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STREAMING HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL’S LIVE EVENT

bsp-admin-1 on February 4, 2016

Brightcove recently participated in a panel discussion at Harvard Business School (HBS) titled “TV, Disrupted: A World of Video Choices Opens Up.” The event explored the challenges broadcasters, advertisers, and media companies face due to the rise of OTT offerings and emerging business models, which are reshaping traditional relationships between consumers and operators. The discussion was moderated by industry expert and HBS graduate Will Richmond, editor and publisher of Videonuze.

With Brightcove’s VP of Business Development and Marketing, Mike Green, on the panel, and HBS being close to our headquarters, we saw it as a great opportunity to live stream the event using Brightcove’s live streaming feature. Brightcove has experience live streaming events like DrupalCons and our customer conference, PLAY, so we were well-prepared to make it happen.

PLANNING FOR SUCCESS

As Brightcove’s Video Production Manager, I oversee all video production efforts, from planning and creation to editing and execution. For live events, preparation is key. A well-planned framework makes the execution smoother and the final product better. Here are the key questions I ask before any live event:

  • What is the program about?
  • How many speakers are there?
  • How long will the event last?
  • Will other media be used (e.g., PowerPoint, videos)?
  • What audio/video equipment is available on-site?
  • What are the IT capabilities in the venue?

After coordinating with Mike Green and the HBS event team, I had all the information I needed to plan the equipment, personnel, and content strategy. For this event, we handled the live stream production in-house rather than outsourcing to a production company, thanks to thorough preparation.

KEY COMPONENTS OF LIVE STREAMS

RECORDING

We used two cameras for the event. I operated Camera A, which provided a fixed wide shot of the stage, while my colleague handled Camera B for close-ups of the speakers. This setup allowed flexibility, with Camera A as a fallback if I needed to assist with other aspects of the production.

LIGHTING

We opted not to bring additional lighting equipment, as Spangler Auditorium at HBS was already equipped with excellent lighting and sound systems, which were sufficient for our needs.

SOUND

The auditorium’s on-site sound system provided a feed directly to Camera A, which we used to deliver high-quality audio to the live stream. This eliminated the need for an additional sound engineer.

VIDEO CONTENT

Carl Rutman, one of our talented Solutions Engineers, managed the live stream using Telestream’s Wirecast software. Wirecast, a partner of Brightcove, integrates seamlessly with Brightcove Live and allowed us to combine video sources, including:

  • Two cameras
  • A PowerPoint presentation
  • A short video played by one of the presenters

Rutman ensured a smooth broadcast by switching between these sources in real-time.

THE LIVE STREAM

To initiate the live stream, Rutman created an event profile in Brightcove Live and embedded the required URLs into Wirecast. HBS was provided with an embed code ahead of time, enabling the event to be hosted on their website. Once everything was set, Rutman started the stream using Wirecast, coordinating the broadcast with the on-site activities.

EQUIPMENT

  • Cameras: 2 Canon C100s with 24-70mm and 70-200mm zoom lenses
  • Cables: HDMI and HD-SDI cables
  • Converters: 2 Atomos H2S HDMI-to-HD-SDI converters
  • Recorders: 2 Blackmagic UltraStudio Mini Recorders
  • Software: Telestream Wirecast on a laptop

LIVE STREAM CONFIGURATION

The configuration connected the cameras, sound system, and video content through Wirecast, allowing seamless transitions and delivery to the live audience.

DEMYSTIFYING LIVE STREAMING

There is a common misconception that live streaming is too complex or expensive. Many companies assume their events aren’t “important enough” to justify the cost or effort. However, live streaming can be simple and cost-effective. All you need is a camera, a microphone, and a computer to get started.

Live streaming doesn’t require a high-profile venue, an elaborate setup, or a celebrity keynote speaker. Whether it’s a Q&A session, corporate communications, or an educational panel, the right mix of motivation, preparation, and equipment can make your event a success. At Brightcove, we’re here to help you create meaningful live experiences that engage audiences in real time.

