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Aaron Hats
12-22-2008, 09:33 PM
For those of you that get Entrepreneur magazine check out the cover story of the January issue. It's about a company named Animoto (http://www.animoto.com). After reading the article I couldn't wait to try my hand at making a video. This is what I came up with after about 15 minutes.

YouTube - Kangol Hats at GetaHatOn.com (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFUHutOK748)

In the last couple years I've read about so many "revolutionary" new products or web sites but this has to be the best. Please don't take this post as pushing my own business, I really think the way Animoto works and the results is produces is fantastic. If you have an online business you need to use this.

Aaron

Harold Mansfield
12-22-2008, 10:41 PM
I use Animoto all the time, it is great !

It's also nice for making a promo video to post on your own site, like I have in the sidebar of 4th Internet (in my sig).

Keeping in theme, there is also a great service that will help you to get that new shiny video posted at the major video sites for free.

TubeMogul.com | In-Depth Tracking, Analytics for Online Video | Web Video Syndication (http://www.tubemogul.com/)

Some tips:

Animoto uses still photos, so be sure and put your web address at the beginning and end of the video.

Make sure you write accurate descriptions, and use your key words and phrases, and proper tags when distributing your video around the web.

If you make a mistake, Animoto allows you to edit your videos at any time, unfortunately it won't change what you have already uploaded to You Tube and the other sites.

@Aaron Hats :
Aaron, you have really taken your online marketing seriously and run wild with it.
I remember when you started your blog and you were uncertain if it was worth it, and to see you now having a good time with it is very cool.

I am glad to see that you stuck with it, you're an "old hat" now (no pun intended).

You are a good example for others..."if you don't see anyone else doing it, then you have the whole place to yourself with a captive audience."

vangogh
12-22-2008, 11:32 PM
Thanks for the link Aaron. Nice video too.

I've been wanting to create videos for my site and blog for awhile now, but still haven't found the time to learn the software I want to use. I want to develop screencast tutorials on a variety of subjects so I wouldn't be using animoto. Still it looks like a nice service and seems very easy to use.

In general video is going to become an ever greater part of web content and marketing.

Steve B
12-23-2008, 04:52 AM
Thanks for sharing that Aaron. I've been wanting to add video to my site as well. I even bought a nice video camera to do it, but can't find enough time to learn how to use it. I want to have a "message from the owner" so I can make it seem a little more personal (since people like to buy from people and not businesses).

If I could offer a couple of observations of your video. It seemed like many of the photos zoomed in too much or too quickly. Sometimes parts of the hat were cut off. I would think it might be more impressive if the hats were on models. I know some of those hats would make some people look really cool - but, it's hard to imagine without the model giving the hats life. I realize that was your first attempt - just thought I'd throw in a few ideas for your next version.

Aaron Hats
12-23-2008, 08:37 AM
eborg9, Thanks for the compliments. I appreciate it.

vangogh, I agree. Video is almost the "new frontier" for web content. I think Animoto helps DIY'ers like me a jump start.

SteveB, I too have a video camera but trying to find the right editing software and the time to learn it has been intimidating.

The first video I created did have models wearing hats (a different brand) but they were low res images and it didn't look quite as nice. I'm going to be sending all my vendors links to these two videos I made and ask them to send me high res images so I can promote their brands in video. I think it will get a good reception.

Aaron

vangogh
12-23-2008, 11:47 AM
Good idea about getting more and better images from vendors. I agree with Steve that some of the images zoomed in too fast.

How much control did you have over the video? Do you simply upload the images and then animoto takes care of the rest, or do you get some input on things like the music and how the images zoom, etc.?

Aaron Hats
12-23-2008, 11:58 AM
At this point I'm still learning what can and can't be done. For this video, I uploaded the images, specified text and music and they did the rest.

I signed up for a business account which gives me unlimited videos and also the ability to have the video upgraded to DVD quality. I'm anxious to see that.

Aaron

Harold Mansfield
12-23-2008, 12:11 PM
From my experience so far with Animoto, you don't have any control over the editing, just the photos, music, and text.
You can remix it as many times as you want and it will be different every time, but the style is basically the same.
So it is not a full proof marketing tool, and the style of the editing is not for every kind of business, but it could certainly be O.K. for fashion, sports, music, and such.

I don't think it was intended to be a full fledged solution, you certainly cannot use it for instructional videos. It's supposed to be a slide show on steroids, and it does that well. Especially for free, or low cost.

For me, I like using the videos in the sidebar of my sites and blogs. It would be especially useful, for instance, on my music blog to draw attention to my online stores that sell music, Electronics, and DJ Equipment. ("Just thought of that...geez, I'm slipping").

I guess if you have multiple stores, (Amazon, Ebay, etc) you could use a video to promote similar stores, or other sites and blogs. (I just thought of all of this, I gotta get to work again:))

On my "main" site, I created a a little video montage of screen shots of about 12 or so sites, with the web address inserted.

Just remember to include your web address at least twice if you are going to upload it to You Tube and other video sites, and if you use it on your sites to promote another site, to put a direct link underneath.

Since you can resize You Tube videos to fit anywhere, you could use it as a hyped up banner ad, which is how I use it.

vangogh
12-23-2008, 02:17 PM
Thanks and thanks.

I had a feeling that was about how much control you had. Seems reasonable given what the product is. It's certainly not the thing for everyone or every kind of video, but it's still a good way to show off images easily. I can see how it's a suped up slideshow. It's a good way to show off products or even a portfolio.

I like the idea of using it as a sort of banner ad too.

KristineS
12-23-2008, 02:39 PM
I think it could be very useful as a banner ad or simply as something to run on a sidebar to draw people's attention to a particular product.

I don't know that I would be content to have that little control over the content of the videos our company makes, but then I'm spoiled. We do have the equipment and expertise necessary for videos that are very near professional quality.

I think this is a great starter solution for companies that don't have ready access to other options.

Marcomguy
01-11-2009, 09:51 AM
Nice video, Aaron, and thanks for the info about Animoto.

I was fine with the speed of the zooms in your video. High-res images would improve the video a great deal.

I agree with Steve B that using models would make the video more impressive. Suggestion about models: Instead of relying solely on your vendors for pictures of models wearing hats, ask your customers if they would pose for photographs with their hats on. That would make your video more homegrown and authentic, which connects better with viewers.

You'd need to get a model release (http://www.nyip.com/ezine/techtips/model-release.html) from the customer. For the "consideration" mentioned in the release, you could pay them a token amount or give them a discount coupon toward their next purchase. The business attorney on this forum would have more insights into model releases.

Another suggestion: Try instrumental music. Lyrics tend to be distracting as they cause some viewers to split their attention between listening to the words and watching the images. Lyrics help if they are directly relevant to, or enhance the mood of, the story.

Your video has inspired me to put something similar on my site. I could probably do it myself, as I have the software, knowledge and interest. But I'd have to put some time against it, and the result might not be much better than what I would get from Animoto. Not much room for creativity in slideshows. Maybe I'll try both avenues and see which one I like more.

Harold Mansfield
01-17-2009, 07:13 PM
Remember also that you can do what ever you want with it. the goal is to get the video seen and bring attention to you and your business, so it doesn't have to be about you necessarily.

Here is one that I am putting together for one of my blogs. It's real simple, and took me about 20 minutes.

YouTube - A Video Farewell To President Bush (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS4xwQA-Uqg)