Let's face it: Online video is spurring on a new wave of PR possibilities. But are practitioners leveraging online video's power, or are they just along for the ride?
A new survey conducted by PR News and Medialink reveals that the usage of digital video is dichotomous: While 69% of the nearly 300 respondents said they have watched online
video footage for business purposes within the last 10 days, only half have video posted on their corporate Web sites. So, what gives?
"Video is still an underutilized resource among PR pros - especially those in B2B communications," says Larry Thomas, COO of Medialink. "Execs are watching video themselves,
but they're not taking advantage of these cost-effective distribution tools that are available."
Thomas does note that the main drivers respondents cited for using online video - ability to measure impact/ROI (30%) and financial feasibility (28%) - are positive indicators
that PR pros are aware of the abounding opportunities, but, he says, "It's also about taking existing video assets and repurposing it in addition to creating content from
scratch."
Consider these best practices when preparing online videos:
- Produce compelling content and make it as available as possible, then let the destination attract an audience;
- Consider ways other than the Web and TV to repurpose the video before ever sending out the camera; and
- Leverage the platform's ability to speak to a very targeted, high-prospect audience.
When it comes to video, Thomas says, "PR execs can't stand on the sidelines anymore. They must accelerate their evolution by experimenting. It's scary, but it's even scarier to
know that people are talking about you whether you're there or not. We're in a media 2.0 world, and video is the currency of the marketplace."
CONTACT:
Larry Thomas, [email protected]
The Use Of Video In PR Efforts
1. Do you currently use video as a communications vehicle for your company or client(s)?
Yes 56%
No 18%
Sometimes 26%
2. If you answered no, to the question above, please tell us why:
Do not have financial resources to produce or outsource video 49%
Have no compelling reason to use video 26%
Clients don't ask for it 14%
Don't understand the application for the technology yet 11%
3. If you answered yes to question #1, please tell us if you are planning to include more public relations video in your campaigns in 2007 than you did in 2006.
Yes 64%
Don't know 18%
The same 16%
Less 2%
4. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being most important, rank the following digital PR tools in terms of importance to your overall communications efforts:
Media briefings/interviews 5
Press feleases 4
Corporate blogs 4
Online newsroom 4
Podcasts 3
Video or audio for external ?communications (news releases, ?satellite interviews, live satellite conferences) 3
White papers 2
Video or audio for internal communications (employee newsletters, training, sales support) 2
5. In the past 10 days, have you watched any videos online for business purposes (e.g., for research, competitive intelligence, curiosity):
Yes 69%
No 30%
No response 1%
6. Does your organization's Web site currently have any video on its corporate site?
Yes 50%
No 49%
No response 1%
7. Have you ever posted a video for your company or client on a social networking site such as YouTube or MySpace?
Yes 28%
No 72%
8. If yes, which sites:
YouTube 67%
MySpace 13%
Other: 20%
9. If you do produce videos for your organization or client(s), do you:
Outsource 29%
Produce in-house 21%
Both 35%
No response 15%
10. Given the proliferation of videos as a new way of communicating online, what would be the main drivers for your PR department to use more video (check all that
apply):
Ability to measure impact/ROI? 30%
Financial feasibility 28%
Client requesting video 16%
More staff resources 13%
Technical know-how 6%
Creative talent 5%
No response 2%
A Survey of PR News and Medialink
* 292 total respondents