subject: Video & Podcast Web Based Promotion [print this page] Using todays technology, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to make persuasive and interesting video material. The use of online video and podcast promotion will stimulate a tremendous amount of interest in your small business when contrasted with standard and more traditional article marketing. A second wave of exposure could be realized by submitting Podcasts of the same material used in the original videos.
Current research shows that 38% of US online users make widespread use of Video Search. YouTube has become the 2nd biggest Search Engine after Google. In 2009 YouTube surpassed Yahoo as the world's number 2 search engine (if you consider YouTube's "integrated search" as a regular search engine). YouTube continues to be a prominent contributor for Google, producing an average of 2.73 billion searches each month in the U.S. in 2009.
Within the final year or so, Google has also begun to include video search results in the normal webpage searches. If an organization is the only one to "be in possession of" a unique niche or 'long tail' key phrase results with video content, they've got a first rate opportunity to be on the first page of a regular Google search. This has inestimable worth and represents probably the most realistic ways that most local businesses can expect to receive free (non PPC) page one results in Google at the national level. Obviously, when Google returns a video result, it also includes a thumbnail for this video which means that even although the link is probably not at the top of the page, a much higher percentage of people will click on it due to the image.
To make an effective video it would be best to record a 4 or 5 minute long 'live action' segment - you may also want to think about adding in some powerpoint slides to really present your ideas clearly. Add some royalty free music into the mix to make the video interesting and dynamic. You must also try to design a strong presentation using a method whereby you establish the Features, Advantages and Benefits to your prospective customers. In other words, you not only explain what kind of services and products your site offers, but additionally define the important benefits your site visitors can anticipate.
Your video should then be optimized for online exposure using Backlinks in a similar way as you would for a normal website. For example you may build links to your video from articles you submitted to the most important Web 2.0 sites in addition to Backlinks from other high Page Ranked websites. You may additionally think about submitting the video to the social network sites and post its link on relevant forums. You will even obtain good high page ranked Backlinks by using the "Channel Comments" within YouTube itself. Another way to accomplish wide exposure for your video would be to submit it to the other major video sites so that the associated keyword phrases, metatags, and categories can be listed in all these key video search engines.
Once you have completed your video presentation you are able to then use that same material to produce a Podcast. Yet again, this Podcast can be submitted to numerous Podcast aggregator websites. The concept would be to expose multiple alternative ways to publish your content to as many outlets as possible.
You will need to keep up with the constantly changing trends in search engine marketing so that you can update your approach as new techniques evolve. The summary above represents most of the present 'best practices' on getting the best out of your online Local Business promotion, but your techniques should evolve as different internet promotion options emerge.
