
Video is the Magic Method for SEO Domination
Self-Hosted Video is Too Expensive
Keeping Videos Short is Best
Video Distribution is Better than Self-Hosted Video
Creating Quality Video is Costly and Complicated
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Posted on 16 November 2012 by Guest Author

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Posted on 13 February 2012 by Guest Author
Using YouTube to get traffic to your website is one of the best ways to try out multimedia skills and to reach a new audience. YouTube videos allow you to become “real” to your audience in a way that you aren’t just when they are simply reading your words.
To make the most of the YouTube video, you will need to make sure that you select the title and keywords properly; use the screen properly; provide legitimate information; and produce a network of videos, you should begin to see a traffic spike from your YouTube account to your website.
YouTube’s search uses keywords just as search engines do. While it may be tempting to name your video something catchy or clever, make sure that you add the most relevant keywords. A video about “cooking gluten-free food” should have that phrase in the title. When you choose keywords, try to imagine what people will search for that would be in your video. Making sure that the people watching your video are the intended audience is necessary to use this method of traffic generation.
Some people who make YouTube videos for their sites are blatant about the sales pitch. Don’t be one of those video producers. Putting your URL or company name at the bottom of the screen or putting your name and title under your photo will give you a marketing boost without intruding on the viewing. Use the 10 seconds after the video ends asking viewers to go to your site, like you on Facebook, or do something else quick and easy as a follow-up.
Videos on YouTube should be no longer than 10 minutes. Though the site currently allows users to post videos that are longer, you generally should avoid it. Most people who are browsing videos online are looking for something short and sweet. They want quick information. Get to the point of the video quickly and then end it; drawing it out only means that people will click another video before you are done.
Give viewers solid information but leave them with enough questions that they want to seek you out. The best way to accomplish this task is to have each video address a small question. For the aforementioned “cooking gluten-free food” video, address a simple question. Explaining what gluten is, the affects of eating gluten on people with celiac, or what gluten-free breads are best allow you to answer the needs of the viewer but leave them wanting to know more.
Providing a 2-minute video on youth soccer drills can provide a bit of helpful information. A viewer will watch your video, consider the drill you recommend, and move on to other videos. With 10 or 15 videos of soccer drills, though, you begin to build a reputation as someone who knows a significant amount about youth soccer. As people watch more of your videos, they begin to trust what you have to say. Though a member page, you can begin to get subscribers and encourage people to visit your website.
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Heather Green is a freelance writer for several regional magazines in North Carolina as well as a resident blogger for onlinenursingdegrees.org. Her writing experience includes fashion, business, health, agriculture and a wide range of other topics. Heather has just completed research on online schools for nursing and online nursing schools.
*Photo by Frerieke
Posted on 30 November 2010 by Eric Alpin
The busiest shopping season of the year is upon us. Many of you have finally completed your holiday shopping and others are just beginning. Heck, if you’re like me, you haven’t even started yet. No matter your current holiday shopping status, there is no denying that companies are going to make a boatload of money this month.
What’s stopping you from getting in on some of that cash?
Sure, this article is a little sudden; it gives you no planning time and forces you to be quick on your feet. However, in the end, YOU are responsible for YOUR business and its revenue. If you decide to embrace the holiday madness, you might see that it works out well for you, even at the last minute.
So, let’s make you some cold hard cash in four easy steps.
Customer Targeting
Not every customer is going to buy from you this year, but some will and we have to target those “some.” Is that going to be one person or 900 people, I don’t know, but I’m sure that there is a least one person who will be interested in your products or services as we wrap up the year. We need to focus on getting that person/those people. Let’s call them the “targeted crowd.”
What does the targeted crowd look like?
There are two kinds of people who do shopping and deal hunting during the month of December, those who are interested in getting the best gifts at the lowest prices for others and the individuals who want to find the coolest things for themselves. Your marketing strategy needs to appeal to one or both of these motivations.
