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Trends To Watch for 2011: Online Video Marketing
When looking to set up an online marketing presence, Facebook and Twitter have become the go-to networks for reaching out to consumers and shaping branding, with LinkedIn close on their heels. But YouTube? Oh how soon we forget about this video marketing platform-and sites like it. Yahoo Video, Vimeo, Google Video, Daily Motion and other online video platforms should not be under estimated as viable marketing tools. Yet, many are overlooking the power of online video.
Recently, Greg Jarboe, president and co-founder of SEO-PR, asserted that most Americans watch YouTube videos more than they search Google, and a video is “50 times more likely to get a first-page Google ranking than a text page”. Such information makes video ESSENTIAL to any online marketing plan.
The value of online video as opposed to TV spots is enormous. Unlike TV, online media can be tracked- showing how many people watched, how long they watched and what brought them to the video in the first place. Such metrics provide valuable information on consumer demographic. In addition, consumers can comment on videos directly, providing instant feedback.
Your video should be focused for your consumer demographic, right down to color choices and song. Although it costs far less to make an online video than a TV commercial, don’t make it look like it costs less. Use a high definition camera and multiple takes. You want viewers to remember your video and share it, so make it high quality, interesting and transparent.
Consumers will be looking for videos that show what people really think about your product and give insight into the workings of your business. Just like other social media platforms have broken down barriers between consumer and provider, your videos should make potential customers feel like you’re willing to share everything.
As with all marketing tools, don’t rest your entire marketing strategy on online video. Video should be part of your overall strategy and integrated into it. The beauty of online media is how easy it is for consumers to share through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other networks, and you should be sharing it, too. Once you create a video, promote it on all your media platforms. Monitor the video the same way you’d monitor other social media accounts-reply to comments and delete offensive or spammy posts. Take suggestions and use them in your next video. You may even think about asking users to submit their own videos and post a few to share.
Don’t be left behind! Put on your director’s hat and let the “ACTION!” begin.
Fathom Seeking Part-Time SEM Copywriters
Are you a creative person with a knack for the written word? Would you like to learn how to write copy specifically for the Internet?
Fathom is looking for you!
We are searching for part-time Search Engine Marketing Copywriters who would enjoy a flexible work schedule. If you’re an English, Journalism or Communications grad who wants to strengthen your writing skills while learning more about the search engine marketing industry, we want to hear from you.
Activities for this position include:
- Optimize website content using search engine-specific strategies
- Generate website content for clients as needed
Qualifications:
- Associate or Bachelor’s degree (preferred), but professional Internet, marketing, advertising or journalism experience may be accepted
- Excellence in grammar, spelling and English language composition
- Strong attention to detail, with the ability to self-edit
- Experience with natural SEO and online marketing tactics preferred, but training provided
- Ability to adhere to demanding deadlines in a fast-paced environment
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office
- Ability to write in a variety of styles on a wide range of subjects
- Knowledge of AP Style a plus
Please send us a cover letter explaining why YOU are our ideal part-time Copywriter – along with your resume – to careers@fathomdelivers.com.
Qualified applicants will be sent an email questionnaire for further consideration.
**All in-person interviews will require an onsite writing exam.**
Comment: Feel free to share your thoughts.
Category: Content Creation, Fathom Company News, Online Marketing, SEO
Unforgivable SEO Content Mistakes
When writing for search engine optimization purposes it is easy to neglect your content. Targeting keywords can sometimes make it challenging to write freely, and by focusing too much on SEO, you can lose some of your content’s value. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can be sure your content matches the quality of your website.
- Not proofreading your work – While incorporating keywords into your content is important, it is also necessary to pay close attention to spelling and grammar. Poorly written content can turn potential customers away and leave them doubting your credibility.
- Making your paragraphs too long – Including large chunks of text on your website can be an easy way to incorporate keywords, but it can be intimidating to the reader. Break up text with white space, images and videos.
- Offering only generic information – If someone is interested in a product/service you offer, give them more than just basic information. They probably already know the basics; include valuable content that presents new and relevant information. It is easy to keep repeating the same information, but people want their questions answered, so use your content as a way to answer them.
- Targeting the wrong audience – By writing content that is too technical or complicated to read, you could actually be ignoring the needs of your target audience. By gathering a basic understanding of your audience, you will be able to write better content that is geared for your target market.
