Photo via CNN.com
Register as trendy but true: In 2010, online video will be the revolutionary marketing tool for entrepreneurs.
According to the latest statistics from comScore. This represents a staggering 2 billion jump in total video views compared to the previous month.
Multimedia is an increasingly powerful way for small businesses and startups to build trust and brand awareness. You don’t need a TV studio and a teleprompter to put together short, informative videos that highlight your expertise and help you stand out from the competition.
For most entrepreneurs, a simple trinity will do: a portable camera, a tripod, and a white board.
The key adds value. Video is becoming a killer marketing ploy for companies looking for true utility—offer quality information on a timely topic and, more often than not, you’ll be rewarded.
If you’re really lucky, that award will be some serious love on one of the busiest news sites in the world.
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CNN: go big or go home
The demand for quality video and citizen journalism has opened up an exciting new space for entrepreneurs.
Citizen journalism sites like CNN I report and MSNBC First person allow ordinary citizens to post videos and photos on a variety of topics. Submissions range from humble nonsense to breathtaking commentary.
These video sites present a great marketing opportunity for companies looking to take things a step further and develop content based on education and analysis.
The beauty is that these are not social spaces run by Digg nerds and social marketers who can easily manipulate success. The video equivalent of a link bait is unlikely to be a big hit on a site that is flooded with thousands of leads every day.
This does not mean that it is impossible to make an article viral. Just ask David Siteman Garland.
Rise to the top of CNN
In the middle of January we published our first iReport part for one of our satellite companies. We took a journalistic approach with a three-minute video that explores the new rules for mortgage lenders and their potential impact on homebuyers.
We chose this approach also because we have a former journalist on our staff. This is not a requirement for success here. These civic news sharing sites welcome all kinds of videos, be it a comment, an opinion, a review, or any other snippet that conveys information.
A few weeks later, I suggested the iReport route to our friend David Siteman Garland, who runs a phenomenal marketing site. Climbing to the top.
Now David releases quality videos every day, so this concept was not foreign. But he soon proved how a combination of quality content and hot trends can send your website into the stratosphere in terms of traffic.
The day before the big Apple iPad announcement, David published an article in iReport about how a yet-to-be-released device can save the dying publishing industry and support innovation and entrepreneurship.
The next day, a CNN producer called him about five minutes before Steve Jobs took the stage and asked David if he would make another video after the announcement. He agreed, and soon his second iReport article became the top hit on the CNN Tech page and a prominent link on the CNN home page.
We’re talking about a site that averaged 1.7 billion page views per month in 2009.
David’s success is still the exception. But here are five tips to improve your chances on public journalism sites like iReport CNN:
-Use the trend
You are much more likely to get the attention of network producers if your material is timely. Follow trends and news and look for ways to share your experiences or ideas. iReport CNN also has an “Appointment” table which requests materials on specific, ever-changing topics.
– Create quality content
A video created with minimal planning and poor execution is doomed from the start. Find a way to connect with viewers and explain why this topic or your comment is important to their lives or their wallets. Take the time to write the script, or at least be clear about why your understanding is key at this particular point in time.
-Exude skill
Items that appear overly promotional in nature are likely to fail. Most of these citizen journalism sites require producer approval before material can appear on the company’s front page or even on air. Don’t turn it into a walking pamphlet; Bet on the position of an authority or expert when presenting your topic and your opinion.
– Engage in self-promotion
However, there are ways to ensure your brand is known. Make sure you clearly mention your company at the beginning and possibly at the end of the article. Provide contact information such as an email address or company website so that viewers with questions can ask more questions. You can also paste links into the small text area below the video player on some of these sites.
-Kicking the (electronic) pavement
Pump up your twips and light up your other social media hubs. Tag your website as “As Seen by CNN iReport”. Driving traffic to your video can also get the attention of producers and other influencers in your industry and beyond. In turn, use your video snippets to leverage new content and post gigs.
Nathaniel Broughton – President GrowthPartner.com, a unique firm that provides business investment and online marketing expertise to growing companies. A veteran internet marketer, Broughton and his team have built three separate Inc. list companies over the past five years. 500.
