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HOW TO BOOST ONLINE SALES WITH SHORT VIDEOS

bsp-admin-1 on December 10, 2015

We all enjoy shopping online, but do you ever feel like something is missing? If so, you’re not alone. While British consumers are heavily invested in online shopping, many miss the tactile experience of visiting a physical store. This insight is one of several findings from a new report published by Brightcove, which examines consumer attitudes toward online shopping and identifies how fashion retailers can boost online sales.

The report, “The Perfect Solution: Boosting Online Sales with Video Marketing,” highlights a key takeaway: more than three-quarters (77%) of consumers say that incorporating more “real-life experiences” through video and multimedia content could persuade them to shop on UK fashion websites. The message is clear—leveraging videos, images, and interactive content is no longer optional but essential for driving better sales results.

WHY THIS MATTERS

The report sheds light on the future of online shopping and provides valuable insights for retailers. One major takeaway is that online shoppers miss the “hands-on” experience of a physical store. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Britons say they miss being able to try on, touch, and feel products. Videos and other forms of interactive content can help bridge this gap, offering a more immersive and engaging online shopping experience.

EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE VIDEO USE

Some forward-thinking retailers are already addressing this gap by integrating videos with styling tips on individual product pages, showing customers how to wear specific items and pair them with complementary pieces. Others use videos to display clothing in motion, providing a better sense of fit, texture, and appearance. These strategies not only enhance the online shopping experience but also build consumer confidence and trust.

KEY TRENDS IN ONLINE SHOPPING

The report identifies three major trends that are shaping the future of online shopping and highlights their implications for sales and marketing.

  • Multi-screen shopping is the future: By 2020, over a third (39%) of Generation X is expected to make purchases primarily via mobile devices, PCs, and televisions. Ensuring a seamless multi-screen shopping experience will be critical for retailers.
  • Video content influences buying decisions: Beyond the 77% of consumers who say video influences their purchasing decisions, 31% express a desire for personalized video content tailored to their individual needs. Personalization will be key to driving engagement and conversions.
  • The shopping experience still matters: While 64% of Britons miss the tactile in-store experience, 10% also want more opportunities to share their shopping experiences with friends and family. This underscores the importance of creating engaging and shareable content that fosters a sense of community and connection.

TARGETING KEY DEMOGRAPHICS

The report defines three demographic segments that represent the most important target audiences for online retailers. By understanding what each group values, retailers can craft targeted, memorable online experiences that resonate with their audiences and drive sales.

With the findings of this report, it’s clear that enhancing the online shopping experience with video marketing is not just a strategy—it’s the solution to meeting consumer expectations and boosting revenue in an increasingly digital marketplace.

SNAPCHAT: WHAT, WHO, AND WHY?

bsp-admin-1 on December 8, 2015

Snapchat, one of the world’s most popular smartphone apps, is rapidly evolving into a powerful video content platform. Known for its ephemeral selfies and the innovative Discovery feed, Snapchat offers unique opportunities for video marketers. Here’s what you need to know.

WHAT IS SNAPCHAT?

Snapchat is a mobile photo-messaging app where photos and videos disappear after a set amount of time—this is called an ephemeral (fleeting) message.

In the app’s Story Mode, users can post photos or videos that remain visible for up to 24 hours. This feature allows users to share a collection of moments from their day. Story Mode also hosts live events, showcasing snapshots and videos from global happenings. For instance, spectators at a major football match in Brazil can upload snaps to a shared story that all Snapchat users worldwide can view.

Snapchat is an excellent way to stay connected with friends, family, and even customers through engaging pictures or videos.

WHO USES SNAPCHAT?

Snapchat boasts 100 million daily users, making it an appealing platform for marketers. According to Comscore, 71% of users are aged 18-34. For brands targeting millennials, Snapchat is essential. This age group uses the app to stay connected throughout the day, making it a prime location to capture their attention.

WHY USE SNAPCHAT?

