If you are an online marketer you know how important it is to market your business, services or products.  With video becoming one of the hottest ways to market it is wise to consider converting your articles into videos.

There are several ways you can convert your articles into videos.  One way is to use a program called Camtasia.  If you are not familiar with this program it can be a bit confusing as well as costly.  Another method that is cost effective is a program that will easily convert your articles into videos for you.  By simply choosing music, some photos and your article you will soon be on your way to marketing your articles through video.

The program I am referring to is called GFX video writer.  Not only is it cost effective but it is not difficult to use at all. Article marketing is a great way to market your business.  This program comes with a variety of features such as fonts to choose from, backgrounds, slide transitions and more.  Converting your past articles that may be accumulating space on your computer or possibly were forgotten can be given new life with this program.

Marketing your business online can be done in several ways, article writing, article distribution, audio, and of course video, my favorite.  Now you can combine all into one and add another form of marketing.  Try it and let me know how you like it.

As mentioned in the last post, I will be sharing different video platforms that are available.  This particular platform is quite interesting.  Veeple has recreated their embed codes to feature SEO friendly content.  In simple terms, the embed code will include your title and key words.

Veeple is another video platform available for individuals that use videos for presentations and for their websites.  The platform itself is not free but does offer a 30-day trial period.  Some of the features that Veeple provides is unlimited uploads and branding of your video player.

The latest news with Veeple is the feature that allows you to insert key words and titles in your description.  The key words and titles are then automatically incorporated into the embed codes of your videos.  How does this help you? With the key words included into your embed code, the search engines will find your videos easier.  Ultimately your goal is to market your products or services via video and Veeple provides that option with this new feature.

It is wise to do your research when looking for video players and avenues to market your video.  There will be pros and cons to every platform available.  Sure there are free ones available and those are perfect for many but for those who want more such as brandable players there are many options.

We will continue to research the different platforms and share the information here for you.

There are several video platforms available and the one we will focus on today is Vimeo.

Vimeo is a place that you can upload your videos for others to view.  Many times if you leave your videos on your hard drive it may slow down the working functions of your computer.  If you have a website that is self-hosted many times you will not have enough storage space for your videos, so platforms such as Vimeo are available.

Vimeo provides a free service to upload your videos for personal use.  If you plan to use your videos for commercial purposes or sales, you must read the fine print since it is frowned upon.

Vimeo has an online community that you are invited to join when you sign up to use the services of this platform.  The community is a great way to meet other people with similar interests and view other videos.  Joining the community is also another way to promote the videos you may upload to this platform.

Vimeo also provides the option to embed your video to your site or other platforms. The free version of Vimeo allows you to change the size and color of the embedded frame.  There is an option called Vimeo Plus that you can choose that will allow you to have complete control of the embedding options.

Vimeo is a great option for those interested in simply embedding videos to sites or blogs.  The community although small, seems to be growing.  Next time we will discuss another video platform available for your videos.

Have I got your attention yet? Good!  When you are venturing out into the world of video making there are some things to keep in mind.

1.  Lighting is very important and can vary from location in your home to outdoors.  Determine the best lighting by shooting different shots in different locations and choose the one that will benefit you and your audience the most.

2.  Length of videos is not as important but of course if you want to keep your audience alert and focused on your message, use the KISS method.  Keep it short and sweet.  Some will argue on the length but some of the best videos are simply 3 to 4 minutes and sometimes shorter

3.  Be aware of your surroundings, yes, the one you have been waiting for.  Please, please look around before you decide to shoot a video.  For instance if you are trying to relate an important message via video, don’t do it in your messy bedroom or messy garage.  Pick a place that will not distract from your message.  Can you imagine trying to send out a message while someone is dancing in the background.  Can you say, distracting?

4.  Be creative.  If you want your videos to stand out and be memorable, plan them out.  Some of the best videos I have seen have been done off the cuff, but others have been planned and executed and have been very impressive.  You may consider a backdrop or music to enhance your video although it is not necessary. Whatever you choose, have fun and try not to take it to seriously.

