Online advertisers have been working hard to find a balance between not annoying consumers with intrusive online ads while still fetching high ad video prices - and they may have the solution. Advertisers are citing success with bugs (the logos that appear on videos or right next to them) and tickers (the horizontal bars that run at the bottom of Internet videos), which both allow them to market without interrupting video clips.

Break.com, a humorous video site aimed at males, has found great success with their bug advertising, claiming they have almost sold out of their bug space. Their CEO Keith Rickman says bugs have been “the most effective ad unit attracting advertisers and users.” And perhaps even better, says that, “Users who frequently complain that they don’t like things haven’t complained at all.”

Think ad bugs might be a good way to speak to your target market? Let VideoBloom help you! We have a team of experienced professionals that can take your ad bug from conception to implementation.

In a continuous effort to improve VideoBloom’s platform functionality, we released several important upgrades last week:

*Multi-video upload*
Users are now able to upload more than one video at a time. Our flexible new UI allows you to upload multiple videos at a time.

*Player / Playlist skins*
Both the single-title player and the multi-title player got an updated look. The ‘powered by VideoBloom’ overlay message has been removed.

*Tags module updated*
A new Tag cloud feature on the ‘My Videos’ page will make it much easier to sort through a large number of videos.

*Auto-play feature*
The ability to set a video to play automatically when the page loads has been added to the platform. You can now have your videos playing to your customers without them even clicking a button.

*General*
Along with improvements in functionality, the platform has also been given some general usability improvements such as an increased speed for creating new account and better information, warning and error messages.

On Sunday, some of VideoBloom’s services were unavailable due to an outage from 10am to 4:00pm. Some of the VideoBloom hosted videos were unavailable during that period. We apologize for the inconvenience this might have caused, and we want you to know that we are constantly working to ensure the highest reliability for our customers.

In the same way that TV advertisers have taken to maximizing every potential inch of ad space on your TV screen (think of a typical CNN broadcast), video advertisers are starting to do the same with online video. You’ve probably already been hit with preroll, midroll and postroll ads (the ads that appear before, during and after a video) but marketers are just starting to heavily use skin ads, bugs and tickers.

Skins Ads are about to get a mainstream boost though. CBS will use skins as their primary ad format on “The Burly Sports Show,” which will be produced by Heavy.com and featured on CBSSports.com. The skin format, which features a Web video playing in a window surrounded by a graphic, has been steadily gaining in popularity. Marketers like them because they can easily switch out ads to match target markets, as well as feature multiple skins during one video; viewers like them because they are less intrusive than preroll spots.

While the advertising industry is still figuring out how to price and track the effectiveness of ad skins, Heavy.com is already reporting success. They say their click-through rate on skins is 1% - 2%, a high number in an industry that typically sees less than a fraction of a percent with other types of online ads.

Check out some skin examples at Heavy.com. Or have you seen effective ad skin at work? We’d love to see your examples.

There’s nothing worse than showing up in jeans when everyone else has on a tie.  So, when our CEO recently went to the Where 2.0 conference in San Francisco, he wanted to make sure he knew the dress code.  Fortunately, the organizers had posted Web videos of last year’s event so he was able to check out what the attendees wore on the trade show floor and in meetings.

Not only did online video answer our CEO’s question quickly and easily, the organizers saved themselves the time and energy they would have spent answering a phone call or an email.  Because attendees could see the dress code in action rather than simply read about it, their additional questions disappeared.  As did our CEO’s tie once he saw the very casual West Coast attire…

What are ways your business can use online videos to answer commonly asked questions?  We’d love to hear your ideas!

We live in an older house with lots of wood floors so when we needed a new vacuum cleaner I assumed I’d be fine with a light handheld to spot-clean the rugs.  Okay, and I’ll admit it.  I was swayed by the fact it was bright colored and everyone in the commercials looked very happy dancing with it.  Unfortunately, our cordless stick vac didn’t bring us much joy; rather it brought enough complaining that we finally decided to break down and buy another vacuum.  This time though I wasn’t going to make the same mistake – I wanted hard evidence that our new vacuum was going to work.

So, I turned to one of the best-known brands in the testing business, Consumer Reports. Known initially for their magazine, ConsumerReports.org features product testing and ratings on everything from the best house paints to GPS systems.  Online videos show testers actually testing the products so consumers can see how Consumer Reports arrived at their ratings.  In one Web video, an easy-to-assemble bathroom vanity is assembled on-screen in less than two minutes.  In another, viewers tour the “Dishwasher Lab” where testers paint plates with egg yolks before loading up dozens of dishwashers.  Other videos target specific consumer problems, such as why white wine is a worse spill than red wine and questions to ask when buying a new TV.

In each case, Consumer Reports’ online videos provide useful, interesting information that consistently brings viewers back.  What sets them apart though from the traditional how-to and what-to-buy Web videos is they also use Internet video to show the depth and breadth of their research and findings.   Consumers can see that their confidence in Consumer Reports is justified, while Consumer Reports further solidifies their brand as the go-to experts in the product-testing field.

