RainMaker Blog

Converting Site Visitors to Customers with Web Video

You’ve spent countless hours and large sums of money developing pay per click campaigns, press releases, and other strategies to attract visitors to your website. Now what? Shouldn’t the sales start rushing in? They should, but if your site lacks compelling content, calls to action, and a reason to buy, they won’t. Many strategies exist to convert prospects into customers. One such strategy involves using Web videos.

When a prospect visits your site, he may or may not intend to make a purchase. With a solid website strategy in place, you can gently guide the visitor through the decision making process. Web video can play an important role. Let’s take a look at the site visitor’s perspective before exploring how Web videos can enhance the process.

Most visitors arrive after entering a phrase into a search engine. For example, a visitor might enter the phrase “low cost widgets” and land on a page of your site that has been optimized for the same term. Alternately, your pay per click ad for low cost widgets may show up, prompting the user to visit your website. Does he find anything on that page that convinces him that your company is the best source of low cost widgets? What makes your widgets better than other widgets in the same price range? What makes your company the company of choice? Why should the visitor act now?

If the visitor’s attention is not captured quickly, if there’s nothing on your page that distinguishes your products from your competitors’ products, or if there’s no reason to act, the visitor will move on to the next site listed in the search engine results. Don’t let this happen. Instead, help your visitors by providing well written information and professionally produced Web videos.  

First, consider where site visitors will land when your targeted keywords have found a prospect. This page is called a landing page. Because it is the first page that the visitor lands on, don’t assume that he has read your Home or About Us pages. This landing page is your first, and possibly only, chance to make a good impression. Since the landing page is related to a specific keyword phrase, in this case “low cost widgets,” the content needs to be relevant to that topic. In this example, you’ll be competing on price, but that doesn’t mean you need to focus only on that aspect. Yes, highlight that your widgets are affordable, but add value whenever possible. Think about what makes your widgets better than comparably priced widgets. The warranty? The quality? The free technical support and training? Make sure to discuss value in the text.

Now, let’s add Web video to the mix. A short video showing how easy your widgets are to assemble could be a terrific selling point. If your competitor’s widgets have complicated instructions and take three hours to assemble and yours snap together in three easy steps in under five minutes, use Web video to illustrate the difference. You could also use video tutorials, video testimonials, or even a video spokesperson.  

In fact, video spokespeople are a terrific strategy. These video overlays can direct visitors to pages with additional information, provide details, demonstrate products, and put your visitors at ease. Suddenly, your website promoting low cost widgets isn’t one of many; it’s unique and professional.

The prospect is impressed. Will he click the “buy now” button or will he click the “back” button to continue his search? Don’t leave it to chance – include a call to action. Ask the customer to do something such as:
•    “Take advantage of our special discount and save $X by buying today”
•    “Add this product to your wish list”
•    “Sign up for our free newsletter”

Ideally, after reading your content and viewing your Web video, the prospect will be ready to buy. If not, adding the product to a wish list or signing up for a newsletter makes it more likely that you’ll get a second chance. Use Web video as a key component of your site’s conversion strategy.

Do You Need a Web Video Strategy?

Adding web videos to your websites and blogs is a terrific way to add value to your sites while also taking advantage of the potential additional traffic from video search engine results. However, there’s more involved than occasionally posting an online video on your site. As with the other elements of Web development, video for web pages should be strategically planned and managed.  

First, how can online video benefit your site? The benefits are numerous. For example, having Web videos on your site can result in additional traffic based on search results. Not only do the major search engines list results based on text, they now list video results. While additional traffic is always welcome, video for web pages can also: inform visitors, direct attention to specific areas of the website, convey your message, make your company more personable, and prompt users to act in some desirable way.

With all of the benefits of online video, the decision to move forward is relatively easy. Before you start trolling YouTube for inspiration, it’s important to understand what you want the Web video to accomplish. Ask yourself the following questions:
•    What is the purpose of the website?
•    How can Web video help you to further that purpose?
•    Which benefit of online video is most important to you?
•    Where does it make the most sense to post video on your website?
•    How often are you willing to post online videos?

