World Copywriting Blog

We Are On The Dawn Of A New Era In Web-Based Video - Here's A "Sneak Peek" At The Next Generation For Marketers

Is YouTube over the hill?

That would be stretching it, but for marketers, a couple of developments I've learned about in the last couple days seem to have leaped to the forefront of online video technology, leaving YouTube in the dust.

This is extremely important for anyone marketing on the Internet. Why? Because just as more and more advertising and shopping has moved to the Web in recent years, more and more marketing and selling will move from html Web pages to dynamic, full-motion video.

Up until now, frankly, using online video has been a real pain in the butt. You have had to learn the skills of a professional video editor, complete with heavy-duty programs like Sony Vegas or Final Cut Pro to get anything decent working online.

Or, you could pay a small fortune to a video services firm to do it for you.

No longer.

Check out first: Keything. I spoke briefly with one of the founders, Scott Dennison, today. I'll be talking with him and his team more next week, but I wanted to get you information right away so you can be ahead of the crowd.

Keything has a suite of video solutions that make it a snap to shoot video and have it ready to go on your site in a couple of steps that require no training or patience whatsover!  Take a look at VideoPaste. There's a link in the center of the homepage.

The second service is just as amazing. One very advanced Web video user exclaimed "this is just what I've been looking for!" when I showed it to him.  I've spoken with the founders, Brad Hunstable and Johnny Ham, and seen a very impressive demo.

It's called Ustream. It's almost unbelievable when you get into what's available: free streaming video and audio over the Internet.  Just hook up a camera and mic, or a Web cam, and go! I've never seen this available anywhere before.

I'm going to look into both programs - Keything's offerings, and Ustream - further in the weeks ahead, so stay tuned for more.

But whatever you do, don't miss out on this video revolution. There's dollars and market share at stake - in serious configurations.

David Garfinkel
Publisher, World Copywriting Newsletter

WATCH THIS SPACE: Google on the Cusp of Reinventing TV Advertising, One Click At A Time

I've been telling you for a while that the revolution in direct response advertising is going on right under your nose -- if, that is, you put your nose above your computer screen whenever you do a Google search.

More proof yesterday in San Francisco, where Google CEO Eric Schmidt told a technology conference that Google is planning to get as much "licensed content" as possible onto its $1.65 billion acquisition, YouTube.

This from an article by Jonathan Thaw of Bloomberg News. Infuriating as it is, the only place I could find the article was in the print edition of the San Francisco Chronicle, so sorry to say, I can't give you a link.

Anyway, back to what Mr. Schmidt said.

That was all well and good, about the licensed content, and more or less expected.

But here's the interesting part, buried at the end of Mr. Thaw's article:

The way Google will make money with YouTube is through targeted ads.  Though Schmidt wisely refused to be too specific, he did let slip that "Very targeted ads are very, very valuable."

And, Mr. Thaw reports, "Television is one industry where that thinking could be applied, Schmidt said."

Not idle chatter. Google is currently hiring people with television industry experience.

Google, along with Craigslist, has pretty much reinvented classified advertising.  Why not TV advertising next?

Keep your eye on this one.  I will.

David Garfinkel
Publisher, World Copywriting Newsletter