It’s not necessary though to have expensive labs, or even lab coats for that matter, to strengthen your branding.  Part of the beauty of Web video is that businesses can show, rather than simply tell, what they do well.  Kicks4all.com, a family-friendly Martial Arts studio, uses Internet video to show a full range of students, from young kids to adults, confidently performing martial arts in groups and alone.  The Broadmoor Hotel, a five-star luxury hotel, takes potential guests on a tour of their amenities, highlighting newly expanded spa treatment rooms and renovated gardens.  And Oakwood Homes, a home building company, offers a taste of the design options available to potential buyers.  In each case, online video reinforces the businesses’ brand by simply showing the business doing what they say they will do.  And honestly, what is more powerful than that?

Which is why when it came down to it, we ended up buying a boring black vacuum cleaner that actually vacuums up dirt and crumbs.  After I watched it perform in an online video, of course.

Have an example of a company using online video to strengthen their brand?  We’d love to hear about it!  Tell us about it in the comments section…

Today I listened to Whole Foods founder John Mackey speak about the future of business. Then Deepak Chopra talked a bit on consciousness. After which I listened to Darren Aronofsky give his perspective on his film “The Fountain.” Expensive, all-day seminar? Nope. It cost me $20. And I didn’t have to leave my house.

IntegralNaked.com has harnessed the power of Web video to bring spiritual and intellectual leaders to you. Started by New Age philosopher Ken Wilber, IntegralNaked.com features the biggest names in the consciousness field discussing everything from ecology to art to politics. Subscribers pay from $20 - $500 a month to access unlimited Internet videos of these conversations, an avant-garde concert series, and the occasional performance artist.

And with over 75,000 subscribers, they are doing something right. IntegralNaked.com has been able to tap into the spiritual market while keeping their costs down. By using Internet video rather than live speakers, they can feature a range of thinkers and artists for a fraction of the normal cost. And once they have the video, it can be downloaded infinitely, opening the door to a large online video library. Best of all, their subscribers are happy. They see who they want, when they want and don’t have to pay a high-ticket price to do it.

Noetic.org also features online video access to leaders and media designed to inspire conscious change. For $10 a month, subscribers can access interviews with experts such as spiritual leader Marianne Williamson and activist Julia Butterfly Hill. What Noetic.org does differently though, is to use Web video to generate interest in their membership. Cutting together music, images and a section of a featured speaker’s talk, they create one minute, free videos designed to “shift” the viewer’s perspective.
Because the online videos are short and to the point, there’s a good chance viewers will return daily or, if it’s a topic that interests them, subscribe in order to see the full speech. As well, Noetic.org has made it very easy to embed the video code into blogs and Web sites, thereby encouraging sharing and ultimately, leading to more Web site hits.

Amazon.com is also in on the action, showcasing exclusive videos and interviews from big name stars. They have Paul McCartney strumming his ukulele, Willie Nelson’s newest video and an exclusive interview with, none other than, Hannah Montana. The videos and interviews generate buzz for soon-to-be released CDs and DVDs (and up pre-sales) while giving people a reason to check back often.

While you may not have access to A-list celebrities, most industries have accomplished people that are happy to give interviews for the chance to promote their product. Posted on your Web site, they help establish you as a guru in your field and again, increase traffic through your Web site.

Have you profiled any big names successfully? Tell us about it and we may feature you in an upcoming newsletter.

Okay, I admit it.  I have a bit of an addiction.  I love my craft magazines.  Show me how to create a stuffed owl out of a pair of socks and googly eyes and I’m busy all weekend.  Want to know 12 uses for your discarded light bulbs?  I can find you 15.  And I’m not the only weekend hobbyist who loves her niche magazines.  There are trade magazines that cater to RV enthusiasts, flyfishers, scrapbookers, even bloggers.

While magazines are a great way to get in front of your target audience on a consistent basis, for most companies, the time and costs of creating, printing and distributing are prohibitive.  Enter the online niche magazine.  Web video magazines allow you to quickly and easily cover a range of topics and highlight your products in a useful, informative way.  Best of all, it costs a fraction of the time and money you’d invest in a hard copy magazine.

“The Fit Show,” Bodybuilder.com’s online video magazine, has taken the world of bodybuilding and made it accessible to weekend warriors and hardcore athletes alike.  By offering short (1-2 minute segments) on a variety of topics from weight lifting to nutrition, they appeal to a diverse bodybuilding audience.  And because video is portable, they can show proper weight lifting form in a gym and proper cooking techniques in a kitchen, allowing them to show, not just tell.

Their Web video show also keeps people coming back to their Web site.  “The Fit Show” is chock-full of interesting, value-added information for bodybuilding enthusiasts.  They offer a training tip of the week, which features big name bodybuilders demonstrating the proper form of weight lifting techniques and insider tips.  They interview celebrity athletes, offering an inside look into their lives and training schedules.  As well, they feature a “Posing Routine of the Week” (which I’m pretty sure I saw flaunted last week at my local 24 Hour Fitness).

