Make Promotional Videos

This article suggests some methods that you can use to create a promotional video.

 

Although you can choose from a lot of different services and software, we’ll talk about how to use Picasa and Animoto (one is software, the other an online service) to make videos which promote your site.  We’ll also learn how to submit these videos to video sharing services, and promote them through social networks.

 

Both Picasa and Animoto allow you to create a video slideshow set to music.  Video slideshows are visually appealing, and when set to a musical theme can keep a viewer interested.

 

Use pictures of products that your site specializes in.  For instance, if your site’s focus is on home and garden decor, use pictures of decorations made for home and garden.  Depending on your site theme, you might also mix in pictures of your physical storefront, you selling products at a trade show or flea market, pictures of your customers at your trade show booth (get their permission first), and other pictures that emphasize your site’s subject matter.

 

To get pictures of SMC products, click the SMC Product Images link in the Products column in your Site Manager.  Download the pictures to a folder on your hard drive.  Next, we’ll talk about which program you want to use to create your videos.

 

Picasa

Picasa is free photo editing software by Google.  With it, you can edit organize and edit pictures, and maintain online photo albums which you can share with your customers.  With Picasa, you can also make a slideshow set to music that you provide, and display your site’s Web address throughout the slideshow.  You can then upload this video to YouTube (and other video and social networking services) to introduce your brand to new customers.

 

See a sample product video made with Picasa

To download Picasa, go to http://picasa.google.com/ and click Download Picasa 3.  Follow Google’s instructions to download and install Picasa.

 

After you install Picasa, find the folder with the pictures you want to use for your slideshow.  Select all of the pictures, and then on the Create menu, select Movie.

 

Add music to the slideshow.  You can create your own music with SongSmith or other software, or find pre-made music suitable for your purpose.  When choosing music for your slideshow, you cannot use music from a commercial CD or purchased from an online music source (like iTunes or Amazon).  Those songs are copyrighted, and are only meant to be used for your own enjoyment.  When publishing something where other people can hear it, you must use music that is “royalty free,” which means you can legally use it for commercial purposes.

 

Change the different options and preview the video until it looks right.  If the pictures are going too fast, you might try removing some images or increasing the length of the song.  If the pictures are going too slow, you might try adding more images or using a shorter song.

 

You can add text to each picture (on the Slide tab when you have it selected).  Add your Web site address to each tab, so the viewer can see it throughout the whole video.  Change the Template, color, and other options so it looks good on each picture.  Also, add a text slide at the beginning and end of the video with your site address, and a call to action, such as, “come see more products like this now!”

 

Once you are happy with the video, you can upload it directly to YouTube, or you can save it to your computer and then upload it to video services separately.  You can also use a service called TubeMogul, which can upload the video to several sites at once.  See the April 2009 newsletter to learn how to use that service to promote your videos.

 

 

Animoto

Animoto is an online service which creates very dynamic videos.

 

See a sample product video made in Animoto

 

To create a video with Animoto, you must first create an account on animoto.com.

 

With a free account, you can create a 30-second video with 12-15 images.  You can also select from their library of music to add to your video – no searching for royalty-free music to add to your video!

 

You can upgrade your account to make longer videos and to use the service for promoting your business.  This gives you access to more music, and more ability to “brand” the video for your business (less Animoto branding).

 

Once you have an account on Animoto, click CREATE VIDEO.  Upload images for the slideshow.  Add a few Text screens to give your Web address to the viewers.  Choose some images to “spotlight,” so the slideshow stays focused on them longer.

 

Next, choose music to go with your video.  If you have (royalty free!) music already, you can upload it.  You can also choose music from Animoto’s existing library.

 

Finalize the video.  This adds it to your Animoto video library.

 

View the video and make sure it looks the way you like.  Animoto allows you “remix” videos – you can change the order of the pictures, change the text, and change the pictures.  Or you don’t have to change them – simply remixing the video will change it up, so remix it a few times and choose your favorite one.

 

Animoto can push the video to YouTube so that you can promote it through that video sharing site, and through social networks.

 

If you upgrade your account, you can also download a copy of the video, which you can then upload to TubeMogul or to other video sharing sites.  An upgraded account also gives you access to iPhone and DVD versions of the video, which give you additional promotional opportunities.