Have you thought of using videos to market your business or service?  If not, it’s time to start.  If you have an onlinebusiness or offline for that matter using video as a marketing tool is a wise choice.

Although there are many that will want to read more about your business or service, the majority are enticed by visuals. Don’t believe me?  Sit for one afternoon and simply count all the commercials and infomercials that are broadcasted daily. This same concept can be applied to your business.  Adding videos to your marketing plan will help your market and community connect with you.

It is difficult to express emotion with words, although there are many that can do it successfully.  With the use of video, your viewer will instantly connect with your emotion and passion.  You don’t have to go to the extreme as such individuals on infomercials but simply describing your product or service is a way to connect with your audience and ultimately your customer base.

A few points to keep in mind when using video to market your business or service:

- Don’t be too flashy:  it may work for some on television but you don’t want to categorized as a infomercial salesman type

- Be honest: your audience, target market, customers and clients will be able to detect instantly if you are not being honest, perhaps some may not right away but ultimately they will.

- Be clear: when using video be sure to be clear in both the quality of the video itself and in your appearance and words

- Be concise:  keep your videos short and sweet, many will disagree on length of video clips, so the best bet is to determine how long you will sit through a video and gage your videos to that length.  Many will not sit for more than 3 minutes and you don’t want to lose the attention of your market.

Ultimately, using videos as a marketing tool is a smart and innovative idea that many are using.  What are you waiting for? Start today!

We all know that the use of videos is not new, especially when promoting a product.  However, did you know that by including a video to your site your amount of sales can actually increase?  Although many will not necessarily watch the video, simply having the option to view a video is a plus.

Including a video on your site of a product you are selling or promoting will give the consumer two viewpoints:

1.  The trust factor is increased – the client or customer will trust you the company or business owner more if you are willing to place a video on your site.  It also shows that you believe in what you are selling and are willing to promote it on your site with the use of videos.

2.  You care -  investing in the time to include a video as well as explanations, examples, testimonies, etc of a product you are selling or promoting will tell the consumer that you care about your site, and your product.  You will be viewed as more reliable and your sales will increase.

When implementing the use of a video on your site, you may want to consider the following:

1.  Add a link for the view to click on to view the video

2.  Embed the actual video to your product page

Embedding your video to the product page will actually generate a higher view rate. Although both options are great, when given the option of clicking on a link or viewing right away the later is more effective.  Also take into consideration the display format of your video; the most common spot is above the page fold.

Another point to keep in mind is a very important one.  We all know that including videos will increase your view rate but just as creating good content, it is wise to create quality videos as well.  No one wants to view a poor quality video, which can actually be detrimental to your site and product.  Remember quality is best in all mediums.

Have you ever wondered if you should use free video hosting?  If you are unsure I will explain the pros and cons below to help you decide.

Everyone is aware of sites such as YouTube.  YouTube is a a huge video hosting site.  It actually works like a search engine and can help in the building of your brand and exposure.  It also has the ability for others to embed your videos on their sites, blogs or social networking sites, which can help build your traffic.

Although all the above is great for your branding and exposure there are some negative points to using free video hosting.  Using a free video hosting site may not be free after all.  It is important to read the fine print in the terms of service of such sites.  YouTube’s terms of service states that you can upload your video to their site, however you are also granting them permission to use your video and content in whatever fashion they desire.

If you are concerned about branding you may want to reconsider the use of such free hosting sites, because they will include all their branding logos on all your videos.  That is in essence free advertisement for them.  If you embed one of your videos on a company site, for instance you have now created a permanent link back to the free hosting site in this case, YouTube.

Another drawback to using free video hosting sites such as YouTube is the related videos that are automatically attached to the end of each of your videos.  If you are trying to create sales of a certain product that you are demonstrating on a video which you have uploaded to YouTube, you will risk the chance of promoting a competitor at the end of your video.  Not a good idea for all your efforts.

YouTube is like any other social networking site, it is considered an entertainment site, which in some cases is not a negative.  However, if you are promoting a service or a product to a large corporation, this may not big a good idea. Many large corporations will block entertainment sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube which will hinder your chances of being noticed.