The answers to these questions can guide you in creating a Web video strategy. For example, if your website’s purpose is to raise awareness about a specific cause, adding informational videos could be powerful. On the other hand, if your website’s purpose is sales driven, how-to videos or product demos may be a better choice. If you want to attract visitors, inform them, and create a more engaging experience, you may want to opt for a video spokesperson who acts as a virtual tour guide throughout your site.

Where should you post your online videos? Again, it depends on the purpose of the site and the Web video. The home page may be the perfect spot for your cause awareness video whereas individual product pages may be better suited for the how-to videos. Depending on how you incorporate Web videos, you may even want to create a video gallery or showcase section of your site.

Just as it’s important to regularly add articles and blog posts to your sites, regularly adding online videos is also important. Adding fresh content encourages return visitors and aids in SEO. Create an editorial calendar and map out your video for web goals. If you have the resources, adding a fresh online video each week would be an excellent start. Even if you can only handle one Web video per month, you’d have 12 videos working for your site in a year’s time, each delivering benefits and traffic.

Do you have a video for web strategy or are you winging it? What are your thoughts?

Online Videos: Are You Ready to Go Live?

Streaming live video has evolved from the early days of setting up webcams as silent, digital witnesses. While it’s fun to see the weather at the beach or keep an eye on your toddler’s preschool class, today’s streaming online videos serve many business purposes ranging from educational to promotional. However, setting up a live online video stream is more involved than simply turning on your webcam. Just as you carefully produce your traditional online videos, you must do the same with live video.

Common Uses for Live Video Streams in Business
As the Gulf oil spill has demonstrated, businesses use live online videos as information delivery systems. Hopefully, you’ll never have a disaster to document, but you may have an online audience interested in what’s going on at your company. For example, if you’re a manufacturer, customers may enjoy watching live video streams of your assembly line. If your company hosts prominent speakers, broadcasting a live lecture, with the speaker’s permission, may be smart.

Recently, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) in Pasadena, California held its annual open house for the public. While those present could tour the campus and view displays, virtual attendees were able to tune in and watch lectures and demonstrations online. With a simple click of a button, thousands of virtual visitors could watch live streaming video of scientists discussing the latest Mars rover plans and other current JPL projects. Different camera angles provided alternative views.

Another use for live video streams involves interacting with your customers. For example, you could hold a virtual press conference and take questions directly from your customers via a chat feature. You could also use live online videos to hold seminars, demonstrate how to use your product, or conduct live focus groups with consumers as you develop new products. The possibilities are endless.

Technical Considerations before You Go Live with Online Video
Sites like UStream certainly do make it easy to stream video online. However, if you want to look professional, you’ll need to carefully consider the production value of your feed. While it’s possible to use a laptop with an integrated webcam and go live with a click or two, results may be disappointing. Consider the following:
•    Location – Where will you be shooting the video? Is it well lit? Is the background distracting? Are there sounds that will interfere?
•    Video quality – The online audience is sophisticated. While a low resolution webcam may be fine for chatting with friends online, professional live videos online should look professional. In addition, HD online video quality is becoming the norm rather than the exception.
•    Sound quality – Some live video feeds don’t need sound. For example, if a viewer wants to check out snow conditions at your ski resort, they don’t need to hear the sounds of the ski lift in operation. On the other hand, sound is needed for a live seminar discussing the latest ski and snowboard equipment. Like a regular video production, individual microphones for each speaker allow for better sound quality.
•    Preparation – As a live online video format, everything you do or say in front of the camera goes out live and unedited. While this allows for spontaneity, it could also make you look unprepared. Approach your live video production just as you would any other speaking engagement. You should have a prepared presentation and you should rehearse before going live. Notes and teleprompters are lifesavers.
•    To Chat or Not to Chat – Many live online videos incorporate chat and Twitter features so that viewers can comment, ask questions, and interact throughout the presentation. If you’ll be chatting during the presentation, it’s smart to have a second person monitoring the chat stream so that you can concentrate on the presentation and answer relevant questions without distraction.

