I’ve become a bit of a SXSW regular and honestly it is the one conference every year that I never miss.

I always arrive in Austin with an open mind to all my current clients and also looking for tools and people that I can get involved in future initiatives. As a consultant I want to be up to date on the latest technologies and also who are the active members of the community in case they are a fit for a project at some point.     

This year because of my work with Overlay.TV I had video on the brain and kept a very keen eye on what was going on.

I’m happy to report that video is alive and well and there were just as many video cameras as there was catchy tagline t-shirts and backpacks. If you are not creating video at this point, you are behind the curve and it is time to start working it into your marketing mix if you want to be successful.

I asked a variety of attendees why they thought video was so important to businesses and what they thought the future of video was. Click on the icons in the video to connect with any of the speakers.

So, what were some of the video trends that I noticed while there?

1.  The days of lugging a massive camera around are no more. I saw more micro HD cameras and video capable DSLR cameras than anything else.
2. Companies are continuing to embrace the power of video. Watch any of the daily recap videos from Chevrolet or the great SXSW:By the Numbers video from CNN as shining examples.
3. Everyone still has a craving to learn how to make their videos better. If there was any doubt, all you had to do is look at sessions led by Steve Garfield or The Bui Brothers to see that video education is important.
4. People are not as hesitant about being asked to be on video as they use to be. We as a society are much more comfortable with video cameras being everywhere and talking to one isn’t as unique of an experience as it use to be.
5. At large events like this, setting up a stationary studio or similar location for people to create video makes a lot of sense. The Live from AOL Studio and the Samsung Blogger Lounge were both examples that jumped out at me.

I did not discover any breakout technologies that will change the landscape in video which was a bit disappointing. Sure, there were more camera rigs, green screen solutions and streaming companies peddling their wares, but nothing jumped out at me and made me say wow.

I left Austin full of breakfast tacos and inspiration to create more video. Every where I looked someone had a camera and a microphone. It is a critical piece of the marketing mix for every company and I want to see people use it more and use it better.

Were you at SXSW? Did you see something that I missed? Let me know in the comments.

Aliza Sherman · Ann Handley · Becky Johns · Brad Powell · Emily Cavalier · Interactive Video · Jeff Sass · Joe Chernov · Julien Smith · Steve Grafield · Tamsen McMahon · Tim Washer

This is part one in an ongoing series exploring interactive video integration online.   

Over the recent months we have held many discussions with retailers on both sides of the Atlantic that are looking to add video to their websites. One of the issues that inevitably arises is “We have video but are not sure where to start. How do we make this interesting without incurring high production costs?”

Given that this is very much a common theme from prospective user, we thought we would compile a collection of the most popular uses. The list is not meant to be exhaustive, rather a list of practical ideas that retailers are considering.

6 Ideas to get you started:

1. Product page video
2. Repurposing TV commercials
3. User generated content
4. Repurposing celebrity videos
5. How-to videos, style guides and advice
6. Experience brand/theme pages

Product Page Video

Over the last few years images have brought eCommerce websites to life, often with clever zoom capabilities. While this is a good first step, the benefits of many products cannot be demonstrated effectively with static images.  For instance, how do you show the unique flexibility of a new footwear sole design with a static photo?  Video adds a dimension that allows the user to interact with and gain a far greater understanding of the product. Both have been demonstrated to increase conversion and, just as importantly, reduce return rates.

Intermix Product Page

 Up next: Repurposing TV commercials.

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In a 2008 survey done by The Neilson Company, they found that of the worlds internet users 85% of them have purchased something online and, according to a poll taken by Geek Sugar, 65% of people prefer shopping online to an actual bricks and mortar store. Like so many I am a convert to the ease and convenience of online shopping. To be honest, I never really liked shopping anyway (GASP!) I just like the end result - new clothes, new shoes, new books. The act itself though I could do without - tiny dressing rooms, crowded stores, long lines, pushy people, and why when I can shop for the same items online while lounging comfortably in my bed and often for less than what I would pay in a retail store. And c'mon who doesn't love getting a package?!

One of the things I do find lacking from the online shopping experience is the attention and help you get from a live sales person, especially on sites where you may not be entirely familiar with the products. Not so long ago I ordered a DVD player from a large online electronics retailer and I needed what turned out to be a very specific cable, so I could hook it up to an LCD monitor. I'm not very techy and really didn't know what I was looking for so I tried the live chat with a customer service rep where you type in your query, but he didn't really understand what I was saying and his questions were a little too complex for my rote technical understanding. It's not like you can show them what you're talking about either, because you can't see them and they can't see you. So I ordered the wrong thing. Turns out I had to go into their actual store anyway with my monitor and show it to them so they could suggest the right cable for me to buy. All this could have been avoided with 2 webcams.

Meanwhile, our development team was already working on an application that would have helped me immensely in purchasing the cable I needed. It's a video chat tool. If you’re on a site and you need some help you can talk face-to-face with a real live person and show them exactly what you need. The video chat allows the customer service rep to make suggestions by dragging products into the viewing area for the customer see and even click on. It's the attention and service you get from going to a store, without ever having to leave your home.

Face-to-face live video chat

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Time for an update on what's been going on at Overlay.TV. A few months ago we launched a new platform called Overlay.TV for Retail. At the time, the focus on our site was split between user-generated content and our new eCommerce video platform, but it became clear in the months that followed that interest in the UGC side was dwindling and that our energies would be better spent if we concentrated solely on our retail platform. It wasn't an easy decision to make as we had some very loyal users, but we felt that the new platform needed all of our love and attention, especially in these early stages, in order to deliver the best possible product  to all of our clients. Check out the revamped site to see how our focus has changed and to find out more about Overlay.TV for Retail.