If your target audience is between 18 and 34, Snapchat should be a key part of your social video marketing strategy. As the most-used app among millennials, Snapchat offers a direct and personal connection with users.

What sets Snapchat apart is its emphasis on authenticity. Snaps don’t need to be polished or professionally produced—they’re quick, easy, and fun. This casual, engaging approach resonates strongly with users. For example, Taco Bell successfully used Snapchat on Valentine’s Day to connect with its audience through lighthearted and relatable messages.

MARKETING POTENTIAL OF SNAPCHAT

Snapchat is particularly appealing to Generation Y, offering unique opportunities for brands to engage with this audience. By incorporating Snapchat into your marketing strategy, you can leverage its popularity, instant connection, and user-friendly format to build stronger relationships with your target demographic.

INTERACTIVE VIDEO FOR BUSINESS [RESEARCH REPORT]

bsp-admin-1 on December 1, 2015

In 2015, Demand Metric released a Brightcove-sponsored report on interactive video, with participation from our interactive video partners and customers. This report offers a high-level overview of the current definitions, adoption, applications, and effectiveness of interactive video.

Some would say that video is growing as the digital communication method of choice due to its singular ability to replicate 1:1 conversations. Given that premise, interactivity is the evolution of the form to achieve two-way conversations and even more effective results.

These results span use cases from marketing to internal communications to corporate learning and more. Interactive video is still considered the “next frontier,” thus we took care to interview a known population of interactive video creators in order to better understand use and performance. Although their usage rate results skew higher than those of typical business marketers and communicators, the information these users impart is a solid indication of where marketing and enterprise-wide interactive video is headed in the coming year.

The main reason people are not currently using interactive video is budget, followed closely by a lack of understanding of the form, how it works, and the benefits it provides. As with all things video, the conversation needs to switch from budget to ROI.

Bar graph depicting reasons for not using interactive video

Video has proven to have extremely high ROI in marketing, as well as in cross-enterprise use cases. To make a case for ROI, you need to understand the medium, the benefits it provides, and how those fit into your business goals.

Do the goals for your area of responsibility include audience engagement, increasing their time on site, gaining insight into your audience, or higher brand awareness and sharing?

Bar graph depicting the benefits of interactive video

And are you looking for a format that offers higher ROI for higher use?

Information Table detailing the levels of use of video content benfits

Then it would behoove you to learn more about interactive video, and find ways to incorporate it into your strategic planning.

CREATING A VIDEO PORTAL FOR YOUR BUSINESS WEBSITE

bsp-admin-1 on November 24, 2015

Brightcove Gallery is a powerful and easy way to quickly roll out video portals. Most customers start with a single portal to house their video library. However, did you realize you can build many different kinds of portals—for free?

Let’s say you are hosting a live event which you’ll also be streaming online. Additionally, you might have a smaller video team gathering “Man-On-The-Street” (MOTS) videos, behind the scenes clips, or exclusive interviews with your guest speakers. Building a dedicated portal for this would take the following steps.

  • Define a dedicated tag for each of the categories.

  • Build a live gallery to stream the event, and create a collection for each tag.

    Your featured live event videos should be your first category. The remaining categories will now automatically populate as you upload your videos with the corresponding tags.

  • Customize the look and feel of your Gallery’s design.

Just like that, you’ve created a portal for your live event that will automatically update based on tags (even on a schedule if you want) and draw viewers back throughout, and even after, the event.

You can also layer this video experience with built-in lead forms, included ad space, as well as the out of-the-box integrations with marketing automation platforms (MAPs) such as Eloqua and Marketo.

Another use case would be to create a video employee directory for onboarding and internal communications.

For example, Brightcove has multiple offices around the world as well as many remote employees. It can become difficult to match email addresses with faces. We started to collect short, two-minute videos of each employee which are then posted to an account and published to a Gallery, organized by department. This allows anyone to look up an employee by name, see what department they work in, and hear a personal message from them.

Brightcove also uses Gallery for internal training events that are streamed live and then made available on-demand. The result is a huge library of searchable videos to train new and existing employees.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. Build your primary, customer-facing portal, then go back and see what other portals you could set up for auto-publishing to your various viewers.

