vidiSEO

How to Make a Playlist on YouTube

Matt Ballek — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:00:54 +0000

Playlists let you organize and share video in cool new ways on YouTube, so stop not knowing how to create them by watching this tutorial.

How to Add a Banner to your YouTube Channel

Matt Ballek — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 19:00:59 +0000

Learn how to add a clickable banner to the top of your YouTube channel in this award eligible interactive tutorial.

How to Edit Your NEW YouTube Channel

Matt Ballek — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:38 +0000

Make sure your YouTube videos have a nice place to hang out with a few simple tweaks.

A Message to the New YouTube Layout

Matt Ballek — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 01:42:41 +0000

It's not easy being a new YouTube interface design and nobody knows that better than YouTube's old layout from 2010 to 2011.

VidCon 2011: EXCLUSIVE No Access Pass

Matt Ballek — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:48:42 +0000

If you weren’t able to make it to VidCon this year, don’t worry. I went all the way to Los Angeles to not go to VidCon for you. I may not have a conference pass, but that isn’t going to stop me from getting the most out of VidCon. Industry Day Sessions: [dcs_toggle_btn open="false" title="Finding Your Product"][/dcs_toggle_btn] [dcs_toggle_btn open="false" title="Should Your Vlog be a Show"][/dcs_toggle_btn] [dcs_toggle_btn open="false" title="Making Brand Friendly Videos"][/dcs_toggle_btn] [dcs_toggle_btn open="false" title="From YouTube to Television"][/dcs_toggle_btn] [dcs_toggle_btn open="false" title="The Wave is Coming: Studios in the Web Space"][/dcs_toggle_btn]

What Google+ Means for Video Marketing

Matt Ballek — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:00:53 +0000

The Google+ project aims to leverage the most fundamental layer of the internet…people. If the above video is a bit vague, allow me to summarize. Google has created their own version of Facebook, and it has some cool new features. How will these new social features impact video marketing? I’m glad you asked! Let’s take a look: [dcs_bar_header color="#FFFFFF" bgcolor="#FF3A44" size="2" align="left"]Circles[/dcs_bar_header] Circles on Google+ allow you to organize the people you follow into topic groups so you can share items with a bit more tact. That means I can share online video news with my marketing buddies without getting the obligatory like from my Mom. Expect this feature to be on every other social network in a week. How Does This Impact Video Marketing? If your video gets shared with the right circle, your video’s engagement signals could go through the roof with more comments, likes, +1s, embeds, etc. This also gives Google insight into what types of circles a particular video is getting passed around in, which could change the way it ranks in search on Google and YouTube. Circles also helps you have a conversation about a video that lives outside of the dreaded YouTube comments section. That means you can actually have an intelligent (or at least slightly more intelligent) conversation about a video with friends without the presence of trolls. [dcs_bar_header color="#FFFFFF" bgcolor="#FF3A44" size="2" align="left"]Sparks[/dcs_bar_header] Sparks is a lot like Google Reader (or any RSS reader) on autopilot. Follow a topic, and Google will show you articles, blog posts, video, and whatever else it thinks you should see. Basically Google is arming you with a feed of interesting things for you to share with your circles of friends. How Does This Impact Video Marketing? I think this alone could have the biggest impact on video sharing compared to all the other features. Not only is this stream of topic based content great for keeping your finger on the pulse of a chosen topic, but it is tailor-made to feature new, relevant content for you to share. What kind of content? Here is a shriek-inducing quote from Wired : [dcs_blockquote width="400" framed="true"]The signals that Google looks for in determining Sparks content is freshness, a visual component (videos will rank highly), and the degree to which the content is virally spreading on the net.[/dcs_blockquote] Optimizing your videos for relevant spark topics could help your video blow up! [dcs_bar_header color="#FFFFFF" bgcolor="#FF3A44" size="2" align="left"]Hangouts[/dcs_bar_header] Hangouts is a group video chat that you can open up for friends to join in. People can come and go as they please, and the person talking automatically becomes the focus of the group. How Does This Impact Video Marketing? Well probably not much. I do notice a YouTube button in the hangout menu at the bottom, so this could allow for realtime group watching of a video, and if it’s your video that’s even better. Also seeing how Skype video chats have found their way into numerous videos, this could be a cool [...]

Is YouTube Changing the Look of Their Video Player?

Matt Ballek — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:47:06 +0000

Looks like YouTube is testing out a darker player look with a black background and deep red buttons. Here is a comparison of the new and old player: Personally, I think it looks pretty cool (the player, not the picture of myself) and would love the option to use this player skin with embedded videos. What do you think of the new look?

