About.com Desktop Video

Which Video Ads Are Best?

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:43:12 +0000

Advertisers, publishers and video sharing websites are all trying to figure out the best way to monetize online video. The question is, what kind of advertising is most effective with online viewers? Should videos include a pre-roll ad at the start of the video, inlaid advertising on the bottom of the screen, or on page advertising next to the video player?

A new online video advertising study reveals that consumers respond best to customizable pre-roll ads.

The online TV site Hulu pioneered the Ad Selector, which allows viewers to choose the pre-roll ad they want to see. According to the study, the user-selected pre-roll ads had a click-through rate more than 100 percent higher than other forms of online video advertising.

Given these findings, I think we can expect to see expect to see more online video sites using this type of selective pre-roll advertising. If this method increases video monetization, it'll be good news for video producers and distributors.

Which Video Ads Are Best? originally appeared on About.com Desktop Video on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 10:43:12.

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Record Webcam Footage That Works

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:30:09 +0000

Webcam recordings have a certain, recognizable style: A close up face, poorly lit, staring below the camera, in a cluttered bedroom or office. It's not universal, but it's definitely the stereotype that comes to mind.

This style of webcam recording is generally accepted, and a lot of producers have gotten hugely popular on YouTube with videos just like this. But webcam videos don't have to be this bad! With a few, simple adjustments you can vastly improve the visual and audio quality of your webcam recordings. This new article, How to Record Webcam Videos, will show you how.

Record Webcam Footage That Works originally appeared on About.com Desktop Video on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 11:30:09.

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Be Featured on YouTube

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:11:52 +0000

YouTube has announced the featured topics for February's homepage. If your video fits into one of these categories, it could be featured as a Spotlight Video on the YouTube homepage.

The themes this month include Black History, Winter Sports, Valentine's Day and others. To have your videos considered, make sure to tag them properly so they can be found by the YouTube editors.

Be Featured on YouTube originally appeared on About.com Desktop Video on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 16:11:52.

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9 Ways to Protect Your Privacy on YouTube - What's #10?

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:15:30 +0000

You need to manage your account, your content and your relationships on YouTube, if you want to maintain your privacy on the site. That's the gist of my new list: 9 Ways to Maintain Your YouTube Privacy

But it just doesn't seem complete, so please help me out! What your tip for protecting your privacy on YouTube? Leave a comment to share with other readers.

9 Ways to Protect Your Privacy on YouTube - What's #10? originally appeared on About.com Desktop Video on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 13:15:30.

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YouTube as a Force of Good

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:11:39 +0000

Most people think of YouTube as a site to waste time watching silly home videos or blooper reels. But for all the pointless videos on the site (and there are millions of them), YouTube does an excellent job of creating community engagement and promoting change in the world.

Just this week, YouTube is promoting two important and inspirational video challenges. The State Department's "What is Democracy?" video contest is looking for thoughtful submissions, and offering winners a chance to travel to D.C. and Hollywood to meet prominent filmmakers and politicians. The Davos Debates channel lets users post their questions for the world leaders who'll be meeting in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum at the end of the month.

So why not take a little break from filming your kitten, and participate in the global conversation that's going on now on YouTube?

YouTube as a Force of Good originally appeared on About.com Desktop Video on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 14:11:39.

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YouTube Offers Video Rentals

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:10:31 +0000

Just in time for the Sundance Film Festival, YouTube is kicking off a video rental program. The video rentals should earn revenue for YouTube, while providing exposure and income to independent filmmakers.

Starting Friday, January 22, and running through January 31, US residents will be able to rent and watch five films from the 2009 and 2010 Sundance festivals. In the coming weeks, other filmmakers and YouTube partners will be invited to offer their films for rental through YouTube.

The details of the rental program - including the cost for viewers and the income for producers - are yet to be revealed. But this program is definitely a sign of the changes we can expect to see on YouTube in 2010.

YouTube Offers Video Rentals originally appeared on About.com Desktop Video on Thursday, January 21st, 2010 at 11:10:31.

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DIY Film Distribution

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:21:48 +0000

Digital technology and the internet have changed filmmaking forever. Shooting, editing and distributing your own film has never been easier or less expensive. As this article from last week's New York Times points out, there are more options than ever for independent filmmakers to get their work seen. After all, why should you go through the effort and frustration of trying to sell your film to a major studio, when you can sell it online yourself?

There are many websites out there that support this independent ethos, by giving producers a place to showcase their work, and maybe even earn a little money as well. Our Stage is one website that is dedicated to supporting independent filmmakers and musicians, by hosting a monthly online contest looking for the best music and video submissions. Filmaka is a similar site, that hosts video contests judged by some of the top industry professionals. Famecast also holds monthly video contests, with cash prizes and career building opportunities for the winners.

DIY Film Distribution originally appeared on About.com Desktop Video on Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 at 13:21:48.

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Your Ideas for YouTube

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:45:12 +0000

It's hard to believe that YouTube is only five years old. The site has become such a staple of our culture, serving up billions of videos every day. What were our lives like before online video and YouTube? It's not an overstatement to say that it's changed my life.

To celebrate this anniversary, YouTube is doing some "early spring cleaning," and looking for users' input on what should be fixed or made better on the site.

How do you think the YouTube experience could be improved?

Your Ideas for YouTube originally appeared on About.com Desktop Video on Friday, January 15th, 2010 at 10:45:12.

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Online Videos, Made Easy

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 10:57:13 +0000

My goal for this web site is to make desktop and online video easy to understand and use. It's a daunting task, because online video encompasses a lot of things - from creating and sharing to watching and distributing - and because the technology is constantly changing.

If you're new to the world of online video, start with this guide: Online Videos, Made Easy. Whether you're about to upload your first video or want to cancel your cable subscription and watch everything online, it will make your online video experience as simple and straightforward as possible.

Online Videos, Made Easy originally appeared on About.com Desktop Video on Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 at 10:57:13.

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Doing Good With Video

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:38:41 +0000

Some of my favorite video projects involve working with nonprofits or other mission-driven agencies. I find it extremely rewarding to produce videos about people and organizations who are working hard to make a positive change in the world. They always have compelling stories to tell, which makes it fun and interesting for me, and I'm glad to know that my videos will directly help with fundraising, volunteer recruitment and cause awareness.

This year, I'm planning to get involved in the YouTube Video Volunteers project, which recruits filmmakers to volunteer their time and talent to produce videos for nonprofit organizations. Each month, Video Volunteers chooses a new topic (for January, it's organizations that support the arts) for producers to work on, and the top videos get placed on the YouTube homepage. It's a great way to promote yourself, and the causes you believe in.

Doing Good With Video originally appeared on About.com Desktop Video on Monday, January 11th, 2010 at 13:38:41.

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