For years, people have complained, and rightfully so, that the media only shows the public what they want it to know. We know that many times we don’t get an entire story and the information we do get may be inflammatory and used as a means to sell additional copies. In the age of social media, the voice of the public can be broadcast to many at the click of a mouse and we decide what is newsworthy. We are now able to relay information without being silenced as the media sometimes is. This has opened a door that can’t be closed and while freedom of speech is our right, we must remember that we are posting to the world and those words, photos, etc. cannot be taken back. It’s much easier to vent or post something negative on a social network than to say it out loud to someone. Just remember that the person you are posting about may see your comment. My parents told me never to put anything harsh in writing; this is the same concept. We are still in the early stages of social media, but remember that a “filter” should be in place when posting anything to the world.
Many people, particularly our youth, are fans of posting each thing they do, each place they go, and who they are with every second of every day without much thought as to the consequences. Keep in mind that by placing this information online, anyone with access to your profile is able see your every move. This can be dangerous, especially with the recent explosion of geo-location apps. Stalkers don’t have a hard time following people who leave a trail. Thieves watch social networks to find out when people are leaving on vacation and then break in while they are gone. If you post that you are going on vacation, don’t give dates. Post pictures when you get back so that no one knows exactly when you are gone. Simply be careful.
Though there are a few downsides to social media, there are many pros as well. We interact with our “friends” and family members whom we would otherwise not have much contact with. It’s much easier for people living in different areas of the world to stay connected with others via social networks. Grandparents who live out of state can see current photos and videos of their grandchildren in between visits. Friends who took jobs at opposite ends of the country can still remain connected. In addition, campaigns for causes allow us to spearhead a call to action right from the comfort of our couch. A mass post to all of your connections via a social network can attract volunteers, donors, etc. which can make a big difference in a campaign. Crowdsourcing, or empowering a community to do something specific on behalf of an organization, can also be a powerful tool.
The bottom line is, social networking is a great way to stay connected if you follow etiquette and practice common sense. There is an interesting infographic on one of our Pinterest boards that does a great job of explaining the different social networks and the types of posts you will find on several of the more popular sites. There are many reasons to participate in social networks, and though there are a few reasons to be cautious, the benefits far outweigh them.
By Rhys Kenworthy, www.r00tcomputing.com
Social media marketing is defined as directing more traffic to your web site via the use of social media tools. With more companies taking advantage of these networks, you need to be involved to remain competitive. Facebook is the obvious leader with over 640 million active users in 2011. Twitter claimed 175 million users last year and LinkedIn announced 100 million users globally. Recently, Facebook became the world's most visited site making it a great place to provide information about your company, its services, and promotions to generate consumer loyalty.
According to Facebook's best practices, there are 11 ways to engage your participants:
1. Ask Questions
2. Offer A Deal Or Promotion
3. Hold A Contest
4. Create A Game
5. Host A Live Chat
6. Use Photos and Videos
7. Have An Opinion (Even If It’s Not Popular)
8. Engage Your Most Passionate Fans
9. Create Stars
10. Host A Guest Post
11. Ask For Engagement
For more information, visit Facebook's best practices page at http://www.facebook.com/SMMBestPractices
When it comes to marketing, most companies use the usual methods: mailings, websites, and telemarketing. In order to really stand out from the competition, successful organizations are adding online video to their sales and marketing mix.
Many professionals find themselves repeating the same content over and over. Whether to employees, clients, or prospects, videos can save hours every day in marketing your organization, product, or service. Similarly, in driving in new business, video effectively delivers your message about the benefits of your products and services. By offering an online video you create a virtual salesperson, increasing contacts and your product awareness exponentially. The prospect also has the opportunity to review the content at their leisure
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Want to find out how a virtual salesperson can work for you? Contact TelSpan for a free consultation and customized video project quote! 1-800-800-1729
The use of video is becoming critical for organizations to reach businesses and consumers alike. Few organizations utilize video to its full capability which would increase efficiency and productivity. Consider the amount of information delivered in a single presentation or seminar. A large amount of that valuable content is lost after the initial delivery. Not only do recipients lose some of the message you were trying to deliver, but many times there is no effective way to review or share it.
Incorporating video into your organization’s communication plan has become much easier and is expected more now than ever. Cost, storage demands, and content delivery issues are being resolved through technological advancements. Even if organizations are engaging in online videos, it is not often that they are successfully reaping the full benefit without professional execution. With the expertise and dedication to quality TelSpan’s Video Production Team offers, an organization can transform its content into usable, valuable, business intelligence, resulting in exponential savings and productivity.
At TelSpan, we can work with you to create inventive ideas and achieve your company’s video goals. Call us now for a free consultation and customized video project quote!
Studies show that online video views are consistently increasing each month. Why? Uploading video can greatly enhance your website and increase traffic.
There are many available options for organizational videos. Here are few possible applications for your organization’s video usage:
Instructional Videos
• Training videos for employees
• Orientation videos for new employees
• Safety videos
• Tutorials
• Educational content for professionals
Product or Service Videos
• “How to” videos
• Promotional videos
• Informational videos
• FAQ videos
• Troubleshooting videos for technical products
The demand for video production is increasing every month. In this fast paced world you need video to keep up with the expected convenience of this medium that your audience is accustomed to.