So, with our sites set on making Overlay.TV for Retail the most widely used eCommerce video platform, we thought it was time to have a coming out out party of sorts, and what better place to do that than in Las Vegas! Myself and some of the gang from Overlay.TV traveled to Vegas for the Shop.org Annual Summit 2009 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino where we set up shop in a 10x20 booth.

The Summit was 3 days of non-stop meet and greets. Not only were we able to introduce ourselves to loads of people from all over the world, but we were also given the opportunity to see what's new in the world of online retail. What we heard a lot was that online retailers are looking for new ways to integrate video, product and user-generated,  into their sites to better engage existing customers and entice new ones. It's not just about pushing products and shopping, but about building a community of like minded consumers and giving them the ability to share their experiences with others. If you you missed the Summit, check out the Shop.org Blog for recaps on the show and keynote speakers. Thanks to the Shop.org crew for putting together a fabulous trade show. We couldn't have asked for a better coming out party.

Stay tuned, because over the next coming weeks and months I'll be posting stories and examples of how our clients are successfully integrating the Overlay.TV for Retail onto their sites.

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Overlay.TV is pleased to announce today the launch of its latest platform, Overlay.TV for Retail. Overlay.TV for Retail is an all-in-one eCommerce video solution with all the tools a business needs to provide its customers with an interactive shopping experience combined with outstanding customer care, in one easy-to-use environment. Our new platform seamlessly integrates into existing websites and offers custom branded players that allow customers to click and shop directly from your inventory catalog right in the video.

Example of Overlay.TV for Retail Authoring Tool

Example of the Overlay.TV for Retail Player Website Integration

We have created a demo website, www.flixtore.com, that showcases our tool and how it can be used to engage consumers and enhance their shopping experience with clickable video. For more information download our White Paper for Retail or contact us at retail@overlay.tv. Read full press release here.

Stay tuned! We have a major retailer signed that will be launching this summer!

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Welcome to the new and improved Overlay.TV. Over the past couple of weeks our team has been diligently working away to give our site a new facelift. Our goal for the re-design, based in part on community feedback, was to make information more accessible for people with business and development interests, while still maintaining the UGC aspects of our site.

The hompage now has three options to choose from: Creators, Business and Developers with each of these sections providing more information specific to your needs, including features and benefits, demos, downloadable PDFs and contact info.  There is also a promo video explaining what we do and showcases how clickable video can enhance your audience's viewing pleasure.  As always we welcome your thoughts and feedback regarding our site changes and encourage you to leave them here or on our official Twitter page @OverlayTV.

Ahhhh ... now that's refreshing!

Special Thanks to The Anybody for graciously allowing Overlay.TV to use their music for our promo video.

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Backbone Magazine, a Canadian IT magazine that itself has had remarkable growth and staying power, establishing itself as a trusted source of IT information in the frosty nether regions has recently published its second annual Top 25 Up and Comers, a list that recognizes the leaders of tomorrow within the Canadian ICT industry. To make the list, companies had to be established no earlier than 2005 and were selected for their innovation, uniqueness and long-term potential.

The list is from Canadian ICT companies appearing on the 2009 Branham300 Edition and their combined force surpassed $70 billion in revenue for the first time in Branham300 history! Overcoming increasing economic pressures, these Canadian companies experienced a whopping 18 per cent growth - collectively generating $75.97 billion in revenue.

The envelope(s) please...(in alphabetical order, not ranked): (more...)

backbone · branham 300 · canada · ict · new technology · revenue · top 25 · up and comers

What's this you ask? I can win a Wii? How?

Well kids, you may recall a few posts ago I told you about a very special tool we launched called ijustine.overlay.tv. Basically it's a free product endorsement backed by none other than the Internet herself, iJustine. Well now you can review a product and maybe win a Wii. Go to ijustine.overlay.tv, create your product review, iJustine will pick what she thinks is the best one, and Overlay.TV will give that lucky person a Wii! OMG a Wii!! The winner will be chosen on March 17th at SXSW, the last day of the Interactive portion.

For more info on how you can win a Wii, watch the clip below from iJustine's new show, Ask iJ.

· Ask iJ · contest · iJustine · product · review · SXSW · wii

 We are always looking for ways to make things easier and more efficient for our users here at Overlay.TV, and we have developed a new app we think will do just that. It's called the YouTube Uploader, developed with our friends at Nitobi, and it makes uploading videos to YouTube and creating Overlays on them super quick and easy. Simply install the app and uploading your videos to YouTube is as easy as a drag and drop, and you can start creating Overlays on your videos right from the app!

The app also allows for larger file sizes and sits on your desktop for quick access that you can open anytime, anywhere. Click here to install the app and for a complete description of how to use the Overlay.TV YouTube Uploader.

For all you dev types check out Part One of Jesse from Nitobi's blog post on how the YouTube Uploader came to be at our newly launched Labs site.

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Overlay.TV partner Kidz Bop is ready to let it rock! Kidz Bop users can now create their very own karaoke version of their favorite songs, including Kidz Bop's version of Let it Rock and Selena Gomez's pop hit Tell Me Something I Don't Know from the soundtrack to her movie 'Another Cinderella Story.' KidzBop had been thinking of implementing an interactive karaoke widget for some time, and when they saw the massive popularity of Jonas Brothers Overlay Vocal Booth, they were convinced. Like the JB booth, kids sing along to lyrics Overlayed in the music video, but this time their sing along will appear right inside the video itself.

And like all things Kidz Bop it's super simple for kids to create. Just head over to the Kidz Bop Karaoke Video Maker become a Kidz Bop member, if you haven't already done so, agree to the rules of play, pick your song and get ready to ROCK! Videos are moderated daily and kids can share them with their friends and family. And super awesome submissions have the chance to become the Featured Karaoke Video of the day. Get Rockin'!

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