Going live with online video allows you to interact with your audience in real time. While it may be tempting to power up your webcam and wing it, you’ll produce a much better video if you pay attention to production values. Consider hiring a video production company and project a professional image.

Online Video Advertising: Where to Advertise

Online video advertising involves more than simply creating terrific looking video ads. Just as with television advertising, you need to get your ads in front of a targeted audience. No matter how well crafted your video ads may be, if they aren’t seen by your audience, they will be ineffective. Fortunately, the Internet is loaded with terrific places to display your message.
 
Contacting Webmasters Directly
You could contact individual websites directly and inquire about video advertising. However, doing so could be time-consuming. If you know of a high traffic website that appeals to your desired demographic, contacting the site’s webmaster or owner directly could be the start of a fruitful relationship. You might even be able to work out a reciprocal advertising agreement.

In addition to the sites that you already know might be a good platform for your video ads, use Google to find sites in your niche that offer advertising space. Do this by entering keywords for your industry followed by the words “advertise with us” in quotes. For example, if you run a genetic testing service for people interested in finding out their heritage, having a video ad on genealogy sites would make sense. Enter: genealogy “advertise with us” into Google and look through the search engine results. You’ll find a number of genealogy sites interested in hosting advertisements. By placing your online video ads on sites that attract the same demographic your service appeals to, your ads will appear before a targeted audience.

The downside to this approach is that you’ll need to do a great deal of research to find sites that have a large enough viewership to invest in. After all, the site may appeal to your audience but if the website only has three or four visitors each month, advertising on it won’t make much sense.

Online Video Advertising Networks
Online video advertising networks have huge networks of sites that accept video ads. Like other online advertising models, online video advertising is often priced using a cost per click model. Other options include cost per thousand impressions. While the pricing may vary from one network to the next, most networks provide you with reporting tools that detail your video ads’ reach. For example, reports detail the number of clicks your ads receive, impressions, video completion rates (how many people watched your video all the way to the end), reach and frequency, and more.

A simple search engine search for “video advertising networks” will serve up dozens of networks from which to choose. One of these networks, SpotXchange, allows you to upload your existing video ads which are then transcoded into a variety of video formats required by different publishers. From there, you browse the “marketplace” for ad impression opportunities. This is an auction-like marketplace where pricing varies based on supply and demand much like bidding for keywords for pay per click ads. Once you’ve activated your campaign, your video ads will be inserted and start appearing on partner websites. This site allows you to advertise locally as well as nationally and it does not require a long term contract.

Other well known online video advertising networks include: BrightRoll, YuMe, and TremorMedia.

Search Engine Video Advertising
Another option for your video ads is to place your ads through a search engine video advertising platform such as Yahoo! Advertising or the Google Content Network. These networks offer several video advertising options including in-stream video ads and click to play video ads. In addition to hosting your video advertising, other advertising options are available.

Online video advertising allows you to get your message in front of your audience, even if your audience is visiting websites other than your own. With several payment models and detailed campaign reports, you can actively manage your video advertising in real time and your advertising may be more affordable than expected.

Where are you placing your video ads? Share your experiences, pros and cons, and thoughts with us below.

Will Web Video Combine with eBooks?

Now that the iPad has hit the streets, the humble eBook reader has moved from being a simple device capable of displaying easy-to-read electronic text to a multimedia device capable of displaying full Web video and sound. What does this mean for eBooks? What does this mean for Web video?

The iPad won't likely affect online video other than providing a portable platform for accessing it. However, it could affect how eBooks are produced. Currently, eBooks consist of text and black and white graphics. With its color screen and video capabilities, it makes sense that eBooks of the futures would incorporate videos. Currently, if an eBook producer wants to share additional content such as online videos, a link to an external Web site is provided. In the future, an eBook could have embedded videos, eliminating the need for the reader to venture away from the eBook itself.