THREE WAYS TO TAKE LIVE EVENTS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

bsp-admin-1 on November 23, 2015

Providing a live stream is a top priority for many marketers—and for good reason. Real-time videos captivate audiences by creating the feeling of exclusivity and immediacy, giving viewers the impression that they are among the first to witness an event. Companies like Apple exemplify the power of live streaming by showcasing their product launches in real time.

Live streaming has the potential to elevate your video marketing by fostering deeper engagement. However, many marketers hesitate to dive in due to the challenge of delivering high-quality video and creating an interactive online experience that keeps viewers engaged before, during, and after the event.

OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES OF LIVE EVENTS

As daunting as it may seem, don’t let these challenges hold you back. With our Live Event Template, you can easily manage live streams and create engaging video experiences for their target audiences. Integrated into Brightcove Gallery, this user-friendly template empowers marketers and PR professionals to promote and stream live events without the need for dedicated IT support.

Further, our live streaming solution enables simple live event setup and streaming across web platforms and iOS/Android devices. This combination puts marketers in full control of real-time events, enhancing engagement and supporting additional marketing activities beyond the event itself. The template also promotes audience interaction through scheduling tools, social media integration, and pre- and post-event chat. Sponsorship features within the video player and event page allow for monetization through calls to action and ad placements.

Here’s how you can take your live streaming events to the next level with three key strategies.

1. GET ATTENTION EARLY WITH A PRE-EVENT SIT

It’s crucial to create a dedicated destination for your live stream before the event. If you wait until the day of the event to build your site, you’ll need to manage all promotions and integrations in real time, which can be overwhelming. A pre-event site simplifies this process, allowing you to focus your resources on delivering the event itself.

The Live Event Template makes setting up a pre-event page quick and easy. This page serves as a hub to promote your event early, offering features like a countdown clock, event calendar downloads, and lead capture widgets. These tools help you collect information about your audience and generate social media buzz. By engaging potential viewers before the event, you turn them into leads and build excitement around the live stream.

2. DELIVER A HIGH-QUALITY, INTERACTIVE LIVE EVENT PAGE

Once the event begins, the live stream experience needs to be seamless and captivating. A high-quality live stream page should include:

  • Large, responsive video players that adapt to mobile devices and deliver high-definition streams. The better the viewing experience, the more likely your audience will stay engaged.
  • Interactive social features such as live chat and Twitter integration to foster a sense of community among viewers. By allowing viewers to interact with each other in real time, you create an engaging, shared experience that adds value to the event.

The Live Event Template makes it easy to incorporate these elements. It also includes a mini video player that follows viewers as they scroll down the page, ensuring they never lose sight of the event. This dynamic setup keeps the focus on your content and maximizes audience engagement.

3. BOOST ROI WITH A POST-EVENT DESTINATION PAGE

The impact of your event shouldn’t end when the live stream does. Without a recap, many who missed the live event might never know it happened. A post-event video page ensures that your efforts continue to pay off.

Using the Live Event Template, you can quickly create an archive page featuring highlight clips, calls to action, and tools to attract new visitors. This page allows you to maintain audience interest, strengthen brand connections, and drive additional business outcomes. For instance, you can encourage visitors to sign up for newsletters, register for future events, or explore related content.

REAL-WORLD SUCCESS: SILVERLINE GLOBAL

Silverline Global, a leader in sponsored media activation for endurance events, used the Live Event Template to deliver a seamless live streaming experience. According to Co-Founder and President Holden Comeau:

“We recently used the Brightcove Gallery Live Event Template for an event where we needed to move quickly. We were able to deliver a great product and experience while keeping costs reasonable for the event.”

Silverline’s targeted live event reached its audience of athletes and fans effectively. By creating a video destination site featuring event highlights, they continued to engage their audience and extend the value of their efforts.

Are you ready to host a live event? Give the Live Event Template a try and ensure your event’s success from start to finish.

