TurnHere Blog

We’re excited to release the findings of our first-ever report on the current use of online video by brands and agencies and what the future holds for the medium.  The results confirmed what many in the online space have said: online video is a big deal now and in the coming 12 months.  In fact, online video was ranked as the highest priority for marketers in the next 12 months, surpassing both email and search marketing.

The survey participants are marketing decision makers at both brands and agencies ranging from small boutique firms to publicly traded, Fortune 500 companies.

Some of the top findings are:

• Online video is the top marketing priority for 2010, edging out both email and search marketing
• Companies are experimenting across a wide range of video marketing: 57% have created branded video; 40% have used video for product or service demos, and 37% for customer or employee testimonials
• Branded content is the preferred online video type with the highest use among all video formats, the highest overall satisfaction levels and the highest likelihood of future use

To see the rest of the findings download your free copy of the report here (PDF). No registration or email address required.

Research firm eMarketer just put out a new report that analyzes the growth and development of digital video advertising. Titled Digital Video Advertising: Where’s the Money?, the report offers some interesting figures that simultaneously give us confidence for the future of the industry, as well as a little perspective.

So, first for the perspectiveWith all the focus on the skyrocketing growth of online video and the promise of this new marketing channel, it’s all too easy to think of the traditional TV ad spot as an obsolete dinosaur, close to extinction. However, the report showed that TV advertising isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and it still dwarfs its online counterpart. According to David Hallerman, eMarketer senior analyst and author of the report, for every $1 spent on Internet video ads in 2009, marketers will spend $65 on TV commercials.

But now, like other recent industry reports, this paper shows that online video advertising is growing, and growing fast. According to eMarketer’s figures, 2008 witnessed a huge burst in growth over 125%. Yet, eMarketer does not consider that phenomenal growth rate to continue; the report projects the growth will taper to 40% year-over-year growth for the next four years, and then “fall” to 30% growth in 2013. Although these forecasts anticipate a slow-down in growth rates, I’m guessing that many industries would be pretty happy to see 40% (even 30%) growth each year.

Perhaps no industry needs potent marketing more than the publishing industry. A 132% increase in books published from last year has created significant hurdles to getting readers attention. And publishers and authors must turn to creative forms of marketing that appeals readers sensibilities and interests, that presents them with engaging content. With its ability to tell a story and create a personal connection with viewers, web video has become book marketers new best friend.

For the past three years, publishers have turned to TurnHere to create short, cost-effective author and book videos , and distribute them to key online destinations not just publishers web sites and YouTube, but also book-centric sites like BarnesAndNoble.com, Powells.com, Goodreads, reader social networks, etc. Authors have used these videos to connect with readers, book national TV appearances, promote their books online, and distinguish themselves from the pack not an easy feat online. Web video accomplished this not by pushing the books in hard-sell fashion, but by giving book-lovers content that is interesting to their fans: personal, first-person video stories that strive for a genuine connection between author and viewer.

And authors and publishers are learning that good video doesnt require expensive scripting, actors or sets. All you need is one, good compelling story to tell. Stories drive an emotional exchange between viewer and author and are more likely to engender a commercial exchange at one point or another. I encourage anyone who doubts the power of video to read just one of the many impassioned comments left below the video of author Alison DuBois. Readers respond to the video not in phrases but in paragraphs, and they write directly to the author because they truly feel connected to her. The visually and emotionally rich landscape of the video makes it all possible.

So why again should a book publisher, chiefly concerned with the sale of printed media (for now), be considering online video?

First, video works. This past month, Google/DoubleClick found that online video is four times more effective than other forms of online media at raising consumer purchase intent. Whats more, eMarketer reports that video ads are three times more effective than banner ads, which consumers have trained themselves to ignore. And for publishers concerned with making their titles more visible on the Web, research shows that a webpage with a video is 50 times more likely to appear on the first page of search results than a similar webpage without video (Forrester).

Second, marketers must give readers what they want. Over 80% of all web users watch video, and YouTube is the second largest search engine out there, right behind its parent Google. Simply put, consumers are defining the Web in terms of video. When they want to learn something, often their first inclination is to find a video about it. But video not only ensures that readers will discover a book, it also offers them a compelling reason to stick around and learn more.

Captivating the viewer is where video presents a tremendous advantage. With its unparalleled ability to tell a story, entice the viewer with rich visuals and narratives, and hold attention, video is the most effective mechanism for getting the busy millennial book-lover to sit still and interact with an author or a book online. And whereas banner ads and text ads can only inspire a click-through, video leads to deeper engagement that in turn is more likely to lead to a purchase.

Welcome to TurnHere’s new blog. Were excited to share with you our take on how online video is changing the way people and businesses connect with one another online. Thats what makes the online video world so exciting to us. If youre interested in online video as much as we are, stay tuned; well be covering everything we love about the online video space from the latest news to video SEO tips, to a series of interviews with thought web leaders talking about the evolution of content and how we consume it online (including of course video).

Before we really dive in though we wanted to give you just a quick overview of who we are and what role we play in the online videoverse. TurnHere is an online video production and advertising company that makes great online video for businesses of all sizes, from Joe’s Pizza in Brooklyn to Fortune 500 companies like NBC, AT&T and many others. We do this in a very cost-effective way by leveraging a network of more than 8,000 professional filmmakers around the world who shoot locally using a documentary style aesthetic to keep production quality high with low overhead.

We like to think of our videos as a new way of reaching people online in an engaging way that meets their information need. A complete departure from traditional 30-second TV spots. You can read more about us here if you’re inclined.

We think the production and distribution of video needs more conversation. Too often the current conversation devolves into a discussion about pre-roll ads and IAB units and CPMs. Important conversations to have to be sure, but ones that exclude the customer/end user and their needs. Video is at its best when it operates in the permission-based world inspired by the “play” button. By focusing on how to meet the expectation behind that click while fulfilling the needs of the business we can create a new way of communication between people and companies. And, creating value for everyone along the way.

We hope you join us here for that journey!

The TurnHere Team