Imagine reading an eBook about any topic and then being able to watch a professionally produced video in context. The possibilities are endless - and they're in sight! While the iPad is grabbing the headlines, other eBook readers are quietly making headway. For example, Qualcomm's Mirasol displays, which are expected to debut this year, are full color, low-battery consumption displays that make it possible to view full color images - and video - in sunlight. In Japan, full color eReaders by Fujitsu are already in use. In addition, new two-display eReaders capable of displaying standard e-ink on one display and color Website videos on the other are becoming more common here in the U.S.

With eBook technology moving from black-and-white technologies to offering full color displays, it's inevitable that video will play a more prominent role in eBooks. Just as the CD-ROM of yesteryear introduced multimedia to software programming, eReaders with their new multimedia capabilities will likely transform how eBooks are produced.

Whether you're a video producer, eBook producer, or a consumer of eBooks, the prospects are exciting! The written page will no longer rely strictly on words to communicate. Imagine reading a biography of an American president and being able to watch actual video clips of his inauguration or famous speeches. Imagine reading an instructional eBook and seeing step-by-step video demonstrations. Imagine reading a novel by your favorite author and being able to watch video interviews or book discussions led by the author. Just as DVDs often have "bonus features" such as commentary by the director and actors, so too could an eBook now that the video display technology is coming of age.

As you imagine the possibilities from a reader's point of view, switch gears for a moment and consider the possibilities from a marketing point of view: Your online videos may reach a larger audience if eBooks are successfully able to merge the written word with video components! In addition to producing Internet videos, consider creating eBooks, special reports, and white papers with video content and issuing them in formats for video-capable eReaders.

Are you excited about the future of eReaders and video's potential role? How will you be using Web video in conjunction with the iPad and Mirasol technologies? Share your ideas with us.

Online Video : 2010 Predicted to be Another Phenomenal Year

In recent years, sites such as YouTube and Hulu became household names. To give you an idea about the online video phenomenon, in December 2009, Nielsen Online reports that over 137 million people watched Internet videos! That's a lot of viewers flocking to the Internet for video-based information and entertainment. In fact, that number represents an 11.8 percent increase in online video viewership compared to December 2008. If you thought 2009 was a hot year for Internet video, watch out for 2010!

A recent press release from comScore reveals what most of us already know: Google video sites (such as YouTube which is owned by Google) are the go-to destinations for online videos. At a whopping 39.4% market share, Google video sites are by far the most popular with viewers. In contrast, the number two Internet video site, Hulu, has but a fraction of market share, 3%. The comScore data reveal another interesting tidbit: Online video is mainstream with 84.8 percent of the total United States Internet audience having viewed videos online - at an average of 12.2 hours of videos watched per viewer.

The recent data from comScore and Nielsen confirm that 2009 was indeed a spectacular year for online video. In addition, the future looks rosy with predictions that video consumption will continue to increase. Not only will viewers continue accessing videos online via traditional computers, mobile video is becoming a reality. For example, users of "smartphone" devices like the iPhone and Droid and other mobile Web devices such as netbooks and the iPad are accessing the mobile Web by the millions. Researchers predict that up to 90 million video viewers will access online videos from mobile devices. Other predicted video delivery methods include: console-based and online gaming platforms, email, and social network sites.

What are all these millions of Internet video viewers watching? comScore's findings reveal that the average online video's duration is four minutes which makes sense based on YouTube's dominance in market share.

In many ways, online video is much like online text. Just as Internet readers tend to want to read shorter, easy-to-quickly-scan articles online instead of in-depth academic expositions, it appears that Internet video watchers want to watch short clips online, not full featured movies and documentaries. After all, computer screens aren't exactly easy on the eyes. Plus, tiny screens can't compare to the huge HDTV screens populating the family rooms of America.