5 Uncommon Ways to Use Unlisted Videos on YouTube

Matt Ballek — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:00:21 +0000

Unlisted videos are a different kind of private video. Like a private video, they do not appear in YouTube search results, playlists, or on your YouTube channel; However, unlisted videos can be viewed by anyone with a link to the video. This makes your video easier to share with people who may not have a YouTube account, and also opens up some interesting new uses. Here are 5 creative ways you can use unlisted videos with your audience. Setting Up Complex Annotations & Hotspots Before unlisted videos I found it frustrating that my video would go live before I could add any clickable annotations. This was especially frustrating in the past since you would have to upload all the different videos, and then quickly link them all together with annotations before too many people saw them. Now it’s easy to set your video to unlisted, add the annotations and hotspots you want, test them, and then make your videos public when they are ready. Thank You Page Videos Unlisted videos can still be embedded on your website and since they aren’t findable on YouTube, your site is the premiere place to watch them. So, for example, you could upload a “Thank you for your purchase” video to YouTube and set it as unlisted. Then take that video and embed it onto your website’s thank you page. Now, only people who make a purchase will see the video. Secret Videos Unlisted videos can still be linked to through annotations, which means you could hide a clickable hotspot in your video that takes viewers to an unlisted video message. This technique could be used to hide various Easter eggs in your video or even hide coupon codes and other deals that only your most diligent viewers can find. Video A/B Tests Unlisted videos are perfect for performing video tests. For example, you could upload multiple versions of the same video and use Google Website Optimizer to set up an A/B test of the videos on your own website. The winning video can then be set to public while the other variations can be deleted or remain private for later use. Video Quizzes Create an interactive video quiz using a combination of public and private videos. Ask a multiple choice question at the end of a public video with private videos assigned to each answer. What Else? Do you have any other cool ways to use unlisted videos? Share it in the comments below!

Don’t Just End Your Video, RecommEND More Videos

Matt Ballek — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:08:44 +0000

[dcs_dropcap2 color="#FF4545"]I[/dcs_dropcap2]f you want to grow your audience and increase your video view counts on YouTube, here is one thing your viewers should never see: I’m talking about YouTube’s “Up Next” screen that recommends videos to watch next. While some of the videos in this view may be yours, many of them will drive viewers away from your content (and possibly towards your competitors). Using annotations and hotspots, many popular YouTube Partners are using the last 30-40 seconds of their video to make their own recommendations. Here are a few awesome examples of video bumpers in action: The Key of Awesome At the end of every music video parody the Key of Awesome drops a whopping 15 video thumbnails on the right hand side while cast members urge you to subscribe, rate, and watch more on the left. [dcs_btn url="http://youtu.be/-AL14KGWTU0?t=2m10s" target="_blank" float="left"]See it in Action[/dcs_btn] The Fine Bros The Fine Brothers, creators of the popular “Kids React to…” series, cram plenty to react to in the closing 30 seconds of their video. Some notable items include a subscribe button, last week’s video, bonus footage, and four older videos. [dcs_btn url="http://youtu.be/DPcudaoGwtk?t=5m30s" target="_blank" float="left"]See it in Action[/dcs_btn] Songify This Here the Gregory Brothers end their auto-tuned remixes with a subscribe button, links to viewer remixes, the original video they’ve remixed, and a link to a karaoke version of their video. [dcs_btn url="http://youtu.be/F2ZShmt19uQ?t=1m5s" target="_blank" float="left"]See it in Action[/dcs_btn] Rhett & Link In their latest video Rhett & Link use their closing bumper to promote their new TV show while still providing links in the top right to all their latest commercial videos. [dcs_btn url="http://youtu.be/S7gbxAZ03mw?t=56s" target="_blank" float="left"]See it in Action[/dcs_btn] Know of any others? Leave me a comment if you find any other videos that are using these techniques in cool new ways, and make sure to get the most out of your own video endings!

How Apple’s OSX Lion Could Be the King of Internet TV

Matt Ballek — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:23:57 +0000

Internet Television is a great idea in search of a great user experience. Many devices bring the internet to your TV, but very few of them make the internet feel at home on such a large screen. With the release of OSX Lion, Apple may have created a UI that makes your HDTV the best monitor in the house. [dcs_darkspliter size="medium"] Look Out Google TV [dcs_darkspliter size="medium"] In an effort to bring the internet to my television I have tethered numerous devices to my poor, confused Samsung TV. The past few months I have been using a Logitech Google TV, and my Macbook Pro. I have since given up on Google TV for numerous reasons: [dcs_ul_dot_grey left="20"] The UI is cluttered and unresponsive Hulu and other network video sites don’t work The keyboard controller is clunky The processor is easily overwhelmed Many of the “apps” are just websites I can access from any computer [/dcs_ul_dot_grey] My Macbook lets me do everything the Google TV does and more. Plus, Apple’s bluetooth keyboard and magic trackpad make excellent couch controllers. The only problem is that the operating system is made for leaning forward, not back. With Apple’s new Lion operating system, you can go from lean-forward to lean-back mode faster than a La-Z-Boy recliner. [dcs_darkspliter size="medium"] Turn your TV into an iPad for $30 [dcs_darkspliter size="medium"] Apple’s new operating system incorporates a little of that iPad “magic”, making your Mac more TV friendly than ever. Here are a few features that will in fact rock on a TV screen: Launchpad Launchpad is a fancy name for what is essentially an iPhone or iPad home screen. From a leanback perspective this is pretty cool news. No more double clicking in a maze of folders to open up what you want. Just look for the brightly colored icon and click once. Gestures If launchpad adds an iPad look to the OS, then Gestures adds the iPad feel. Swipe, pinch, tap, tweak, and generally fondle your content in a more responsive and natural way. This makes the Magic Trackpad like a super sleek (and super sweet) one button remote control. Full-Screen Apps With the click of a button, any app can run in full-screen mode. This gets the file menu bar and dock items out of your way so your app gets your full attention. This make many popular apps instantly TV friendly. Plus, you have the ability to quickly switch between fullscreen apps by swiping left or right. Mission Control Mission Control brings together the features of Exposé, Dashboard, Spaces, and full-screen apps in a sleek new way. Simply swipe up with three fingers, and you have an organized view of running applications, desktop spaces, and full-screen apps. You could easily create a Desktop Space for TV related apps, and navigate to it with a swipe and a click. iCloud With Apple’s free iCloud it’s easy to keep your apps, music, video, and documents in sync. Download an app on your iPad and it [...]