Even still, not every person in that target crowd is going to spend money with your company but they’re willing to listen. When they ask questions, you MUST answer; when they are on the fence about buying new gutters at a ridiculously low price, you NEED to sell them on it.
The spenders will be the people in the targeted crowd that really want it but need a little extra convincing.
Your Proposal
Now that you know the group of people you’re targeting, how are you going to get them to buy your stuff?
Just like in The Godfather, you need to make him an offer he can’t refuse.
The company with the best offers win on Black Friday and beyond. Period. Do you see hundreds of people lining up at the store which offers the hottest new toy at regular price? No, and that’s because holiday bargainers want the lowest prices around or their trip is a bust.
Go low and stay low…but don’t go into the hole.
Obviously, you have certain prices you need to match in order to come out in the black, so don’t sell yourself, or your customers, too short.
Make reasonable offers that catch the attention of your targeted crowd. Marketing concrete services? Run and all-day special advertising that your normal $1,000 consultation fee will be waived for all contracts beginning today or the next week. Selling organic fruit and veggies? Make all of your products buy one, get two free AND at a reduced rate.
If a customer is on the fence about it, make an exception that won’t be too unreasonable. Obviously, you can’t give too much away for free or you’ll go broke. Make offers that customers can’t, or wouldn’t be sane to, refuse.
Tying In Social Media
Everything up to this point may have been basic but here’s the real question: how do you use social media to do all of this? Easy!
Check out a few ways you can utilize Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and your blog to make out like a bandit this holiday season:
Honestly, the possibilities are endless. You can offer SO MUCH to your customers through social media.
If you implement the information given in this article, you’re practically guaranteeing some success on during the holiday season and beyond. Remember–customers want deals that are ridiculously appealing so give them. If you don’t, you will never have the opportunity to build rapport and nab future sales and recommended clients.
Happy holidays to you!
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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.
*Photo by chrisschoenbohm
Posted on 15 November 2010 by Guest Author
This post was written by guest author Anne Cauley. You can find out more about Anne below.
You know YouTube is the second most used search engine.
You know adding a video clip to your content will help your Google (search) rankings soar.
You know your content will be more appealing to more people if you include video.
YET you avoid YouTube.
Here are some hints and tips that will take you from stage fright into the star light: all you need is a web camera enabled computer.
First of all, you need to consider that you are going to be the writer, the actor, the director, the producer and the editor BEFORE you engage YouTube, like a film studio, to publish and distribute your work. So here are some steps that take you through the basics to ‘get it right the first time’.
A good screenplay writer will consider his/her audience, because it will impact:
Think of your video as a short story and script it accordingly: keep it short & to the point. (Enough said about that!)
Carefully, consider the set and all the lighting: your location setup is very important.
Most PCs these days include a web camera. (My Toshiba laptop includes Camera Assist.) So there is no excuse, you too can get into the film industry! But before you shoot, just watch your camera settings:
Your set is ready and your camera is all set… You are ready for the actor in you to shine on the screen. Just a few reminders:
Personally, I find it is easier to be videotaped in the traditional manner, using a video camera, rather than using the built-in video camera from a PC. I don’t like to see myself as I am being taped. What helps me is covering up my computer screen with a hardcopy print out of my script (or my general outline of my script). You may want to try that so you don`t feel uncomfortable or obsess with a hair that is out of place.
Take your time on your first video.
Open up a YouTube account if you don’t have one. Then start to upload your video: this could take some time depending on fps (frames per second) and compression.
Don’t forget to set up and customize your YouTube Channel to reflect your personal or company Brand. If you need help with that, see Customers While you SLEEP
Then all you have to do is to promote your YouTube video… but that is a whole subject onto itself.
The Quick Review
You may not get nominated for an Academy Award®, but your secret to fast success will be to:
Now you can create videos and leverage YouTube.
Your content will be more appealing to more people.
Your Google (search) ranking will soar.
Your content will be found in the second most used search engine.