So, what does all of this mean to you? You may be part of the 84.8 percent of Americans who have watched a few clips of video online. Even if you're not enamored with watching Internet videos, your audience may be. If you haven't yet added video marketing to your marketing plan, 2010 may be the year to do so. From a business point of view, there are many ways to spread your message and business videos are an excellent way to do so. Not only can your marketing videos show your customer base who you are or how to use your products, many of your customers may be searching for companies like yours specifically using video searches.

What are your video marketing plans for 2010? Will you be a part of the online video phenomenon or do you think it's just a passing fad? Share your thoughts - we'd love to explore this in greater detail!

Generating Buzz

In past posts, we've discussed monitoring what others are saying about your company, products, online videos, or brand. As people chatter about your business, they are creating buzz. While monitoring buzz let's you know what others are saying, what if no one is saying a word? If no one is talking about your products, brand, or Internet videos, you may need a little help in generating buzz. In other words, give them something to talk about.

With the explosion of social media, buzz means more exposure. For example, if a single Twitter user tweets a link to your online marketing video to his followers and a few of those followers re-tweet it to their followers your video will be exposed to a huge audience that you wouldn't have reached before. Not only will your message be seen by more people, many of these people will begin following you or exploring your Web site. And that's just based on one tweet on one social network!

Enable Comments
One way to generate buzz is to enable comments, chats, and social streams. For example, if you have a blog, enable comments so that readers can post their thoughts and start a conversation. Enable sharing by placing a "share this" widget. These widgets make it easy for viewers to share a link to your page on popular social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.

Create a Weekly Twitter Chat
Twitter users often gather for informal chats. Consider creating a hashtag for your specialty and hosting weekly Twitter chats. For example, if you specialize in car repairs, create a hashtag called #CarRepairChat and invite your followers to participate. Each participant uses the hashtag during the chat, which is viewable to all of their own followers. As other Twitter users see the conversations in their own Twitter streams, it's not unusual for interested people to join the chat.
 
Use Social Streams
Similar to comments on blogs, social streams are commonly used with online videos - and these streams take place in real time. For example, if you host a live video on UStream.tv, you can enable a social stream. This real-time stream allows viewers to interact and comment as they watch the video. In this case, users do not need a Ustream account; they can sign in with their own Twitter or Facebook account and begin interacting. As you host your live video program, viewers can ask questions, make comments, and interact. As the comments come in, you can answer them in real time on video or have an assistant answer questions via the social stream. Not only does this make for a dynamic online video event, all of the participants conversing in the real time social stream are also generating buzz because their tweets are being displayed to their followers.

Issue Press Releases and Social Media Releases
Take advantage of press release services and regularly issue press releases. This strategy serves two important purposes. First, it gets the word out to news aggregators about your latest online video, product, service, or other news. Second, it builds valuable backlinks which make your Web site, blog, or online video more discoverable.

In the days leading up to your next release, use social media to engage your followers. For example, you could hold a contest or create an interactive poll. Consider periodic giveaways and watch as your followers spread the news in order to qualify for a prize.

Post Articles on Article Directories
Share your expertise by writing articles and posting them on popular article directories like EzineArticles.com or GoArticles.com. These sites allow you to place a "resource box" at the end of the article complete with links to your site or online video. Article directories allow publishers to use the article on their blogs and Web sites. When this happens, you'll gain exposure and links.

These are but a few of the many buzz generating activities that you can try. How are you generating buzz? Share your ideas with us.

SEO Tips for Online Videos

So, you’ve produced a stunning online video and have it hosted on your Web page. Now what? You’ve got to get viewers! Just as Web sites need to be optimized in order to draw traffic, so too must your Web videos. Certainly, a well-paced video on a currently optimized Web page will attract viewers; however, your search engine optimization shouldn’t end there. Rather than relying on the underlying traffic of the page, optimize the video to bring in viewers. By doing so, not only will your video get watched, you’ll have two powerful content elements (text content and video content) working together.