The proliferation of smart phones and other mobile devices not only allows access to video on the go, but new devices encourage the use of video. People are becoming more accustomed to the idea of video and it will soon be expected. Not only is video a convenient method of communication, but studies prove that viewers are able to retain information better through seeing and hearing, as opposed to simply reading text.
TelSpan can work with you to create inventive ideas and achieve your organization’s video goals. Call us now for a free consultation and customized video project quote!
Online video is one of the most significant means of transmitting information to the public today. Never before has so much information been so readily available to the public. With this technological evolution, it is absolutely vital for your organization to understand the benefits of video marketing in order to grow, advance, and surpass the competition.
Here are a few basic types of video you should know about and information about how they can benefit your organization right now.
Viral Video – Viral videos are found outside of your business website and are intended to gain viewership and popularity through Internet sharing on social media sites or via email. Because you want your video shared and viewed as much as possible, it is necessary that it be of interest to viewers. Having some sort of entertainment value will help; however, the goal is to use it for promotional and/or marketing purposes with the objective of reaching a broader audience.
Conversion Video – This type of video is generally found on your company’s website. The intention is to engage visitors or introduce your company. The goal is to capture the viewer’s attention which will result in them spending more time on your website and thus increase your chances of converting a client and increasing revenue.
Educational/Training Video – This form of video is used to educate an audience about services, goals, products, or safety. A good educational video can help establish credibility between a potential client and your business as it will project your company as a business with innovative ideas.
For all your viral, conversion, and training video needs, TelSpan offers free consultation for a customized video project quote!
When shopping for video production services, you should approach potential vendors with a concept and purpose for your video, as well as a general budget of how much you are willing to spend on the project.
When building a budget, each project is approached differently. Some projects will be simpler than others, requiring minimal crew and equipment, while other projects will be full scale productions. Either way, it is crucial for the video production vendor to understand and analyze these core components:
• Who is the your target audience?
• What is the message you would like to convey?
• How do you want your organization to be perceived by your audience?
• What is the impression you would like to make?
• What is the preferred style of production (interview, product video, etc.)?
• What is the concept for the video project?
All of these aspects must be taken into consideration when building a budget. It’s also extremely useful to communicate how much you are willing to spend in advance in order for a production team to assemble a realistic outline, timeframe, and budget.
Generally, organizations will request quotes from multiple vendors and receive a wide range of figures, however, quotes are adjustable and should not be the deciding factor to choose one production company over another, which — unfortunately — isn’t always the case.
Whether your budget is high or low – let TelSpan’s expertise bring the highest production value your budget will buy. When you are ready to explore video production for your marketing, training videos, and commercial needs, we offer a free consultation and customized video production quote.
Many of us are affected by current economic conditions. Everyone is cutting costs and saving anywhere they can. Be sure you aren’t cutting expenses where you can’t afford it... do not cut back on marketing budgets. Marketing and promotion are both strategies to bring in business. Attract new clients by investing in fresh, relevant video marketing campaigns. Because video marketing can be distributed affordably, informs visually, and can be optimized online for search engines, it allows you to extend your business to a broad audience. And since videos are shared online on a daily basis, this will drive more traffic to your website which, in turn, will increases potential sales as well as build your brand.
Because competition is continually growing and your competitors are developing more video content, it is important to take advantage of this opportunity. If you aren’t participating in video marketing, you could be losing money.
There are lots of free avenues to distribute your video content. You Tube and other social media websites are great avenues for marketing. Videos are relevant to today’s time and how people use the internet. It is very probable that your potential clients are shopping for businesses via the web right now. Learn how video marketing can help promote your business. It is easier and less expensive than you think!
Think about this statement “Video makes you believable”. What does it mean? Instead of talking (or writing) about yourself on your website or in your marketing materials, make yourself believable! Videos make material come alive and more believable. Would you prefer to read about product and how great the manufacturer or seller says it is, or “see for yourself”? Seeing a product in use, demonstrated, or better yet, discussed by a real user gives credibility to the product. Use videos of testimonials from your customers. Show before and after effect and benefits of your product or service. Grab the attention of your prospects with compelling entertaining videos! It is easy to create your own videos with an inexpensive camera and upload them to the web.
If you need assistance creating, storing, and/or streaming videos, give TelSpan a call. Our Video Production Services team is ready to help!
Think about how pervasive video is in our everyday lives now. Websites are filled with it. YouTube is a search engine. We watch it on all types of devices from anywhere at any time. Anyone can shoot video with a simple cell phone or small camera and post it to the internet immediately.
But have you ever considered why your organization should utilize video? Here are some top reasons to consider video production services for your organization:
• Demonstrate your product or service
• Post videos on your website showing how to use, install, and troubleshoot your product
• Show client testimonials about your products or your organization
• Use video to showcase your organization for recruiting purposes
• Post a website tour
• Post a tour of your facilities
• Archive subject matter experts speaking on a particular topic
• Play a video into your next webinar or web conference
• Make a short “commercial” for your product or organization and post to social media sites
• Create a video training library
There are a multitude of uses for video; these are just a few examples. If you are not using videos at your organization, consider possible uses, how you can benefit, then call TelSpan for assistance with Video Production Services.