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Anne Cauley is an accomplished trainer known for ‘training that sticks’. She combines her sales, training, process re-engineering background with a passion to be an agent of change. Experienced as a technology advocate, it is no surprise that she is embracing social media. Her blog is filled with pragmatic advice on how to develop, deliver, analyze and improve training efforts. Find out more about Anne on her blog, Facebook or Twitter.
*Photo by Alejandro Peters
Posted on 03 August 2010 by Eric Alpin
There have been quite a few interesting developments in the social media world this past week. Let’s recap a few of them:
Citizen Use Facebook for Justice – According to the New York Times, citizens in Delhi, India are using Facebook to submit images of drivers who break the rules. The Delhi Traffic Police Facebook page is being used as a bulletin board for unlawful drivers and the low staffed department is taking advantage of the shared images.
Is this type of justice “right?” To an extent, yes. It’s nice for citizens to know that they can count on justice when they do their part and report reckless driving. However, what’s to say that some of the images aren’t authentic? What if someone isn’t committing a traffic crime and they get fined anyway?
There are still kinks in the system but I think that this is a good starting point for a more accountable justice department. If small to medium sized towns in America would adopt a similar system, the rate of traffic violations in the United States might slow. It’s time that social media applications and systems proved that they’re useful for something other than hookups and games; taking justice to a new level might be a new focus.
Video Blogger Hands His Life Over for a Year – Dan Brown, a 20-year-old video blogger from Lincoln, Nebraska, is launching a project called Dan 3.0. during this project, he will upload a vlog (video blog) of himself each day doing different user-submitted tasks. Basically, Dan’s life will be controlled by his community for the next 365 days.
Personally, I think this project is great and I don’t know why I didn’t think of it. Although it’s not the first time that something like this has been done, it seems like this project is going to be a success. Dan already has a YouTube subscriber list that is near 250,000 so ideas for daily tasks won’t be scarce. Also, Dan’s energy is great. He is passionate about this project and if he didn’t have that passion, it wouldn’t be a success.
It’s somewhat scary to think that he has basically turned into a puppet of the Internet community. However, Dan has said that he won’t do anything too drastic, like dump his girlfriend, or a task that breaks the law. He also holds veto power but hopes he won’t have to use it.
We should all be passionate about what we do. Dan is a great example of someone who loves his job and is willing to do anything (literally) to foster community and connection.
Twitter’s “Planned Maintenance” Proves to be a Burden – Early Sunday morning, the hosting company for Twitter, NTT America, planned to do some server maintenance and was expected to have the site down for close to five hours. Although I didn’t personally see any tweets about the down time, I’m sure that some users, especially those outside of the U.S., were not happy.
Has Twitter become too active in our lives? I’m just as much a Twitter fan as the next guy but I think that the site, and the concept of sharing every move we make, is beginning to get the best of some people. Some people can’t function without tweeting where they are, what they’re doing, or who they are with. It’s good to create community but when emotions change because of routine maintenance to a website, something might be wrong.
I think that as an Internet community, we should take a step back every now and then to appreciate the non-technological parts of our lives. If you don’t unplug every now and then, what makes you any different than the next guy or a robot?
Our lives should not be controlled by Twitter or a lack thereof. We should control them.
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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.
*Photo by dleafy
Posted on 27 July 2010 by Eric Alpin
Ford breaks the mold and debuts its new Explorer via Facebook, not an auto show.
Do you think that Twitter will be around forever? After reading about its flaws, you may not be so sure of its stability.
Some would say that social media addiction is a disease. Well, some stats will help you prove that.
If you’re looking for a social media expert, you might want to make sure that they meet a few qualifications before you commit to them.
Checking your social media strategy is something that companies often neglect to do. Make sure that you don’t fall off the self check-up wagon.
Twitter could be stepping up their game by including photos and videos directly in the Twitter stream.
Interested in sending some voice text via Twitter? Check out Mashable’s article on sending voice tweets to satisfy your need to tweet speak.
