work together to paint the desired picture of your company, your product and your people. Your flesh-and-blood salesman uses all of the tools at his disposal to do this and so should your website. Talk to your customers. Show them your attitude and enthusiasm. Let all of your salesmen and online marketing tools work for you.

Search engine optimization for online video (SEO) remains a hot topic in the world of online marketing. Here are a few tips & tricks to getting the most bang for your buck.

1. Make sure you use your keywords in your video's title, description and tags. The tool you use to manage your web videos should enable you to specify these pieces of information and adjust them over time.

2. Use the content of your website to support your video's SEO. Place your video on a page that makes sense to its message and tags. Let the textual content of the page reinforce the content of your video. This will make it easy for Google and the other search engines to figure out what your videos are all about and serve them up as results.

3. Target specific search phrases, not just single words. "Cupcakes with organic frosting" is better than "cupcakes" (if you're an organic bakery) or "authentic video production in Indiana" rather than "online video" (if you are Cantaloupe).

I recently read an article - paraphrased below - entitled "Ways to Build Loyalty". Most of the tips hold true on and offline marketing efforts - through textual communication, one-on-one interaction and especially online marketing videos that put a face and feeling to your message.

Marketpath's Content Management System and Video Management Software from Cantaloupe.tv provide users a more engaging experience.


Content management solution provider Marketpath, Inc. has just announced the addition of VideoHere to its SaaS web content management solution. This integration offers Marketpath users the ability to seamlessly utilize video in their web pages therefore providing highly relevant and engaging content. VideoHere allows users to point-and-click to upload, customize, embed, and track videos in their web pages. It is licensed from Cantaloupe.TV, LLC, an online video solutions company that provides an end-to-end solution for marketing with online video.

Directly from their Marketpath account, customers can easily manage a video library, add video to web pages, and track video metrics. Users can upload MP4, MOV, FLV, MPEG, WMV, and AVI videos to an online video library. Further, impressions, clicks, views, drop-offs, view times, and viral sharing can be measured so that marketers know how their videos perform.

“Adding video to web pages provides website visitors a more engaging experience and allows marketers to better meet their goals,” says Matt Zentz, CEO of Marketpath. “Studies show that 65% of viewers watch online video to completion, while less than 10% read a text-only site in its entirety. Keeping visitors glued to their content helps companies better deliver a message to their intended target.  VideoHere is a powerful tool to help ensure that our client’s audiences engage more deeply and longer on their websites.  And with Marketpath’s VideoHere integration, it is now just as easy to add video to your website as it has always been to add images and image galleries to landing pages.” 

Other added advantages of VideoHere are that an online marketer is able to enhance SEO efforts and also increase their social media footprint. VideoHere includes an out of the box tool that tags videos for search engines, and the video player includes features which allow the viewer to easily share videos with their network and post to social media outlets.

“Videos are delivered to viewers via well known and respected Content Delivery Networks, ensuring the best viewing experience possible,” says Stacy Billanti, Cantaloupe’s President. “Marketpath customers will now have an advantage over their competition by being able to effectively and easily use video in their websites. Further, they will have access to a video hosting library that is reliable and scalable to support large spikes in web traffic.”