Live Video Streaming in Oakville

Building a community around your Oakville based company and connecting with your audience is paramount. Research has shown time and time again that video production is the key to attaining this. In fact, live video streaming is now becoming more and more of a wide spread tool for Toronto companies of all sizes. Live video streaming has been utilized for many years but due to costs for this kind of production, it has only really been viable for large (and sometimes medium size) corporations. From insider video announcements to live Q&A sessions, product launches, press conferences and more, live streaming has the power to take your brand awareness to the next level and build on your existing audience. Although live video streaming has been out of reach for most micro size to small companies throughout Oakville, today there are apps that can allow anyone to tap into this effective form of video production.

One such app that is taking the live video streaming world by storm is Periscope. Another very popular platform is Facebook LIVE video and Instagram has also recently added live streaming videos to their offerings.

The Periscope app was acquired by Twitter in February of 2015. Since that time, it’s become one of the leading live video streaming apps available. Periscope enables you to go live using your mobile device. The app basically enables anyone to become their own on-the-fly broadcasting station, streaming live video to any viewers who join their broadcast. Periscope truly takes advantage of its mobile platform, incorporating notifications as well as social sharing (on Twitter), live discussions and feedback. Although Periscope has been used mostly by vloggers and bloggers, there are many ways Periscope can be utilized for business and it can really allow you to showcase public speaking abilities.

Once a live broadcast is over, your audience can watch a replay, and even send feedback through the Periscope app for up to 24 hours. After that, the broadcast is taken down from the app. That said however, each of your broadcasts can be saved to your mobile device and then published and shared online just like any other video. Best practice here is to post these Periscope videos to the platform that is home to your primary video audience (i.e. Youtube, Vimeo, Daily Motion, etc). Posting your Periscope video gives it a place to live that lasts longer than 24 hours and it also gives you an opportunity to promote future Periscope video broadcasts.

There are however technical issues that can come with using live streaming apps like Periscope and Oakville executives shouldn’t dive into tackling a live video stream without professional support. Just as with any other professional video you’re planning to produce, it’s always best to hire an experienced corporate video production company like Groovy Concepts to handle your live stream. Spending the money is well worth it to avoid embarrassment. You certainly wouldn’t want your video to cut out in the middle of the broadcast which is a typical occurrence for vloggers.

Common amateur mistakes can be disastrous! For instance, if someone happens to call you during your Periscope Broadcast, you’ll be knocked offline, your broadcast will be over, and your audience will be annoyed to say the least. Always remember to block your calls temporarily prior to a live broadcast on Periscope. Also, not knowing the range of your Wi-Fi network can also knock you offline very quickly. Don’t go walking around in the middle of your Periscope Broadcast unless you know the range of your Wi-Fi network and that you are well within it. Also, some rooms have better signal than others… stick to filming your broadcasts from these rooms wherever possible.

Disastrous technical issues can be avoided completely when an experienced professional video production company is involved. Ideally, it is always more reliable to simply hire a reliable company with access to professional live video streaming production equipment. At the very least it is advisable to get a full consultation and in depth how-to from an experienced professional. That said, using an app such as Periscope correctly can allow your Oakville based company to tap into the power of live streaming video and can even extend your audience reach throughout the globe.

Social Video in Oakville

Video is quickly becoming the norm on Facebook and brands and corporations throughout the world are working extremely hard to capitalize on this platform to drive interest and sales to their products and services. What this means for Oakville companies is that if your video production marketing campaign doesn’t include Facebook & Instagram, you’re missing out on huge marketing potential. In January 2017, Facebook reported its financials for 2016 and provided a ton of important facts about the importance of video for Facebook and the huge amount of engagement it generates.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and CEO, said that “2016 was a great year for Facebook. Our community continued to grow and our business is thriving.” The results confirmed a steady revenue increase of 44%, as well as a 21% growth in monthly active mobile users.

But what about with Facebook’s video feature? Has this been paying off for the social networking site? It appears so as Facebook viewers now watch an incredible 100 million hours of video every day.