YouTube Viral Video Alert: Guy Walks Across America
Tip: If you have an iPhone and you have Bump, now you can connect with others on Facebook and Twitter just by fist pounding.
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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.
*Photo by CDJensen
Posted on 20 July 2010 by Eric Alpin
It’s a new week and it’s time for a new set of social media one-liners.
As always, these one-liners are created to give you the scoop on what is happening and tending in social media this week.
Here goes…
Are you a Facebook junkie? If so, you should learn how to do some pretty sweet things with your profile.
If you have a social media plan for your business, it may be time to evaluate your status and progress.
With Facebook approaching 500 million users this week, it will be celebrating by allowing users to share their own Facebook stories.
Some businesses see angry customers as a sign of weakness or flaws but they can actually be quite valuable.
It’s no secret that a social media catch-22 exists in many companies. How can you avoid it and deal with it if it happens?
Gearing up to begin a social media campaign? Check out one approach to creating a social media press release.
Giving props and saying thanks via social media is still very underrated. How can you show love for your fellow online users?
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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.
*Photo by sue_r_b
Posted on 08 June 2010 by Eric Alpin
If you’ve ever watched Napoleon Dynamite, you know that Uncle Rico is famous for his ideas. In 1982, Uncle Rico planned to play pro football (and he would have had the coach put him in during the fourth quarter of the state championship) but he also thinks he can sell nylon polymer and female enhancement drugs for some hefty profits. Without a doubt, Uncle Rico doesn’t put all of his eggs in one basket. Well, neither should you.
[If you've never had a chance to check out the movie, watch the clip below to get a taste of Uncle Rico.]
Some companies take only one approach to social media, whether it’s blogging, Facebook, or Twitter. Sure, having a Twitter or Facebook account is better than nothing but it’s not the desired plan. It’s important to diversify your strategy. If you want to have a solid plan for the future, be sure to invest your time into a diverse social media strategy, including blogs, social networking sites, and email marketing.
Good question and the quick answer is that it will meet the needs of your potential customers. Normally I’m not the type of person to recommend doing many things at once but when it comes to managing social media profiles, it’s good to have a few.
Not every potential customer is going to be on Twitter or Facebook. If you have a profile on each site, you can theoretically reach double the amount of customers. Who doesn’t want to do that?
Instead of attempting to have a client create a Twitter account just to follow your updates, why don’t you meet them on Facebook?
Meet your customers where they are and they will listen to what you have to say.
Although he had a good idea to diversify, one of Uncle Rico’s many faults was the fact that he didn’t do anything well. Take note; this is not what you want to do with your social media profiles. Don’t become complacent with your Facebook or Twitter account. If you’re going to be present on Facebook, make it known that you’re there. If you’re going to tweet, distribute content that is worth following.
No one wants to know an Uncle Rico so make sure that you “do” social networking like the best of ‘em.
If you’re about to jump into social media or only have one active profile, you’re probably thinking that I’m crazy. And you have every right to think that. In all honesty, I don’t have any solid proof or numbers to show you. I can’t convince you with tangible data that says, “You need to have multiple social media profiles to be successful.” And, to tell you the truth, I would think I’m crazy, too.
Fortunately for you, I’m not crazy.
The doubt that you’re feeling is natural. You’ve been ingrained to resist change and new ideas. You’re constantly bombarded with messages telling you that change is bad, safety is the way to go, and risks should be minimal. However, that’s not the case and in life and it’s not the case with social media.
In order to keep up with today’s shifting culture – a culture that is focused on individuals and not corporations – you need to make an impact with your clients and customers. Where are your clients and customers? The Internet. How do you capture their attention and make them lifelong consumers of your goods? Meet them where they are and do it well. That’s it. If you meet a need, they’ll come back for more and right now, there are millions of people on Twitter and Facebook and YouTube that need your product. You just need to find them.
