WHAT'S NEW ONLINE?

Two of the most popular technologies to hit the Web are social networking and video sharing.  Among other tools available online, videos and social networking sites are increasingly important to the public relations practitioner. 

The Emergence of Virtual Worlds
Social networking Web sites build communities of people who share interests and activities.  Since these communities are Web-based, many provide various ways for users to interact with one another such as: chat, messaging, video, file sharing, blogging and discussion.  While sites such as MySpace and facebook are still prevalent, online social communities are evolving.  Recently there has been an emergence of "virtual worlds" such as Second Life, Gaia Online, Zwinktopia and Habbo.  These Web-based, three-dimensional worlds allow users to create personas and avatars that live in the online society.  The avatars can interact with virtual versions of companies who can "buy real estate" in virtual worlds - it's virtual marketing.  Likewise, companies with multiple locations are replacing teleconferencing with virtual worlds meetings: their online avatars meet in a virtual world while their real-world counterparts are at their computers, powering their avatars.

The Growth of Online Video
Videos come in many different forms online.  Some online users host a vlog, which is a blog that has video as the primary content.  In addition, video hosting Web sites are increasingly popular, as they provide a way for users to upload video to the Web through their servers, without the individual incurring the cost or technical mastery that hosting an online video creates. 

Coming Together
In many instances, videos and social networking go hand in hand.  Take, for example, the increasing popularity that YouTube has enjoyed over the past year.  YouTube is the perfect example of a virtual "world" which has extended its reach into the physical landscape.  Recently, the site began hosting physical gatherings, where members of the virtual community meet and gather in public. 

In addition, YouTube is now taking a large role in the 2008 presidential race, providing the election with a modern twist on the tried, true and outdated mode of presidential debates.  YouTube users submit videos asking the candidates unpredictable questions in unique and creative formats, allowing those who normally wouldn't have direct contact with the candidates to voice their questions and concerns.  Experts are already calling the 2008 election the "YouTube election."

HOW TO NETWORK

As video sharing Web sites such as YouTube.com and Google Video rapidly gain popularity, public relations professionals are now beginning to utilize the world of online videos to augment a client's messages and reach a broader audience.  The online video market is an open arena for PR professionals, with an ever-expanding resume of new audiences, content and producers.  Videos allow a message to be communicated visually, not just verbally, thus evoking greater emotion than plain text.  As a result, videos are quickly becoming a common standard for communication in the online community.  A recent survey from PR News and Medialink found that 57 percent of consumers watch or download videos from the Internet and 19 percent watch online videos everyday.1

The online video world allows a client's message to be disseminated quickly around the world and PR professionals would be best served by actively participating in this new medium.  A few things to keep in mind when venturing into the online video environment are:

Create compelling content - The success of an online video is measured through the number of "views," or the number of times people have watched it.  In order to attract consumers to your video it is crucial for the video to be well produced, as 62 percent of viewers prefer content that is professionally produced.1  Be sure the message of your video is engaging and interesting.  Keep in mind your targeted audience when deciding on the "hook," or angle of video.

Be proactive - An online video can enhance the traditional public relations plan by reaching a worldwide audience.  Don't wait for negative messages about a client or product to infiltrate the online video world to create your own content.  The online video world is quickly growing and PR professionals have no choice but to participate. 

Disseminate your message effectively - Once the content is created, it is vital that the video be submitted to online video sharing Web sites such as YouTube.com, Google Video and Yahoo Video.  The younger generation, dubbed the "contagious youth," is the most active group on the Internet and often the most effective at promoting a video through ratings, commenting and sharing.  Pay careful attention when submitting a video to online sharing Web sites. Make sure that the title is relevant and the keywords for your video are common search terms.  If people can't find your video, they can't receive your message.

The world of online videos allows consumers to easily access a variety of messages.  As of yet, there are no clear-cut guidelines or rules on what works and what doesn't. The PR professional that takes advantage of this new communication technology will likely have greater success disseminating client messages to the vast online community. 

References

Best regards,

Peter Rush, Chairman & CEO

www.kellenPR.com 

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