Zuckerberg confirmed that “Video is an important part of the Facebook experience”, and the company is continuing to invest in video. According to Tubular, typically 1.8 million videos are uploaded every week, generating 31.6 billion views.

Zuckerberg also confirmed that the Instagram (owned by Facebook) “community continues to grow,” but he didn’t update the 400 million monthly active users that was announced back in September 2015. He did state that the new looping Boomerang app for the platform reached #1 in the App Store in more than 70 countries. Instagram also launched a new video channel so viewers can catch up on big tent-pole events like New Year’s Eve, and College Football.

During the announcement, Zuckerberg was followed by Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s COO, who shared a recent case study. Microsoft Xbox optimized video content for Facebook and Instagram for the launch of Halo 5. The video marketing team behind the campaign understood that viewers watch video differently on mobile than on television, so Microsoft created content that would rapidly capture viewer attention (in 3 seconds or less) even if a viewer watched without sound. This tactic drove over 380 million impressions and 49 million video views, and apparently “increased purchase intent by 10 points in the US.”

Facebook and Instagram’s video features have grown leaps and bounds already but are heading towards exponential growth in the future. These platforms can no longer be ignored by marketers. But I know what you’re thinking: “Ah, great…so now, on top of creating clever online video campaigns, we now also need to plan out and create clever video campaigns customized for Facebook and Instagram too? How can we find the time for all this?”. This is where Oakville video production companies like Groovy Concepts come in. What makes Groovy Concepts different from other video production companies in Oakville is that we have a keen understanding of media trends and provide full concept, script and campaign development so that across all platforms your videos will capture viewer attention in under 3 seconds; essential for social video. Our unique concept development process insures high video engagement without having to overextend your marketing team in the production stages.

In this ever evolving world of online and social video, Oakville companies should definitely be looking at adding Facebook and Instagram to their video marketing campaigns. Corporate media specialists like Groovy Concepts are just a call or click away to help you in the process.

It’s 2017 and as usual in early February, Oakville companies of all sizes are hitting the ground running launching new marketing campaigns for the opening quarter of the year. Thanks to the winds of change and modern technology, marketing tools and trends today are very different than they were in the past. With so many media platforms available in 2017, the attention span and patience of your audience is limited. Your target customers need to be able to engage your content quickly and understand your message in double time if you are to have any hope in converting them. And no other form of content is as effective in pulling this off as quality video content. Video as an integrated part of your marketing campaign ensures that your target customers will absorb your message in a way that will leave them wanting more.

Statistic – According to Forbes Insight, 50% of executives who viewed an online marketing video went on to make a purchase for their business.

If this statistic alone isn’t enough to convince you of the importance of video in your marketing campaign, here are 5 more reasons to make video marketing part of your company’s 2015 New Year’s resolution:

1. Captivating – Nothing holds attention better than a quality video. From animation and motion graphics to real-time demonstrations and interviews… the creative possibilities of video are endless.

2. Accessibility – Video enables you to communicate with your audience in a way that is engaging as well as easy. Whether on social media, YouTube, or on your own website, customers like the idea of a video that tells them exactly what they need to know and which also combines compelling images, narration, and music for a fuller experience.

3. Time Saving – Video has the power to communicate complex ideas in a quick and powerful way. As mentioned earlier, the attention span and patience of your audience is limited (in the social media world in particular). Very few people are willing to give the time of day to read some dry, long-winded case study about how a client saved 15% (or more) by switching car insurance providers. But deliver the same message in a 30 second to one minute online ad that is both amusing and informative and you’ll notice a huge difference in engagement.

4. Cost Effective – Seeking a strong return on investment? Video is the investment for you! When produced properly, video is the next best thing to personal selling and depending on the abilities of an individual sales person, video is often better. Online video has the power to sell people on your products and services on a global scale, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You would need a sales force of epic proportions on the level of sci-fi to be able to match this impact.

5. The Power of Storytelling – Customers buy from people and companies they know and trust. Getting to know you better and understanding who you are and why your company does what it does, helps to build trust. When produced properly, video tells your full story in an honest and highly complimentary manner that not only converts more customers but can also allow for your brand to even become iconic in time.