A compelling reason to optimize your Web video is this: Online videos are ranked differently than standard Web pages in search engines. In fact, some users are specifically searching for video content online. Go to Google right now and see for yourself. Click on the Videos link and then enter a search term, any search term will do. Notice that all of the results are videos?

Even users that do not specify video searches are served up video results. According to ComScore’s January 2008 “Google Universal Search Results Searcher Penetration by Result Type” report, 38 percent of Google searchers were served video in universal search engine results pages. If you want your website video to be discovered by viewers specifically looking for videos about whatever it is your video discusses, then you need to optimize it.

Optimizing a Web video is similar to optimizing Web pages. First, quality content is a given. After all, you want viewers to come to your site and stick around. Ideally, they’ll tell their friends as well as return time and time again.

Next, you’ll need to understand how viewers find videos online. Some stumble across videos randomly, others find them based on recommendations from friends, others visit sites like YouTube, others specifically search for videos in search engines as you just did with Google, others find online videos by clicking links in eMail marketing messages, and finally, some viewers find videos online via RSS feeds.

While your Web site will certainly benefit from random viewers, a smart SEO strategy is to focus on:

•    Friend recommendations
•    eMail marketing
•    Online video sites
•    Search engine optimization

Getting others to share your Internet video can lead to increased traffic, especially if your video goes viral. While only a small percentage of videos ever achieve true viral traffic, incorporating a “share video” feature is easy to do. Typically, an embed code is created when the user clicks the “share video” feature. The user then embeds this code into his own website or blog. This in turn creates a backlink that points to your Web site which is also useful for driving general Web site traffic. Friend recommendations via direct links shared via email are also desirable.

In addition, if you have a mailing list, create an eMail campaign or newsletter and make sure to provide a link to your online video. As your subscribers visit your site and watch the video, they may even click the “share this” link. See how the two strategies work together?

Posting a copy of your video on an online video site such as YouTube is also an excellent way to drive traffic to your Web site. Not only can you create an entire channel of related content, each Web video can link to your site.

While getting others to share your Website video and posting it on online video sites are solid strategies, you’ll also want to pay attention to basic SEO. Use keyword phrases in your title, save the Internet video file with a keyword rich title, use solid keywords in the file’s metatag and metadescription fields, and place the online video on a Web page optimized for those same keywords.

Optimizing a Web video isn’t overly difficult, especially if you are already optimizing the rest of your site’s content. Apply similar strategies to your videos and reap the search engine rewards!

Banish “Slow Season” from Your Vocabulary

Companies often have so-called "slow seasons." These are times of the year where business typically slows down as part of its natural cycle. Slow seasons vary from one industry to the next. For instance, if you're in the car rental business, you'll likely see slower periods of activity once summer travelers return home, back to their normal routines. However, accepting "slow seasons" can also contribute to the slowdown. When a company accepts that business is slow "because it's the slow season," it likely reacts by cutting back on spending or eliminating jobs.

How many times have you heard these excuses for a company slowdown?

• The kids are on a school break
• The kids are back in school
• People are too busy traveling
• People aren't traveling
• Tax refunds haven't arrived yet
• The weather's too bad
• The weather's too good
• We work hard most of the year; we deserve a little downtime

Depending on your business, the excuses may be valid. However, that doesn't mean that you have to accept them. Adopt a new attitude about these cycles by banishing the term "slow season" from your vocabulary. When your employees are slacking off because it's the "slow season" they are making excuses. Slow periods require the exact opposite of slacking off. They require active participation on all levels. Instead of a calling it the "slow season," come up with a new term. You might call it the "get busy" season or the "drum up business" season.

In order for this to work, the entire company needs to understand the cyclic nature of your business and your plan for each cycle. This means that you need to have such a plan. Before you berate others for their excuses, come up with a proactive plan that addresses company slowdowns.