In essence, free video hosting sites are great to attract traffic to your site, where you can then share other videos or information.  If your goal is to market a product, or service you may consider a different video hosting site and not a free one.

We all know that in order to succeed with an online business or any business for that matter you must stay connected. With an online business staying connected is the foundation of building long-lasting relationships that can lead to sales, partnerships, networking and more.  Since I enjoy videos, and I’m sure you do as well, why not stay connected with video emails?

Instead of the same old text email, which is still very effective, use a video to convey your message.  The difference of viewing and hearing your message supercedes that of a text.

You can use a video email to promote a new project, new website, promotion or simply a way to connect.  Some have incorporated videos into their newsletters as well.  You can make the videos as long or as short as you like.  Remember that the attention span of most is not very long.  Most videos are between 3 and 4 minutes in length unless they are educational or music videos.

Video in email is a fast growing trend and the increase in click through rates can be as much as two to three times.  Some things to keep in mind if you intend to incorporate videos into your emails:

- Respect your audience’s time..keep the videos short and sweet (try to keep them less than 2 minutes)

- Incorporate a tracking system to determine the click-to-view of the videos

- Be creative and use the videos to grab their attention, don’t overuse the video system

- Don’t add large or extra large animated GIF’s – {those are annoying}

- Most importantly..have fun and experiment

Next email you send consider adding a video for more impact, you’ll be amazed at the response.

In order to generate results from your online video ads and compete with the larger organizations there are some tips you must keep in mind.

- Don’t be complicated, in other words, ‘keep it simple’.  When creating a video ad, it is important to keep it simple, and to the point.  In order for your video to be viewed and become a successful ad, it is important to be concise and remove excess text.

- Stay on topic.  It is very easy to divert from the subject but you must stay on track.  Your video ads must be specific, offer some sort of benefit such as a discount, in order to resonate to your audience.

- Incorporate visuals that are attractive.  When choosing graphics for your videos it is important that those graphics will express a relevant message.  It is wise to choose clean and simple graphics that are more appealing to the eye.

- Test and test again. It is wise to experiment and be creative with your message.  Make a video ad and test it out before investing a large portion of your budget until you know the response you will get.  Change the visuals, your text, your call to action or promotion and keep track of the visits. If you find your message is not being displayed appropriately, then you must try again.

- Monitor the length.  Although there isn’t a specific length to the best video or video ad, it is wise to keep it short and concise in order for your video ad to be successful.  Too often you are enticed by a video, only to find out in the end that it is an advertisement of some sort.  Experiment and visit several video ads on your own, take note of the items that attracted you to the particular video ad and incorporate the same into yours.

The never ending question seems to be: ‘Is my video too long?’  Do we have a chart that we must follow that details the  appropriate length of a video?  The answer is obviously ‘No’.  However, the latest statistics show that the average length of an online video is 3 to 3.5 minutes.  However, we have come across videos that vary in length.  This is evident from the videos we are attracted to on YouTube and even some clips found on Hulu.com.

We’ve always heard that in order to keep the attention of your audience that less is more.  The entire concept of making videos is to entertain or to attract your market to your service or product.  But lengths of videos will vary depending on the message you are trying to send out.  In order to know the answer to the length question is to test out your videos.  View the statistics of your longer videos vs the shorter videos.  Another solution is to re-cut your video and reduce the length by 30%.  Most importantly you want to keep track of the views of your videos.

If you find that your video is longer that anticipated, perhaps you can shorten it by adding sequels.  If your information cannot be condensed to 3 minutes; make several videos with a Part 1, 2 and 3 if needed. You need to keep in mind that you want your audience to be enticed, intrigued and simply interested in watching your video.  The last thing you want is for them to fall asleep, continuously yawn and completely forget you and your message.

Be creative by adding background music, text within the video or breaks with messages.  Keep your audience alert and they will enjoy your videos and come back often.  Most importantly they will remember your message and share that message with others, which of course is your ultimate goal.