It’s 2017 and with broadband capabilities continuing to increase throughout much of the world, the scene has been set for more exponential growth of video consumption to an ever increasing number of platforms and devices. Video is no longer just some luxury marketing tool in it’s infancy utilized by early adopters. Video marketing is essential NOW. And those who aren’t already on board or who aren’t planning to get on board, will soon come to the realization that their marketing tactics will have been left in the dust of the early 2010’s allowing for your target customers to laugh and say the old cliche … “That’s so 5 years ago”!

In our 11 years of producing video production content in Oakville, we’ve come to understand one important fact: Oakville is a great city in which to do business. You’d be hard pressed to find a business professional in Oakville that disagrees. Between the treasure trove of corporations, industries, co-operative networks, and of course the large population, the opportunities for success and innovation in Oakville are truly endless. And let’s not forget all the business enabling venues: great restaurants, boutiques and cafes on every corner; exciting sports, activities, and a nightlife that attracts Hollywood stars. Oakville has all the furnishings to accommodate today’s business professional in almost every way.

That said, this abundance of industries, companies, and business professionals also makes for stiff competition regardless of your industry. Beyond maintaining high quality standards and methods, you must also be effective in communicating your company’s excellence to your target market and be successful in converting them into customers. This is where marketing plays an integral role. And as regards to marketing, according to latest statistics, no other marketing tool is as effective as video production for the conversion of new customers. Don’t believe me? Check out these 3 statistics provided by Brightcove:

• Using video on landing pages can increase conversion by 80%.

• Visitors who view product videos are 85% more likely to buy than visitors who do not.

• Video in email marketing has been shown to increase click-through rates by over 96%. In response, the number of marketers planning to use video in email campaigns has increased five times since the beginning of 2009.

Corporate video production has become one of the top marketing tools in the world today. With world wide brands increasing their video production budgets to unprecedented levels, online audiences and social media users are being converted through highly entertaining videos with celebrity interviews, professional acting and direction, incredible animation, effects, and even top notch hollywood style action stunts – as seen in the Volvo Trucks “Epic Split” video with Jean-Claude Van Damme:

But that said, one does not need a multi million dollar budget to create powerful video content. It is true that a high level of video production quality is needed to capture and hold your audience’s attention but you certainly don’t need Hollywood production companies to create compelling video content.

All you really need is a trusted professional corporate video production company with many years of a experience, supported by an extensive and diverse portfolio and testimonials. The company you choose must also have an excellent creative team with vast knowledge of video production procedures and content marketing trends. When you find the video production partner that fits your individual needs and can provide  all of the above, then you are ready to move forward.

In short, Oakville is a major part of the golden horseshoe of Ontario. It is a vibrant entity with countless moving parts helping to create a strong Canadian economy and quality of life. At this moment, companies are being built, deals are being made, and countless successes are being attained. With the right vision, the right company, and these effective marketing tools, you’ll be on the fast track to finding your own success in the big city!

When it comes to your business – hire a professional

In 1985, a year after the Apple Macintosh computer was launched, the first desktop publishing program, Pagemaker, was released for the Mac. It launched a world of professional page layouts and home-made garage sale flyers, all on a home computer.

Suddenly everyone was a graphic designer! The number of brochures being produced soared, but the number of bad brochures soared as well.

Today we see the same phenomenon in the world of video. Small, HD video cameras and inexpensive desktop video editing software have legions of people producing and editing videos.

It’s certainly suitable for hobbyists to edit short videos and post them on YouTube for fun, but in the business world that can lead to disaster. A poor quality video can lead to an unsatisfactory impression of your company and brand. You can’t go back and make a new first impression.

With video becoming an increasingly vital component of  commercial websites, your business requires the production values that a video professional brings to the job.

Top 5 Benefits of Online Video Marketing

Online marketing can play a crucial role in promoting your business. Video has become a very cost-effective form of communication allowing you to demonstrate your products and services in ways that photos and text simply cannot.

1 – Show and Tell
Statistics show that 65% of people learn visually, while 30% verbally. Most people will skim through written material on a website, looking for clues to make a fast decision. A video production will get your company message out there in the way that YOU want it to be seen, enhanced though the use of a web video. Your show and tell video will use images, music and voice over.