WHY YOUR MARKETING VIDEOS NEED A TAGGING STRATEGY

bsp-admin-1 on November 18, 2015

WHY YOU SHOULD TAG YOUR VIDEOS

Tagging strategies help digital marketers manage their ever-expanding library of assets. A tag is a word or term describing your content asset. Video marketers should apply this practice to video as soon as possible in order to organize, sort, and display individual video assets, playlists, and libraries. Less than an hour in planning will save you hours of clean up later on.

One of the most skipped steps by a new video marketer is taking 10 minutes to pre-define a tagging strategy. Let me show you how quickly this can be accomplished.

Start by asking yourself how you already talk about your videos within your organization. It might be by internal department, product line, or region of your business.  Use these dividing lines for your initial taxonomy. For example, if you sell a line of personal care products, you may define a set of  top-level categories like:

  • Soaps
  • Perfumes
  • Lotions
  • Aftershaves

You may want to add several sub-categories under each of these top-level categories, but keep it simple. Remember, most people skip this important step and never create even a basic taxonomy, so simple is better if it means it will be used.

There you go! You have your tagging strategy. The last thing to do is to print out your categories, write it on a sticky or whatever works for you and your team. Share it with two groups of people within your organization:

  1. The “uploaders” – often the content creators who make video content available to your organization
  2. The “publishers” – the individuals responsible for putting the content live

Stick this list to the side of their computer screens so they always have easy access to it.

Why is this so important, you ask? Let me show you by telling you a quick story.

On a recent flight, I recorded a time-lapse video out of my airplane window.  After landing, I quickly edited said video on my iPhone and uploaded it using the Video Cloud upload module, all while waiting for my next flight. The magic happened when I tagged it with the tag “timelapse” during upload. In my account, I have a smart playlist that automatically adds any videos with the tag “timelapse.” So the video is automatically added to this playlist. This playlist is then also published on my Brightcove Gallery so I can set its exact publishing location right from the upload module.

That’s it. My phone was back in my pocket. While I was on my second flight, my video was transcoded, added to the time-lapse playlist, and published to my gallery. While this is not a typical production workflow, you can see a simple tag can go a long way to automating your publishing process.

So take a few minutes, define your tagging strategy, and before you know it, you’ll have videos flying all over the Internet because of a simple tag.

DEALING WITH AD BLOCKERS TO IMPROVE THE VIEWER EXPERIENCE

bsp-admin-1 on November 12, 2015

Over the past two months, a heated discussion has emerged in the media about the rise of ad blockers and their negative impact on revenues for advertising-supported media. Advertisers, agencies, and publishers are all weighing in, which is unsurprising given that ad blockers represent a significant challenge for the publishing industry.

Most media companies are familiar with the findings of the August 2015 study revealing that nearly 200 million people use ad blockers, reflecting a 41% growth rate compared to the previous year. The same report estimated that publishers lost nearly $22 billion in advertising revenue in 2015 due to ad blockers. Although the report covered all types of online advertising, the higher CPMs of video ads suggest that ad-supported video publishers are particularly vulnerable. The problem is further compounded by the introduction of ad blockers on mobile devices, such as Apple’s content blockers with iOS 9, as mobile devices increasingly replace desktops as the primary platform for media consumption.

Both sides of the debate have valid arguments. Proponents of ad blockers argue that advertising technology has become intrusive and overwhelming, and ad blockers are necessary to protect consumers from aggressive, poorly designed, or unwanted ads. They believe this is the only way to preserve the user experience.

Conversely, media companies criticize ad blockers for their “all or nothing” approach, which threatens advertising associated with premium content and undermines the economic model of ad-supported publishers. Many in the industry warn that widespread ad blocking could ultimately harm consumers. Lisa Valentino, Chief Revenue Officer at Condé Nast Digital, summarized the issue, stating: “If we block every ad out there, there will be no content.”

