So, now that YouTube's been purchased by Google, what does that mean for the rest of us?

Well, nothing, and everything. Nothing - we really can't get in on that big pay day. Fine. Everything - video on the web is a game changing big_freaking_deal.

My prediction is that any company that has a website NEEDS VIDEO on their site in some way, shape, or form.

Really, it's ubiquitous. The ad dollars are there to back it up and there's no shortage of deals being done on video in the mobile space, web space, iTV space and every other corner of the mediasphere that video can possibly touch.

Specifically, I want to see sites using video for lead gen. Even my wife's new chiropractic website has a chiropractic intro video on it. Sure, it's a 'template video', but it's sight, sound, motion and emotion that sells a hell of a lot more effectively than text!

So, I did a little digging to see who's doing this:

• IBM is using video as a lead gen tool for their lead gen tools
• Grip On Tools (via MarketingSherpa) used video via email
• Perfect Patients (provider of my wife's website) uses video as a lead gen too

I'm sure that there are many others, but let's look at why this is so effective:

1. Video explains concepts in a way that no text or podcast can. You can use voice, music, pictures, screenshots, motion pictures, whatever...to explain your concepts
2. Broadband penetration makes consuming video 'just part of the Internet usage' of the average consumer
3. Having prospects read your website for 5 minutes is a big stretch. Getting the information across in a 5 minute video isn't nearly as big a burden
4. Video is just more engaging that blogs, or even podcasts. Seriously. I can watch the "Fox Hat" video a thousand times, and it's still engaging, and it's still funny!
5. Puts a human face on the scene. Sure, blogs do this, but video REALLY does this. Putting the owner in podcasts seems to work, so putting the owner in video will work better, right?

There's certainly more to it than that, but video, screen casts, YouTube and everything else web video is a small piece of the growing interest in Sales 2.0. Stay tuned

Excellent post Dana,
I have to agree 100%, that is why I started building leadsbyvideo.com

you say ", I want to see sites using video for lead gen" well I think you will find LBV interesting for sure.

I'd be interested in your feedback.

regards

Tom

Great Article.

My company does websites for magazine publishers and we just rolled out a new product for video that not only streams video, but allows simultaneous PowerPoint slides alongside the video. It also has a form generating tool that allows the operator to capture leads. Very slick!