- Ignoring the negatives of a product/service – While pointing out the negatives in your product/service may seem like a bad idea, acknowledging the flaws allows you to maintain control of the situation. You can create content that illuminates the issue and your continuing effort to turn the negatives into positives.
- Keyword stuffing – Always a bad idea, keyword stuffing can dramatically reduce the effectiveness of your content. Readers will feel as though your content does not answer their questions or provide any value, making them distrust your brand.
If you go back to basics and focus on creating quality content, you should never run into any of these unforgivable content errors. However, if you have been guilty of any of these, take the time to correct your mistakes and avoid them in future writing.
Category: Content Creation, SEO
How To Tell When You've Completed Your SEO Project
Asking when your SEO is completed is a bit like asking when road construction in your city is finished. Roads need repaired and maintained, new shopping and housing developments pop up, more efficient traffic options need to be created. The construction is never done. Just like the Search Engine Optimization of your site. Here is why:
- Search changes. If your site was perfectly optimized for Google last year at this time and you haven’t touched it since that means that your site was last SEO’d before Google rolled out social search, the Wonder Wheel, enhanced Places Pages. Oh and Google Instant which when paired with Google Suggest probably changed the keyword phrases your target market uses. Oh wait, and the combination of social, local, personal and universal search means that I may get results that include a video for the Indian restaurant in Columbus that my cousin who I’m connected to via LinkedIn Tweets about. But you will never see that video in your search results. And there was Google Caffeine. Oh, and Yahoo! and MSN went from “also rans” to a combined force that could be driving 20-30% of your search traffic. So yes, a few things have changed.
- Your competitors change. Let’s say your SEO program went great and you increased sales 20%. Unless you are in an industry that is growing a lot that means somebody lost sales to you. So what are they doing? Upping their SEO game with more links and more content to compete against you. When you dominate search, your competitors all come after you.
- Your search terms change. This is probably the biggest mistake we see organizations make: Say a company offers roofing repair in Denver. The marketing guy says “we need to focus everything we have on the phrase ’roofing company Denver’.” After some research we find that there are 400 ways people search for roofing companies in Denver. Like “Denver’s best roofer”, “find cheap roofer Denver” and “Denver roofer accepts xyz insurance”. We target some of these phrases and then we are done right? Wrong. The next day The Denver Post runs a story about energy efficiency. Suddenly search volume on the term “energy efficient roofs in Denver” jumps. Then there is a hail storm and search volume now jumps on “Denver roofer hail damage.” Then two weeks later Congress announces that the government will offer tax credits to people who invest in their homes this tax year. And now the fine citizens of Denver start searching on “roofing tax credit.” One of our clients used to optimize on terms related to “swine flu.” Overnight, it became “H1N1″. Another client earned a spot on Oprah. Immediately after the show aired people started searching on his services plus the term “Oprah.” The meanings of words change too. “Short sale” used to be what Old Navy had when it offered discounts on pants that end above the knee. Then it meant buying a stock at 8 am and selling it at noon. Then it meant what you did to avoid foreclosure on your house. The people within your company may always call your products and services the same thing, but the rest of the world changes terminology more frequently than you would believe.
- Your prospects change. Let’s say you have a revolutionary way to treat diabetes. You work for six months on your SEO program and reach a lot of new patients. Then you stop your efforts. On the first day of month seven someone is going to be diagnosed with diabetes and will be out searching for treatment options. Stopping your SEO efforts is like saying you’re going to have a sales team for six months and then fire them all.
2011 – The Year for Internet Video
A brand new year is before us and resolutions are being made for business and personal goals.
Television, that most ubiquitous medium that is seen in most every home in America at least several days a week, should be an indicator of things to come on the Internet – growing video consumption by every age group! From instructional videos, music videos, political & social commentary videos…to product & service videos, humor videos, and videos that promote specialized visual techniques and effects artfully…web video will continue to grow and become a recognized powerhouse for communicating ideas, branding, and sales generation.
Consider these stats as you think about how your business can benefit from Internet video marketing in 2011:
- 1 billion videos are watched per day on YouTube
- 60% of web traffic today is based on video
Fathom has an entire division devoted to Internet video production. We continually improve our processes and technologies as well as devise new video strategies for our clients and their video projects with us. From concept to script creation, production to post-production to distribution, we look forward to helping your business firm achieve greater success in the new year through online video communication.