VIDEO SCHEDULING: 4 EXAMPLES FOR ON-DEMAND CONTENT

bsp-admin-1 on January 21, 2016

Scheduling videos allows marketers to set and forget video series release dates and ensure videos publish at a specific time. For publishers, this function streamlines workflows. For viewers, it ensures expected videos appear on time. This capability creates a consistent and reliable experience that enhances brand perception.

Brightcove’s video platform has a helpful feature that lets you set sunrise and sunset dates on your videos. Below are four examples of different ways you can use this in your everyday workflow.

1. Long-form Video Content Cut Down into Series of Short Clips

A great video marketing and content strategy is to break up a long-form video into segments or to edit it into shorter highlights. By creating shorter clips, you have a series of related videos you’re able to release on a cadenced basis over a few weeks.

For example a longer live event could yield several shortened videos delivered on demand. This allows you to stay in touch with your viewers after the event as well as offer them valuable content to promote the next event. If you’ve integrated your video platform with your marketing automation platform (MAP), you’ll be able to use the video metrics to create targeted follow-ups.

2. Time-sensitive Content

Content such as press releases, internal company announcements, and third-party licensed content are time sensitive. They need to go live on a specific day at a specific time. You can remove much of the stress by simply setting your go-live and end-of-life dates.

3. Multiple Time Zone Content Releases

If you serve a global audience, you may have a video go-live time that isn’t convenient for you in your time zone.

For example, you might be in Boston and your video needs to go live at 9AM in London, which would be 3AM for you. Instead of waking up and pushing out a video in the wee hours of the morning, you can simply schedule it and it will go live automatically at the preset time.

4. Video that Needs to “Go-live” as Part of a Campaign

Campaigns take a lot of planning. Whether it’s for a product release, an upcoming conference, or special offers, you’ll want to plan ahead and produce video for each phase of your campaign. You can shoot and edit in bulk, then schedule your video go-live dates and times. You can even swap versions out by scheduling video 1 to be pulled offline at the same time video 2 goes live.

By highlighting this feature and showing you how others have used it, we hope you’ll be inspired to investigate how you can make your video publishing a little easier to manage.

HOW TO AVOID BLACK BARS AROUND YOUR VIDEO

bsp-admin-1 on January 14, 2016

We’ve all seen it on other people’s websites: a beautifully produced video, embedded on a page. But why are there little black bars either on the top and bottom or on the two sides? Nothing screams, “I don’t know what I’m doing,” like seeing black bars around your video—not to mention the huge waste of real estate.

Why Videos Have Black Bars

The reason you get black bars is because your player and your video are not the same aspect ratio.

Most video today is shot in High Definition (HD). HD footage uses a 16:9 aspect ratio (also known as “widescreen”), and it includes resolutions like 4K, 1080, and 720. That 16:9 ratio means that for every 16 pixels in width, there are 9 pixels in height. Before the HD revolution, we shot video in Standard Definition (SD), which used a 4:3 aspect ratio. In this case, every 4 pixels that your video is wide, it’s 3 pixels tall.

If you play a 4:3 SD video in a 16:9 player, you’re going to have black bars on the sides. In fact, if your player and video are even one pixel off in either the height or width, you’ll see black bars around your video.

How to Fix Videos with Black Bars

The complex problem of pixels and ratios is actually very easy to solve. If you’re watching a video that has black bars around it, all you need to do is adjust the player size to match the aspect ratio of the video.

We’ve provided an aspect ratio spreadsheet that does the computational work for you. Simply enter either the height or width of your video, and it will tell you what the other dimension should be in order to maintain a 16:9 aspect ratio. That translates into no black bars.

If your video player isn’t responsive, which means it automatically resizes for the device it’s playing on, you’ll need to enter the exact size from the calculator spreadsheet. Note: Smart players need to be configured to be responsive. The Brightcove Player is automatically responsive, but it can be set it to a fixed height and width if desired.

Setting your player aspect ratio is as easy as that. When you have your player sized correctly, you won’t see anymore black bars. This should help you keep your videos looking professional once they’ve been published to your website or anywhere else.

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.