2 – Make your Website “Sticky”
Because of their increased level of interest, your visitors will spend more time on your site learning about your services and products. Your goal should be to keep prospective customers on your website for as long as possible, learning about your products and services.

3 – The Emotional Connection
Have you ever seen a celebrity, politician or local business person on TV and then seen them in person? Did you recognize them, maybe you just felt like you knew them? Well, that’s the power of video at work. Video helps customers to feel like they know you, even before they’ve met you. Share your passion and knowledge of your product in a way that establishes you as an expert.

4 – It’s Your Video – On Demand
A web video showcases your product and services to the world. Anyone interested can visit your website to view your video time and again – and of course, there’s viral reach; Share, Email, Link . . .

5 – A Thousand Words
They say a picture is worth a thousand words . . . video contains 30 pictures a second! That translates to 1,800 pictures a minute!

As communication technologies change, businesses need to adapt. Most people now have high-speed Internet and expect complete multimedia content. An out-of-date web site can immediately turn away potential clients. What better way to impress them than through a web video?

5 Steps to Optimizing Video Thumbnails

Today video marketing in Oakville is highly competitive. Creating effective custom thumbnails can make all the difference when it comes to a viewer choosing to watch your video, or deciding to watch another. The thumbnail acts as a first impression for your video… it’s the first image anyone sees of your video, but so many companies in Oakville fail to take advantage of this optimization feature.

Nothing beats a custom thumbnail image that ties in with your video, your channel message and your brand. Apart from making quality videos that viewers want to watch, companies should follow some basic guidelines when creating optimized thumbnails.

Here are 5 ways you can optimize your thumbnails:

#1 Make the Best Use of Colour

The brighter the colours, the more chance the thumbnail will stand out from the rest of the competition. Of course, that doesn’t mean to go completely overboard. Do just enough to differentiate your video from the others. Don’t settle for the existing colours in your image. Through graphic design software, boost the saturation in the thumbnail image just enough to make the colours stand out over other thumbnails. Even small adjustments to the hue and saturation can attract viewers directly to your thumbnail instead of others. Consider applying a filter to your thumbnails. Even something as simple as sharpening the edges can have a subliminal effect on thumbnails.

#2 Include an Image of a Face

Make sure that your thumbnail image has a close up of a human face whenever possible. This will help your image stand out on whatever device it’s being viewed on. Emotional facial expressions can also go a long way to engaging viewers to watch. The added emotion will capture the viewer’s attention and make them want to watch the video to see what caused this emotion.

Buzzfeed has this down to a science.

#3 Use an Action Shot

Another way of capturing attention is to use an action shot as the thumbnail (if possible). The added sense of motion will encourage viewers to click on your video to see what it’s all about. The Slow Mo Guys are known for conducting crazy experiments, and along with optimized titles, they almost always include the main action shot from their videos on their thumbnails. The amount of clicks they get shows just how effective this approach can be.

#4 Create Custom Branding for Your Thumbnails

Giving your video thumbnails some brand consistency is an excellent way to build awareness for your content, especially if your videos are in a very competitive category online. Lowes does a good job of this using their branded colours to tie all their content in.

#5 Test and Analyze

One last tip is to test your thumbnails. YouTube still doesn’t have a native feature so you’ll need to rely on resources like TubeBuddy for this. A well-planned testing strategy can improve the performance of your videos and channel almost immediately, so don’t overlook this valuable strategy. Also, stay open to replacing thumbnails if you you can see it isn’t working for your video.

Remember to choose thumbnails that are accurate to the content within your video. Although in the past it was indeed possible for companies to build an audience on Youtube using misleading thumbnails, it doesn’t work like that anymore. Now that Youtube is much more focused on watch time than on simply driving clicks and views, you have to make sure that whatever is on your thumbnail is indeed what your video is all about. If you can follow these guidelines for your video marketing strategies, you’ll create thumbnails that not only accumulate viewer clicks but you’ll also build your Oakville audience.