*4 Steps to a Strong Video Campaign: On an increasingly video-dominated internet, some advertisers are successfully using video, a medium that extends beyond commercial
advertising into self-advertising, to attract sizable audiences. Use these 4 tips to build for the future of online video:
1. Choose the right partner: Consider your needs in terms of maintenance, automation, information analysis, etc.
2. Think video metrics: The industry no longer measures a video campaign's success in mere impressions and page views; metrics like exposure time, replay rates, and percentage
viewed tell a fuller story.
3. Make measurable results scalable: Once your client is convinced that video advertising works, have your video partner include your results in an evolving benchmark to show
that continued success is built on initial success.
4. Don't think of ad ops as a back office function: Maintaining the present rate of industry innovation is dependent on the ad ops teams supporting it. When working with
companies with video campaigns, learn about their processes to ensure a smooth campaign.
Source: iMediaConnection.com
*Richer is Better: You don't need to hire an army of Web developers to achieve a rich Web experience. The folks at Molecular offer these 6 ideas to improve functionality and
usability:
1. Form validation: It's frustrating to find out you made a mistake on a form after submitting it. With new technology, you can verify in real time whether the info is
valid.
2. Auto-suggest: This easily-added feature increases usability by suggesting words as users type. If your site has a search feature, start with a list of most used search
terms.
3. Faster processes: You can improve common tasks on the site by keeping the user in the context of what they are doing. Changing only the part of the page that the user is
editing makes for faster response times and decreased bandwidth use.
4. Increased interaction: Look for creative ways for your users to interact with your site and content. On a financial news site, for example, users can move their mouse over a
stock ticker, revealing a new layer of charts and links.
5. Direct manipulation: Interacting with large amounts of data is a challenge within the limitations of static html. Building charts and graphs with Flash delivers a more
immersive experience.
6. Differentiating experiences: Features such as product configurators, where users can design their own versions of your product, create a more immersive brand experience.
Source: iMediaConnection.com
*Building Online Community: Photo-sharing site Flickr is a model for dot-coms looking to improved the community aspect of their web sites. Flickr Community Manager Heather
Champ gives 10 tips for fostering online community:
1. Engage: One reason Flickr stands out is the continued participation of founders Stewart Butterfield and Caterina Fake on the Flickr blog and with the community.
2. Enforce: Let your community establish standards for appropriate online behavior, then enforce them.
3. Take responsibility: Flickr makes a point of being open and honest with the community when a mistake is made and explaining the situation behind the scenes.
4. Step back: Don't be afraid to let your customers take over - Champ says Flickr members often answer others' forum questions as well as she could.
5. Give: Never underestimate the value of a free T-shirt, sticker, etc.
6. Patience: Flickr's redesign initially produced some user freakouts, but as users adjusted, most enjoyed the new ease of use. Take first reactions with a grain of salt.
7. Hire fans: You want employees as passionate about your product as your biggest fans. Champ recommends hiring directly from the community.
8. Stay calm: Users can be demanding, so you'll need to develop a thick skin when your community gets testy.
9. Focus: Be flexible to user demands, but don't lose sight of your priorities.
10. Visibility: Flickr employees are encouraged to post their own photos and maintain profiles that other members can view, reminding the community that they are real people
too.
Source: BusinessWeek.com