My challenge to you is to subside your doubt and implement multiple social media profiles and to do them well. If you aren’t effective with your profiles, take a step back, re-order, and try again.
Don’t be like Uncle Rico. Don’t be a living-in-the-past, doubtful, and selfish social media manager. Serve your customers and meet them where they are. If you try it, you’ll wonder why you waited so long.
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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.
*Photo by scifisuzi
Posted on 10 May 2010 by Joel Mark Witt

[The live teleseminar is over - register below to download the slides and audio]
Have you ever felt frustrated trying to manage multiple social media accounts? Would you like to get more results from your social media activity without having to put in more time?
If you are like me, there are never enough hours in the day. When you are faced with managing multiple social media accounts, there are days when it can all seem overwhelming. But, it doesn’t have to be like this. In fact, social media should HELP you achieve your personal and business goals, not eat up your valuable time that should be reserved for working on your business and enjoying your time with family and friends!
In this teleconference, Trevor Turnbull is my special guest. He’s a social media consultant and founder of Social Connect Blueprint.
Trevor is an online entrepreneur with extensive experience as a business owner, business development professional and social media consultant. He’s the founder of Social Connect Blueprint, a social media training website that provides live, interactive training and educational webinars with thought leaders in the social media world.
Trevor is also an avid sports fan and the co-founder of Sport Fan Connect, a consulting company that works with sports teams, brands and events to help improve the connection between and add value for clients, their fans and sponsors.
I’m excited to have him on the call as our guest.
After you register, leave your most important questions in the comments section below. We’ll answer them right here on the post.
*Photo By canvascanoe
Posted on 25 March 2010 by Eric Alpin
The ways of text-based blogging are slowly becoming ancient and the era of video blogging is upon us. Video content is easy to create and online video websites, such as YouTube, make it simple to upload and share content. But, like most social media practices, it’s not always that easy. There are a lot of things that can (and should) be done to maximize the views, comments, and “share factor” of your videos. So, what are they?
YouTube channels allow a user to have a dedicated place to upload their videos and to easily share them with others. When someone accesses your channel, instead of just seeing one video, they will be able to see all of the videos you have uploaded in an easy-to-use format. A YouTube channel is a great way to organize your content and distribute it in a simple manner.
When you’re editing your video, make sure to keep the same general format as other videos. If you have a title appear in your first video, have a title in your other videos. If you always have credits at the end, keep the credits constant. Viewers don’t like change when it comes to the organizational qualities of videos. They want to be able to recognize your content within the first 10 or 20 seconds of your clip. (You want this too!) If you change how your videos are edited, you’ll be throwing off your viewers.
It’s highly probable that video watchers will comment on your content. When they do, make sure that you respond to engage them in conversation. Remember, as humans, we crave conversation and connection. If you can provide those two things to someone video YouTube, they’ll think you’re the greatest – and they’ll keep coming back for more. It’s about creating communities, not about individuals.
The only instance you wouldn’t want to respond back to someone is if they’re comment is rude or inappropriate. If this is the case, be sure to flag their comment as spam or report them to the YouTube police.
When you upload a video, you have the ability to tag, or label, your content with keywords. As you tag your content, you want to ensure you’re tagging accurately with terms that people might search. If you’re video is about dogs, don’t tag “dog eats a dead rabbit in the park.” Chances are that very few people will be searching solely for that. Instead, tag with “dogs” and “dog eating.” The more general, the better. Also, if you have a YouTube channel, make sure to tag your channel name in case people search for your content that way.
Most people take a hands-off approach when it comes to their YouTube accounts. No comments, no messages, just content. That’s fine and dandy but it won’t get you anywhere. If you’d like to continue building a community, encourage your viewers to contact you with suggestions, questions, or compliments. When viewers see that someone is encouraging contact, they will be more likely to leave it. Be sure to check you account often if you’re encouraging contact because you don’t want to only log in once a month and have 80 new messages you need to handle.
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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.
*Photo by bop