Start by analyzing your business's seasonal cycles. When is business typically busy? When is it typically slow? Why? Next, think about how you normally respond when business is slow. How can you respond that's proactive rather than reactive? Instead of laying off customer service representatives, can they switch gears from handling incoming calls to making outbound sales calls when it's slow? Can your mobile technicians knock on a few doors after completing a job, offering customers a discount because they are already in the area? Can you rearrange your marketing plan so that fewer advertising dollars are spent when you're overbooked and more spent during slowdowns?

Once you have a solid action plan, communicate it with your team. Employees know when it's slow. While some may feel entitled to a little break after a long busy season, many are fearful of what the slowdown really means. By communicating your plan and including employees in brainstorming sessions, you are empowering them to get busy while also easing their fears.

In fact, as the "get busy" season approaches, you may even want to have a kickoff party. Reward your team for their hard work during the hectic season that just ended by scheduling a day where it's okay to slack off in between phone calls, service calls, and regular job duties with the understanding that this is the only day where slacking off is acceptable. Let them watch Web videos on their computers, play games, or simply relax. From here on out, when the phones aren't ringing, when there are no service calls scheduled, when no customers are browsing for goods, everyone must implement the marketing plan you've laid out. Now is the perfect time to make additional sales calls or work on those projects, such as online video productions, that we simply "never have time to do." Schedule regular brainstorming and creativity sessions to keep ideas flowing.

When the entire team banishes the term "slow season" from their vocabularies and becomes more proactive during business slow periods, you'll soon find that it's not so slow after all.

Are Your Online Videos Newsworthy? Get Listed in Google News!

No doubt, getting your online videos listed on Google News could drive traffic to your site. But how do you submit them? Google News is a news aggregator service which means that it collects headlines from other news sources such as the Associated Press, USA Today, Reuters, and Forbes. Unless your Internet video is hosted on one of the major news sites, the chances of it being listed on Google News are slim. However, there is a backdoor: YouTube News.

As you likely know, Google purchased YouTube in 2006. As the owner of YouTube, Google does a bit of cross-promoting. If you look at the Google News site, you'll see a link to YouTube News. Click the YouTube News link and you'll find newsworthy online videos from around the world as well as local news videos based on your IP address.

In order to get your online videos listed on YouTube News, and by extension Google News, you will need to apply to become a YouTube Partner. In order to qualify for this program, you must meet minimum qualifications including:

• Your online videos must be original and "suitable for online streaming"
• All uploaded audio and video content must be owned by you or you must have express permission to use and monetize the content
• You must have a presence on YouTube with regular video submissions and thousands of viewers

Keep in mind that even if you meet these minimum qualifications, other criteria may be used to judge whether or not your online videos are suitable for the YouTube Partner Program. For example, Google will look at your Web site and YouTube channel and may disqualify you if you upload videos, music, images, live performances, movie or television visuals, video game or software visuals, and other content without express permission from the content's original creator.

Once accepted into the YouTube Partner Program, your newsworthy Web videos will be listed in YouTube News. If you allow your online videos to be embedded on other sites, then it is possible that your Web videos will appear on the Google News site itself.

In addition to gaining exposure, YouTube partners are eligible for revenue sharing. You can opt out of revenue sharing if you are not interested in monetizing your online video content.

So, are your Internet videos newsworthy? Making newsworthy videos doesn't mean that you have to report on crime, sports, or the weather in your community. Just as you put a news slant into your press releases to the local newspapers, so too can you create newsworthy Internet videos. When thinking about producing a news video, consider the following:

• How does your product or service relate to current events?
• What has your organization done lately that deserves press?

For example, if your community is currently suffering from a high crime rate and your organization manufactures anti-theft devices, you might create a news video detailing crime in your community and how citizens can protect themselves. Because this is a news video rather than a marketing video, you will need to go easy on the sales pitch. In addition to relating your product or service to current events, create a news video whenever your organization "gives back to the community." If your employees team up for a good cause, publicize it! Not only would an online video detailing the charitable activities of your organization make for good news, it builds good will and shows that your organization cares.

If you're already producing video press releases, applying for a YouTube Partnership is the next step. Have you taken that step already? We'd love to hear your experiences!