Because the format of each Internet video episode stays the same, viewers know what to expect and can return weekly for new tips and poses.  By building continued rapport with their audience, Bodybuilding.com establishes itself as the expert in their field and gives them multiple opportunities to turn viewers into buyers.

Bodybuilder.com does a great job of promoting their products (and ultimately, making money from their Web video) in a soft sell manner.  Their segment, “What’s Hot at Bodybuilding.com” features different supplements, wallpapers and nutrition plans that, you guessed it, Bodybuilding.com sells.  They highlight the features and benefits of each product and answer commonly asked questions.   Because the product highlights are just another segment of a larger show, they feel informative and helpful rather than sales-y.

They also promote other parts of their interactive Web site, which includes a myspace-style networking forum, articles, blogs and contests.  Viewers are encouraged during segments to enter contests for “Best Amateur Bodybuilder” or “Best Supplement of the Year,” as well as give feedback on episodes.   They even have a specific forum to chat about the just-watched show.  They give viewers multiple opportunities to participate in their community, as well as multiple reasons to return.

Have you created an online video magazine?  We’d love to check it out.  Share your link in our comments section and we may even feature it in an upcoming post.

Last year I decided to buy my boyfriend a digital camera for his birthday. Rather than tromping through a bunch of different stores, I figured I’d leisurely make my (informed) decision from the comfort of my couch. But, as I started clicking through the tech-related Web sites, I could feel my enthusiasm turning to panic. Between the ISO’s, Megapixels and image processors, all the cameras started looking the same, separated only by price. In the end, I did what any reasonable tech novice would do - I tromped through a bunch of different stores.TigerDirect.com aims to ease this type of online buying experience with a series of Internet videos that recreate the experience you’d have at your local store. General information videos walk buyers through what to look for when buying a product, break down the tech specs into understandable language and show the purpose of all those dials and buttons that most of us have never used. More specific Web videos feature TigerDirect.com’s best sellers and have a “salesperson” that takes you through the individual product’s features and benefits.

By using online video, TigerDirect.com is able to literally bring the salespeople to the customer. They anticipate shopper’s questions and answer them in an easy-to-understand manner, which means that shoppers don’t have to leave their Web site (or chairs) to find answers or ultimately, make their purchase.

Similarly, Buy.com demystifies the tech buying experience with their BuyTV segments. Designed as an online news magazine, their hosts do everything from rate movies and CDs to teach you the best way to network your home for wireless Internet. They feature “Top Ten” segments, which highlight the best products in specific categories, such as electronics, cameras, and even kid’s toys. They also give a rundown of specific products, offering insight into why a product may or may not be the right choice.

With friendly hosts and access to large tech events, Buy.com is able to use Web video to create rapport and trust. They give buyers the inside scoop on technology trends and new products and firmly establish themselves as technology experts. And because Internet video is easy to produce, they can meet customer’s needs by looking at products in different ways, for example: where it ranks on their Top Ten list, individual features and manufacturer demonstrations.

In both cases, TigerDirect.com and Buy.com have tapped into a way to make money from online videos by adding value to their customer’s experience and making it easier for shoppers to make informed decisions quickly. Shoppers are more inclined to become buyers thanks to short, informative Web videos. And I’ve got to say, that is a lot easier and more attractive than running around to every store in town.

Are you using Web video to help your customers make decisions? Tell us all about it in our comments section.

In the past, if you wanted to tone up and de-stress, it usually involved a commute to the local yoga studio, paying a hefty class fee and then struggling to find space for your mat. No longer. YogaLearningCenter.com decided to harness the power of online video by introducing an online video library of yoga and meditation practices. For $7 a month, subscribers can access videos based on teacher, experience level, and the benefit they want to achieve (weight loss, stress reduction, etc).

For subscribers, it’s an easy, fast way to get results, or peace and quiet. YogaLearningCenter.com has short yoga videos that are designed to do at your desk or quick meditation practices to center you before you ask for your big raise. They also offer an easy way to upload the videos to your iPod so you can take your yoga on the road (although, then you really don’t have an excuse for not exercising).

What makes YogaLearningCenter.com so successful is that they were able to take a niche market and use online video to make it cheaper, easier and more interesting. They saw that people wanted the flexibility of working out in their homes but didn’t want to have to watch the same DVD over and over. Because online video is so much cheaper to produce than DVDs, they were able to meet this need and frequently expand their content and even niches (they are planning on moving into Pilates this next year) while still making money with their online videos.

DanceTutor.com similarly took dance classes and put them in an easy-to-use format online. Knowing that people want to learn at their own pace and might need more time and instruction than a class can provide, they use online videos to break down dance steps into easy-to-learn steps. Again for a flat $7 a month fee, subscribers can learn dances from the Lindy Hop to Salsa to Tango.

The advantage of the online video is that viewers can watch the same dance steps over and over again, until they really get it - something that might be a bit draining for even the most patient teacher. And with supplemental diagrams and written instructions, students truly have all the teaching tools they need at their fingertips. The only excuse wannabe dancers have left is just that – two left feet.

Know of a cool company that is using online video to make their niche market more accessible? Post it in our comments section and we may just feature them in an upcoming post.