At Brightcove, we are committed to helping our customers deliver engaging video experiences that entertain and connect with audiences, enabling media companies to monetize their content without alienating viewers. To achieve this, we’ve developed market-leading player technology designed for high performance (fast loading and publishing) and flexibility (enhanced experiences via HTML, CSS, and JavaScript). Additionally, our server-side ad insertion technology ensures seamless video and ad delivery across devices, offering a TV-like experience.

Recognizing the need to support both content creators and audiences, we introduced Brightcove Lift—a solution that combines server-side ad insertion with advanced player technology. Brightcove Lift enables media companies to bypass ad blockers while delivering high-quality ad-supported video experiences on both desktop and mobile platforms.

Mobile devices present particular challenges for publishers and consumers alike due to latency, buffering, timeouts, and other rendering issues. Brightcove Lift addresses these challenges by ensuring consistent ad delivery across all mobile devices, regardless of manufacturer or operating system.

Early results from Brightcove Lift users are promising. They have successfully mitigated revenue losses from ad blockers and display issues, while also achieving significant revenue increases. At Brightcove, we believe Brightcove Lift will empower media companies to continue creating outstanding content and video experiences for their audiences.

ARE EUROPEAN BROADCASTERS READY FOR TOMORROW’S VIEWERS?

bsp-admin-1 on October 8, 2015

The way audiences watch TV and consume video content is undergoing a significant transformation. To gain insights into these shifting habits, Brightcove commissioned research firm Vanson Bourne to conduct a study capturing a snapshot of today’s viewing behaviors.

The study surveyed 4,000 viewers across Europe, exploring their video consumption habits, preferences, and attitudes toward advertising.

SURVEY RESULTS

  • Rise in video consumption via mobile devices and on multiple screens: While 75% of viewers still prefer PCs or laptops, more than a third watch video content on cell phones (33%) and tablets (34%). This trend highlights the ongoing demand for high-quality, cross-platform services. Additionally, 41% of European viewers watch video content on more than one screen.
  • Viewing around the clock: Video consumption is no longer confined to traditional prime-time hours, though prime time remains the peak, with 55% of viewers tuning in. Increasingly, content is also watched during the day (24%), at night (15%), and in the morning (6%).
  • Greater openness to advertising when content is free: The long-standing trade-off of free content in exchange for advertising has carried over to online video. While 41% of respondents find advertising “annoying,” many acknowledge its necessity. Over 40% said they accept advertising as long as the content is free.

VIEWER CATEGORIES

Based on viewing time, preferred devices, and age groups, respondents were divided into four categories:

  • Digital natives: The youngest group, they watch the most video content and are highly digitally savvy. Often binge-watchers, they consume content across multiple devices, including cell phones (62%) and tablets (40%), sometimes simultaneously.
  • Multi-screen junkies: Primarily Millennials (Generation Y), they watch content on multiple screens and have the least interest in traditional TV shows. Unlike other groups, they are willing to pay for high-quality content.
  • Television devotees: Composed of Generation X, this group watches about seven hours of TV per week. They are most receptive to advertising during the evening, when they watch scheduled programs.
  • Loyal viewers: The oldest and most traditional group, they primarily watch news and documentaries and consume the least video content overall. Interestingly, they often use additional screens while watching TV.

OUTLOOK

With the rise of new video services competing for attention, traditional broadcasters must adapt to stay relevant. Viewing habits have evolved and will continue to do so, driven by further technological innovations.

Despite these changes, viewer expectations remain consistent. They want relevant, varied, and high-quality content that either entertains or informs them. For broadcasters, the challenge lies in combining premium content with seamless delivery, intuitive discoverability, and advertising that is tailored to both the content and the audience. Planning for the future means meeting these expectations to remain competitive in a rapidly changing landscape.

CREATE NEW SHOPPING EXPERIENCES WITH LIVE STREAMING

bsp-admin-1 on September 18, 2015

A trusting customer relationship in the online, but also in the offline world, is the be-all and end-all of a successful company that wants to operate successfully in the market. The deciding factors for this: transparency and authenticity.