Results

As a means of corporate communication, Web video is relatively new. Although YouTube has been in existence for more than two years, it has been primarily used as a form of entertainment for young, Web-savvy video sharing enthusiasts. However, because of the site’s usability and popularity, it was only a matter of time before YouTube, and others like it, would add commercial use to the list of possibilities created by video sharing.

As a nascent brand positioning tool, the full potential of Web video remains to be realized. It is possible to capitalize on this potential by learning how to use this tool. Keeping in mind the following points will help you navigate the difference between the old and the new.

1. Web video is not a commercial.
If you market your company in a Web video the same way you would for a television commercial, you will not be maximizing the low-cost, do-it-yourself atmosphere of the Web. With Web video, a good idea will trump a slick advertising budget any day of the week. By no means does this imply that you should forsake quality—merely that you can accomplish a whole lot more for a great deal less with Web video.

2. Web video tends toward a viral, rather than a blanket effect.
Instead of advertising from a single distribution point, Web video is all about distribution and re-distribution…and then more re-distribution. The number of viewers a Web video generates is proportional to how interesting it is.

3. Creativity is the key to successful Web video.

Whether people are inspired to watch your video with music, or humor, or an emotionally compelling story, the videos that get passed around and re-watched are the ones that depict something no one has seen before. Want to stand out from your competitors? Use a forum that is new to say something about yourself in a way that no one else can. It may not be as easy as it sounds, but if you can do it, it is worth the effort.

Web video, if produced with an eye toward its potential, can be a very powerful marketing tool, and can communicate your brand in a way that simple text or two-dimensional ads never could. If Web video is part of your overall search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, it can also help boost your search engine rankings and make your entire Web site more visible.